n2caraudio 10+ year member
Senior VIP Member
First impression: The Arc Audio 4050XXK and 2050XXK are quite beautiful amplifiers, although the pictures cannot pick it up. The heatsink fins are machined aluminum, but they have an almost chrome shine to them. The amps have a nice solid feel with the exception of the bottom plate, which is an access panel to the internal workings of the amplifier. As far as the connectors go, the rca inputs are very high quality and have a nice solid feel to them when plugging in male rca connectors. I was surprised to see screw terminals on such a well built amplifier. They work ok for a lower power amp like this, but I would only hope that the larger XXK amplifiers would have either larger screws for power, or the straight wire connectors like most modern amplifiers come with.
Specs:
Arc Audio 2050XXK
Stereo @ 4 ohms: 2 x 50 watts
Stero @ 2 ohms: 2 x 95 watts
Bridged @ 4 ohms: 1 x 190 watts
THD %: Freq Response: 20 Hx - 20 KHz
Signal to Noise Ratio: 100db
Seperation: >75db
Transient Dist.: Input Sensitivity: 250 mv - 2.5 v
Bass Boost +18 db @ 45Hz
Crossover (Butterworth): 55Hz – 5.5kHz 12db stereo
Max Current Draw: 28 amps
Damping Factor: >300 @ 1Khz
Dimensions: 8.75 x 8 x 3.35
Arc Audio 4050XXK
Stereo @ 4 ohms: 4 x 50 watts
Stero @ 2 ohms: 4 x 90 watts
Bridged @ 4 ohms: 2 x 180 watts
THD %: Freq Response: 20 Hx - 20 KHz
Signal to Noise Ratio: 95db
Seperation: >65db
Transient Dist.: Input Sensitivity: 250 mv - 2.5 v
Bass Boost +18 db @ 45Hz
Crossover (Butterworth): 55Hz – 5.5kHz 12db stereo
Max Current Draw: 46 amps
Damping Factor: >300 @ 1Khz
Dimensions: 13 x 8 x 3.35
For the first test I hooked up the Arc 4050XXK to the front 6.5” MBQuart Components, and the rear MBQuart 6x8’s. The 2050XXK was hooked up to the 12 Fi sub bridged at 4 ohms. Once this was done, I started adjusting the settings on the amplifiers. Even from the back of the vehicle with only the radio on, I could pick out instruments and sounds in the music that had not been as pronounced in the reference amplifier.
Once all the gains and crossover points were set, I put all equializtion at 0db and turned the bass boost on each amp to the 0 position. I put in some familiar cds just to see if I could pick out things that I hadn't heard since my Zapco amplifiers. I immediatley noticed that some of the reverb from the vocals were more pronounced and natural sounding. Things like the snapping of fingers and the breathing in between vocals all became pronounced and audible. The tamborines, which are heard in the background became more a part of the music. Both amps played with very good power and authority for being only 50 watts per channel. Once pushed beyond their capabilities, I noticed an immeditate drop in sound quality, so it is very easy to know when you're exceeding the limits of the amplifiers.
For the next test I hooked up the 4050XXK and left out the 2050XXK. I wanted to see how flexible this amplifier really is. I drove the four door speakers at 2 ohms, with the front outputs and the sub bridged off the rear outputs at 4 ohms. This test was very predictable, but I wanted to prove it to myself anyway. The sub had no change in output or clarity between the 2050XXK and using the rear out of the 4050XXK. The four door speakers sounded every bit as good as they did when at 4 ohms, however couldn't get quite as loud as before without becoming audibly edgy.
Conclusion:
The Arc is quite powerful and seems to put out more than what the rated power says. The power coming from this amplifier would probably satisfy most daily drivers, and no doubt would make even the most critcal ear happy. However, if you're looking for amp that you really want to crank up, I would suggest the next more powerful xxk.
Bruce
n2caraudio.com
Specs:
Arc Audio 2050XXK
Stereo @ 4 ohms: 2 x 50 watts
Stero @ 2 ohms: 2 x 95 watts
Bridged @ 4 ohms: 1 x 190 watts
THD %: Freq Response: 20 Hx - 20 KHz
Signal to Noise Ratio: 100db
Seperation: >75db
Transient Dist.: Input Sensitivity: 250 mv - 2.5 v
Bass Boost +18 db @ 45Hz
Crossover (Butterworth): 55Hz – 5.5kHz 12db stereo
Max Current Draw: 28 amps
Damping Factor: >300 @ 1Khz
Dimensions: 8.75 x 8 x 3.35
Arc Audio 4050XXK
Stereo @ 4 ohms: 4 x 50 watts
Stero @ 2 ohms: 4 x 90 watts
Bridged @ 4 ohms: 2 x 180 watts
THD %: Freq Response: 20 Hx - 20 KHz
Signal to Noise Ratio: 95db
Seperation: >65db
Transient Dist.: Input Sensitivity: 250 mv - 2.5 v
Bass Boost +18 db @ 45Hz
Crossover (Butterworth): 55Hz – 5.5kHz 12db stereo
Max Current Draw: 46 amps
Damping Factor: >300 @ 1Khz
Dimensions: 13 x 8 x 3.35
For the first test I hooked up the Arc 4050XXK to the front 6.5” MBQuart Components, and the rear MBQuart 6x8’s. The 2050XXK was hooked up to the 12 Fi sub bridged at 4 ohms. Once this was done, I started adjusting the settings on the amplifiers. Even from the back of the vehicle with only the radio on, I could pick out instruments and sounds in the music that had not been as pronounced in the reference amplifier.
Once all the gains and crossover points were set, I put all equializtion at 0db and turned the bass boost on each amp to the 0 position. I put in some familiar cds just to see if I could pick out things that I hadn't heard since my Zapco amplifiers. I immediatley noticed that some of the reverb from the vocals were more pronounced and natural sounding. Things like the snapping of fingers and the breathing in between vocals all became pronounced and audible. The tamborines, which are heard in the background became more a part of the music. Both amps played with very good power and authority for being only 50 watts per channel. Once pushed beyond their capabilities, I noticed an immeditate drop in sound quality, so it is very easy to know when you're exceeding the limits of the amplifiers.
For the next test I hooked up the 4050XXK and left out the 2050XXK. I wanted to see how flexible this amplifier really is. I drove the four door speakers at 2 ohms, with the front outputs and the sub bridged off the rear outputs at 4 ohms. This test was very predictable, but I wanted to prove it to myself anyway. The sub had no change in output or clarity between the 2050XXK and using the rear out of the 4050XXK. The four door speakers sounded every bit as good as they did when at 4 ohms, however couldn't get quite as loud as before without becoming audibly edgy.
Conclusion:
The Arc is quite powerful and seems to put out more than what the rated power says. The power coming from this amplifier would probably satisfy most daily drivers, and no doubt would make even the most critcal ear happy. However, if you're looking for amp that you really want to crank up, I would suggest the next more powerful xxk.
Bruce
n2caraudio.com
