Calling all Old Schoolers out there, please help me get back in the game.

[Skinkutter 10+ year member]

Okay, so I haven't had an award winning system since the early 90's, but I'm trying to build one now. I have amassed a stock pile of A/D/S amps (form at least 4 Powerplate 80's to a few pq 20's and ph 15's I have always loved the sound and reliable power they put out with minumum voltage pull. The last system to win me trophies was all A/D/S components; 6 tweets, 2 4's, 4 6 1/2's 2 5 1/4's, 3 pq10's one ph15 and 1 pq20. Subs were 2 Soundstream reference ss-12's. Later replaced by four Boston acoustics 10.4 LF. I loved this system and would like to Do it again except maybe louder. Two of the four BA 10.4's are blown, so I am in the air as far as comparable subs of today go. Also is there a better amp than old school A/D/S out there, or should I just stick to tried and true. I could rebuild my 10's, but there is no way to assure they will sound the same, plus I have a Tahoe now and I'm thinking 3 or 4 12's would really punch it up. The problem that I am finding is that it seems like these days people are all about how far they can flex their windshield rather than how clean their music is. Also the efficiency on most of the popular Subs is so low you need 1.21 jiggawatts and 18 batteries to drive them. Any advise to help bring an old tymer back into the game would be appreciated.

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[gunz4me2 10+ year member]

According to Hoffman's Iron Law you can have a small enclosure, high sensitivity, and deep bass... pick any two! That is why all modern subwoofers need major power to make decent sub bass output.

There is nothing wrong with keeping your A/D/S amplifiers for your mids and highs, but I'd highly recommend having the electrolytic capacitors checked out before placing them into service. I tend to recall a particular issue regarding the older A/D/S amplifiers, but I am not at my regular computer, and I can't remember what it is. Hopefully it is just the caps, but if that changes, I'll post again in this thread.

As for subs, you are going to need some major power to get the new ones to move, but that is just how the cookie crumbles. Most modern day subs outperform old school subwoofers in every way, except sensitivity. I'll take a smaller enclosure with more power versus going back to needing 6 cubic feet for a single ported 15" subwoofer. Heck, I even remember owning a pair of 12s that required 1.75 cubic feet sealed per 12 back in the day.

Of course, you could always check out credence's website and purchase the modern day equivalent of the solobaric subs: Credence Speakers, Inc.: Small Sealed Series

These would also compare well to some of the old school Kicker Competition subwoofers: Credence Speakers, Inc.: Classic Subs Series

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

i have some old skool ADS stuff too

 

[Skinkutter 10+ year member]

So really, what recommendations are there for a "modern" sub stage? Top of the line sound, I don't care about flex, spl, etc. Im getting a headache, might just grab some old soundstreams off egay tomorrow. At least I know they slam off my PQ20 at 3cf.

 

[Skinkutter 10+ year member]

Do you use it? Or have you found suitable replacements? I just don't trust any companies these days.I've even noticed that some of my old school favorite companies are putting out garbage now, and companies that were considered garbage are getting mad respect. Truth is, back in the early 90's if you showed up to an IASCA sanctioned event with Lanzar or MTX you would be laughed out of the show.

 

[gunz4me2 10+ year member]

When I re-entered this hobby in 2007, I had the mindset that "older was better" and managed to procure a lot of old school gear, mainly amplifiers. With problem after problem regarding gear purchased on eBay, I came to the realization that I was wrong. Give me something new with a warranty over something old that may have issues out of the box or develop issues after a few days of use. At least now eBay offers better buyer protection than they did from 2007 to 2009 when I was in my nostalgia phase.

 

[wenn_du_weinst 10+ year member]

Do you use it? Or have you found suitable replacements? I just don't trust any companies these days.I've even noticed that some of my old school favorite companies are putting out garbage now, and companies that were considered garbage are getting mad respect. Truth is, back in the early 90's if you showed up to an IASCA sanctioned event with Lanzar or MTX you would be laughed out of the show.

to be honest, if you look in the right place new equipment destroys the old 1990's equipment. You just need to do research first.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Im still an old schooler amplifier individual,and have tried quite a few newer amps also, yet ,have returned right back to Old school power(Autotek BTS/Mean Machine, and Hifonics VII VIII series amps.I have 2000-2001 subwoofers from Audiobahn that were USA made Comp subs Aw1008T, that I have shelled power too, and just never been able to blow, and Utilizing(4)2 at the moment.Bought a brand new Clarion HU, and didnt like the performance of it, went back to my old Eclipse cd3000,and Oxygen 6.3 air 3 way comp, and went back to some older Polk 5.25 woofers,Polk 2ways, and Infinity Tweets(2sets), and a nice sounding component that I think you will enjoy(Massive 6.50 components that sound really nice for the money.I have Heard the SSA Icons/Dcon subs, and they do sound really good.I consider that if my subs blow..I will go with the Xcons.New amps need alot of Juice seems to run,and the TDH,is @,or around 0.05%, in which mine are 0.o1%, and the DB on most newer amp @100, and below, as mine are well over 105db.Alot of good speakers/subs, but still enjoy getting that true rms + of 600 or better out of a 75x2 bridged with around 8ga wire, and 40-60 amp fuse verses 4ga-0ga, and 4-6 30 amp fuses.Keep in mind that majority of newer vehicles these days need a min of around 13.2-13.4v just to operate properly as back then we only needed 11.6-12.9v just for the standard electrical needed

 

[Skinkutter 10+ year member]

to be honest, if you look in the right place new equipment destroys the old 1990's equipment. You just need to do research first.

I have no idea where to look these days. On paper EVERYTHING looks good even BOSS. Yuck!//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eek.gif.771b7a90cf45cabdc554ff1121c21c4a.gif And like Audiobaun posted I don't want to redo my whole electrical system to get marginal performance at maximum draw. Also FYI my a/d/s amps are rated at 0.002% THD Damping 150+ conservatively rated, clean a/b power! But that being said, newer would be better and more interesting.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Id utilize what I have for power/amps Not a whole lot of new amps will do true rms as the old school without doing electrical upgrade.I spent a pretty penny to achieve a 1ohm load to stay @ around 14.2-14.4v.To get the most out of my 2amps(Hunger power amps).Those ADS amps are some of the cream of the crop of old school power along with clarity.I even run from time to time an old Alpine Duo-b set of amps 30x2/40x2 that scream, and are clean compared to a $200 of todays power.Id look into the subs that I mentioned,and they just came out with Gcons,I believe they are 300rms, and SVC.