1duck said:
I have to be frank with you - that is a terrible manufacturing environment. Nobody is wearing ground straps. Rinsing post-dip refuse down the drain. Handing transistors improperly (bending leads by pressing the cases against the board). Touching mylar(!) insulators with bare fingers and wiping down the heatsink with bare hands....human oils, anyone?
Thank you very much for this eye opening set of videos. I almost wouldn't have believed it.
I would love to see some actual tests on popular/common old and new amps just to see what the differences are between some of them in power, EQ or 'color', THD, noise floor, etc. And of course what the limit of human hearing is as well. I did read someplace that people who run horns in a car can hear noise in an amp more due to their high efficiency, I assume background type noise.
benlebow:
That's the same as every other "Class A" car amp, from the Alphasonik A-265 of 1983 (first to claim class A?) boasting "technology licensed from Threshold", to Orion HCCA to Soundstream A50 to Alpine 3558 to whatever is out there today.
All AB amps operate as class A up to some point (thus the name AB). These "Class A" car amps are biased to raise that point beyond normal convention (milliwatts), but not for the entire operating range of the amp. Thus, it's still an AB amp. Idle currents are typically only a couple of amps, so there's a clue.
The idea is related to the average power delivered. That is surprisingly low in actual listening situtations. So this amp works in A mode most of the time, and improvements have been claimed to noticeable during low-level detail.
Back in the day, I heard the term "Quasi-Class A" used. All I have auditioned sounded nice and that's what matters in the end, so long as you aren't paying too much for something you're not really getting.
Some home amps work this way as well, but I haven't seen them marketed as Class A.
That's the same as every other "Class A" car amp, from the Alphasonik A-265 of 1983 (first to claim class A?) boasting "technology licensed from Threshold", to Orion HCCA to Soundstream A50 to Alpine 3558 to whatever is out there today.
All AB amps operate as class A up to some point (thus the name AB). These "Class A" car amps are biased to raise that point beyond normal convention (milliwatts), but not for the entire operating range of the amp. Thus, it's still an AB amp. Idle currents are typically only a couple of amps, so there's a clue.
The idea is related to the average power delivered. That is surprisingly low in actual listening situtations. So this amp works in A mode most of the time, and improvements have been claimed to noticeable during low-level detail.
Back in the day, I heard the term "Quasi-Class A" used. All I have auditioned sounded nice and that's what matters in the end, so long as you aren't paying too much for something you're not really getting.
Some home amps work this way as well, but I haven't seen them marketed as Class A.
benlebow:
Perhaps my wording was poor, I wouldn't want to discourage or mislead.
Clarification:
IF you're thinking of spending big money on an amp strictly because it's Class A, do your homework first.
The Genesis and other similar products may be of such quality and performance that they are worth that much to those who can spare it. That's for each to decide on his own.
Perhaps my wording was poor, I wouldn't want to discourage or mislead.
Clarification:
IF you're thinking of spending big money on an amp strictly because it's Class A, do your homework first.
The Genesis and other similar products may be of such quality and performance that they are worth that much to those who can spare it. That's for each to decide on his own.
You know I got a new TV a while back and the manual said amplifier output 1 watt. So I turned it up all the way on a music station, lol, and it did not distort much if any. It was interesting how loud it went and on the tiny speakers it has. Was a great indicator to show a car amp is running under 1 watt most of the time unless you crank it up, or just for bass that requires more power of course. My living room is something like 20' long and I could hear it in the next room just fine...or hear it in the whole house actually.
So, if you bias the notch out is there a difference in class A to AB output...
So, if you bias the notch out is there a difference in class A to AB output...
<- Has a HSS tube amp and a pair of Monolithic A501s. My Milbert is on loan to a buddy.
Re the long Linear Power...I have an old CSR that has a picture of a truck at an IASCA show that had 2 of those long blue ones in the bed. It's a couple amps in one chassis since they bought the extrusions and cut them to length. At one point you could custom order 2.4s...which were 2 2.2s in one chassis.
Re the long Linear Power...I have an old CSR that has a picture of a truck at an IASCA show that had 2 of those long blue ones in the bed. It's a couple amps in one chassis since they bought the extrusions and cut them to length. At one point you could custom order 2.4s...which were 2 2.2s in one chassis.
jol50 said:
I am currently loaded up on Nakamichi x-over EC-200's and H models right now. (12 or so) But it is strange how last year at this time, they were bringing $200+, and now, they are under $100. Last year, I sold a few of them out of my Ebay store for $200 or so, but now, I think I would be lucky to get $150. Strange how the classic car audio market goes up and down like that.
tomtomjr said:
I've seen them for about 85 shipped is cheapest in last couple years. I'm hanging on to the one I've had since the 80s
A CA260 was on for 110 and didn't sell, they were going for 150-200 since last year. 230264472291 Now that I have one I see they don't even have a gain.The like new stuff is still up there, things with the original box in great condition still gets good prices....collectors. Yes that 350 looks like new. Not really sure what the significance of NIB is with old car amps, but fine with me.
I have a 1500 but never used it much....when I did the outputs fell off, otherwise it works pretty good. I'm hacking that stupid plug out and soldering a terminal on it.
I already have three ppi's in my car, an earthquake phd2, a sony xm1252hx, a tiny crossfire and kicker, a ppi 2150am and several broken amps.... I don't need another. But, it would be nice to have.... just in case, lol!
(for all the guys here with hundreds of amps this /\ was not intended to start a competitioin, just saying something a lot of you already have, lol)
(for all the guys here with hundreds of amps this /\ was not intended to start a competitioin, just saying something a lot of you already have, lol)
I have a Sony xm7527, what a big thing. Friend wants it and thinking I will never use it. Otherwise I have way too many amps right now and just bought a couple more they were so cheap. Time to purge soon as I swap some in/out of the car, and some are pretty much sold...some are pretty ordinary.
Time to purge soon as I swap some in/out of the car, and some are pretty much sold...some are pretty ordinary.