Crown is one of the best-known manufacturers in professional audio circles. Just take a look at stages and you'll see that many sound companies rely on this manufacturer to drive their loudspeakers. The CE Series, which we review in these pages, is one of those low-risk bets: excellent value for money thanks to more than enviable performance. The series consists of three models, two of them with a traditional class AB design and a third, very surprising one based on the latest digital amplification technology, with an in-house development the company has dubbed BCA. Surprising, because the CE4000 can deliver up to 1,400 W per channel into 2-ohm loads in an amplifier weighing just 15.1 kg. In live sound applications, where gear is constantly being moved around, it is a welcome thing to have this much power in so little weight.
A series worth discovering
Allow me this time to review the three amplifiers in a different, perhaps more personal way, in order to focus on the most practical side. When we consider buying a power amplifier for live applications, there are several requirements that absolutely must be met. We need a solution capable of delivering a good dose of power, or rather, excellent current delivery. It should also handle transients quickly and smoothly, without distorting at high volumes, while masterfully handling sounds at very low volume. For audio rental companies, it also matters that they work perfectly into 8- and 4-ohm loads, and if they can go down to 2, so much the better. They should run cool, since we tend to stack a whole entourage of amplifiers one on top of another for large setups or for monitor use, enclosed in metal racks, hidden behind the PA or under the stage, spaces where ventilation only works by forced air. They should cover the whole audible band, from 20 to 20,000 Hz, without noticeable coloration. They will also need a protection circuit against all the typical hazards: temperature, overload, high-frequency "blowups," etc., and recovery should be instantaneous. And if they are light, great.
With these basic requirements in mind, we come to the CE4000, the top model in Crown's CE series. To begin with, the manufacturer's name is already an unmistakable sign of quality and therefore of reliability. They are known for their "sound": smooth, fairly flat but powerful, with muscle. The CE4000 user manual claims a power output of 1,400 W per channel (as long as the input voltage is above 200 volts) into 2 ohms, 1,200 W into 4 and 600 W into 8 ohms. In bridge mode, it reaches 3,600 W (into 4 ohms). Note the perfect mathematical and electrical correspondence between an 8-ohm and a 4-ohm load: exactly double. The measurements were taken with 1 kHz tones and with total harmonic distortion never above 0.5%. As I mentioned, it weighs only 15.1 kg, which makes it possible, for example, to load a rack with four amplifiers for a total of almost 10,000 W that is completely manageable and relatively light.
The front panel of the CE4000, and therefore of the other two models, is quite simple. Besides the brand logo and a generous grille for forced ventilation, we find the power switch, two potentiometers to control each amplifier channel and three LEDs per channel: input signal, clip and fault (plus the power LED). The first LED is very useful as it indicates the presence of an input signal, completely independent of the output level selected with the corresponding potentiometer. It is very handy because it lets us quickly check whether signal is reaching us from the source (usually the mixing console). This LED changes its brightness according to the level of the input signal. The second LED corresponds to the power output. Although Crown decided to vary the light according to the input level (that is, dimmer at low level, brighter at high level), it does not do so on the output LED, and besides being insufficient for achieving the best synergy between console and amplifier, the only difference between a good level and clipping is the LED's color: red. It would have been nice to have a stepped set of LEDs or traditional VU meters. Finally, a fault LED, the one nobody wants to see lit red, an unmistakable sign of an error. The amplifiers are ready for rack mounting, although we can criticize the use of a somewhat flimsy material: if they take a knock (something normal during loading and unloading), the mounting ears can easily bend.
The rear panel is convincing, but above all practical, especially on the CE4000. All models include a standard IEC socket for power. For line-level signal input, Crown has fitted two hybrid XLR connectors compatible with jack or TRS plugs and a set of bare-wire inputs. A switch lets us select a sensitivity of 1.4 volts or 26 dB (on the CE1000 and CE2000) and of 0.775 V, 1.4 V or 26 dB on the CE4000. All models include the corresponding stereo/bridge mode switch. The outputs include Speakon connectors, very useful thanks to their sturdiness. Only the CE4000 (although it is optional on the CE1000 and CE2000) comes standard with a binding-post output. From here on, it is the CE4000 that shows the most differences.
Exemplary versatility
Much of the CE4000's strength, besides its greater power output and its weight (in fact, only 1 kg heavier than the CE1000 and 3 kg lighter than the CE2000), comes from a set of filters that let us use the same set of amplifiers to put together a simple but powerful bi-amped installation. Each channel has its own high-pass and low-pass filter, selected by means of another switch. The high-pass filter cuts at 30, 40 and 50 Hz, while the low-pass cuts at 80 and 100 Hz (obviously, a "flat" option is included). The same power amplifier lets us drive both subwoofers and "full-range" cabinets, without the need for external crossovers.
To top it off, Crown again fits all the amplifiers in the CE series with a control port that allows remote monitoring of the amplifier's status via various LEDs.
