My personal favourites are hands down the early HCCA Orion pink amps; 2x25, 2x50 and 4x25. Series 1-3 only.
I even prefer them over the unicorn Pioneer ODR optical digital class A amps from the early 90s. Sweet, open and totally consistent, very current hungry and they like 14 Volts.
Plenty of other decent sounding products, incl some PPI, Alpine, Soundstream, Phoenix and RF (altho I find most RF are a little too coloured for this conversation).
Very tough to really post anything concrete, unless the system remains the same and has an amp swap done for back to back testing. Lots of systems responded positively to amp swaps from something else to the HCCAs during my time in the late 80s to the late 90s.......still feel that way today; altho I must confess I have not sat in a modern Sound Q vehicle.
I even prefer them over the unicorn Pioneer ODR optical digital class A amps from the early 90s. Sweet, open and totally consistent, very current hungry and they like 14 Volts.
Plenty of other decent sounding products, incl some PPI, Alpine, Soundstream, Phoenix and RF (altho I find most RF are a little too coloured for this conversation).
Very tough to really post anything concrete, unless the system remains the same and has an amp swap done for back to back testing. Lots of systems responded positively to amp swaps from something else to the HCCAs during my time in the late 80s to the late 90s.......still feel that way today; altho I must confess I have not sat in a modern Sound Q vehicle.
Best I've every heard
Hello all, well i'd have to say that i've been in this game since around 1985' when I was in Mortuary School in Dallas, Tx. at that time Dalworth CB & Car Stereo was the Big Dogg in the Oak Cliff & Desoto area in the DFW. That's when Balla's were Balla's and without a doubt Zapco was the "KING" with Orion coming in second place, follow by Alpha Sonic if you wanted good sound on a budget. At this time the Zapco Studio was the competetion amp of choice in the USA because it is what we called a cheater amp. It allowed you to comtete in a low wattage class; but do to Robert Z. design it would smoke all amps rated 3 times the power and sound was as or better than most home audio amps except the Altec 9440A best of the best period home, studio, or concert the cost $3000.00 Ea. in 1980' rated at 200 watts per channel rated a class A 200 @ 8ohm, 400 @ 4ohm, and 800 @4ohm bridged .006 THD or (1600 2ohm "w/fans" bridged). the Mcintosh MC2500 was a good home audio amp. To this day I run zapco c2k 4.0 on upper mids & Highs "front pillars', Arc Audio SE4200 on front stage midbass "doors". The pair of sub mono amps are Arc Audio KS2500.1's each on a 12" sealed sub. This is the best combo of amps that I have personally ever heard. The c2k is dead quite with the finesse and sound quality to die for on the upper mids & tweets, the SE 4200 bridged is a moster on the midbass and the KS2500.1 has the balls and control the Robert Z. has been looking for in his last 40 years in the business. It works me and i've own Orion HCCA, Harmon Kardon-CA260's, Linear Power, PPI, X-tant, old school Sound Stream, ADS, old school fosgate, Brax. But remember it's not so much of the amps as it is the electrical system and install. I can make all the above amps sould like gold; but the question is the best of the best Zapco C2K Series & Arc Audio SE Series same designer mix and match as you like hands down the Benchmarks! IMHO
Hello all, well i'd have to say that i've been in this game since around 1985' when I was in Mortuary School in Dallas, Tx. at that time Dalworth CB & Car Stereo was the Big Dogg in the Oak Cliff & Desoto area in the DFW. That's when Balla's were Balla's and without a doubt Zapco was the "KING" with Orion coming in second place, follow by Alpha Sonic if you wanted good sound on a budget. At this time the Zapco Studio was the competetion amp of choice in the USA because it is what we called a cheater amp. It allowed you to comtete in a low wattage class; but do to Robert Z. design it would smoke all amps rated 3 times the power and sound was as or better than most home audio amps except the Altec 9440A best of the best period home, studio, or concert the cost $3000.00 Ea. in 1980' rated at 200 watts per channel rated a class A 200 @ 8ohm, 400 @ 4ohm, and 800 @4ohm bridged .006 THD or (1600 2ohm "w/fans" bridged). the Mcintosh MC2500 was a good home audio amp. To this day I run zapco c2k 4.0 on upper mids & Highs "front pillars', Arc Audio SE4200 on front stage midbass "doors". The pair of sub mono amps are Arc Audio KS2500.1's each on a 12" sealed sub. This is the best combo of amps that I have personally ever heard. The c2k is dead quite with the finesse and sound quality to die for on the upper mids & tweets, the SE 4200 bridged is a moster on the midbass and the KS2500.1 has the balls and control the Robert Z. has been looking for in his last 40 years in the business. It works me and i've own Orion HCCA, Harmon Kardon-CA260's, Linear Power, PPI, X-tant, old school Sound Stream, ADS, old school fosgate, Brax. But remember it's not so much of the amps as it is the electrical system and install. I can make all the above amps sould like gold; but the question is the best of the best Zapco C2K Series & Arc Audio SE Series same designer mix and match as you like hands down the Benchmarks! IMHO
I have several STEG amps as well as a couple SL amps made by the same company in an earlier time. They are all very good. I had several McIntosh & Phoenix Gold amps but moved them on. They were nice but for many reasons I liked the STEG & SL more.
