Fan volume Samson Servo 600, or Crown XLS 1000, XTi 1000 ?

[Starstreams]

I was looking for an amp to power some monitors that I would be using while recording with condenser mics and was concerned about how loud the fans might be. I was hoping to use it for a PA amp down the road for drumming practice also which is why I'm even looking at amps.
I suppose I can hide the amp somewhere when recording, but it would be nice to find a model with quite fans.

Has anyone used the Samson Servo 600, or the Crown XLS 1000 that can comment?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Advanced Thanks.

EDIT - Update:
I found a few reviews on the XLS 1000, I guess the fans are very quite, almost not even heard.
But the new XTi 1002's are shipping soon, so I might go that way. The 1002 is an update to the XT1 1000, so I'm hopping the fans will be improved as well because I've heard that the "older" XTi 1000 fans are much louder than the XLS line of amps. Right now it's a special order, no one has it in stock, Guitar Center says no returns, Sam Ash says 15% restock fee on returns if it doesn't work out.
Hopefully Crown made the fans quite like the XLS's

 

[mixsit]

I have the XLS2500. It seems I don't know yet how loud the fan is as it's never come on in the little bit of run time I've had in set up here at the house.
I've been meaning to try it out on my (fairly inefficient) home monitors- But, it turns out I'll have to pick up another banana and make an invert convert. They put hots in the center, top entry only jacks right up against the damn case. The wire loop-bump on the banana means symmetrical wired plugs only go in
inverted polarity.
Hopefully later today...

 

[Starstreams]

I have the XLS2500. It seems I don't know yet how loud the fan is as it's never come on in the little bit of run time I've had in set up here at the house.

Good to know. And I've heard this very same thing across other boards too. Some people were saying if you're not driving the amp hard, like in my case I have (200W 4ohm near fields) then the fan will mostly not come on, which seems like a good thing I guess. I was hoping ..being that the XTi 1002 is over kill for my situation, I could just use the two level knobs on the front of the unit as an over load safety to better match the signal level, thus getting a clean signal from an amp that has to put out little effort.

...it turns out I'll have to pick up another banana and make an invert convert. They put hots in the center, top entry only jacks right up against the damn case. The wire loop-bump on the banana means symmetrical wired plugs only go in
inverted polarity.
Hopefully later today...

I'm pretty new to external power amps, what do you mean "invert convert"? Don't you just put the twisted end of the wire into the round banana jack and screw it down? When you say "symmetrical wired plugs", do you mean these things have to have some kind of solid piece on the end of the wire? If so I would think you can buy them, but it does make it kind of a hassle if you ever need to cut down the wire.. if I'm understanding correct?

 

[mixsit]

Oh ta.
Ran the thing loud for a bit (100-105 in the room about max for these speakers I'd imagine) and the fan runs very quietly. (way way less than the Carver and QSC for comparison, a Mackie 2408 mixer p/s fan, or my DAW- (These other amps I do find objectionable for a listening situation. ('Mackie, DAW, don't like but it's tolerable at least.
I could hear the fan if I put my head down near the amp, that's about it.
At moderate volume (80 ish) it seems to alt on and off.
So, unless it has some other higher speeds I didn't see..? Don't know.

...I'm pretty new to external power amps, what do you mean "invert convert"? Don't you just put the twisted end of the wire into the round banana jack and screw it down? When you say "symmetrical wired plugs", do you mean these things have to have some kind of solid piece on the end of the wire? If so I would think you can buy them, but it does make it kind of a hassle if you ever need to cut down the wire.. if I'm understanding correct?

The banana plugs have a side tab that if you use it can be a ref to the polarity of how it's wired (by feel or visual.. Since I use it (tab = com in this case) cables 'symmetrical'. (..not a tech term for it far as I know just a way of expressing it
Instead of rewiring one plug I made an inverting - converter' set. Now that is a tech term, but.. I just made it up.

