JimJ
5,000+ posts
Tangled Up in Blue
Phoenix Gold Tantrum amplifiers - 1200.1 and 500.2 review
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I bought these several months ago to replace my single Avionixx 800.2 for subwoofer duty and to finally power my front stage, but I didn't actually get to install them until the summer. These are pretty amps, black in color with a sharp PG logo and a blue light that casts an eerie glow when they're both running at night. The 1200.1 (actual birthsheet power around 1.4kW) is on sub duty, while the 500.2 reliably sends around 100W per channel to the Boston FX6 coaxials in the doors. This was my first experience with a powered front stage, not just on head unit power - and man, does that make a difference. When I first applied power (well, actually the second time - the first time, I reversed the positive and negative for the left channel, oops) the front stage just lit up like I had never heard it before. After setting the gains carefully, the system now loafs along...helped by the fact that they're both fan cooled internally. I've never had a reliability issue with either of them.
Excellent choices for amps, if you can find them on the used market.
Things I like: //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/thumbsupwink.gif.129404938effda6ad9cca39e7f4b58a3.gif
1. Very nice looking amps - they look like they mean business.
2. Underrated power.
3. Ease of operation (well labeled controls, real knobs! big plus!)
4. mmm, blue lights...
Things I don't like: //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/nono.gif.eca61d170185779e0921b0faa9704973.gif
1. Discontinued!
2. Fan noise is noticeable if there's a very quiet passage of music...but not very often.
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I bought these several months ago to replace my single Avionixx 800.2 for subwoofer duty and to finally power my front stage, but I didn't actually get to install them until the summer. These are pretty amps, black in color with a sharp PG logo and a blue light that casts an eerie glow when they're both running at night. The 1200.1 (actual birthsheet power around 1.4kW) is on sub duty, while the 500.2 reliably sends around 100W per channel to the Boston FX6 coaxials in the doors. This was my first experience with a powered front stage, not just on head unit power - and man, does that make a difference. When I first applied power (well, actually the second time - the first time, I reversed the positive and negative for the left channel, oops) the front stage just lit up like I had never heard it before. After setting the gains carefully, the system now loafs along...helped by the fact that they're both fan cooled internally. I've never had a reliability issue with either of them.
Excellent choices for amps, if you can find them on the used market.
Things I like: //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/thumbsupwink.gif.129404938effda6ad9cca39e7f4b58a3.gif
1. Very nice looking amps - they look like they mean business.
2. Underrated power.
3. Ease of operation (well labeled controls, real knobs! big plus!)
4. mmm, blue lights...
Things I don't like: //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/nono.gif.eca61d170185779e0921b0faa9704973.gif
1. Discontinued!
2. Fan noise is noticeable if there's a very quiet passage of music...but not very often.