Sorry to revive an old thread but all of the above is directly related to my question:
Does anyone currently make a Class A/B car amplifier with the slew rate and damping factor of the old Adcom GFA-4402/4702. I've resorted to using JL "Slash" amps bridged into 8 ohm loads to get the critical damping that I want but they still don't have that effortless air to them that my old Adcoms had and no matter how I EQ the sub it still has too much bloat for my taste.
Does anyone currently make a Class A/B car amplifier with the slew rate and damping factor of the old Adcom GFA-4402/4702. I've resorted to using JL "Slash" amps bridged into 8 ohm loads to get the critical damping that I want but they still don't have that effortless air to them that my old Adcoms had and no matter how I EQ the sub it still has too much bloat for my taste.
I can't believe this thread is not a "Sticky."
I owned an Autotek 7100BTS & 7300BTS. Both were stolen out my 1996 Ford Ranger SuperCab around 2006 while I was in a junkyard. They left the BP4 enclosure with 4 Audiobahn AMD60Q's 6.5" subs.
I still have a 7600BTS that needs repaired.
I owned an Autotek 7100BTS & 7300BTS. Both were stolen out my 1996 Ford Ranger SuperCab around 2006 while I was in a junkyard. They left the BP4 enclosure with 4 Audiobahn AMD60Q's 6.5" subs.
I still have a 7600BTS that needs repaired.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I cant believe that no one has really mentioned Mosconi????
I have a Dynaudio 360 system, 2 8" JL Audio subwoofers with a Clarion 9255x head unit. When my 2 channel Mcintosh amp failed. I replaced it with a Mosconi Zero 4. Everything about this Mosconi amp blows the old 2 channel 100w amp away. Everything!!
I have a Dynaudio 360 system, 2 8" JL Audio subwoofers with a Clarion 9255x head unit. When my 2 channel Mcintosh amp failed. I replaced it with a Mosconi Zero 4. Everything about this Mosconi amp blows the old 2 channel 100w amp away. Everything!!
Woo old thread! The best I have is the a/d/s/ 450mx, It just sounds so right.
The most memorable listening session was with Monolithic amps, the most magic one had Vambert valve amps, not very much info around about these.
Thinking nowadays the Microprecision Studio 7 amp is the one to have!
The most memorable listening session was with Monolithic amps, the most magic one had Vambert valve amps, not very much info around about these.
Thinking nowadays the Microprecision Studio 7 amp is the one to have!
I took my time to read all the pages of this thread, most of all amplifier mentioned here I had the honor to hear them with different set up's and I consider it's about each individual ear or what is the target sound someone is looking.
For my ears I liked the Harman/Kardon CA240 and CA260 they were fine for me, then I had the chance to have and test the Harman/Kardon TC300, TC400Q and TC600 and they were better in power and audio quality.
I was curious for the last Harman/Larson car audio lineup from the year 2007-2009 that was only sold in Europe.
I still don't know why Harman international didn't sold them here in United State or PR.
I test all the models and they were Harman/Kardon CA280, CA470, CA5250 and CA1500D that last one the CA1500D is class D
with those models for some one that it's building their set up they have more ways for the build and of course more power.
As some one here already mention and a friend of mine Jože told me, ( a good head unit it's need for the amplifier shine better ) and it was right.
in conclusion we had a lot of great car audio designers and engineers from the 70, 80, 90 and 2000 from were all of this started and we had the chance to live to see it.
cheers for everyone 🍻
For my ears I liked the Harman/Kardon CA240 and CA260 they were fine for me, then I had the chance to have and test the Harman/Kardon TC300, TC400Q and TC600 and they were better in power and audio quality.
