Not much action here so thought Id share a old school amp...

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Yep2
Yep2 Posts: 1,335
edited September 2018 in Car Audio & Electronics
Orion 250-HCCA.
Ive had this one a couple years.
Found it at a Pawnshop for $25! B)

I asked if it worked & the guy said everything is guaranteed.
Sure enough works perfect!

Only 100 Watts, this amp is BRUTAL on subs!
If Im not mistaken it will put out 1100 watts @ 1/2 Ω stereo!

Built to Military Specs, It sounds fantastic to my ears fullrange (one of the best Ive ever heard), but have read some disappointed reviews running it fullrange.

No processing, no x-over built in, its pure power.

Dont see many of these anymore.

k32fhzvyqn0c.jpg
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,066
    edited September 2018
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    . . . . .
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  • krazypolk
    krazypolk Posts: 745
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    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    I didn't realize that the military had specs for car amps. Cool.
    And fuschia, too? Even better. I was expecting olive drab or desert tan, for some reason.

    B)

    (OK, I'll move along now)

    That's part of the new military, you know, don't ask don't tell.
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  • trav0810
    trav0810 Posts: 1,056
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    I worked at a car audio shop in high school. When those amplifiers came out, they ruled the competitions. I don't know if they are just extremely underrated on the power or what, but that particular amp is 50 Watts a channel and was outperforming 500 watt amplifiers at that time (88-90)
    The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits.” -Albert Einstein

    Sony Playstation 3 for CD and Streaming
    Thorens TD320
    Modified Carver C-1
    Carver TFM 42 and 45 Amplifiers
    Polk RTA15TL Speakers w/Decato mods
    White Lightning Moonshine DIY Speaker Cables and Interconnects
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,067
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    Quality watts rules all
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
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    Cool. I've thought about putting a decent system in my 59 Bel Air.

    So far it's only got a facsimile (AM/FM/Aux) head unit, replacing the original AM tube radio (which worked), and the single 6x9 speaker was replaced with a 2 channel coaxial speaker.

    I stream to it via a BT Dongle connected to the AUX jack. That's about it.

    Resisting the temptation. :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • trav0810
    trav0810 Posts: 1,056
    edited September 2018
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    I believe that 100 was for both channels. it was a competition amplifier, so if I remember correctly, they raided total watts, and not per Channel. It was considered a 50x2. The first one I remember was actually a 425. Four channels, 25 watts a channel. I made a mistake and on that particular amp, but I believe that is actually how Orion did their model numbers at that time
    The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits.” -Albert Einstein

    Sony Playstation 3 for CD and Streaming
    Thorens TD320
    Modified Carver C-1
    Carver TFM 42 and 45 Amplifiers
    Polk RTA15TL Speakers w/Decato mods
    White Lightning Moonshine DIY Speaker Cables and Interconnects
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,066
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    Yep2 wrote: »
    I didn't realize that the military had specs for car amps. Cool.
    And fuschia, too? Even better. I was expecting olive drab or desert tan, for some reason.

    B)

    (OK, I'll move along now)

    Belittlement is not your strong suit Mark...

    Yeah, I realized that -- I thought I was being witty, but realized I was just being snarky, and so I blasted the post; just not quickly enough :|
    ahh, well...

    So... a question about an amplifier like this one. How to they get the DC rail voltages high enough to get that kind of output power? Do they use an inverter to generate AC and then a switch-mode power supply, or something like that?

    I don't know anything about car audio (obviously!).
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  • krazypolk
    krazypolk Posts: 745
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    Seems like 25 dollars well spent.
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  • agfrost
    agfrost Posts: 2,421
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    Yep2 wrote: »

    Belittlement is not your strong suit Mark...

    You've wildly misinterpreted his post.
    Jay
    SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
    Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
    Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 24,604
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    Yep2 wrote: »
    agfrost wrote: »
    Yep2 wrote: »

    Belittlement is not your strong suit Mark...

    You've wildly misinterpreted his post.
    I was just ribbing him. :p

    Be careful you'll make his leg twitch then someone will be cleaning up.

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,066
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    Yep2 wrote: »
    agfrost wrote: »
    Yep2 wrote: »

    Belittlement is not your strong suit Mark...

    You've wildly misinterpreted his post.

    Guess it depends on the reader.
    Ive known Mark many years & pretty sure he knows I was just ribbing him.
    Mucho respect from my side I assure you! :p

    It was mutual assured ribbing, fear not all y'all!
    I did find an interesting rehab thread for one of these amps -- thing is chockablock with FET outputs.

    https://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/201683-refurbing-an-old-school-classic-orion-250-hcca-x2/

    ggs0xbu4us4o.png
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,066
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    I missed something :(
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,066
    edited September 2018
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    I'm sorry if my post wasn't clear -- I meant that the innards of this amplifier, based on the photos in that thread, were impressive, with a tonne of output FETs. My earlier comment wasn't meant negatively at all!

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  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    mhardy6647 wrote: »

    So... a question about an amplifier like this one. How to they get the DC rail voltages high enough to get that kind of output power? Do they use an inverter to generate AC and then a switch-mode power supply, or something like that?

    It's easy to understand how the power (watts) is generated when you see the current draw... Upwards of 300A!! Just like Jesse likes to preach (and rightly so), that high current amps are where it's at.
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  • FestYboy
    FestYboy Posts: 3,861
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    My apologies.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,066
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    The link was of interest to me because of the photographs. I didn't see it as a review.
    I am sorry; lesson learned.
    Feel free to set me to ignore; I do undersand.
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