CRATE - FW 120 opinion ???

[J M Fahey]

Hi Brymus.
I also read those "35VA", but discarded that as a misprint.
Yet, I *have* seen VA ratings smaller than rated RMS power, in "serious" amps, but they are marketing department babble and I *think* i know why:
The one I distinctly remember was a Carvin or Traynor Power Amp, around 1500W RMS, which should draw around 2000/2500 VA from the mains socket.
Now I don't remember it exactly, and am too lazy to check now, but I think that US or Canada home power outlets are internally 10 Amp. fused , for safety reasons, which should allow them to supply *up to* 1200 VA.
Now that´s clearly insufficient for said power amps, yet the marketers don't want to scare potential buyers with the burden/cost of upgrading their residential power system, so they claim their 2500VA beasts can be safely hooked to 1200 VA outlets because *nobody* reaches clipping levels at home, rather it's informally agreed that HiFi music is heard at an average level of no more than 10% maximum power, so they print in bold letters: "average" power needs: 200 or 250 VA (b*llsh*t !!) and in microscopic letters the real full power consumption. Oh well !!!!
Of course, the same power amp. used in a Club/DJ/PA environement can´t be plugged in such a wimpy outlet.
Most if not all of them have some sort of "soft" start, to avoid the turn-on power surge to trip protections, blow fuses, etc.

[Brymus]

Thanks JM  :tu:
Again another  explanation I find very useful.

[zebric]

if you need to stick to crate dont go less than a gt-3500h especially for high gain stuff...only used by the way...but in stock in some european stores....i'm a happy owner