Is the Hifonics HFi1500 any good?

[BnGRacing 10+ year member]

Besides, who said that all bass is recorded in mono? What about the 1% or so recordings that were not mixed this way? I still want to hear all of it!

It has little to do with the recording and everything to do with how low freq react. Sub-bass, typically below 60hz, is non-directional. What that means is that you can't tell if it's coming from the left or right so it's not really a priority to separate bass into L&R channels. You'll 'hear it all' as mono channels merely add all the information on the left & right channels together.

Pro-rabbit is dead on with his assessment regarding CEA. I'd even go one step further and say that a-weighting is a farce.

 

[zako 10+ year member]

It has little to do with the recording and everything to do with how low freq react. Sub-bass, typically below 60hz, is non-directional. What that means is that you can't tell if it's coming from the left or right so it's not really a priority to separate bass into L&R channels. You'll 'hear it all' as mono channels merely add all the information on the left & right channels together.
Pro-rabbit is dead on with his assessment regarding CEA. I'd even go one step further and say that a-weighting is a farce.

I don't know, but _my_ subwoofers play quite a bit of information above 60Hz, it's probably not a lot, but it is something. After all, with low pass crossover frequency of 60 or 70 Hz and 18dB slope, a subwoofer can conceivably play information up to 100Hz somewhat audibly. But let's say you are right, and there is no audible change in SQ. I still don't trust a company that makes me spend $10 on a Y-Splitter so it can save a few pennies on resistors or other components. Have they cut corners in the other parts of their gear? I don't know..

 

[zako 10+ year member]

You'll 'hear it all' as mono channels merely add all the information on the left & right channels together.

I want to add that on my stereo, the left and right subwoofer outs can send conceivably a different signal. I have contacted Kenwood technical support and they told me that it's stereo signal even on subwoofer channels. It actually took some time to explain to them that there exist mono subwoofer amplifiers that will not add left and right signal. Kenwood's amplifiers certainly do. I checked the older MB Quart manuals, and the old DSC mono block amplifier did not have this requirement. To me it's quite obvious. Once maxxsonics took over, the order was made to cheapen the product at any cost.

 

[zako 10+ year member]

I had the same question about the splitter on the input and was told to just hook the l and r up normally and I love mine. I'm running the smaller 1000d. I'm sure there are many better amps but I love the price and it woods good to me which is all that really matters to me. Too many times on here someone knocks another persons stuff but the user is the only opinion that matters.

I personally don't want to do any experiments that could potentially damage my stereo or the amplifier. If it works for you, great.

 

[accuab 10+ year member]

I personally don't want to do any experiments that could potentially damage my stereo or the amplifier. If it works for you, great.

It comes down to the fact that most bass is played through both the left and right channel equally. It would really make no sense to play bass different between the different sides.

 

[zako 10+ year member]

It comes down to the fact that most bass is played through both the left and right channel equally. It would really make no sense to play bass different between the different sides.

But how do you know all this? If this was the case, then why does the manual of over maxxsonics mono amplifier I have seen (MB Quart REF, ONX, FX, this one, etc) says you need to use the Y-splitter? Also, like I have said, I have contacted Kenwood, and they told me that the subwoofer outs on my deck are sending stereo signal. Therefore, it will be the same ONLY if the music was recorded this way, and will it really be recorded this was on 100% of stuff you listen? I don't know. Maybe other decks do it differently. I know that some stereo decks even have a switch to choose between stereo and mono signal on subwoofer channels. Mine does not have it, and it's pretty much top of line Kenwood product of last year.

May be none of the stuff I say really matters. If all you need is loud powerful bass, the theoretical difference in sound from using maxxsonics amps kind of doesn't matter from SQ standpoint. However, when I upgrade my gear, amplifier or subwoofer, I always think of taking things to the next level of fidelity.. not backwards.

 

[Esa Spots]

Maxxsonics stuff has steadily decreased in quality to the point its almost flea market stuff. They are a disgrace to the lines they own.

