US Amps vs Zapco ?

[Oak244 10+ year member]

Well from what I have gathered so far from this site and another is, it all comes down to prefference when looking at the same budget amps. I have been told as long as a US Amps system is silent, (No Whine, ect.) then the Symbilink is no better. Of course running up to the nicer Zapco amps might be better, but we are looking at twice the cost, so it better be better.

It would be easier for me to stick to US Amps since I have them all, and this thread has not made me want to make the switch. Although like I say I will have a Ref 200.2 comming I can A/B compare with my USA-50, and come to my own conclusion.

The biggest draw back I see is this... Its pretty clear that I need a larger Midbass amp. I had kind of planned on it anyway. The probelm I have is the USA series amps I have tend to only have low pass crossovers. What I need to find is a 300 Watt X2 @4ohm amp that has a high pass crossover that I could highpass at 60Hz. If I could find that, then I would not have to get a external crossover.

 

[dalucifer 10+ year member]

Well from what I have gathered so far from this site and another is, it all comes down to prefference when looking at the same budget amps. I have been told as long as a US Amps system is silent, (No Whine, ect.) then the Symbilink is no better. Of course running up to the nicer Zapco amps might be better, but we are looking at twice the cost, so it better be better.
It would be easier for me to stick to US Amps since I have them all, and this thread has not made me want to make the switch. Although like I say I will have a Ref 200.2 comming I can A/B compare with my USA-50, and come to my own conclusion.

The biggest draw back I see is this... Its pretty clear that I need a larger Midbass amp. I had kind of planned on it anyway. The probelm I have is the USA series amps I have tend to only have low pass crossovers. What I need to find is a 300 Watt X2 @4ohm amp that has a high pass crossover that I could highpass at 60Hz. If I could find that, then I would not have to get a external crossover.

The AX series is just an expensive if not more than the C2k's.

 

[Destor 10+ year member]

The AX series is just an expensive if not more than the C2k's.

Not quite sure about that, looking at some prices quickly online, the C2K series looks a little more expensive

AX-4300 retails for around 650ish

C2K-2.5x (zapco equivelant) retails for around 800

 

[spudracer326 10+ year member]

don't you go to eca and read how like 10 different guys can tell the difference from even a Tru tech amp with BB vs. a Tru Tech amp without . I still find it ironic that people say they here an audible difference in the same wattage level from one amp to another. i've heard a difference when the power is different.
on the amp question, us amps

THough there isnt a huge difference, I still feel that different amps at the same power ratings have different sound charicteristics...Example....my brax sounded a thousand times cleaner, and had a fuller smoother sound then the rf amp I had before it...same power ratings to...

 

[spudracer326 10+ year member]

ohh and id take zapco soley for symbalink and because ive never been a real fan of us amps...

 

[bumpin_blazer 5,000+ posts]

THough there isnt a huge difference, I still feel that different amps at the same power ratings have different sound charicteristics...Example....my brax sounded a thousand times cleaner, and had a fuller smoother sound then the rf amp I had before it...same power ratings to...

yes it can sound different but the RC challenge as referenced is based on say a linear power amp from the 90's with no processing vs. a ppi art with the same thing. you wouldn't hear difference on something that. however you can i suppose hear difference on different sound amplifiers with different input sages and shiat liket hat. i still don't always hear it lol. then again, i'm almost deaf in my right ear.

 

[Eldorado 5,000+ posts]

Psycho acoustics> you all

I wouldnt mind running a zapco but they are just to expensive.

So i'll stick with us amps

Anything $1 a watt is a ripoff

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

The guys that claim to hear the difference between the BB amps and non-BB amps have to have had listened to a reference track on multiple setups thousands of times.

Amps with the same power can and will sound different, that is not debatable. Sound has quality and is objectifiable. What it comes down to is YOUR ears and YOUR perception of the quality of the sound. Your equipment is only as good as your critical listening skills IMHO.

Real advice from a few of the top dogs:

CA&E: What advice can you give for beginners in audio?

Paul Stary: Find someone that understands what good sound is and learn. There is a true sound.

Rich Coe: Be patient and listen a lot. Be kind to your ears. Listen to good home systems and learn what to listen for. Study the basics.

Jim Fosgate: Go out and listen to some live performances without amplification. Hear what the natural instruments sound like. Then go into your audio store and try to listen to the same thing and see if you can find something that sounds like that. Trust your own ears and do your own listening.

http://www.caraudiomag.com/specialfeatures/0309cae_car_audio_industry_legends/

 

[Eldorado 5,000+ posts]

And if you dont have the ears for it your system will sound like pooh basically

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

And if you dont have the ears for it your system will sound like pooh basically

Not really my point. In order to justify going from AX to C2K...you better know what to listen for. Veterans know exactly what I'm talking about. BTW, I do not consider myself a veteran by any stretch of the imagination...just pointing this out. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Zapco's proprietary Simbilink system really works....I've used it....and I think it can solve a lot of inherent noise problems in the car environment. If I had the cash I'd run Zapco's HU---> Zapco processor---->DC amps. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/naughty.gif.94359f346c0f1259df8038d60b41863e.gif

 

[Eldorado 5,000+ posts]

Thats just extra processing.

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

Thats just extra processing.

Yep...and it will be totally over the top indulgent USA made goodness //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

 

[Oak244 10+ year member]

Its fine this thread is headed in this direction. Its good info for many people, but my original idea was a difference between the Us Amp USA series vs. the Zapco Reference Series.

As for ears..... I am a total believer that not everyone hears sound the same way. I have been in many heated debates over wethers a change in your audio equipment can change the sound, to which I say "YES!" However I know my father can listen to the same changes, and he swears he can not hear a difference. I have even gone as far as changing my wire on my home system and heard a slight difference. Some of my friends that did the A/B test with me heard it to, others did not. Since I heard the change I stuck with it, but of course the ones who did not hear a change thought it was a waste of money, and they have no plans on changing.

This is why some are willing to spend huge money on a system, and others think its a wate of money. I would put money on it, its the ears of each person. Some just do not hear what others do.

 

[tiger777 10+ year member]

i say zapco mainly because of symblink and I personally like that I can get a 1100 watt amp that isn't class d.

 

[Eldorado 5,000+ posts]

Uhmm, US Amps makes a 1000W a/b amp as well so i dont know about that one