And now we arrive at the “top of the tops,” the Crown I-Tech Series. This company has always been a leader in power amplifier manufacturing, where its quality has consistently stood out, and although its prices run above some of its competitors’, you only need to look at the ruggedness, design, construction and quality of the materials used to understand the difference.
The American company Crown has shaken up the world of power amplification with the new I-Tech series. In the words of Stephen Morris, Crown’s director of touring sound marketing, “I-Tech is truly the most advanced power amplifier in the world ... and incorporates the latest in power supply, output stage and digital technologies.” The I-Tech series includes the I-T4000, the I-T6000 and the I-T8000. The amp we’re looking at now, the I-T8000, is the most powerful Crown makes and the most advanced of its kind. Like the Vortex 200V, it is one of the few capable of delivering 200V output peaks.
Unlike other digital amplifiers on the market, it comes standard with a DSP processor with 24-bit/96 kHz A/D and D/A converters, as well as a direct AES/EBU digital input. Models with IQ Networks connectivity have also been announced for the near future, which will allow remote control and monitoring of the amplifier on the one hand, and reception of multichannel CobraNet digital signals on the other.
Technical Specifications
This amp delivers per-channel output of 2,100 W at 8 ohms, 4,000 W at 4 ohms and 3,500 W at 2 ohms, per channel and measured from 20 Hz to 20 kHz with less than 0.35% actual THD (Total Harmonic Distortion). In bridge mode we get 8,000 W at 8 ohms and 7,000 W at 4 ohms.
It’s worth noting that when working at impedances below 4 ohms, the power delivered doesn’t increase but decreases, unlike the Digam K10, which doesn’t matter much if we don’t plan to force the equipment into low impedances. In any case, like most Crown amplifiers, it lets you run in stereo mode with impedances as low as 1 ohm.
Input impedance is 20 kohms, balanced.
Voltage gain is selectable from 39.3 dB to 24.5 dB, or alternatively we can select input sensitivity from 1.4V to 7.75V.
The signal-to-noise ratio is > 105 dB.
The inputs are XLR, with XLR loop-through, plus an AES/EBU digital input on XLR. For outputs we have two 4-pole high-power Speakon connectors (50 A, Neutrik Speakon NL4MPL), one carrying channel 1 on +1/-1 and channel 2 on +2/-2, and the other carrying only channel 2 on +1/-1; and two pairs of high-power binding posts (60 A) that accept terminals, banana plugs or bare wire.
The damping factor is over 5,000 from 20 Hz to 100 Hz at 8 ohms (“Excellent”).
It incorporates a “global” regulated power supply that delivers full power at any mains voltage between 120 and 277 volts and 50 to 60 Hz, with Power Factor Correction (PFC), which allows more efficient current draw on a 20-amp circuit breaker. The combination of that supply with Class-I amplification delivers 200 volts of peak output.
Class-I is a term used by Crown to define an adaptation of Class-D that uses two sets of output switching devices operating in an interleaved fashion (hence the “I” in I-Tech).
The most novel thing about this amplifier is really the use of a liquid crystal display, which allows you to configure the amplifier and also makes comprehensive diagnostics possible. You can configure the signal input mode (stereo, bridge or parallel), input sensitivity (between 1.4V and 7.75V in .1V steps), attenuation (in 0.5 dB steps down to -90 dB), clip limiter, output voltage limiter and output power limiter, among others. For monitoring, you can view thermal headroom, mains voltage, load, an error log and hours of use, among other data.
The display also lets us load DSP settings, either factory presets (it comes preloaded with settings for JBL speakers) or user presets.
The DSP parameters can be edited on a computer and downloaded to the amplifier, but they can’t be edited on the amplifier itself beyond loading the different memories already stored. The DSP provides up to 64 filters, selectable from 9 different types. It also includes up to 2 seconds of delay and a stereo pink noise and sine wave generator.
It also has an RJ-45 connector for a 100Mb TCP/IQ network connection, intended mainly as a future option for working directly with a CobraNet signal.
This amp weighs just 12.7 kg.
Pros and Cons
It’s hard to find fault with this amp, other than its price, since I had never seen an amplifier that could fit that much power and so many features in just 2 rack units. The control right on the amp over each of the channels is impressive: you can limit the signal, limit the voltage peak, limit the power output in watts, use pink noise, adjust the voltage gain and input sensitivity, monitor temperature, mute channels, monitor output impedance, AC voltage and even running time, all independently for each channel. And if we choose to connect it to a computer (the software comes on a CD), we can even set up different presets with filters of up to 64 cuts to tailor the amp to each of the different speaker cabinets we use it with, which will noticeably improve our rig without having to tweak the EQs so much.
Of course, using an amp like this requires a significant outlay of money, but for companies that want the best and most powerful gear, it’s something they would do well to consider.
Finally, I’d like to add that its construction and the quality of the materials used strike me as among the best I’ve seen, showing that Crown remains at the head of the pack in every amp it makes.
Note on the rating
Positive adjustment: +0.5; Total: 9.7 (I’ve allowed myself this adjustment because these criteria alone can’t express the enormous number of functions and possibilities this amp offers, which, together with its ruggedness and careful design, make it one of the best amps I’ve ever seen. Granted, because of its high price I can’t list it as one of the best values for the money, but I can say that for everything it offers, it is worth it.)
