-if EVERYONE would be sooo kind as to give me they're own personal opinion on Power Acoutik Amps, it would be greatly appreciated. Jim85Iroc said "theyre grossly over-rated".. does anyone know anyhting else?
-the amp is a Power Acoustiks Apache series 680w
-thanks for the help!

 

I think it's more of a bottom line amp. And if the 680w are peak it will have around 300-325w RMS. It all depends on what you are pushing. A pear of 10's or 12's that are bottom or mid grade subs, the amp will work fine. I have had fosegate punch500's, 200's and 100's that have work with anything from 3.5" mids to 15" power series fosegates. It all depends on what you want. If you want something nice spend the money and get a good quality amp with some power. I you want to replace your amp every 2-3 years get a P.O.S. I have had my punch200 for 7 years with no problems and it still pounds hard. For a good amp w/power and a good price try Cruthfield and look for the USAcustics amps.

------------------
1991 Trans Am GTA, Accel 300+ ignition, underdrive pulleys, AFPR, Accel SuperRam (ported out), Edelbrock lower intake (ported out), BBK 58mm TB, TFS 23* heads, SLP 1 3/4 headers, SLP 3" cat back (no cat), CompCam .495/.502 lift, Kenny Bell strut tower brace, lower frame brace, Jeg's SFC, Lakewood trailing arms and panhard rod

Pony's can run, but bird can fly

1987 Buick Turbo-T
1977 Chevy Blazer 4X4

 

so they suck? c'mon man dont tell me that!
yo it was free, and being the common teen i am, i have NO $money$...so free is lookin pretty good!

anybody else?

 

Dude, if it's free, grab it and use it 'til you have some money to put towards another one.

But no, it ain't much of an amp I would avoid USAcoustics as well. I have never heard ONE person say anything good about those, either.

Stick with a better brand name, like Kenwood, Clarion or Alpine for a nice mid-priced amp. What can I say?? My Eclipse spoils me

But for the price?? TAKE IT!!

------------------
Jason E
'89 Camaro RS 2.8
Medium Grey Metallic/AT/T-tops/all power
Hypertech chip/2 K&N filters/Modded air box
Eclipse CD/Eclipse 100x4 amp/Boston4x6 plates, 6x9 RX 3 ways/ALL Monster's goodies
Alpine Alarm w/ Keyless entry
IROC tailights/t-windows

 

Being a mobile electronics installer for about nine years,I'd have to agree with everyone else.It really isn't much of an amp,even though the company rates it at 600w or whatever. There are a couple different db weights that the manufacturers use to come up with the total wattage of an amp.Go with a reputable brand name amp. Most of the more popular and reputable companies will put out what they are rated and are built with better components to reduce thd(total harmonic distortion) and improve signal quality and durability.
But, if you got it for free,more power to ya. Take it. But when you get a chance,buy another amp and you'll definitely notice the difference,provided you get a brand name with a decent amount of power.

------------------
"So,tell me Mr. Stang. How's life like living in the exhaust of a Chevy V-8?"
-------------------------
'91 RS 5.0 TBI
New paint-solid black
ROH Snyper wheels-17x9 wrapped in 275/40/17
Eibach sportline springs
Flowmaster cat-back
TBI mods
MANY more to come!!!!

 

RS, I'm not sure what you meant by different dB scales when rating power, but I figured I'd try to provide a little more info.

Different dB scales will effect the physical number associated with measured loudness, but has no bearing on power output. The reason that amplifier power ratings vary is for a number of reasons. The biggest is simply whether they provide truthful numbers. Do you really think that a Pyramid amp can put out 800 watts under any circumstance for any period of time? The most obvious method of deception is the peak vs. RMS power issue, but it's rare that most of those amps even reach EITHER of their claimed power levels, be it RMS or peak. The next thing that you need to pay attention to is the THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) rating at the claimed power level. If you look at the THD vs. power charts for any amplifier, there will be a stable region where the THD is very low. At a particular power point, the THD will skyrocket, making an almost vertical slope on the graph. Any good amp is rated with its RMS power at or below the threshold of that THD spike, where the cheap amps will be rated at an ungodly THD level far beyond the useful realm.

Yet another issue is HOW the power is made. Power is a function of voltage*current. The current is what moves the speaker, but is expensive to make. 200 volts x 1 amp will equal 200 watts. Likewise, 20 volts x 10 amps will equal 200 watts. The 10 amps is much more expensive to create than the 1 amp is, mainly because it requires a gigantic power supply, beefier FETs, bigger gauge wiring, etc.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

they "claim" the power rating on this particular amp is:

-680w peak
-250w x 2channels (2ohms)
-140w x 2channels (4ohms)

-is this a bunch of crap? are they trying to pull a fast one on me? what do you think this amp is really capable of?

-ive decided to use 8 guage PW and GND wire on this amp, is that good enough?

