Hey, anyone had any experience with Rockfords new product line?

Subs, amps, components etc?

Just want to know the overall take on the stuff they have out.


Thanks.

 

Lower quality every year but still better then Jensen...............

 

Everything I've been hearing indicates that Rockford pulled a 180* this year and is producing some very high quality stuff.

I briefly heard a pair of the Phase 1 subs and was extremely unimpressed, but since I have no idea how they were installed (box size, crossover, etc), so I can't really say much.

Some people online have have said that their amps benched at as much as 2.5x their rated power.

 

They still put out some power, my complaint is the build quality. There using a new style connector that seems to be braking easily. There new chrome plated panels are having the chrome peel off. And the return rate is about the same as the last two years, so the reliability hasn't gotten any better. Power out is only part of the equation. But like I said, still better then some, even in the same price range. But on a budget note, it seems that the gap between the Lighting line (made by Rockford) and the Rockford line is getting smaller.

And I should add that this is for the amps only...........

 

Thanks for the info so far guys.

Its pretty much the same as what I have been hearing.

I heard a set of Punch subs from this line, they were ok, but nothing I would really pay too much money for.

The amps look nice.

:lala:

 

Well I guess I am going to be the guy that gives Rockford a good review. About 4 months ago, I installed a complete Rockford set up in my truck (Sony head unit) I went with the Punch P3001 mono amp, Punch Stage 3 10" sub, Power .5 farad capacitor, 5 /14 component set, and 6X9's in the rear. It sounds pretty damn good to me. Many other folks have complimented me on the sound, and the install ( I did it myself so I'm pretty proud of that). http://community.webshots.com/album/99820575dpScms There are a couple of pics of the center console/speaker box I made for my truck if anyone cares to check it out. But the sub and amp have good clean sound, and go pretty damn deep. Sure it can be loud, but it sounds awsome too. But thats just the opinon of this country boy.

 

2 - Rockford Punch Series P6002 2-channel amps
1 - Rockford Punch Series P4004 4-channel amp
1 - Rockford Analog Capacitor
Complete Rockford wiring (fuses, fuse-holders, wiring, distribution blocks, etc etc etc)

Rockford makes quality products that have a lot less staging internally which makes gives you more money for your power if you compare them to a lot of other manufacturers. Last year their punch series amps had like 14 internal stages, this year they have 7 stages. The less stages the more power you get

-Kyle-

 

In all of my studies in electronics I have never heard of this, did I miss something important?

-U.S. Navy Electronics Technician, AAS Degree Computer electronics.

Does this mean I can build a killer amp with one stage?

 

 

I don't have a degree in electronics... I just know I wouldn't put a fosgate amp in my car... unless I was dead broke... or dead... or broke... something like that

 

The sad part is I don't even remember half of the amplifier basics...

I work with lasers and laser measurment stuff....

LEDs, photodiodes, thermal and pyroelectric sensors, I went straight from chasing Rf and electrons to chasing photons...



is the gain in voltage, current or watts? Are those watts DC or watts AC?


My vote is not for Rockford. I'm all set with following some corrupt corporate roller coaster. Just stick with what works, year after year. I am never impressed with the rockford setups I come across. Most are just loud and sound like crap.

 

I'd put my money on gain being based on voltage... its like a multiplier of the input voltage from the h/u... because when you have a higher voltage output on the h/u (like the 5 volts on the good decks), then the lowest gain output on the amp is much higher than with a 4volt output...

 

You mean the gain ****? If so it works just like the volume on your HU. It attenuates the input signal going to the amplifier stages, which are a fix gain (IE: 1:10 is always 1:10 even if it's 0.5:5).

 

there is a benefit of having a higher-voltage headunit output right?

because if an amp wants/needs higher voltage, than it will think that the headunit is sending a lower volume to it... say if it was a 2 volt preamp out, wouldn't a newer amp only play at half-gain unless you turned up the gain on the actual amp?

 

i've been hearing only really good stuff about the new RF lines. and i've been anti-rf for the last few years, but they're starting to make me think twice

 

I'm kinda curious, but what models are you referring to that may be good this year? I don't doubt you, but when I went into bestbuy, nothing in there was really much over 800 watts... I didn't even see anymore rf monoblocks... only a sony...

 

Sorry, I was just screwing around. I know what gain is and how it is measured. Since the gain **** is a potentiometer, it's pretty much adjusting the input voltage relative to what is provided from the HU.

