Amp Quality: RF vs. Orion

Discussion in 'Car Stereo Amplifiers' started by kennyg, Dec 2, 2002.

  1. kennyg

    kennyg Full Member

    What do you think about these 2 brands of amps? I've always loved the Rockfords, but want to try something different. How is the build quality on the Orion XTR Series amps? I'm looking at an XTR 500.2. Are they underrated, like RF's? Are they stable at 2 ohms mono like the RF's? Are they as efficient as the RF's? I need answers soon, cause I'll probably finally be buying an amp by the new year. Also, the Orions say remote gain capable, is that really a remote gain control, or is it just another bass bost controller? I know alot of companies say remote gain, but are actually just remote bass boosts. I'm looking at either buying a used punch 500a2, a new punch 500s, or an Orion TXR500.2. Don't know what used Orions are worth yet, haven't looked into them yet (I always do research before I buy used, to see what it is worth).
     
  2. kennyg

    kennyg Full Member

    PS: As for price, I don't know what the orions cost, but I can get the Punch 500s for around 225, maybe a little less. Haven't checked the price lately. Gotta love having friends with Best Buy Discount Used to work there myself, too. Never again though. Considering a Punch Power BD500.1. Also, What about the HCCA line? Does the 250G4 really only have 2 30A fuses in it? That looks really nice. What would that pull in a real worl environment? Are they underrated, or not? I'm just trying to get all my bases covered.
     
  3. The_Ancient

    The_Ancient Full Member

    well Lets See


    1> RF is NOT underrated any morew, maybe 5% under if they are LUCKY,

    2> RF is just another main stream brand, nothing special about them for the last few years,

    3> RF is WAY WAY WAY too $$$ for what they are, when you can buy a MTX for about 25-50% less than a compaiable RF something is wrong, and I am talking RETAIL prices, I would rather have the MTX over a RF

    4> Orion is a Great Product, always has been, and will continue to be in the furture, DEI owns then, and DEI is fast making a name for itself in the Car Audio Maket as it did a Few Years ago in the alarm market.....
     
  4. Audio Nut

    Audio Nut Full Member

    with that in mind....



    id never buy an mtc product again....PERIOD...



    although...i would buy an RF....sub especially....to watch a sub just struggle and suffer....destroy...then take it back the next day after i bought it
    =)
     
  5. kennyg

    kennyg Full Member

    Thanks for the reply guys. I don't know if I'd buy another mtx product, though. And, i thought about getting an older punch 200ix, but if something happens to it, I'm screwed, because rf doesn't have the parts to fix them anymore, only a place in NC, and I just don't want to deal with it. I think I'm just gonna try to find a punch 500a2. Very nice amps, and there is one guy selling one right now that his birthsheet said over 900 watts. I'm gonna try to buy that one. thanks.
     
  6. kennyg

    kennyg Full Member

    Here's what I'm looking for, more than anything. I'm looking for a class A/B amp to run subs, that pulls less than 60A, because I drive an older Caravan, and I've had problems with my stereo killing stuff on dodges (I'm not gonna get into it), and I'm basically looking for something that will give me max power at around 60A, and I'm gonna be running a pair of Punch He2's. Now, before everybody jumps in and says to buy another sub, I already have them. I like Rf, have always had good luck with them, but I want to try something different. I have an MTX right now, and don't like it. Have never liked MTX amps. I consider tham very dirty little powerhouses, cause they will make crazy power, but with lots of distortion. Thats why i'm looking at what I'm looking at. I wanna keep this under $300, too. Thats why I might just go with the RF. I can get them dirt cheap.
     
  7. BlkX

    BlkX Full Member

    IMO, the MTX amps are better quality than the RF amps. If you're worried about which one is cleaner, i'd stick with the MTX.

    With that said...why do you care which is cleaner if you're running subs? Why use class a/b? Sandt will disagree with me on this, but i cannot tell a difference between a class D or a class a/b amp when running subs. If you think that the MTX amp causes distortion in the subs...its probably not that amp, its the sub.
     
  8. The_Ancient

    The_Ancient Full Member

    well I would never buy a Mtc product either, I have no idea what a Mtc Product is

    and I would not buy a mtX sub, they are junk

    but we are talking about AMPs, and MTX is one of the best......


    RF use to be, but after the good design team left (and went to Mitec owners of MTX brand) it has all been down hill, and MTX has been uphill


    the MTX designs are great, my freind is currently running a MTX t152 to run 3 yes THREE hollywood sound labs 10's at 2ohm, in mono, and it does not miss a beat.... underpowered yes, but the amp is handling it nicly
     
  9. kennyg

    kennyg Full Member

    Well, from every experience I've eevr had with MTX has not been that great. I fried one once, and the one I have now is an older Thunder 2160. Is this from before the RF dessign team came over, or is this one of their products, mike? Like I said, I just simply don't like MTX. Period. Also, please don't tell me it's my fault that MTX amps sound lie shitm they just do - or, every one I've ever installed or used does. Why, then, does every MTX amp seem to just start buzzing (stopps playing music, just makes a buzzing sound in the subs, like runs them full excursion) when I turn the gain up more then 3/4 the way up? I know that the gain shouldn't be up that high anyway, but that doesn't matter. Amps shouldn't do that, but MTX's do.
     
  10. BlkX

    BlkX Full Member

    I'm very hesitant to turn my gains up any higher than half... I've heard nothing but good reviews from the new line of MTX amps. I've heard mixed reviews from RF on about everything... Just my .02.
     
  11. The_Ancient

    The_Ancient Full Member

    Well MTX amps have always been there "design" MTX is not running a "RF" Design now, just the design team quite rf and went to MTX, but they are now working for mtx so any design they come up with it MTX's and it was not the whole design team, but a few of the key players in RF's r&D dept... so dont read too mcuh in to that


    and a Few Years ago proablly 1998-2000 MTX had some probelms with the Interal RCA Ground, and that sounds liek what your problem was,
     
  12. Audio Nut

    Audio Nut Full Member

    my first mtx amp fried it was a mtx152...or something...running 2 kenwood subs@4ohms...then i couldnt understand why...when it blew...and i still cant even more so now considering it was being ran@4ohms(then i knew nothing about car stereos)


    and that was supposed to be mtX :angry: i cant type for shit :(

    but uhh...i wouldnt buy an mtx product again...but thats just me...



    im curious to know why this guy wants to run a class a/b when he's worried about the current draw...i wouldnt ever run a 2 channel amp for subs...unless i absolutely had to and there wasnt any way around it... he should def. get a 1 channel mono sub amp...but thats just me personally

    *shruggz*


    p.s.- id take orion over alot of things if i could afford it
     
  13. Jeffc879

    Jeffc879 Full Member

    dont look at the fusing to see how much current an amp draws. it can well over draw the rated fusing, because it is not a short. total mobile audio amps are cheap and good sq. The new fosgates are ok and same with the orions. both are sellouts. fosgate has better customer service
     
  14. The_Ancient

    The_Ancient Full Member


    This is True, but a Short has nothing to do with it..

    a fuse as Rated for X amps are X duration, Sometimes as long as 2 sec's. This a fuse Rated for 50amps could trau 100amps for a mirco-second.


    In most cases a short will have no resistance and this draw what ever amperage the source will give up, in a car battery that can be 600 amps +++

    this instatantly breaking the fuse.