-also i need to run RCA's to this amp but i have the stock "swiveling Berlinetta" radio. I know theres an adapter i need, can anyone tell me what EXACTLY its called and a price?

-i know the sound quality isnt going to be great with the stock radio, BUT HEY.. i dont care! i know i should upgrade to a good head unit but i like how the radio looks, its cool
..kina like nightrider or something

 

Dude, get the amp and sell it. You'll be $30-$40 closer to a getting one that is quality.

 

I have an apc 2200 power acoustic and I haven't had one problem with it. I don't think it pushes what it says it will, but I am probably hitting mid 150 db with 2 12's. It has a plexy glass face, volt meters in it, and blue neon lights ( everyone is supprised at how hard a no name amp can push)! I am running it @ 2 ohm bridge (it says it's not stable at that, but it hasen't shut off at all)! So in my opinion, put it in, make your own judgement, because it doesn't have to cost you $500 to be a good amp. Your box design can make all the difference in the world, so don't cut corners when you build it.
Jerry

------------------
84 z28 build up-
things got:
383 balanced and blue printed short block, 11 to 1 compression pistons, gear drive
,525 total lift cam, hooker comp headers ( jet hot coated), all paint needed to show, new fenders, 4 3/4 cowl induction hood, new nose, new rear bumper, 3.73 rearend (stock)
things getting soon:
preditor carb, victor jr. intake (jet hot coated), blower style air cleaner
this winter:
afr heads or vortech heads

 

any amp with lights and a plexi glass top and VU gauges is most likely junk, what their amps lack ibn quality and power they try to make up for in astetics.. besides, in the end all their trying to do is copy off of PG amps.. if i were to buy a plexi top amp you bet itd be a PG.. anyway, if your getting it for free tho, its better than nothing.. you can always turn around and sell it and put the money towards a better amp.. imho MTX are one of my favorite brands for the sheer fact each unit is tested and puts out well more power than rated.. each amp comes with a birth certificate saying exactally, to the decimil, what it will push..

 

scoob-
I don't think you should judge things so harsh if you haven't ever heard it! My amp pushed as hard if not harder than the orion hcca 275 competition amp.I have used both amps with the same subs, in the same vehicle - so I think I would know.
Jerry

 

Now now, let's not tread on somone like McIntosh here. They have those pretty little gauges too

Reagarding the Power Acoustic amps, you can not go by their specs as they are rather inaccurate, and the quality of the amps are not all that great.

However, if you are getting it for free, then by all means use it. If you are happy with it then who cares what everyone else says about it. You asked our opinion and you got it. Do as you must.

L8rs


------------------
GndPrx
http://www.caraudioresources.net
EFNet #car-audio ; #caraudio

 

No you're not. You're nowhere close. You might be in the low 130s. Mid 150 is absolutely impossible with your setup. We built a system into a cavalier hatch back that only used 4 12" Kicker Comps and a single PPI 250x2 amp and hit in the mid to high 150s. We had to meter it a half-dozen times at one sound off because none of the other competitors could believe that those SPLs were attainable with that equipment. They re-calibrated the mic each time. This was one of the loudest cars in the country with such little equipment. To say that you're getting those SPLs with half as many subs and 1/10 the power is just not possible.

Did you figure out what size fuse the amp has yet?

|>
|
|


------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

Jim, how were they "re-calibrating" the mic?
What equipment?

Audio Control mic's have to get sent back to the factory for recalibration, as well as the ones used on LinerX setups.

I'm just curious if there is another brand/type of rta out there that can be tuned on-site.



------------------
GndPrx
http://www.caraudioresources.net
EFNet #car-audio ; #caraudio

 

I don't think it was the mic itself, but as far as I know the audiosource RTA lets you fool with something. Noise floor adjustments seem to come to mind, but it's been 3 years since I've been near one so it's quite likely that my thoughts aren't all there. I know that the equipment was checked multiple times though.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

-yea this Piece has a 30amp fuse, why?

-what else can you tell me about this amp by the fuse?
-EVERYBODY doesnt have to be soo harsh here, damn im just asking for peoples opinions (just a reminder)

take it easy,peace

 

you actually can tell a bit by the fuse.. for example my amp is 150x2@4ohm or 300x2@2ohm, and it has 3 30amp fuses, thats the same as a 90 amp fuse on a "600" watt amp.. and 600 isnt exxagerated, its actually a little under rated...

 

-damn this piece only has one 30 amp fuse. what does that mean?

-plus i already have 10 guage wire running through my 3rd gen, do i have to buy more wire and run atleast 8guage?
(please say no,please say no,please say no)
i dont think this amp is really THAT powerful is it? CMON i dont have any money as it is.. besides its only a P.O.S.

talk to me people, talk to me here!

