so... Who makes the good shit these days?

nutxo · Post by **nutxo** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:26 pm

I mean Ive been reading around and I see so many people that think the swap meet brands are great these days.

Which manufacturers tell the truth about RMS and snr? Which ones are reliable?

Post by **VW337** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:52 pm

Be more specific. Are you looking for amps, speakers, head units, maybe even a price range?

in general these are trustworhty labels:

PG
Nakamichi
Brax
Helix
Sinfoni
Kicker
RF
Zapco
Apline
Kenwood
Morel
Focal
JL

>>>and lots more.

nutxo · Post by **nutxo** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 4:58 pm

VW337 wrote:Be more specific. Are you looking for amps, speakers, head units, maybe even a price range?

in general these are trustworhty labels:

PG
Nakamichi
Brax
Helix
Sinfoni
Kicker
RF
Zapco
Apline
Kenwood
Morel
Focal
JL

>>>and lots more.

I was referring to amps mostly. See though. The swapmeet brands are consicuously missing off that list but Ive been seeing em all over ca and diy.

So whats the deal on hifonics, us amps, soundstream and PG?

Me-262 · Post by **Me-262** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:00 pm

PPI, they're usually just over 2% of rated power on any of their amps.

Post by **VW337** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:04 pm

HiFonics got bought by Maxxsonic which sucks for the most part. They also own MBquart Crunch and Autotek. With the exception of Crunch those were all once reputable product.

Soundstream and US AMPS were bought as well.

PG is still a private entity being run by several bodies that have been there since the beginning of the brand.

nutxo · Post by **nutxo** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:18 pm

Does anyone still hand build amps in the US?

Post by **VW337** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 5:33 pm

nutxo wrote:Does anyone still hand build amps in the US?

Not really.

There are some underground companies that do but they make only a few units per year. Nothing special.

gkitching · Post by **gkitching** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:02 pm

Arc Audio (SE series & new KS series)
Memphis (M-class even PR Series)

dcmcki · Post by **dcmcki** » Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:52 pm

Arent the US Amps AX line still made in the US......I had a AX5600 5 channel that said it all over it. Check out the prices on them though.

shaheen · Post by **shaheen** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:21 am

RF makes all their amps in the US still.

HoseHead · Post by **HoseHead** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 5:13 am

Zuki too.....

I'm killing myself over here......

Hontzo_MD · Post by **Hontzo_MD** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:44 am

Its almost safe to say that most of the companies that have been around for 15-20+ years are doing something right.

SolacE · Post by **SolacE** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:49 am

lunar amps

Post by **Rold Gold** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:30 am

They don't make amps but RE Audio makes some beefy woofers.....

gkitching · Post by **gkitching** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:35 am

shaheen wrote:RF makes all their amps in the US still.

I believe the opposite is true. RF products are NOT made in USA.

tristan20 · Post by **tristan20** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:38 am

zapco

mmats (thats what they say)

Mcintosh

tristan20 · Post by **tristan20** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 7:39 am

Oh and the new Tru Technology

OldSchoolFool · Post by **OldSchoolFool** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:24 am

hand built in USA only means so much. Most of the parts are made overseas, and those are the bits that matter. Hand built with crappy caps and transistors makes a nice paperweight, made in USA no less.

Where it's designed makes a huge difference.

Like, was it designed by pro's who have many years of experience or by copy and paste and "put your company name here" type manufacturing. Go with experience. I would pick any of the list which have been around 10+ years, and have the engineers to back that up.

tristan20 · Post by **tristan20** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:41 am

Hehe sometimes only the cardboard box is made in the USA and the amp in CHINA, hehe

shaheen · Post by **shaheen** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:44 am

gkitching wrote:
shaheen wrote:RF makes all their amps in the US still.

I believe the opposite is true. RF products are NOT made in USA.

AFAIK RF makes the power T woofers and amps in the US

ydnap · Post by **ydnap** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:59 am

The colombians.

Well someone had to.

Post by **Rold Gold** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:37 am

ydnap wrote:The colombians.

Well someone had to.

Don't forget Master-P
May may may may may make crack like this.........Ghetto dope..

gkitching · Post by **gkitching** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:48 am

shaheen wrote:
gkitching wrote:
shaheen wrote:RF makes all their amps in the US still.

I believe the opposite is true. RF products are NOT made in USA.
AFAIK RF makes the power T woofers and amps in the US

The only claim to anything being done in the US is Design & Engineering.

Rockford Fosgate® is ready for the future. We incorporate some of the most state-of-the-art facilities in the audio business. Best of all, our Amplifiers, Signal Processors and Woofers are designed and engineered in Tempe, AZ, USA!

Straight from thier web site. Not to mention all my non-Rockford reps remind me of this every time they come in.

Post by **Bfowler** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 10:01 am

yeah, i know for a fact the new power (digital small foot print ones) are not!

they are the same amp as the alpine PDX and blaupunkt THA (that they all bougt the rights to use the ICE chip) and all 3 are made next to each other in asia

SolacE · Post by **SolacE** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:18 pm

shaheen wrote:
gkitching wrote:
shaheen wrote:RF makes all their amps in the US still.

I believe the opposite is true. RF products are NOT made in USA.
AFAIK RF makes the power T woofers and amps in the US

according to my friend in r&d with rockfords loudspeaker facility even the woofers were moved overseas late last year. They are still designed here in the US.