SQ Differences?
- mhyde71
- Dr. Jekyll
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How much of a difference on a SQ Level is/might there be between a MQ430 and a MS275???
Which Also brings me to also further ask.. and possibly jacking a thread here... but kinda curious to know what PG Amp is known for, or folks here have a general consensus of, of having the BEST SQ??? The MS, M, or ZPA Stuff, or something else. IMO the MS amp are the best, but I could be wrong and I think allot of other factors would play a role in that as well.
It has been my understanding the MQ430 is top shelf for SQ, but is it comparable to MS Stuff or just the same? Just curious to know or hear what others think/feel
Which Also brings me to also further ask.. and possibly jacking a thread here... but kinda curious to know what PG Amp is known for, or folks here have a general consensus of, of having the BEST SQ??? The MS, M, or ZPA Stuff, or something else. IMO the MS amp are the best, but I could be wrong and I think allot of other factors would play a role in that as well.
It has been my understanding the MQ430 is top shelf for SQ, but is it comparable to MS Stuff or just the same? Just curious to know or hear what others think/feel
Last edited by mhyde71 on Thu Mar 20, 2008 12:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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I am curious about this also?mhyde71 wrote:How much of a difference on a SQ Level is/might there be between a MQ430 and a MS275???
Which Also brings me to also further ask.. and possibly jacking a thread here... but kinda curious to know what PG Amp is known for, or folks here have a general consensus of, of having the BEST SQ??? The MS, M, or ZPA Stuff, or something else. IMO the MS amp are the best, but I could be wrong and I think allot of other factors would play a role in that as well.
It has been my understanding the MQ430 is top shelf for SQ, but is it comparable to MS Stuff or just the same? Just curious to know or hear what other think/feel
- Bfowler
- Briaans..... BRIAAAAANNNNNNS
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mhyde71 wrote:How much of a difference on a SQ Level is/might there be between a MQ430 and a MS275???
Which Also brings me to also further ask.. and possibly jacking a thread here... but kinda curious to know what PG Amp is known for, or folks here have a general consensus of, of having the BEST SQ??? The MS, M, or ZPA Stuff, or something else. IMO the MS amp are the best, but I could be wrong and I think allot of other factors would play a role in that as well.
It has been my understanding the MQ430 is top shelf for SQ, but is it comparable to MS Stuff or just the same? Just curious to know or hear what others think/feel
mq is just what they named the 4 channel MS's
my ex-girlfriend said "its car audio or me"
i've had tougher choices at a soda machine...
i've had tougher choices at a soda machine...
my personal favourite for sq is the ms2125, tons of headroom to boot too!
Ti1 headunit (unique)
Outlaw in crate.
2x original shrouded ms2250's.
Route 66 in box + custom m100 to match.
Roadster 66 in flight case
Octane LE in box.
Reactor #186 in flight case.
Reactor EQ232
Ti400.2 AL
AX204A + EQ232 + ZPX2 + TBA set
ZCS6 component set
Tantrum+Titanium bass cubes
Ti12d Elite sub
DD5 + DD10 + 6 Ti blocks!
Outlaw in crate.
2x original shrouded ms2250's.
Route 66 in box + custom m100 to match.
Roadster 66 in flight case
Octane LE in box.
Reactor #186 in flight case.
Reactor EQ232
Ti400.2 AL
AX204A + EQ232 + ZPX2 + TBA set
ZCS6 component set
Tantrum+Titanium bass cubes
Ti12d Elite sub
DD5 + DD10 + 6 Ti blocks!
ms1000 and LE sofas of course...mhyde71 wrote:is that the only 4 channel MS (the mq-430)???
Ti1 headunit (unique)
Outlaw in crate.
2x original shrouded ms2250's.
Route 66 in box + custom m100 to match.
Roadster 66 in flight case
Octane LE in box.
Reactor #186 in flight case.
Reactor EQ232
Ti400.2 AL
AX204A + EQ232 + ZPX2 + TBA set
ZCS6 component set
Tantrum+Titanium bass cubes
Ti12d Elite sub
DD5 + DD10 + 6 Ti blocks!
Outlaw in crate.
2x original shrouded ms2250's.
Route 66 in box + custom m100 to match.
Roadster 66 in flight case
Octane LE in box.
Reactor #186 in flight case.
Reactor EQ232
Ti400.2 AL
AX204A + EQ232 + ZPX2 + TBA set
ZCS6 component set
Tantrum+Titanium bass cubes
Ti12d Elite sub
DD5 + DD10 + 6 Ti blocks!
I mean. SQ wise how do the different series rate?Bfowler wrote:mhyde71 wrote:How much of a difference on a SQ Level is/might there be between a MQ430 and a MS275???
