What has been the most reliable amplifier you have actually used yourself to date?

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Mine has been one of my trusted Old School Zed Audio White Mean Machine 99s with the 1 and 2 ohm switch on it. Ive used it in just about every vehicle Ive had a system in. Ive used it in Stereo mode from 4 ohm to 1 ohm applications, on subs from 4 ohm to 2 ohm, and I have even ran it in Stereo and Mixed Mono. Its old , but still works very nice and Ive never had to have it repaired since I bought brand new back in the day. It still looks fairly presentable today with a few battle scars on her and still works very well. Thanks Steve Mantz for making a dammned good amplifier!!

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[Tiptopss]

My kenwood kac-929
1000W, 2 channel amp.
Had that bump n for many many years and still works great. Time for a mono block amp soon though.

 

[spokey9]

I ran the hell out the old punch 200.2 back in the day...the black heatsink looking one with the logos on the end caps...I had 3 of them in a couple different vehicles and never had so much as popped a fuse...I could make a grilled cheese on them though

 

[deez283 10+ year member]

I'm running a Sony XM2100g from around 1996.. Still sounds and works flawless.

The only amp I've had just quit working on me was a Precision Power Black Ice Bk1300.1d

 

[dragon.breath 10+ year member]

I have changed setups to many times to have kept the same amplifiers for more than 5 or 6 years. But I have a AudioControl ESP-2 that has been in every daily driver of mine since 1996. It has to have way over 600,000 miles of use on it. And a 2xs crossover that was bought at the same time was used up till the last couple of years when headunit crossovers became the norm. It sits in my closet, but it still works.

 

[Tiptopss]

A pic of what my kenwood amp looks like

 

[SlugButter]

My xtant amps were great. I abused them horribly yet they never left me.

 

[AnthonyO 10+ year member]

Most reliable old school I have ever used was a Kenwood 921 and Kenwood 744. Ran those for years.

 

[metalheadjoe 10+ year member]

Most reliable is every amp i buy new.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I ran the hell out the old punch 200.2 back in the day...the black heatsink looking one with the logos on the end caps...I had 3 of them in a couple different vehicles and never had so much as popped a fuse...I could make a grilled cheese on them though

Those were TANKS man!!

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I'm running a Sony XM2100g from around 1996.. Still sounds and works flawless.

The only amp I've had just quit working on me was a Precision Power Black Ice Bk1300.1d

I had an XM 3040 back in 94 that was one of the best clean amps Ive ever owned.Sounded fantastic

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

My kenwood kac-929
1000W, 2 channel amp.
Had that bump n for many many years and still works great. Time for a mono block amp soon though.

The KAC series were pretty nice. Kenwood has always been pretty reliable.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

My xtant amps were great. I abused them horribly yet they never left me.

I ran a 404 on two sets of old MB Quart components, and That was prob some of the best sound Ive had. I later used some Boston 6.5s when they cam out of which I should have kept. I have 4 wood grain Xtants that Id like to put in an install for one setting and run for a bit. I havent seen many more of these around.Only the birth sheet stated the 600.1 is 1 ohm stable but not the specs. Im going to run them again

 

[mat3833 10+ year member]

I hear reliable and I instantly think 2 different scenarios.

First scenario, able to live through whatever dumb crap the operator/owner throws at it. For that I honestly have to say my Smart 3/5. Hooked it the 3 up backwards and blew a 300a fuse, ran the 5 at 1/2 ohm on accident(math is hard) and didn't notice for literally a week, the 5 recently got some zippy AC voltage from my alternator that caught on fire and is chugging along like nothing happened. When my alt died I was about 10 miles from home so I just unplugged it, removed the fuse from my charging wire so it wouldn't charge, and drove home. Stereo was still playing at 11.5v when I pulled in the drive, lol.

Second scenario, being used within it's design criteria and maintained/looked after. First amp would be my old Boston acoustic GT-2300. Ran it at 2 ohm bridged and wired up some cooling fans to help it stay cool. In the Florida summer that thing was getting toasty but still pumping out the sound.
Second amp would be an old RF 500a2. So much awesome in such a small package. Ran a pair of coaxial speakers for awhile, then a pair of 10's, then a single 12, then I sold it like an idiot.

Matt

 

[denim 5,000+ posts]

SSA IC2200.1 prototype. Really stressed the crap out of that amp for quite a while before putting them into production. Amp is still in top shape now.