Question about the Soundstream Picasso

[HydroCloud 10+ year member]

I was looking at the Soundstream PCA1500D. It's from their Picasso line, rated at 1500rms x 1 channel @ 1 ohm. The price seems very nice, just 379.00 and free shipping at this site: http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=15528. I was just wondering because I've read on here that the company was bought out by Power Acoustik and that they no longer produce the amps with the quality they were once known for. The amp itself is all chromed out, so that makes me worry a bit. I'm just wondering if this amp puts out rated power and is reliable. I don't want to go through the hassle of constantly trying to get the unit repaired. If I have to pay more for an amp that I know has little chance to randomly blow on me I will.

If I decide against this, I'll probably go with a KX1200.1. Originally I had ordered that amp from Ikesound, but they ended up not having it in stock. So I wouldn't mind going with that. At onlinecarstereo, it's 499.00 with free shipping. But, if the SS is decent I'll certainly go with that. That'll leave me with some extra money to buy some Polk Momo comps. I don't really need them, but they'd be alot nicer than my current setup of four Polk coaxials amped off of my MTX 4244. Please help me out!

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[Hundreth 10+ year member]

I was looking at the Soundstream PCA1500D. It's from their Picasso line, rated at 1500rms x 1 channel @ 1 ohm. The price seems very nice, just 379.00 and free shipping at this site: http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=15528. I was just wondering because I've read on here that the company was bought out by Power Acoustik and that they no longer produce the amps with the quality they were once known for. The amp itself is all chromed out, so that makes me worry a bit. I'm just wondering if this amp puts out rated power and is reliable. I don't want to go through the hassle of constantly trying to get the unit repaired. If I have to pay more for an amp that I know has little chance to randomly blow on me I will. If I decide against this, I'll probably go with a KX1200.1. Originally I had ordered that amp from Ikesound, but they ended up not having it in stock. So I wouldn't mind going with that. At onlinecarstereo, it's 499.00 with free shipping. But, if the SS is decent I'll certainly go with that. That'll leave me with some extra money to buy some Polk Momo comps. I don't really need them, but they'd be alot nicer than my current setup of four Polk coaxials amped off of my MTX 4244. Please help me out!

My friend had a Picasso amp for quite some time powering his Avalanche, the SQ compared to other amps rated around the same power was very subpar. Then like two months later... it gave out the magic smoke.

I would never get one.

 

[pwnt by pat 10+ year member]

Their Van Gogh line is pretty nice if you can still find them and the Rubicon and Reference lines were top notch.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Their Van Gogh line is pretty nice if you can still find them and the Rubicon and Reference lines were top notch.

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I can't comment on their new lines, as I haven't used one personally. But the Van Gogh line (VGA) was still a very solid product and it was produced after the buyout. The Rubicons and Reference amps were ofcourse wonderful aswell.....have a Rubi 702 myself //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[HydroCloud 10+ year member]

Thank you all very much! I won't be getting the Picasso anymore, so hopefully I can find a Van Gogh somewhere. That'd be pretty awesome. If not, I'll go with a Kicker.

 

[skmfkr 5,000+ posts]

i ordered a pca130.2 but still havnt got it, im in the process for getting my money back and getting the xta180.2 for cheaper

 

[thefunkybunch 10+ year member]

i used to have a picasso pic 1.1400d and it was a very solid amp. i have no doubts it made MORE than enough power. at the time i had a DD, and it made that thing get down in a serious way. for the money (free) it wasn't a bad amp at all. it held me over until i got what i really was looking for, my boston amps //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

soundstream amps are designed with the intent you actually have a pretty good electrical set up. they arent regulated so if your voltage drops its not nearly as powerful nor will it work very well at 11 volts (will smoke it potentially) they are not power accoustic amps and this year will be a rather large come back of sorts for ss. im very happy with my van gogh ..only reason i might switch is for more channels nothing more.