I was told that an amplifier can only be an amplifier if it has gains in both voltage and current. So from start to finish, it must provide a gain in power. Watts can be measured as RMS or MAX or average.....but not AC or DC. I apologize, I was just being stupid there :lala:

If Rockford can actually make something good, I'll believe it when I see it. It will take alot for them to win my respect.

 

do they design amplifiers to where they can still achieve their rated watts, even with a 2volt headunit output, versus a 5volt headunit ouput? via compensating by making the gain **** on the amp capable of making the amp put out more wattage than its rated for... otherwise at max amplifier gain, a 5volt system would output a great deal more volume...

 

Your amp only has a limited amount a rail voltage to work with. Lets make the numbers +-40Vdc. So the output (in an ideal word) Could vary up to 80V. Turning up the gain **** will not change this, to high and all you get is distortion. You can get most amps to put out more power then there rated for by lowering the load, so the amp is putting out more current. More current, same voltage, more power. The question you get into there is how distorted and how long with the output stage last. Most of the time it will sound like crap and kill the amp with any time at high output levels.
And regarding higher output voltage from the HU, it's it improve the signal to noise ratio. If you start out with a high voltage signal, noise is at the same level, your signal to noise ratio is better. Same thing as lowering the noise level, but easier.

 

you seem pretty damn knowledgable about this sorta thing...

The reason I am so concerned about the output voltage, is because I currently have the kenwood kdc-mp922 (5 volts)

http://www.carreview.com/CD,Receiver...709181crx.aspx

and I want to upgrade to this... (4 volts)

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-ajdEvPp...&avf=N&search=

 

Thanks for the compliment, I work with/repair this stuff all day. I've worked with car audio specifically for a little over four years at the 9 to 5er, Still do some of everything as side work. I've done this work for a wile now.
I don't think you're going to see any difference between the two, with the pre-out any way. Unless your car is just vary noise, allot of RFI. And 5V to 4V is only a 20% drop, not that much. I love the DEH-P8600. Great unit for the money. But you could take a step up, check out the DEH-P860, it's the Premier version of the 8600. It will get you 6-6.5V or something like that pre-outs, and 3 way Xover instead of the 2 way Xover in the 8600. That is if I remember right, check it out before you buy.
Why are you getting rid of the 922? There a you HU, other then the ribbon cable to the faceplate.

 

the volume seems to fade in and out, kinda strange, like after it heats up after a while... but also I kinda want a new deck... I wish someone would combine the speed of a jensen, the audio features of a pioneer, and the kick-***-ness of the sony cdx9900...

btw I got the 8600 today, and it kicks ***

the only think I could complain about, is it requires 3 button pushes to pause, I cannot find the attunate button, plus it takes over 4 button pushes just to reach the subwoofer volume!

on my kenwood, there is a button you can push and hold and the sub turns off, very convenient! most important feature I have ever seen!

so far the pioneer just sucks in the fact that simple tasks require lots of button pushes, especially audio settings, or the display settings...


also I hate that rotating joystick interface... kenwood has this part down with the dual pushbuttons for album/track... then the volume button on the pioneer sucks compared the kenwood... I could actually change volume with one figer b4, but not anymore, now it takes 2 minimum, just something you might think about...

 

I have about a year old fossy amp and 2 12"'s punch z's very happy with them they pund the hell outta teh mtx stuff i had in the bird. Havent had anyone i know get teh new stuff, i was looking through crutchfield and i must say i do like the styling of the subs teh look alot cleaner than most of teh others i've seen.

I think i'm teh rare guy though that loves fossy stuff never had a problem with any of they're stuff to date.

 

I actaully have a couple hand-me-down RF punch subs from my cousin, early 90's style still do the trick. I hate the ported Q-logic box they are in, but that can be fixed. They were in my sisters car before and they danced pretty well with a 150 watt amp.

Just keep in mind, there is so much more to stereo equipment than 'clean looks' . I'm not trying to be rude, just saying it's good to dig deeper when you are looking for quality and a perfect fit for your application.

I'm no expert speaker guy, but the more I learn about these things, the more I realize there is a lot of 'sugar coating' going on with retailers pushing thier products.

 

I haven't had too many problems with the punch subs... even the last few years... they sound alright, and they even have dual 2ohm setups on the HE-2's...

plus if you break the sub for ANY reason, its covered for free with the warranty