Having a really hard time deciding between the new Precision Power D Series amplifiers and the Alpine MRD series amplifiers.

Both series are digital, meaning less draw (opting out of a capacitor install <500W), and seem to have the reputation to deliver.

I will be using a 10" IB sub.

What are you opinion on these two companies? Who has better sound quality?

 

On amp reputation alone, I'd go with PPI. That's just because I've got a pair of the M series from '90 and the AM series from '91. Some of the best amps I've ever used.

Now, if someone comes in and says that the new PPI stuff is crap, then I'd look at Elemental Designs. I haven't used their amps but they do have a reputation for delivering more than their stated power.

Finally, if you are going to do an IB install, your power requirements vary depending on the sub you pick. There have been a few people here that used the Kicker C series. I modeled them in Unibox and it only takes about 50 watts to push them to their max excursion. Now, the TC 10 can handle about 1,000w and just reaches xmax at 25hz. You would never have a problem with over excursion listening to regular music. Bass heavy rap at full volume, you may get some distortion but you still wouldn't push this sub past xmech (aka xsus).

-Robert

 

Thats funny, b/c thats a rumor running across the net, but I cant verify it with their new amps just released. Any validity here?

Secondly, I am using the factory sub location in the SC. We have less than 5" or so of clearance there. The best IB sub I can find that will fit is the Elemental Designs 10".

Seems to be the best combination of SQ and bass in a free-air, shallow sub.

 

I'd look at ED just due to their price, aesthetics (looks awesome), and reputation for quality--

I'd look at the ED 9.5 -- 768x1 , 85x4 --- one amp-- does everything you need- $450 if bought pre-production-- smokin deal-- it'll be my next amp--

The old PPI amps have a reputation for being solid, underrated, clean, and dependable, but aren't the only good amp out there, and their prices reflect their reputation as do Alpine's prices -- ED's prices do not --

The ED amps currently marketed should cost at least 40% more than they do for the quality many claim they have--

 

Here it goes again...

It this just rumor b/c I can not seem to get specifics on the new series of amps and their alleged problems or reviews.

 

I know the M and AM series that I have were hand built in Tempe, AZ back when the Phoenix area was the car audio place to be (home of PPI, RF and Orion). Like most amps now days, PPI has their amps built by a factory somewhere in Asia. Maybe they use the PPI design, maybe they just pick a textbook design from the factory's offerings.

The big issue with offshore manufacturing is the quality. One amp may have been built with parts rated at + or - 1% while another batch might have parts rated at + or - 10%. You sometimes don't really know what you are getting. Even though ED has their amps built in Korea, Ben (the owner) travels there to check things out. Their amps are consistantly benchmarking more than their rated power and they come with a 5 year warranty (save the receipt and the box).

Other amps to look at are Zed, Sundown and US Amps. Zed designs the amps and I think a few models are built in the US. Sundown is a new company with a young engineer. They are built off-shore. US Amps is a big name but they have outsourced most of their building as well. I think the top end amps are still built here. All are available at www.soundsolutionsaudio.com .

If you want to go old school, then search Ebay for "Zed". You will find some Zed designed Autotek, Hifonics and US Acoustics amps for decent prices. If you want to got large and be prepared for future upgrades, then Sundown or Incriminator Audio have some massive class D amps.

-Robert

 

Thanks for the opinions guys. I decided to ditch both options, and go with an old school Xtant amp (pre-Mitek, MTX) b/c of sound quality and ultra-flexibility.

Mono through to 5 Ch... 1 Ohm impedance up.

All with over 100 signal to noise ratio.

Impressive for old technology.

 

personally I would go with the alpine,due to the fact that ever since the buyout from dei all the products,ppi orion,etc; have gone to crap.

 

"pre-MITEK, MTX" means that amp was made before the buyout. This is why it will still outsell many newer amps today

Plus the Alpines Class D digital setup cannot reproduce the full range of sound (5 - 50,000 Hz) like an old school AB Class amp. Just too bad they are friggin massive to mount.

 

i use a fosgate amp myself and the fosgate amps usually deliver more power then what its rated at. have you thought about using a Zapco amp?

 

I'm not disputing quality issues as I don't know about it honestly-- But Mitek built the old MTX amps that consistently benchmarked higher than spec and with 115~120db s/n ratios-- and 500+ damping factors--

I just can't belieive that with their old rep for quality and xtant's rep for stellar sq and product reliability they could be building amps that are really all that bad-- If anything, I'm willing to bet they're strong as hell--

 

Zapco amps are great too. On the same level as Xtant. They just dont have a model that you have bridge into 1CH Mono for your Sub at 1 Ohm, then decide the next day that you want to make it do 4 CH Stereo + Sub @ X 0hm.

Completely stable and flexible. Always attractive qualities


This is what I started to believe as well, despite the rumors of poor quality products made overseas. As a matter of fact, many of their amps after the buyout were marketed as "Made in the USA". Probably for that reason alone.

Supposedly, if any negative impacts were seen from the buyout, the A series received the most noticeable increase in issues. Besides installers stripping bare wire over the circuit board and shorting them out, the X series has been deemed the most reliable, flexible, and stable of the barnyard so to speak.