Peavey CS-800

I currently own 2 peavey cs-800's, both of which were manufactured in the 80's. The most impressive feature of this model is the DDT ( Distortion Detection Technique)which works with a compressor to eliminate Distortion/clipping. This feature can be manually disengaged by pulling on the gain switches.I use both of them for Bass in my system (i'm a mobile dj ) Once there was a power surge at a wedding i performed in and my QSC's failed me. I used one pv for bass and the other for mids and highs. And the reception went on till dawn with no problems True workhorses.

I've had no problems with noise and distortion with the 800's. even at maximum gain levels. However recently i get a loud 'thump' on the subs when i power up. Proably need some servicing

Peavey has never failed me to date. they take the jamming when other brands fail.Once i neglected to service for quite some time and dust built up in the heatsink for channel A blowing some trannies, but channel B performed for the entire night without letting me down.If they were'nt so darn heavy i would use pv's only.

I brought mine second or third hand and was able to download complete schematics and operating manuals from Peavey.com quite simple to service and or repair.Because i've done it a couple times myself.

I have been playing out for close to 10 years now.Seven of which, has been for the previous owner of the two pv's i have.When i decided to go into the business on my own three years ago, i brought them from him because he was 'upgrading', sometimes he comes to me to rent them when his Americian Audio fails. Apart from from the two peavey's, i have a BGW, two soundcraftsman and a yahama.With the weight of that amp rack,it would be pretty hard to be stolen. and if it was lost i would'nt hesitate to purchase peavey's again. I just love the realiability which this product offers

I'm only commenting on reliability. Very reliable. We've been running this Amp for maybe over 20 years in my church. I've just recently looked into it. We're upgrading now but this amp has been with us for a long time and still going. Honestly, the load we've been putting on it is very instense (we didn't know any better) but it still haven't crapped out on us. ;)

Peavey CS-800 power amplifier, 400Watts RMS stereo, 800Watts RMS Mono, introduced in 1976, mine was made in the early 80s and has the "DDT" feature:distortion detection technique, which works to prevent clipping and distortion with a signal compressor. Features high-power stereo/mono operation with crossovers. Adjustable sensitivity for both channels. 1/4 inch or XLR inputs with 1/4 inch and banana outputs. Solid-State, fan-cooled, thermal protection. Has high/low fan speed. Three space rack mount. Great for synthesizer, bass, and P.A. applications. Very rugged construction. Lots of power for it's size, but it's heavy. Easy to use and versatile.

I mainly play synthesizer basslines, pads, and leads through mine. I am using a Roland Juno-106, Ensoniq Mirage, and Ensoniq ASR-X. The amplifier provides ample power for small to medium size venues. Very clean power considering the almost 1000Watt output. This amplifier is great for almost any type of music you'd want to play. I play 80s pop, rock, and electronica, and it suits me just fine. With a good mixer and speakers, it's the heart of my sound setup.

It is as rugged as a tank, and built with repair in mind, it was broken when I got it, but was easily repaired. Maintenance consists of keeping the large heatsinks clean, and cleaning the chassis and fan out. The CS-800 is very well made of quality materials. I give it an 9, but mainly because it's almost 30 years old, and other than fixing the bad channel and cleaning it, I haven't done anything else to it. I would say it is VERY dependable.

Peavey has way better than average customer support, I've heard lots of good things about them. That being said, I fixed this myself, the schematics and parts were easy to get, but Peavey stands buy their products, I don't know how long the warranty was for originally, but it's almost 30 years old, and it's still around. So is Peavey. Solid 9.

I have been into music for almost 20 years now. The CS-800 amplifier is a great piece of gear. I would get another one if it was stolen or lost. This is a heavy piece of gear so it'd be hard for someone to simply "run off" with. I got it as it was an extremely good value for what I needed. Peavey still makes this line. The new ones are sleek, and lighter. I'm quite satisfied with mine though. The best and worst thing about it is it's extremely heavy due to the rugged construction. You can pick these up for bargain prices though, and have a lot of power for your money. A real workhorse for your band, club, etc. Clean, reliable watts for cheap!