I was curious for the last Harman/Larson car audio lineup from the year 2007-2009 that was only sold in Europe.
I still don't know why Harman international didn't sold them here in United State or PR.
I test all the models and they were Harman/Kardon CA280, CA470, CA5250 and CA1500D that last one the CA1500D is class D
with those models for some one that it's building their set up they have more ways for the build and of course more power.
As some one here already mention and a friend of mine Jože told me, ( a good head unit it's need for the amplifier shine better ) and it was right.
in conclusion we had a lot of great car audio designers and engineers from the 70, 80, 90 and 2000 from were all of this started and we had the chance to live to see it.
cheers for everyone 🍻
I have. I used my MC4000M to run a set of very large 6 foot tall Magneplanar Tympani 1D with great success.
For years I would go to my ski house- I had a quick disconnect for my MC4000M and a Padded Keyboard case to carry it inside. And a quick disconnect on one of my Optima Yellow tops. The Magneplanar 1D folded up to only be about 6 feet tall , 16 inches wide and 6 inches thick and about 70lbs each.
So they were my "portable Hi-fi system" for various ski homes. I bridged the McIntosh MC4000M channels 1-4 for the HF panels for 200W into 4 ohms and ran the low end panels with the 300 W channels. I have the Magneplanar Tympani IVA but they are a great deal heavier and 18" wide and in 4 pieces.... forget it.
I'm doing a new install with my pair of MC4000M amps and got them checked out by the National Tech for McIntosh car audio at George Meyer TV and Stereo to make sure they meet original specifications- they do. The %THD levels are even lower than originally published because the.0005% %THD at any volume level or frequency measured was MOSTLY the residual noise from the ACTUAL test equipment's own noise floor. He directly compared the sound to the CURRENT McIntosh Home amplifiers and said he could not perceive any difference, that it was essentially the same circuit.
I asked , "How could that be? These are older amplifiers, I know 100% point to point wired amplifiers sound significantly better than current circuit board amplifiers , but 30 years and direct circuit board to circuit board comparisons and no giant capacitors? "
He went on to say that car audio amplifiers often have the chance for better sound because a Home amplifier has to make TWO major electricity conversions -
1st, conversion A/C (from wall) to D/C to run the circuit boards using D/C current
2nd conversion D/C to A/C current to run the speakers.
While a Car Amp runs on D/C and has only a do a SINGLE conversion to A/C.
Less ripple......?
Because a car battery is really good at providing current (Solid state amplifiers LOVE current , Tube amplifiers love Voltage) there is plenty of battery and alternator current available. A typical home outlet has 15A of current at 120 volts or 1800 watts. A optima yellow top type 31 battery.... (rated at 880cca)
well lets see this video of a partially charged Optima . 1468 amps at 70 degrees and only 12.5 volts hadn't been charged in a long time.
so 12.5 x 1468 means 18,350 watts so a battery can deliver about 10X what a wall outlet can deliver and that's not even fully charged! . And if you have one of these bigger amps you might have 2 optimas or simlar high cca batteries.. So I would imagine that the capacitors in them can refill very quickly as the battery resistance is so low. Smaller caps fill faster than big caps.
I sold 1kw and 500W McIntosh amplifiers at one time in Santa Monica and drove to work with my MC4000M and always felt I had sound that was far better Mcintosh sound in my car than at work. Loved their parametric EQ modules- what a huge stage!
David Berning whose amps were used as a reference by some top reviewers are really good, I maintained a pair of monoblock of Berning Quadratures and enjoyed their super tall layered sound stage , but they did lack some lower end punch. Milbert's designed by David Berning and are output transformerless amps OTL's would be their equivalent and if they share any DNA... they should be good- except tube amps love current and you have to make 400V D/C from 12V . but.... in a Tesla the penthouse battery can deliver 400V D/C ...hmmm souped up Milberts...with no possible voltage sag.
Mosconi Zero is so much better than the retired McIntosh its not close.....Clarion 9255, Dynaudio 360 and two JL Audio 8" subs
Convinced me big time
Convinced me big time
I have a Boston Acoustic GT-42. I think the guts are Mosconi.
https://www.diymobileaudio.com/threads/mosconi-amps.77887/#replies
https://www.diymobileaudio.com/threads/mosconi-amps.77887/#replies