The not-so-small CE1000 and CE2000
One of the problems I personally find with the CE4000 is precisely its poor performance when we don't use its full potential. If the amplifier can deliver, say, 1,200 W per channel into 4-ohm loads, when we simply use a loudspeaker designed to handle much less than those 1,200 W, we have to adjust the whole system to avoid any damage. Even if we use loudspeakers capable of handling very harsh transients, we will have to turn down the CE4000's current delivery. Only in this situation does the amplifier come across as somewhat weak.
Perhaps that is why Crown gets around this obstacle with the addition of the CE1000 and CE2000. The former delivers 560 W per channel into 2 ohms, 450 W into 4, 275 W into 8, or 1,100 W in bridge mode into 4 ohms (900 W into 8). The CE2000 delivers 975 W into 1 ohm, 660 W into 4, 400 W into 8 and 1,950 W in bridge mode into 4 ohms (1,320 W into 8 ohms). In this way, with the three amplifiers, Crown covers any power delivery need. Besides the differences in connectivity, these two models use traditional amplification technology, which to some extent explains their heavier weight compared with their big sister. In fact, both use the same electronic circuitry, although they differ in the transformer used (a conventional linear type) and, obviously, in the number of MOSFET amplifiers (eight per channel for the CE1000, twelve for the CE2000).
The tests
For the tests, I will describe the experience I have built up using these power amplifiers at various events. The equipment used belongs to the sound rental company So JC in Caldes de Montbuí (Barcelona), which uses these power amplifiers to drive a large lineup of loudspeakers, including the legendary yet still versatile JBL Concert, or the same manufacturer's compact M-PRO, along with in-house creations designed by its sound engineers, such as the Series N PA cabinet for large audiences or the compact Series P cabinets.
First of all, the low weight of all the amplifiers is greatly appreciated. In fact, the CE1000 and CE2000 don't stand out precisely for that (they are similar in weight to other models from the brand or to other manufacturers' amplifiers), but the CE4000 above all does, cutting its weight by about 65% compared with two CE2000s. Your back will thank you.
According to the manufacturer's specifications, the frequency response of all the amplifiers is completely flat between 19 Hz and 17 kHz, which lets the sound engineer take greater control of the production without having to worry about excessive coloration from the amplifiers. While the CE4000 reaches 20 kHz, the CE1000 and CE2000 ensure good performance up to 25 kHz. On the other hand, the CE4000's damping factor is much higher, >1000, compared with >400 for the other two models. In any case, the value is sufficient for our purpose. Another figure to bear in mind is crosstalk, which is rated at >55 dB for the CE1000 and CE2000 and >40 dB for the CE4000; although these may seem like very low values, they are more than sufficient for live applications. An important detail: they are quite quiet.
In a setup we could consider "conventional," we used one CE4000 per side to drive a set of Series N cabinets in full range, forming an electrical load with an impedance of 2 ohms, which makes it possible to obtain a continuous power of up to 3,600 W in total per side.
Without yet knowing exactly why, it is curious to note that, in conjunction with an Allen&Heath ML3000 or ML5000, to match amplifier and console at the clipping point (that is, to make 0 dB on the ML correspond with 0 dB on the Crowns), the amplifiers' potentiometers have to be turned down by three notches. A detail we have yet to figure out.
The result is very pleasant for the sound engineer, as there is no need to worry about some of the most common problems in live applications. The amplifier's low coloration frees the engineer from having to correct its possible imperfections with the graphic EQ. The whole package is very convincing because you can feel the speed of the amplification: transients (such as kick drums or percussion) are reproduced in all their magnitude, with no noticeable distortion in the upper spectrum. Since it uses a switching amplifier and power supply, the CE4000 could struggle somewhat in the highs, since having to remove the high sampling frequency could impair the reproduction of the very top end. Even so, the CE4000 guarantees excellent results up to 20 kHz (and even a bit beyond, as shown by the warm and not at all harsh hi-hats and cymbals of the drum kit).
None of the three amplifiers seems to choke when we push the dynamics. A hard rock band sounds separated and defined enough to let the engineer focus on more "artistic" matters. Even the deepest voices are reproduced with excellent intelligibility.
Other things worth highlighting are undoubtedly their low heat output, even under truly harsh conditions, which to date they have withstood perfectly without a single thermal shutdown. Current delivery is magnificent, as we were able to verify using a CE2000 and four JBL M-PRO cabinets per channel, filling some sizable town squares with sound at a good sound pressure level.
Conclusion
Except for the CE4000, the models carry THX certification, a seal I personally consider of little use but which guarantees excellent performance in cinema installations (such as commercial movie theaters). That alone is a good example of their sonic performance. In live sound applications, the whole CE series is efficient and extremely convenient, on both a practical and a technical level. Crown keeps coming up with products where quality and price go hand in hand, making life easier for sound engineers and for equipment rental companies alike: they are rugged, easy to use, very complete and tremendously versatile.
