Goodies

[PiercedE30]

Just picked this up. Hopefully I will get to install it soon.

[Gooch]

<3 a/d/s/

[Mless5]

what didja pay for it?

[PiercedE30]

320 with shipping.

[Eric Giles]

Excellent pickup-I would still choose a 20 year old a/d/s/ amp over a new amp anytime. My 16 year old PH15 is still going strong and sounds superb. In fact I might just pick up another one soon for my '87 325is.

I see you paid $320 shipped for you 4100....I paid $210 for my PH15 from a salvage store in '92, and I could still sell it for more than that 16 years later-IMO, a testament to the quality of these a/d/s/ amps.

[Kwaaahhh]

So what is so great about these a/d/s amp? I've never heard of them.

[Mless5]

They were made in Wilmington, MA and back in those days quality over quantity was the way to go. But I have to say that looking at the spaghetti on the boards of a/d/s amps I have doubts. Good components - yes, good design/layout/manufacturing - don't know, don't know. But their amps are still around and it is the best proof that they are solid.

[PiercedE30]

Luke, I now understand why you say all that is needed is a front stage.

[Mless5]

Luke, I now understand why you say all that is needed is a front stage.

Come on, tell us what you did and how it all sounds!!!

[PiercedE30]

Well, I have a C33 HU, for now. I only had enough time to hook up the front stage since all of the wires (except for rear speakers) had been run when I had my rear seat out last weekend. With just the front stage, it sounds better than all four speakers connected to the HU. It really is amazing. I have the gain turned between 1/2 and 3/4. The low-pass is set right about 600 Hz. I probably need to tune it though.

[Mless5]

I have the gain turned between 1/2 and 3/4. The low-pass is set right about 600 Hz.

eh?

[StereoInstaller1]

So what is so great about these a/d/s amp? I've never heard of them.

Damn kids these days!

No, seriously, there is a few design things that simply are no longer being done because of the stupidity of the public.

For example: Inverted Phase amps will NOT do true stereo, as the power supply is 180 degrees out of phase, channel for channel, thus you can not and will not get a decent stage. It really isn't stereo, and it can't be fixed.

How to tell if an amp is true stereo? Put a ohm meter between whatever terminals are NOT used when the amp is "bridged" and you will see they are they same wire, basically 0 ohms apart...this means that the amp is ALWAYS bridged, even when supposedly running stereo. This means a less realistic presence, not something you can put on a spec sheet.

What this also means is 4X less power. A true 2 channel amp will make 4X the power of one of its channels bridged...so that 50 watt per channel 2 channel amp will make 200 watts...see where the marketing department gets in there? THAT is why no more true stereo amps are on the market at all...

So yeah, these old amps sound great. I really do wish SOMETHING were made like that still.

Luke