(The dust filter is necessary because there's a fan inside the amp. Just unscrew the faceplate and wash the dust filter in a little warm detergent. Yup, the washable dust filter that's built into the plastic faceplate. What I especially like is the dust filter. I'll let someone else take you through all that.
CROWN POWER AMPLIFIER MANUAL
The owner's manual is filled with references to "IOC," "ODEP," and "PIP" (Programmable Input Processor). It's not only the looks you have to get over. There's no doubt that you're getting your money, parts- and construction-wise. Inside, the Crown Macro Reference appears to be very well, but not extravagantly, constructed.
CROWN POWER AMPLIFIER PLUS
On the plus side, remind yourself that you are not paying for bulletproof faceplates and the like. (On future versions, you'll be able to make the logo go dark.) There's no relief to be had by turning off the lights in the room-not just yet. Then there's the plastic faceplate with the logo that lights up in green. (Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a place to hide this amp, so I covered the lights with black paper.) When there's a pop or a tick on a record, the lights go crazy and so will you-if you look. First thing that turned me off when I turned it on was the blinking lights, which indicate dynamic range. The $3500 Crown Macro Reference will not win any beauty contests. That's me!) "The embroidered 3-color Crown loop is located above the left breast." Touching. I'm referring to the "Crown-Style Ambassador Jacket, constructed of durable 75% polyester/25% cotton-chintz finish poplin." Available in S-M-L-XL-XXL. I'm not talking about speaker wires or interconnects or power cords. There's also something very middle-American about the "Crown accessories" you can purchase to show your pride in your amp. There's something very blue-collar American about the appearance of Crown gear: plain, basic, no-nonsense, meat and potatoes. Then Crown did a slow fade from the audiophile scene, preferring to do business with professional musicians and those who buy amps for schools, churches, clubs, and the like.
The stuff had a very good reputation for sound and reliability.
If you lived in the Boston area, you remember the "high-end room" in the back of Tech Hi-Fi. Yeah, you remember Crown from the "old days"-this was a big brand in the 1970s and before.