Crest Audio
{{Short description|American audio equipment manufacturer}}
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Crest Audio, Inc. is an American company that produces professional sound equipment, including audio mixers, power amplifiers, and loudspeakers. Crest Audio was founded in the late 1970s by Jean-Pierre Prideaux in California. Dallas Music Industries (DMI) acquired Crest Audio in the 1980s and subsequently, Crest Audio was acquired by Peavey Electronics in 1999,{{cite web | title= Peavey Corporate Information | url=http://www.peavey.com/support/corporate/ | accessdate=2009-06-09}} and has since been based in Meridian, Mississippi. The company has an international network of distributors.[http://www.crestaudio.com/contact 'Contact', Crest Audio]. Retrieved 4 October 2006. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310221741/http://www.crestaudio.com/contact |date=March 10, 2007 }}
History
The company was founded in the late 1970s by Jean-Pierre (John) Prideaux to build power amplifiers for the tour sound industry. The first amplifier, the P3500, delivered 475 watts-per-channel in a chassis that occupied a two-rack space at a time when competitors were offering 400 watts in a four-rack space. In 1983, the 4001 amplifier was the first to provide two-ohms in a three-rack space chassis. Four years later the 8001 power amplifier became an industry standard concert sound amplifier. It was superseded by the 8002 model in 1998.[http://www.crestaudio.com/company 'Company', Crest Audio]. Retrieved 4 October 2006. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311010638/http://www.crestaudio.com/company |date=March 11, 2007 }}
In 1989, Crest audio diversified into mixing consoles with its Gamble EX series. Two years later the company introduced NexSys, a computer-based network amplifier control system that became the basis of a range that addresses every aspect of installation configuration and control.