 

[globalminds_ent 10+ year member]

It looks like this amplifier, just like all other newer mono maxxsonics amplifiers, will not sum the left and right signal on the RCA inputs. Instead you need to take one channel, split it with a Y-splitter. (Check the bottom of page 6 of the HFI manual). I personally won't not give my money to a company that makes you buy a Y-splitter so that it can save a few pennies on the pre-amp section. Besides, who said that all bass is recorded in mono? What about the 1% or so recordings that were not mixed this way? I still want to hear all of it!

bass is mixed in mono because important things need to take up the stereo field especially the chorus u want that chorus to sound big sometimes us mixers will throw a Lil bass into the hook, anything to make it sound huge but not louder at the same time, u don't want to muddy things up by panning bass out to far messing up my low octaves from other instruments, but I know what u mean if u like listening to old rock like the Beatles where the drums are panned hard right, the drums are going to sound tiny on a mono amp because the further a sound is panned the lower it will be when that mono amp takes left and right tracks and sums it to one(mono)

 

[globalminds_ent 10+ year member]

It has little to do with the recording and everything to do with how low freq react. Sub-bass, typically below 60hz, is non-directional. What that means is that you can't tell if it's coming from the left or right so it's not really a priority to separate bass into L&R channels. You'll 'hear it all' as mono channels merely add all the information on the left & right channels together.
Pro-rabbit is dead on with his assessment regarding CEA. I'd even go one step further and say that a-weighting is a farce.

subwoofers are not made just for 60 Hz though that's the problem, with your argument

 

[globalminds_ent 10+ year member]

it doesn't matter if your deck sends out in stereo if your going to a monoblock amp or a one channel all u need is the left track because it is the default for summing to mono and subs can play far over 100 Hz because kick drums are mixed at 150 Hz a good bass sub should get u up to about 250 Hz

 

[globalminds_ent 10+ year member]

Maxxsonics stuff has steadily decreased in quality to the point its almost flea market stuff. They are a disgrace to the lines they own.

why do people always refer to bad products as flea market stuff I've seen plenty of kicker and Rockford fosgaste at the flea market

 

[05fronty 5,000+ posts]

Maxxsonics stuff has steadily decreased in quality to the point its almost flea market stuff. They are a disgrace to the lines they own.

go away

 

[CAT MAN 5,000+ posts]

go away

no one listens...

 

[GammaRadiation 10+ year member]

In my experience HiFonics amps will do around rated power (give or take 10%) but as you reach the upper limit there is a noticeable change in the THD to my ear (even at higher electrical loads). No problem, with the money you save buy a little bigger and run it easier. I dont know if their most recent amps still have it, but the LED lit logo (though cheesy) acts as good quick visual reference to see if the amp is turning on (over a single LED like most amps). I've ran their old Brutus amps below suggested loads and into clipping, all for dozens of minutes at a time. I dont think one ever went into protect.

There are certainly a number of other good budget bucket brands too.

 

[accuab 10+ year member]

But how do you know all this? If this was the case, then why does the manual of over maxxsonics mono amplifier I have seen (MB Quart REF, ONX, FX, this one, etc) says you need to use the Y-splitter? Also, like I have said, I have contacted Kenwood, and they told me that the subwoofer outs on my deck are sending stereo signal. Therefore, it will be the same ONLY if the music was recorded this way, and will it really be recorded this was on 100% of stuff you listen? I don't know. Maybe other decks do it differently. I know that some stereo decks even have a switch to choose between stereo and mono signal on subwoofer channels. Mine does not have it, and it's pretty much top of line Kenwood product of last year.
May be none of the stuff I say really matters. If all you need is loud powerful bass, the theoretical difference in sound from using maxxsonics amps kind of doesn't matter from SQ standpoint. However, when I upgrade my gear, amplifier or subwoofer, I always think of taking things to the next level of fidelity.. not backwards.

Find someone running a 2 channel for their subs utilizing both left and right channels and see if the subs hit different from one another. You may find a few songs (very few) that do but most will hit identical from one to another. Why do most high end surround sound systems have only one sub? And why do most people run a monoblock amp? Hmmm. It's because most bass is the same from both channels so it doesn't make sense to split them up into two separate channels. To experiment this without using subs, play a song you like in your car with it faded to the rear. Then change the balance from left to right and listen for a difference in the bass. I'll bet you won't hear any. Vocals and highs are split between the channels but bass is seldomly done that way.