specs on the amp....
Description:
4-Channel Class A / Tube Hybrid, Car Audio Amplifier, True Stereo Operation
Specs:
- Four Channel Class A Amplifier
- Direct Tube Input
- Oversized MOSFET Power Supply
- Total Power Output: 360 Watts RMS
- THD at Rated Power:
- Signal/Noise Ratio: >100dBA
- Frequency Response: 15Hz-50KHz +/-0dB
- Fuse Rating: 40 Amps
- Two Ohm Stable, Stereo
Dimensions: (Including Terminals)
- 62mm / 2.44in High
- 229mm / 9.0in Wide
- 368mm / 14.50in Long
- weight: 3.63kg / 8.00lbs
POWER RATINGS (RMS):
75 Watts x 4 into 4 Ohms
90 Watts x 4 into 2 Ohms
Note: This is a true stereo amplifier, therefore it is NOT bridgeable.
Overview:
US Amps, not much to question about their company name and reputation. US Amps has more than proved themselves over the years by producing some of the finest quality amps available and being a highly recognized manufacturer for capturing tons of trophies in the competition lanes with their high-power, and phenomenally accurate, power amplifiers; and they do it all from Florida, USA [please note that US Amps apparently sold out to another company a few years ago and is not longer based in Florida, nor are we certain their new series amplifiers are even manufactured in the U.S. This amplifier and review pertain to the old Tu-4360 made by the original US Amps company back when it was still based in Florida]. The Tu-4360 may just be one of the biggest innovations in mobile amplifier sound fidelity, in a long time, and a huge forward leap for US Amps.
The Tu-4360 is a Class A amplifier (known for their superb sound quality, reliability and power) that is effectively combined with a Vacuum Tube amplifier (known for their warmth and accuracy) to produce a hybrid amplifier that combines the best of both of those designs: Tube Quality with Class A Reliability and Functional Power! SWEET BLISS? Maybe. All this innovation is packed into their classic chassis which, is very compact and rugged, yet remains very cosmetically pleasing. The top of the amp is elegantly smooth, with the heatsinc fins on the side and top. The amp comes brand new with the US Amps classic emblem shipped loose for you to apply it where and however you wish on the amplifier, allowing some custom installation options. The bottom of the amp has a plexi-glass viewing cover, (pictured above), allowing it to be mounted so that you can show off the superbly built internals of the amplifier, if you desire to do so, or you can mount it regularly to show off the very nice chassis which is available in either chrome (high polished aluminum) or black finishes. The terminals are gold plated and use normal phillips-screw down design, along with DUAL 8 Gauge Power and Ground terminals. The amp has NO internal crossovers, or processing; just dual gain controls (front/rear) and the normal gold plated RCA Inputs. This provides you audiophiles with a straight signal-in / signal-out configuration for optimum accuracy in the sound reproduction. Note: These amps have a built-in ground isolation circuit to prevent noise, so make sure you read the manual about precautions of using a separate external ground isolation device! This amplifier, with the combination of the Class A and Vacuum Tubes, is a huge innovation in itself, but this amplifier goes even further to add tons of other useful internal technology advancements and years of real-world experience to produce one of the nicest sounding amplifiers I have ever used for components.
My final evaluation of the quality of sound, warmth, depth, staging, response, performance and power, can all be summed up by one word; outstanding! The amp presents itself as surprisingly powerful, with adequate headroom, yet remains to keep the image and separation of your front stage completely accurate. Its build quality is astonishing, especially for the relatively low price that this amplifier can be had for. If you are an audiophile, that wants to experience the benefits, and warmth, of a tube amplifier, this would be a definite amplifier to consider in your high-end car audio system. Honestly, rather than tell you how well I enjoyed this amplifier, I will just explain the only issue I had with it.
Traditional tube-amps can have a vary long warm-up time (the time it takes from the moment that the amplifier receives a turn-on signal and when it actually starts outputting sound), but US Amps was able to effectively reduce that time with this Hybrid amplifier design, but it still has a 3+/- second (3-5second average, for my experience) turn-on delay/warm-up time, depending on the ambient temperature. This really isn't a huge concern because during those few seconds, I was usually just buckling my seat-belt or settling in anyways, but it is still there. Consequently, I also got a slight turn-on pop as well. These are normal issues, in terms or tube-amps, and well worth the minor inconvenience for the superb sound quality the amp produces, in my honest opinion. Over-all it is a fantastic amp and I thoroughly enjoyed the unforgettable experience that it is capable of providing, my only regret is that I would have not sold the car before getting a chance to enjoy its performance further.
Pros:
- Very eye-pleasing chassis, especially with the custom installation possibilities that the stock plexi-glass bottom creates.
- Nice value for the power and performance you get with this amplifier.
- True audiophile performance and Tube Amplifier sound quality.
Cons:
- Slight Turn-on delay during warm-up period. Average of about 3-5 seconds, +/-
- Slight Turn-on and Turn-off "pop" noise.
- This is a true "stereo" amplifier, meaning both channels are in-phase, this provides pure sound quality, but does not allow for bridging of the amplifier. This means that the ability to obtain those nice extra power gains from bridging is non-existent with this amp. On the other hand, they do offer a more powerful 2channel amplifier (TU-600), if that would better suit your needs.