Which Also brings me to also further ask.. and possibly jacking a thread here... but kinda curious to know what PG Amp is known for, or folks here have a general consensus of, of having the BEST SQ??? The MS, M, or ZPA Stuff, or something else. IMO the MS amp are the best, but I could be wrong and I think allot of other factors would play a role in that as well.
It has been my understanding the MQ430 is top shelf for SQ, but is it comparable to MS Stuff or just the same? Just curious to know or hear what others think/feel
mq is just what they named the 4 channel MS's
Im particularly interested in comparing the M , MS and ZX ( maybe TI ) in order of SQ.
- mhyde71
- Dr. Jekyll
- Posts: 6231
- Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2008 8:34 pm
- Location: PG FanBoy in Green Mtn Vermont
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I have heard the zpa's are basically the same as MS's.. some say better sounding; some say same sound, better looking... not really sure as what an official consensus is or might be about what has the BEST SQ... but maybe we should make a thread for people to chalk votes into or something... MINE is for the MS, but havent ever heard/listened to any ZPA's.
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Heres my opinion . Its kind of from the outside . I was a fogate guy but Ive been around for a very long time.mhyde71 wrote:I have heard the zpa's are basically the same as MS's.. some say better sounding; some say same sound, better looking... not really sure as what an official consensus is or might be about what has the BEST SQ... but maybe we should make a thread for people to chalk votes into or something... MINE is for the MS, but havent ever heard/listened to any ZPA's.
To my ear the M, MS and ZX sound damn near identical. ZPA Ive only heard running subs and Ive been of a mind ya dont need the cleanest power to make a sub sounds decent.
I have no opinion on TI and tantrum stuff ( I expect that to be comparable to punch or thunder ). Im pretty interested in what ryval class D amps are like though.
- Bfowler
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the TI ans ZX should sound damn near identical also.
in fact, since all these amps (and xenon) have very similar output stages. if you gain matched them, you would be hard pressed to hear the difference in any of them within their power constraints.
in fact, since all these amps (and xenon) have very similar output stages. if you gain matched them, you would be hard pressed to hear the difference in any of them within their power constraints.
my ex-girlfriend said "its car audio or me"
i've had tougher choices at a soda machine...
i've had tougher choices at a soda machine...
nutxo wrote:Heres my opinion . Its kind of from the outside . I was a fogate guy but Ive been around for a very long time.mhyde71 wrote:I have heard the zpa's are basically the same as MS's.. some say better sounding; some say same sound, better looking... not really sure as what an official consensus is or might be about what has the BEST SQ... but maybe we should make a thread for people to chalk votes into or something... MINE is for the MS, but havent ever heard/listened to any ZPA's.
To my ear the M, MS and ZX sound damn near identical. ZPA Ive only heard running subs and Ive been of a mind ya dont need the cleanest power to make a sub sounds decent.
I have no opinion on TI and tantrum stuff ( I expect that to be comparable to punch or thunder ). Im pretty interested in what ryval class D amps are like though.
All PG M, MS, MPS, MQ, ZX, Ti, Xenon, ZPA, amps are are of the same basic design, so any coincidence in SQ is by design. They all have Triple Darlington output stage design. They all share a common heritage. And they all had to have SQ to be PG from the old days.
I find the ZPA, and Xenon have the right stuff for me SQ wise, But I also own MS-275's and 2125's.
I was building a M-100 from the grave but someone recycled my mint sink.
A lot of people feel the M series was one of the highest SQ amps PG ever made. the M-25 is very impressive. But the channels inside are exact images of the MS-MPS-MQ series, with only the power supply being different in these two series.
So a sound-off for which is best is very subjective, and has been posted about before here on the PG forum, and a few other places on the web.




...but in the real world we all crank our systems beyond these levels, this is where the smaller m25 will give out to the mighty ms2125! i do have a soft spot for the m25 as well, there's something about the bottom end of that amp that is so impressive!Bfowler wrote: if you gain matched them, you would be hard pressed to hear the difference in any of them within their power constraints.
Ti1 headunit (unique)
Outlaw in crate.
2x original shrouded ms2250's.
Route 66 in box + custom m100 to match.
Roadster 66 in flight case
Octane LE in box.
Reactor #186 in flight case.
Reactor EQ232
Ti400.2 AL
AX204A + EQ232 + ZPX2 + TBA set
ZCS6 component set
Tantrum+Titanium bass cubes
Ti12d Elite sub
DD5 + DD10 + 6 Ti blocks!
Outlaw in crate.
2x original shrouded ms2250's.
Route 66 in box + custom m100 to match.
Roadster 66 in flight case
Octane LE in box.
Reactor #186 in flight case.
Reactor EQ232
Ti400.2 AL
AX204A + EQ232 + ZPX2 + TBA set
ZCS6 component set
Tantrum+Titanium bass cubes
Ti12d Elite sub
DD5 + DD10 + 6 Ti blocks!
