Corey

iTrader: (1)

Driving home on the interstate listing to a very good CD when all of a sudden I lost the front speakers.
I could still hear the sub woofer as it is powered by its own amp.

I thought it might be the 30 amp fuse for the door speakers amp (old school Rockford Fosgate 200a4) that blew, and I was right.
Not the fuse built into the amp, but the green one in my distribution block.

I had a spare 50 amp one which I put in for a test.
Even before I turned the key on in the ignition I hear a pop.
I turned the key on and I had sweet music again, but all was not bliss.

I could smell smoke and much to my horror it was pouring out of the amp.
Turned the key off and also popped the hood and tripped the 100 amp circuit breaker up there so no current at all could reach either amp.

Called the place where I got the amp back in '99, and it only had a one year warranty.
They can send it back to Rockford, and they will charge me $25 to strip it down, then evaluate it from there as to the cost of repair.
Not sure if I will do that, ort just get a different amp to replace this one.

I know something is fried in it, and I am not sure if it is worth the labor and parts for Rockford to fix it.

Any advise on this, and if I do need a new amp, all I need is a good clean two channel amp, and not a four channel one like the one that I have now.
Not sure on what brand I would pick up.

Powering a pair of Infinity 6.5" components, and will be upgrading to some better ones someday, maybe not.
I really dig the sound of these Reference speakers.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Called the shop back, and he said he has a nice JBL 4 channel amp called the Power Series, but I do not need 4 channels.
I will never run more than just the 2 door speakers off of an amp, as 2 speakers are all ya need in a rig this size, not counting the sub woofer.

He said he has a Sound Stream 180.2 which I just looked up on their site.

The local shop carries it for $125.
I wonder if it is good quality or not.

Googling it I found it for $75.
No reviews on that site, it is a very new amp.

Another site, still no review.
http://www.epinions.com/pr-Soundstre...udio_Amplifier

I know Soundstream is high quality too.

Called Cartoys too who built my sub box and where I got the JL Audio 15" W6 from.
They recommend the MTX 202 amp.

WolfpackTLC

Corey-

I wish I could be more help. I WAS sponsored by Soundstream, WAAAY back in 1994, but I heard they went out of business and were bought by someone else. I have no clue about their quality now. There stuff WAS top-notch, high quality stuff. I've only heard one of their newer amps in a SQ car, but I was impressed...

Jason

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Thanks Jason.
I am kind of leaning towards the MTX one that Cartoys mentioned.
Found a few reviews so far, still searching.
http://www.epinions.com/pr-Mtx_Thund...splay_~reviews

http://www.dealtime.com/xPR-Mtx_Thunder_202
Same review as the other one though.

It looks to be a very good amp.
I just need to get use to the lower prices, as I am use to a 4 channel amp.

Cnet has a review.
http://reviews.cnet.com/MTX_Road_Thu...-30520119.html

Five star rating

http://www.cardomain.com/item/MTX202
+ a review there also.

Dang, I think I will have to drive to Cartoys tomorrow just to check this out.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

What, no audiophiles here on the weekend?
Went to Cartoys and they tried to talk me into an Eclipse PA4212 amp.

Considerably more $$$, close to $300.
150 watts x 2 at 4 ohms.

He told me the MTX the lady suggested last night on the phone is not as powerful as my RF that just fried.

By the way, I pulled it out today and it smells bad.
I am not even going to attempt to get it repaired.

Anyone else have some suggestions for a decent two channel amp?
Looking for between 100 & 150 watts per channel at 4 ohms.

Cebby

I wish I could help you with some advice, but all my junk is old school. Back in the day, MTX wasn't well respected - not sure how it is nowadays. Now Eclipse on the otherhand - top quality, but I don't remember them being known as a powerhouse. I was always a big fan of Soundstream, Alpiine, old RF, and ADS for amps FWIW.

mytruck

That sucks. Your stereo had kick-ass bass. Make sure your replacement amp has enough juice!

Jim

934rnr

The new Soundstream stuff is made in china or taiwan now. All their old school stuff the blue amps were quailty made in the US I don't trust thier new stuff. I would look on ebay you can find good deals on them

COYOTA $x$

Seems like a lot of the oldschool USA-made amps and Subs got moved outta country in the last decade.