 

It means that 10 gauge wire is fine. People aren't necessarily being harsh, just truthful. Your amp is of the variety that is grossly overrated. That doesn't necessarily immediately qualify it is junk, but is not by any means considered a high quality unit. It's a good stepping stone until you can afford a better one, or if you're happy with it, then so be it. As long as it suits your needs you're golden. I went through that stage and the more I learned the better stuff I craved. I learned a lot by having that stuff though. I could give an honest opinion when people asked about that stuff, and when I told them how I felt, it was not just an eletist position, but one from experience which made it much more credable.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

ouch

quite frankly, im just glad i got this amp for free. I think, besides MAYBE the head unit, its the most expensive part to a complete system.

since it was free, i dont care if this thing poops out on me a week later... but if it lasts a couple years and still pounds on my subs, then i dont care if its an alpine or a jenson, ill KEEP it

its hard as hell to being a teenager, insuring your own car, and trying to find a system actually somewhat worth the money

anymore opinions or what?

 

GndPrx,

I was just about ready to post about the Macs before I read your post. Good call!!! I love Macs...my friend had 2 in a '93 Eldorado (yes, I had an 18 year old friend with a Northstar Eldorado ) with 2 Macs he bought used...1 with meters, and 1 without. One was powering 2 Eclipse Aluminum 12s....and while the Mac wasn't a great sub amp, it still sounded VERY nice!!

As for amps, I gotta side with Eclipse over MTX and some of the others. I've heard some awesome Alpine V12s, and I almost picked up a used PPI a month ago. But when it comes to bang for my $$, I'm thrilled with the Eclipse.

 

-what EXACTLY is a good sub amp? how can an amp be better for 6x9s or subs?

-what would you guys power this Power Acoustiks amp with.. subs or 6x9s?

-finally, you guys ARE POSITVE that 10guage wire is ok for this amp?

thatll be all fellaz, take it easy

 

c'monnnn i want 30 replies so that thingy catches on fire

 

If you're not confident about the 10 gauge wire, by all means use 8 gauge. It won't hurt anything. BUT, if you intend to upgrade to a more powerful amp in the future, or if you intend to add additional amplification, I'd say now would be the time to run 4 gauge into a distribution block.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

I'll try to help on the quest for 30

I honestly don't know WHAT it means for 1 amp to be a good sub amp, and for one not to be. If anyone can explain this to me, I'd appreciate it too!!

I said that about the Macs because the guy that had them is THE best installer I know, and this is what he told me. Put it this way; he now has a 2000 T/A with 1 10 inch aluminuim Eclipse sub, rather than the 2 12 inchers. With 400 watts going to this from an Xtant amp, it COMPLETELY out-pounds the 400x2, 2 12 inchers he was running before!! Same design for the subs, and the smaller ONE beat the larger TWO. Go figure.

 

Jim-
you said I would only hit low 130's?? I went to a USAC competition this weekendand and placed 3rd with a 143.2.Everyone else was also getting low ratings (mabe needs recalibrated), so I guess I can't hit 150's, but proven 140's! my amp is a 2apc-2200 power acoustic going to 2 mobile authority to 2 12aw6 in a bandpass box(but will soon be upgraded to the aluminum audiobahn).
jerry

------------------
84 z28 build up-
things got:
383 balanced and blue printed short block, 11 to 1 compression pistons, gear drive
,525 total lift cam, hooker comp headers ( jet hot coated), all paint needed to show, new fenders, 4 3/4 cowl induction hood, new nose, new rear bumper, 3.73 rearend (stock)
things getting soon:
preditor carb, victor jr. intake (jet hot coated), blower style air cleaner
this winter:
afr heads or vortech heads

 

Then you did awful good. I'm guessing that the bandpass box is optimized for the transfer function of your car, because that's awful loud for that amp. The sub box must be awfully efficient.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

-what the hell is a crossover?
-what the hell is a good sub amp?
-what the hell is the distinction between a sub amp and an amp for 6x9s?

 

Myposcamaro, read the car audio articles in the tech section of this website. You should be able to learn quite a bit from them.

------------------
The IROC Homepage
<A HREF="http://www.rit.edu/~jli4307/camaro" TARGET=_blank>
View the restoration of an 85 IROC</A>
"I didn't know a bored out Ford could go so slow" -Shenandoah

 

Jim-
Thanks for the compliment ( I designed and built the box myself)! That is the only nice thing you have ever said to me ... i'm touched...i need a tissue...j/k - thanks again.
Jerry

------------------
84 z28 build up-
things got:
383 balanced and blue printed short block, 11 to 1 compression pistons, gear drive
,525 total lift cam, hooker comp headers ( jet hot coated), all paint needed to show, new fenders, 4 3/4 cowl induction hood, new nose, new rear bumper, 3.73 rearend (stock)
things getting soon:
preditor carb, victor jr. intake (jet hot coated), blower style air cleaner
this winter:
afr heads or vortech heads