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

Post by **VW337** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 1:55 pm

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

No they went over seas last year.

Post by **VW337** » Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:07 pm

dcmcki wrote: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.

Not certain about that, never followed US Amps too close, but the units I have seen are not US built.

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

There was a line which arc built that created a fuss when it went overseas, not certain of their current line but I would be willing to bet they may be assembled in the US but the parts are likely built overseas.

Memphis has a line that they claim is 100% US but I suspect it's all in the wording just like with ARC

tristan20 wrote:zapco

mmats (thats what they say)

Mcintosh

Mcintosh is Clarion and yes they are built in the US, that is a line I had forgotten about since they are so difficult to come by.

MMATS was rumored to be going overseas, I know some entry product had be there for a while and the new stuff doesn't have the feel of the old amps so I can not verify.

Zapco.....Maybe the top digital processed units are US but I would be hard pressed to say 100%

***I can not back these statements as most of my manufacturing knowledge is out of date, do to lack of industry involvement as of late. Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

nutxo · Post by **nutxo** » Wed Apr 02, 2008 9:25 pm

what about 4 or 5 year old xtant amps?

denim · Post by **denim** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 12:57 pm

I am a big fan of SSA sub woofers. Kinda have to, being an owner.

A few other great companies that most people on here don't talk about much:

Fi Car Audio
Sundown Audio
Zed Audio
Sound Splinter
Mach5Audio
etc..

Post by **Bfowler** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 1:12 pm

not trying to start a fight, but what makes sundown amps "good" or "special" I appriciate they are a good value, but why are they a "high end" in your eyes?

Post by **mhyde71** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:04 pm

My understanding that the AX Line of USAMps is made here in US... But like someone said before Made in AMerica almost has no meaning with parts from abroad... I have really only followed US amps and PG but not even extensively. Just what I learn poking around talking to various people, reading various articles, etc.. but that's even limited I'm sure.

Parts from Korea and built in US is like
making chicken soup out of chicken shit... You can not

Post by **bdubs767** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:12 pm

how makes good shit...any CEA rated company. Those amps will make their CEA rated power.

brenzbmr@sb · Post by **brenzbmr@sb** » Thu Apr 03, 2008 11:37 pm

well i can comment on the sundownz amp

we stuck a saz-1500d in a car and ran it down to .5 ohms

was it impressive, well yeah but it didnt blow me away.

now the 3000d is a different animal...it smoked the arc 4k amp

we did a swap out with a guy running one and out of box no gains set

it was .9 db louder on his set up then the 4k arc audio amp

as how they sound(sundownz)

they sound pretty much like everything else, but i would buy the 3k

versions if i do a system..

as far as fi, i think there more hype then anything else

good woofers? hell yeah, but i dont think they are as great as so many make them out to be

agian i would def use a set of btl 18s fully loaded if i was to plan on building a street pounder.

re woofers are impressive also

my partner runs two sx 12s from re and they are really solid woofers.

my good freind runs an mt 18 built for street and it slams.

SSA woofers look to be solid contenders but i havent got the money to

purchase them, now if denim wants to hook me up ill be more then happy to beat those woofers to hell and back..

im really looking for some 18s inch subs to build a ground pounder.

if you guys are looking for something differnet

then give the brands that denim mentioned a listen..

denim · Post by **denim** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 6:15 am

Bfowler wrote:not trying to start a fight, but what makes sundown amps "good" or "special" I appriciate they are a good value, but why are they a "high end" in your eyes?

I did not say they were necessarily high end, just a very good amp with very good customer service behind them. They are Zenon built, but with some nice upgrades and tweaks that other companies that go with Zenon don't do. They have been pushed hard in SPL competition and held up well.

Not to mention, the SAZ-1500D and an SSA Icon, in MECA ModeX SQ, just beat the world champ from 2007 by one point.

Now if pressed into a corner, I would probably take my Zed Burr Browns over the Sundowns, but that is because I am not as worried about the watt per dollar ratio, and I love me some Zed's.

And I know your not the fighting type

denim · Post by **denim** » Fri Apr 04, 2008 6:24 am

brenzbmr@sb wrote: SSA woofers look to be solid contenders but i havent got the money to
purchase them, now if denim wants to hook me up ill be more then happy to beat those woofers to hell and back..

im really looking for some 18s inch subs to build a ground pounder.

if you guys are looking for something differnet

then give the brands that denim mentioned a listen..

I would love to be able to sponsor people, but we are such a small fish in a big pond filled with whales as far as a speaker company at the moment. Not to mention we were recently hit by credit card scam so we running really tight. But we do have other lines in the works, one with an 18" model. Thanks for the positive words.