Where do I start...
First, yes pg made white mq-430s i had two(consecutive ser.#'s) until someone made off with one of them(don't worry I still have my original reciept and one day i will catch up with the amp...its to rare to not show up again) I loved them i ran one bridged for my front end and the other ran bridged to the sub(old school kicker solobaric) and the onter two channels to rear fill...i got 133db out of that set up.
second I think that the sound of all the amps mentioned are very close they each have there own plus and minuses
The ms/mq had so much underrated power that they naturally sounded way better than amps of same ratings...and they did sound real good
the m's were just a less expensive version but because they had less coloration they are condsidered a SQ amp(don't be fooled they have still have enough balls to be PG's)
The ZPA's were phoenix's attempt to bring the whole car stereo into one system with everything designed to be used together...from the headunit to the speaker, it was all planned to take over the scene but alas time changed and it became harder and harder to install a quality system into newer cars with all their bells and whistles.
The ZPA's kick ass sound wise....to bad, as mentioned before, most of the time because of the amount of power they put out most people just put them on their subs.
The xenon, Ti and zx all sound very close, they are from my understanding, built with essentially the same topographies...i could be wrong, regardless they too still have the power to be called PG's and asside of some minor problems work well, I think that the only line of any of these that i know of zero problems was the xenons.
Sorry for the long post just my .02
next time-- Why one deck is better than another....
First, yes pg made white mq-430s i had two(consecutive ser.#'s) until someone made off with one of them(don't worry I still have my original reciept and one day i will catch up with the amp...its to rare to not show up again) I loved them i ran one bridged for my front end and the other ran bridged to the sub(old school kicker solobaric) and the onter two channels to rear fill...i got 133db out of that set up.
second I think that the sound of all the amps mentioned are very close they each have there own plus and minuses
The ms/mq had so much underrated power that they naturally sounded way better than amps of same ratings...and they did sound real good
the m's were just a less expensive version but because they had less coloration they are condsidered a SQ amp(don't be fooled they have still have enough balls to be PG's)
The ZPA's were phoenix's attempt to bring the whole car stereo into one system with everything designed to be used together...from the headunit to the speaker, it was all planned to take over the scene but alas time changed and it became harder and harder to install a quality system into newer cars with all their bells and whistles.
The ZPA's kick ass sound wise....to bad, as mentioned before, most of the time because of the amount of power they put out most people just put them on their subs.
The xenon, Ti and zx all sound very close, they are from my understanding, built with essentially the same topographies...i could be wrong, regardless they too still have the power to be called PG's and asside of some minor problems work well, I think that the only line of any of these that i know of zero problems was the xenons.
Sorry for the long post just my .02
next time-- Why one deck is better than another....

- Bfowler
- Briaans..... BRIAAAAANNNNNNS
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too true...i put the" within their power constraints." part at the end of my post to cover my bases.marko wrote:...but in the real world we all crank our systems beyond these levels, this is where the smaller m25 will give out to the mighty ms2125! i do have a soft spot for the m25 as well, there's something about the bottom end of that amp that is so impressive!Bfowler wrote: if you gain matched them, you would be hard pressed to hear the difference in any of them within their power constraints.
i think as long as he is real to himslef about the amount of power he needs, he can't go wrong with any of them
my ex-girlfriend said "its car audio or me"
i've had tougher choices at a soda machine...
i've had tougher choices at a soda machine...
- martinkruit
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- Location: The Netherlands
mhyde71 wrote:How much of a difference on a SQ Level is/might there be between a MQ430 and a MS275???
Which Also brings me to also further ask.. and possibly jacking a thread here... but kinda curious to know what PG Amp is known for, or folks here have a general consensus of, of having the BEST SQ??? The MS, M, or ZPA Stuff, or something else. IMO the MS amp are the best, but I could be wrong and I think allot of other factors would play a role in that as well.
It has been my understanding the MQ430 is top shelf for SQ, but is it comparable to MS Stuff or just the same? Just curious to know or hear what others think/feel
What do you quy's say about the MAC200 SQ wise?????
[img]http://phoenixphorum.com/files/phoenixg_970.gif[/img]
Mac 200
Ti 500.2 (Tube pre)
M25 )np cover)
M25, M44, M50, M100, EQ215 (chrome)
QX 2350 x 2
Bass Cube
KLW Image Enhance
KLW Kathedral
Soundstream Reference Class A 10.0
Mac 200
Ti 500.2 (Tube pre)
M25 )np cover)
M25, M44, M50, M100, EQ215 (chrome)
QX 2350 x 2
Bass Cube
KLW Image Enhance
KLW Kathedral
Soundstream Reference Class A 10.0