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Output capacity of up to 6,000W is truly astonishing for a two rack-space amp
At the start of the year, Crown introduced a more sophisticated revision of its successful XTi series amplifiers, the new XTi 2. The original version was lightweight and powerful, with some useful DSP available, as well as a USB interface for quickly controlling and set- ting up the unit. The revision advances that same technology. The power amplifier circuitry remains largely the same between the two versions, but the XTi2 offers advanced DSP and more available presets. As with the original version, the revision offers four amplifiers, each more powerful successively, the XTi 1002, XTi 2002, XTi 4002, and the XTi 6002. I recently spent time with the XTi 4002.
As time goes by, amplifier manufacturers are including more and more sophistication in terms of internal digital signal processing as a general rule. There are certainly exceptions, but most modern professional-grade amps offer a lot more internal processing than their predecessors. Typically, such amps offer equalization, crossovers, delays, and limiting intended to protect speakers. I love getting this processing as part of the amp package—it saves rack space and my back, since I can avoid loading crossovers and equalizers, among other things, into my racks. Some amps get even more sophisticated than just EQ, crossovers, delays, and limiting, and the XTi2 falls into that category.
The details
Advanced eight-band equalization is avail- able at the amp’s inputs—specifically six fully parametric bands with high and low- shelving bands, as well. Each band can be boosted or cut 15 dB. A high-pass and low-pass crossover filter is available on each channel, as well, with two topologies available—Butterworth in 6, 12, 18, and 24 dB/octave cutoffs, and Linkwitz-Riley in 24 and super-steep 48 dB/octave cutoffs. In addition, ±15 dB of bandpass gain is available in this section, along with polarity reversal. At the amp’s outputs, eight bands of fully parametric equalization are available, offering 15 dB of boost or cut. All of the EQ and filtering is digital, of course, but it sounds very natural. Combining the contour capabilities of several different filter topologies in the digital domain, while maintaining high fidelity, attests to the quality engineering designed into this Crown amplifier.
Each channel has a delay of up to 50 ms for speaker alignment, and the amount can be entered into the system in seconds, feet, or meters. I like this feature because it simplifies life for users—no calculator necessary—just measure and dial it in. A sub-harmonic synthesizer is included in the amp as well, creating a synthetic clone of the low-frequency content of the input one octave lower. This feature was also found in the original version of the XTi, but in the new amp, the user has control over frequency, gain, and filter type, allowing for more complete control of the sub-harmonic signal. It seems as if some kind of sub-harmonic synthesis has become a ubiquitous staple in live sound, and it’s effectively achieved here; I do love having the capacity to shake the floor a little when it’s appropriate. Each output also features a limiter with control over threshold and attack and release times. Crown’s engineering team says the limiters in this new version have been completely rewritten, resulting in improved loudspeaker protection, especially low- frequency, and they are designed to sound much better. The DSP offers 50 presets, 49 of them user-programmable.
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John McJunkin is the CEO of Avalon Podcasting in Chandler, Arizona, which offers high quality podcast production and consultation services to a broad range of clients. He’s also the host of the Podcast Pro Tech & Tips Podcast at www.avalonpodcasting.com.
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