The trailblazing technology inside Crown
DCi, ComTech, XLS and iTech HD Series amplifiers

 

Building on our legacy of innovation, DriveCore™ Technology decisively separates Crown amplifiers from everyone else. Based on breakthroughs by our own Gerald Stanley, we teamed up with Texas Instruments and their silicon design to seamlessly integrate the amplifier drive stage into the power output stage and put everything onto one very tiny chip. The result is cutting-edge energy-efficiency, long-term reliability, greater accuracy, reduced weight and size and best-in-class signal-to-noise performance. This proprietary hybrid analogue-digital integrated circuit is protected by multiple patents - the product of two decades of R&D.

DriveCore™ features across our DCi, ComTech, XLS and iTech HD product ranges, and clearly demonstrates why Crown continues to be the undisputed leader in sound amplification. Find out more about DriveCore™ and the products its used in below.

 

By reducing the part count by over 500, DriveCore™ Technology greatly reduces design complexity compared to that of traditional amplifiers. That makes our DriveCore™ amps more efficient and more reliable than those of our competitors.

Simply put, a 4x600W DriveCore™ amplifier can be used anywhere and outperform existing amplifier technology by delivering more than twice the power while using just half the space of a 4x250W amp. This represents another historic milestone in our ongoing commitment to delivering audio products demanded by professionals – and that please audiences worldwide.

 

For such a small chip, DriveCore™ provides huge audio quality dividends too.

For example, the patented feedback and PWM modulation circuits for fast recovery on peak transients, accurate reproduction of low-level detail, and precise tracking of low frequencies at all power levels for the unrivaled performance expected from Crown. The front-end drive circuits leverage the inherent efficiency of Class D output stages while also maintaining superb sonic characteristics.

The extremely wide tolerance for AC line conditions means whether you’re on a normal power grid or fluctuating back-up generator power for Life-Safety systems, DriveCore™ amps deliver sound that’s never compromised.

The end result is an ultra-efficient, one-piece audio amplifier circuit exhibiting the exemplary audio quality of a highly evolved Class AB design, giving you:

Signal-to-noise in excess of 120db

Total Harmonic Distortion less than 0.001%

Efficiency greater than 90%

Amp Scalability from 20W to 20kW

 

Perfection doesn't happen overnight.

We’ve been developing and refining amplifier technology since 1967, when we introduced the world’s first reliable, high-powered, solid-state amplifier, the DC 300. And our relentless commitment to constantly push the limits of sound, and the technology to deliver it, remains unwavering. Led by the engineering genius of Gerald Stanley, our Vice President of Research and Development, Crown’s reputation for technical prowess is world-renowned. Gerald holds 31 patents in the U.S. alone, and his influence continues on our revolutionary DriveCore™ Technology, which features five patents applying to the advanced feedback, modulation, and output stage capabilities.

The Products

DriveCore™ technology forms the heart of the following product ranges:

DCi Install Series

Our flagship installation amplifier Series, providing system integrators with the advanced features and flexibility required for challenging 21st century installed sound applications. Versatile, compact and highly energy-efficient, DCi Series amplifiers continue the unbroken Crown tradition of leadership in professional and commercial power amplifier technology.

ComTech Series

ComTech DriveCore™ is ideal for installations that require premium sound quality, multi-channel configurations, compact dimensions, and zero ambient fan noise. Typical applications include boardrooms, video and teleconferencing, VIP suites in stadiums and arenas, and upscale restaurants and retail outlets to name just a few.

XLS Series

Crown's XLS Series amplifiers define the standard for portable PA systems.  Also suitable for installation, XLS DriveCore features unmatched performance, technology and affordability.

I-Tech HD Series

Inside and out, the I-Tech HD is one of the most technologically advanced professional touring amplifiers on the market today, providing up to 14,000W from a single amplifier. Building on the decades of innovation, invention, and insight Crown is known for, the I-Tech HD features five new patents – three on the power supply alone.