TOPIC:

Hello
is it possible to activate a 3 way Speaker with one ICE125 for MID and HIGH and one ICE250 for LOW, digital optical OUT form Apple Airplay Express adapter to ICE250 digital IN and ICE250 digital OUT to ICE125 digital IN
Thanks

Sure, that's indeed the way we'd do. Note that you'll need a Optical to SPDIF adaptor this being said. The IcePower series only taking SPDIF (coax) or AES-EBU.

Hoping this info helps
DevTeam

I was just going to ask the same question, when I saw this thread. Can someone elaborate a little? So I have four plate amps total, all hooked via eithernet, right? On the product page it also says something about wifi, but no mention in the manual. What's up with this? So once I've connected all modules, I can identify them (by their serial?) and tell them what frequency spectrum to process, right?

In the software on the computer, will there be a window showing me all three bands at the same time or will I have to adjust the top ones for module1 and then the lower band for module2?

I hope my questions are not too confusing, but it would be great if someone could at least approximately tell me what I would be looking at with 4 of these plate amps for a stereo pair of 3-way speakers.

Thanks!

Hi Beauvais, I've not done a 3- or 4-way but may be able to answer some of your questions.

Beauvais wrote:

I was just going to ask the same question, when I saw this thread. Can someone elaborate a little? So I have four plate amps total, all hooked via eithernet, right? On the product page it also says something about wifi, but no mention in the manual. What's up with this?

Don't know anything about the wifi. Ethernet works.

So once I've connected all modules, I can identify them (by their serial?) and tell them what frequency spectrum to process, right?

The amps appear in the interface, as the below screenshot. With four amps, you'd have four there.



You click on one, and then you have the control panel for that amp (it takes a couple of seconds):



(Screenshots from this article: www.hifizine.com/2013/09/the-mini-conver...-loudspeaker-design/)

In the software on the computer, will there be a window showing me all three bands at the same time or will I have to adjust the top ones for module1 and then the lower band for module2?

You'd have to adjust the bands for each amp independently i.e. click on "left top" and adjust, then click on "left woofer" and adjust, etc. BTW you can rename the amps in the interface, it's not obvious but it can be done.

I hope my questions are not too confusing, but it would be great if someone could at least approximately tell me what I would be looking at with 4 of these plate amps for a stereo pair of 3-way speakers.

Hope this helps

Hi John,

Thanks, this does help! I'm just a little torn between this setup and a 4x10HD and external amps. Also because the ICE125 is probably underpowered for my application, after looking at the manual again, their RMS output seems to be around 60W. And the ICE250 is just too large physically to fit two of them on the back of the enclosures. I guess I'll go with the external solution.

But thanks again!

Just as a note, you are probably looking at the rating for continuous output not RMS output. In that case it's thermally limited.

Yes, I did look at that. But also under the key specs it says 2 x 120W but that's at 1% distortion. So whatever they put out cleanly, it's certainly a lot less.

Fair enough, looking at pg 12 of the 125ASX2 datasheet the "knee" is about 95 W on 230V supply and 80W on 115V supply. www.icepower.bang-olufsen.com/files/solu...lass_d_amplifier.pdf

You're right, looking at those graphs the distortion does seem to take off at about 95W and around 300W in bridged mode. This would actually be enough for this application.

You got me thinking again.

Any input on the sound quality of these things, let's say compared to Hypex ams (which is probably what I'd go for externally)?

HI again, I can't comment on the sound compared to Hypex.

To be honest though, I think a single 4x10 would a fair bit easier to work with than 4 x ICE-PWR amps, at least if you are experimenting and trying things. If you're a design-set-forget type of person then maybe it makes no difference.

To me, the big appeal of the PWR-ICE amps is the "integratedness" of the solution, which is really quite nice compared to cables going everywhere. But if you're going to put two amps in one speaker it kinda breaks that a bit, I'd look more to 2 x 2-ways plus 2 x subs each with their PWR-ICE. That still ends up as four amps but somehow feels more cohesive.

Yes, that's pretty much what I'm thinking too. I will do a fair bit of experimenting initially, but once set, I don't want to mess with them all the time. These will be used in my recording studio, so the whole cabling thing is not really an issue either, I won't haul these things around once they're set up.

Also I will be more flexible with a 4x10. I think I'll go that route.

Thanks for your inputs!

Beauvais wrote:

You're right, looking at those graphs the distortion does seem to take off at about 95W and around 300W in bridged mode. This would actually be enough for this application.

You got me thinking again.

Any input on the sound quality of these things, let's say compared to Hypex ams (which is probably what I'd go for externally)?

I don't own a PWR-ICE - they need auto on/standby and OSX software to be a compelling product for me - but I do own an amp that uses the 125asx2 and another that uses Hypex's ucd180.

They are basically identical in performance. With very low impedance loads, the Ice is arguably better.

OK, cool. I'm pretty set on Hypex, thanks!