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AHEM
05-15-2005, 09:43 PM
Anyone ever use one of these?

Glackowitz
05-15-2005, 10:41 PM
The new channel plus system I have seen is a scalled back elan System 6 with a different KP

It has less features like preamp out, Individual Zone triggers, Source status inputs, System triggers.

Channel Plus:
http://www.channelplus.com/ProductImages/BMDS6A.jpg

Elan:
http://www.elanhomesystems.com/product/control/sseries/s6.asp

Have to go down to the pics

The elan Z100 KP are 210.00 retail while the Channel plus MCS-1A is about 59.99 retail but did find them as low as 45 on the net, and the 2 gang version at around 99.00 retail. while the Z100 and the Z150 together run about 285.00

I guess for a quick and easy no frills system its a decent deal, not sure on the programming. The Elan needs the Via Tool kit to upload to the KPs, The Channel plus single gang is a basic KP- no control or programming-just selects source, zone power, volume, mute

The Channel plus 2 gang KP is programmable similar to a Niles intellipad.

they both are 40 WPC and 6 zones, The elan is great for adding subzones as it does have the preamp outs that are settable to a variable of fixed

RobbieS
05-16-2005, 12:20 AM
We used several of these early on. The amplifier works well but generates some serious heat. Make sure you vent it.

They keypads just flat suck. You learn the commands into one keypad and then you can transmit to all other keypads. Each keypad has an IR emitter and receiver. We would have to go through and tape up all the flashers to perform the learning otherwise the IR codes would get scrambled as we learned them because the flashers were spitting the codes back out during the learn process. According to Channel Plus tech this shouldn't/couldn't happen but it always did to us. They Keypad IR is also proprietary so you can't use a standalone keypad in place of their keypad. Keypads also have a limited range they can run over the cat 5. I don't remember exactly what it is but we found it twice......

Our extra time "debugging" these things would have easily covered the cost of something a little nicer.

AHEM
05-16-2005, 08:51 AM
Thanks for the info. What are some of your favorites in entry level keypad systems?

Glackowitz
05-16-2005, 02:40 PM
We have Done the Elan System 6..but found it was a a distrubuted line in our area and the trunk slammer was selling it way less than us, moved to B&K but had support issues, now looking at Speakercraft MZC-66 system, hard to beat at 2400 retail with KP's plus speakers and Wiring and labor.
Also we just picked up Nexus audio systems
www.nexusaudiosystems.com pretty cool stuff..all on Speaker wire..we are using it to please the old systems from yesteryear..wired for VC only

Gary
05-16-2005, 03:40 PM
What kind of support issues? I've done a ton of CT600s and the cloesest thing I've ever had to a single problem was one unit with the power light out.

Glackowitz
05-16-2005, 04:27 PM
we hada 3 out of the last 5 units show up with problems...turn on pop, dead channels, loss of audio. and the advance replacement was shipped a few weeks late...just was forgotten about..took 5 weeks and when it did show up it was not rack mount nor was it in black...look good to the customer when you have 2 receivers torn apart in the living room floor to swap faces. the last 610 we got in had a ref 5 remote instead of the 128 remote. We have had a few CK 1.2 KP's with no backlight, KP's dont work in weatherproof boxes very well.

I have been using B&K since the 202 days and never really had issues and just in the last 3-4 months had seemingly more than ever.

Im not saying they are bad just hasnt work for us on the last few job very well. the last receiver was a new series 2 that sounded like a gun was shot in the room when you powered it on and off.....customer loved that one...Its great stuff, they just need to get back on the ball and get things rolling again...They admitted they were going through growing pains.

I have seen the outputs of a 507 on the scope and all channels are the same as far as power and such, and seen a brand x as well that none of the channels were even close as far as power to the said rating.

The B&K was actually over the rated power by 10-12 watts

Theaterworks
05-16-2005, 08:15 PM
What kind of support issues? I've done a ton of CT600s and the cloesest thing I've ever had to a single problem was one unit with the power light out.

I've had my share of B&K problems. I've swapped out probably 75% of the CT's we've installed, but lately they are better. In my view of B&K, the taste of the bait is worth the pain of the hook....

AHEM
05-16-2005, 09:36 PM
I sold B&K back about 7-8 years ago, and the reliability was no better back then?

Anyone remember the first US made receiver in over 20 years? We sold three of them and all three died within the first month.

Anyone remember the Reference 20? It was billed as being a preamp that would be fully upgradable with future technologies. Then 7.1 came out and guess what? It wasn't.