old amps

[der affe]

i was going through some more totes of car stuff and found the one with all my car stereo stuff and amoungst it all was several old amps ( PPI 2150.. white california edition, an orion, a special edition, a rockford fosgate/punch 45, a jbl, and a pioneer.) how do they compare to new amps today. i have been out of the stereo game for a while, and i was wondering if amps have become cheaper made junk (like i heard happened to PPI and orion) and should i used them or just buy new?
thanks,
greg

[StereoInstaller1]

Greg, you will find some of the "cheaper made junk" of today actually sounds better (and all of them have more features) than some of the older amps.

Pisses me off to no end, but it is true. My Exile amps stomp anything I have ever had, except maybe the Zapco stuff I had back when I had money ("BC", or Before Children)

I have the same issue. I have 3 old Harmon/Kardon HK260s. Incredible amps in their day...still have the same sweetness to their sound...but I cannot for the life of me get the damn noise out. I know it is only old capacitors causing the issue, but it would be damn near impossible to fix at any price, much less as cheap as I can buy new.

Several of the amps you mentioned are still in demand. For some reason, the Punch 45 still seems to draw people to want them, even with no crossovers, a very "harsh" sound and moderate power...some people just love them.

The old JBl "pyramid" amps were amazingly powerful, the old Orions were awesome power (noisy as hell, but TONS of power) and that PPI 2150...what a sweet amp. Again, no crossovers, no extra features, but BIG power.

Post up the exact model numbers...see if your local pawn shop will give you "Blue Book" retail prices for them, maybe put them on the 'bay!

Or, just install them in your car and buy a new CD of New Order or some Big Audio Dynamite.

Luke

[der affe]

i do have several B.A.D and New Order cd's! (i am old too....35) i was thinking of using them in the 914-6. peerless 4" in the factory kicks, a custom box where the center console/armrest is now residing with a pair of peerless 6" in a small sealed inclosure firing down into port so i can still cover it like an arm rest , and prob a pair of peerless silkdome tweeters in the doors. it's pretty small inside and i don't need a ton of sound, just some decent music other than the engine!

[browntown]

The old JBl "pyramid" amps were amazingly powerful,

Maybe I should of held on to the NIB one that I gave to goodwill when my parents told me to clear out all my stuff from their house a few years ago.

[der affe]

so, if i just add a cross-over i should have some pretty clean sound using what i already have?

[Mless5]

PM me info/pics/price on PPI please.

[matthew-mayhem]

yeah they will usually sond better but you might need like 2or 3 of them, if they are only like 200 watts, my friend is think about getting another one because it is only 200 watts

[der affe]

PM me info/pics/price on PPI please.

not looking to sell te PPI right now, but i will let you know if i do.

[der affe]

luke can you get METRIC replacment rubber surrounds, namely Peerless, Focal, and Seeas?
thanks, i have some that have crapped out from age while sitting in the storage boxes

[Lair]

Good thread. I have an old A/D/S Power Plate 4 channel amp that I may dig out for a 318ic project I just bought.

It's a small one, though. I don't remember the specs, but I used it for my front stage in a VW cabrio I had in 1990 - along with an Orion 80 watt amp.

[ejnight]

I love the old amp's and with a new head unit that has the crossover in it you are good to go.