I keep hearing that HiFonics is still pretty popular, not as good as the series 7 from 10 years ago, but that you get alot for your money on them.

the USD guys still sell Zapco as there amp of preference.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

I am now thinking of giving up on the thump & bump for awhile, and just hooking the Rockford 500a2 amp (which is bridged mono right now for the sub) to the door speakers.

I can not remember the specs on it for a 4 ohm stereo load, but it has to be twice the ouput if not more than the 200a4 which just fried.

Down the road I will look into a monoblock amp to fire the JL sub back up again.

May tackle this project next weekend when I can spend a few hours re-routing wires behind the seat panels.

Bumpin' Yota

Corey - the 500a2 produces 500 watts mono into a 4ohm load, that means it will do 125w x 2 @ 4 ohms. Well over 2x the output of the 200a4 unless you had the 200a4 bridged down to 2 channels - then it would be only a hair more power.

Why are you not going to send the RF amp back in?

If you elect not to do so, can I have the dead amp? Ill pay shipping.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

I may send it in later, but it is going to cost some major $$$ to fix it since it is old.

I just took it apart, and it is not pretty.
A few of the flat capacitors have had the heavy wire ends burned off of them, and it burned pretty good.
I may get it fixed in the future, so I will be holding onto it.

I only ran 2 of the 4 channels on the 200a4.
I'd sure like to get my hands on an old 400a4 unit.
Double the power of the one that burned up.
I will not touch the new RF stuff.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

I have heard bad things about Sony amps before, but I have not had any problems with my Sony M650 head unit whatsoever.

I was browsing Crutchfield's site and saw this Sony amp.

The power is right on, and better than the other amps I have been looking at.
It is more close to the power output of my fried unit.
The tech rep said he is thinking about this one too since listening to one is his friend's Durango.
It is 100 watts x 2 into a 4 ohm load.

It is the Sony XM-2100GTX.
Anyone have any experience with this unit, or Sony amps in particular?

Wes Whitmore

MTX amps are really pretty decent. I do know that when Soundstream was made in the US in the late 90s, they really turned their quality around. From what I can tell, the quality is still up there, but haven't owned one myself. Still, If I got a good price on one, I would pick one up.
You might also want to look at the Memphis stuff. It's cheap, and pretty solid too. Their class D amps are very good, and I had no problems with the 4 channel that I had a couple of years ago. It ran a couple of 8s, and some components in the doors no problem.
Lastly, take a look at the Eseries from JL. They are much more affordable than there slash series, and are very clean as well. From what my friend has said, they are as good as the slash series, just less power.
Good luck,
wes

Memphis_Yota

Go Memphis,
i have all memphis gear and i love it, its a good prive for the power (usually a Dollar a watt RMS) and it is perfectly clear sound,
DO NOT GO SONY, garbage i have a sony amp, the 760 watt and it blew up within a month, my rule of thump is if an amp isn't rated in RMS then its no good, and sony rates there amps in peak,
so i would try some memphis, definatley top notch, plus its shiny, lol
cody

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, I have heard of those.
Got a website for me?
All I get with Google is forums that talk about them.
I want to see their lineup, and find dealers.

I hope these are not super high dollar amps now.
I am not looking for the best system in the world, as I do not compete.
Only looking for something that is equivalent to the one that just fried on me as in power wise and sound quality.

Wes Whitmore

They are not high dollar, but are high quality.

Memphis_Yota

the website is www.memphiscaraudio.com
good luck
cody

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the link, I iwll look at them tonight.

I also just contacted Rockford and told them what happened, and if it is worth fixing the amp if it is not to much for labor & parts.

Sent them this picture.

You can see the wire melted off one of the black things, and also how it is burned around it.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Looking at a few on that site.

100 w x 2 into 4 ohms @ 0.05% distorsion
http://www.memphiscaraudio.com/produ...cat=&id=64&p=2


150 w x 2 into 4 ohms
http://www.memphiscaraudio.com/produ...cat=&id=11&p=1


Looks like the 2nd one is the higher end model.
I do not think the 1st one though is mosfet, and I thought that was very important.

There are a few shops not far from me, so I'll do some calling.


Pssssst, update.
Called a shop that actually put a Pioneer deck & an alarm into my old '90 truck I had, and he recommended the smaller 75 x 2 Full range one.
http://www.memphiscaraudio.com/produ...cat=&id=10&p=1
That goes for $299, and will blow away my Rockford, MTX, or Soundstream sound quality wise.

I'll have to check it out when the $$$ comes into my pocket.