Crown, a Harman brand, is now shipping its flagship I-Tech HD 4x3500HD DriveCore Series 4-channel power amplifier.
The unit incorporates Crown’s sixth-generation Class I engine with DriveCore technology to deliver 3,500 watts per channel burst into two ohms. It includes a 4.3-inch TFT LCD with capacitive touchscreen, HiQnet System Architect 2.0 control functionality and V5 DSP preset support for JBL Professional’s VTX Series V25 plus VERTEC Series line array loudspeakers.
It delivers 1,900 watts per channel into eight ohms, 2,400 watts per channel into four ohms and 4,800 watts into eight ohms bridged with all channels driven at full bandwidth all from an amplifier that measures 2U rack spaces high. It incorporates Crown’s DriveCore amplifier IC chip. The DriveCore chip combines the amplifier driver stage into the power output stage (along with additional audio-signal functions), to reduce overall size and power-consumption requirements.
The I-Tech 4x3500HD has four analogue inputs, four AES3 digital inputs and four AES inputs over VDrive and the ability to select four CobraNet inputs. The amplifier also includes SpeakON or banana plug speaker connectors, as well as a Neutrik PowerCON AC input connector.
It has a BSS OmniDriveHD processing engine and employs 32bit/192kHz A/D and D/A converters. It has the ability to precisely tailor the amplifier’s audio output. Crown’s exclusive linear phase FIR and IIR filters provide optimised loudspeaker crossover points with improved midrange clarity and off-axis loudspeaker response.
The amplifier is compatible with Harman HiQnet System Architect and JBL HiQnet Performance Manager sound reinforcement system design software.
The inclusion of JBL VerTec V5 DSP preset tunings for VerTec Series loudspeakers interface with the I-Tech 4x3500HD’s FIR filters to improve the loudspeakers’ sound quality and horizontal coverage performance. For enhanced control and monitoring capabilities the amplifier is also compatible with the Powered By Crown iPad/iPhone application.
It also incorporates Crown’s LevelMax limiter technology that combines the operation of the amplifier’s Peak, Thermal and RMS limiters for more effective protection; and a front-panel USB port that enables users to load preset amplifier settings or device files and update firmware.