 

[Starstreams]

Thanks mixit,
I guess they're doing this because of new regulations. I just found that out today btw.

I was on the phone with a Crown tech, (actually two different ones today). I was hoping that the XTi series had quiet fans like the XLS, but from what the crown support said, the Xti2's are much louder. They kick on at about 53c, 127.4F, I could be off by a few numbers but I remember it being in the 126, 127F range.
I'm thinking I'll go with the (Ugly looking) XLS, .hehe. The DriveCore technology looks impressive.
DriveCore Technology Overview

FLY, One of the support techs said, and he didn't get into great detail. But he said there is a substantial improvement on the 1500 models (and up) that has something to do with the DSP chips.
He also named some other improvements that were far and beyond me, but I just thought I would mention it. someone else might be able to explain it better? I'm using my own crossovers so I'm not sure if this even applys to me.

XLS 1000 (Class-D) = DSP chip not as good
XLS 1500 (Class-D) = Improved DSP
XLS 2000 (Class-D) = Improved DSP
XLS 2500 (Class-D) = Improved DSP

 

[mixsit]

XLS Drivecore™ Series
The 1500 and above do spec 6db better noise for what it's worth.

 

[Starstreams]

I'm seriously considering the XTi 1002 because the reviews seem to be more solid. In regard to the XLS I've found a few sincere sounding reviews of people complaining that they returned it for a QSC because the low end on the XLS was weak. Well who knows what else they had going. It also looks like the XLS has no EQ (that's direct from the mouth of Crown), which I think is important for different rooms.

According to Crown, the fans on the XTi ver2 amps "are" variable by an equation depending on how hot the unit gets. Being that I'd only be powering 200W max /4ohm monitors at normal volume the fans might not even come on. And if they do they would most likely be running on low. If you push the XTi ver2 it can get very loud, but since the amp has so much extra power in my situation it might not get hot and should be ok for recording. Contrary to that, the QSC RMX-850/1450 amp(s) has great reviews as far as flat sound, and transparency, but I later found out today that the fans are programmed, so they kick on at higher speeds and then shut off. (it's an all or nothing kind of thing) That's unfortunate, I was seriously considering the RMX for the price point.

The XTi 1002, 2002, 4002, and 6002 has been out for about a year, I wonder why it's a special order in all the stores. none of the stores I've called carries it.

 

[Starstreams]

Edit - Update -
Here's a quick and simple review, any questions welcome.

I ended up getting the XTi2 1002.

The setup goes like this.
I have an (active) BlueSky SUB 8 MKIII line level /balanced running into the Crown amp, then to a set of passive 200 watt - 4ohm Event ASP 6 monitors. Note: when the speakers were active, they were rated at 200w LF, and 80W HF programed. I'm not sure if this is RMS? Now that my friend put the Event crossovers in, I think the speakers should be the same rating, I'm guessing 100watt RMS.

The room temperature at the moment is 71F. I ran the speakers at a very high volume for about 15 mins really pushing them, the fan in the XTi2 has not kicked on because it looks like I'm barley pushing the amp. So I guess that's good news. The front gain knobs are set just one notch above 1/4th, not even half way. The output front meters on the Crown with the speakers cranked up are at showing signal light, sometimes hitting -20 on the meters but only on loud spikes.

So far they sound incredible, clean and transparent. The software looks amazing, tons of control. Although I haven't changed anything yet. You can set delay if you have a speaker at a different distance in the room, there is built in EQ on the input (pre) of internal crossovers, and EQ on the output section. Since the speakers have crossovers in them, I'm not sure if when I adjust the EQ ...I should use the output section EQ of the amp or the input EQ section? They sound great as they are. But I might want to tweak it just to get comfortable with how things work and to experiment. Some of the HiQnet software.. like the Architect 3 I won't even have a need for. Home | HiQnet Though it's cool that is has this kind of control.

So I'll let you know how loud the fan is in the summer if it kicks on.