hifonics or phoenix gold

Systems
Systems Posts: 14,873
edited July 2004 in Car Audio & Electronics
Hello new to forum.

Toyota Tacoma Extra Cab
4 mmc650 front doors installed, not yet in rear.
pionerDEH P-550mp Hu
mm12 sub

I want to put my amps under my seats. I am limited to space. I cant decide between PG tantrum 400.4 4 x 50
http://www.phoenixgold.com/2004/tantrumamps.html
to power all 650's or Hifonics zx4400 4 x 55
http://www.hifonicsusa.com/hifonics/amps_zeus.html

I will power the sub with Hifonics Zx 4000 I think this will be enough power and I like the remote bass boost or is this just a dumb thing that you will never use?

The hifonics zx4400 might be a little tight do you think 5 watts is worth the squeze and are this amps underrated? their web site sucks.
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Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • exalted512
    exalted512 Posts: 10,735
    edited June 2004
    id get the HiFonics, and yes they are underrated
    go to www.acaraudio.com and find the amp you want...then call sounddomain and theyll match or beat their price
    -Cody
    Music is like candy, you have to get rid of the rappers to enjoy it
  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited June 2004
    Most high end amps are underrated and you are right that Hifonics website is pretty much worthless. Its part of what has turned me off to them.

    If it were me Id go with Phoenix Gold. Im not saying Hifonics would be a bad choice because I dont know much about them. I do however know a good bit about Phoenix Gold and they are excellent, competition level amps. They are built very well and are also quite underrated.

    The Tantrum series has been discontinued but Im sure you can still find them on the web for good prices.

    Here is another option. Forget about rear speakers altogether and get this Titanium 400.2 which is a super clean 100x2 (.001% THD and 110 db SNR). They have been discontinued and so they can be had at really good prices.

    You can also bridge the amp for 400x1 to run your subs.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
  • SlainNothing
    SlainNothing Posts: 3
    edited July 2004
    PG are high quality though
    hifonics are great quality to price.

    i'd go with hifonics
    - Slain
  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited July 2004
    Well I think the zx4400 is tight. I tried a test fit the otherday. From what I keep reading maybe I should not run the rears and just have two 2 channels. I got the 650's at a good price and would like to use them. CC $99.00 + $ 50.00 C.C. loss of good product was my gain.
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited July 2004
    Yeah, rear speakers are only impotant if you want your passengers to have the best possible soundstage.

    However it will hurt the front seat soundstage which is the most important 'cause thats where the guy that pays for everything sits and his opinion counts most! ;)
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
  • exalted512
    exalted512 Posts: 10,735
    edited July 2004
    I helped install a zeus 6400 on july 4th...awesome amp...lots of tuning capabilities...very beautiful amps
    still contemplating getting them over USAmps for the next set up
    -Cody
    Music is like candy, you have to get rid of the rappers to enjoy it
  • AustinKP
    AustinKP Posts: 861
    edited July 2004
    Originally posted by exalted512
    I helped install a zeus 6400 on july 4th...awesome amp...lots of tuning capabilities...very beautiful amps
    still contemplating getting them over USAmps for the next set up
    -Cody
    It'd sure save you a lot of money. That's the exact amp I'm looking at for my MM6's and a Koda 10.
    http://www.silverdragon.com/punkie/cybertusk/net.idiot.html - Read it, know it

    Alpine 9815
    Polk MM6's in custom fiberglass door pods
    Ascendant Audio Atlas 12
    HiFonics Zeus ZX6400 - 85x2 + 350x1
    2 Gallons SecondSkin Spectrum V.2
  • Kschultz76
    Kschultz76 Posts: 59
    edited July 2004
    I have a ZX6400 installed in my car guys and it is great......lots of power and features for a great price.

    I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good quality 4 channel amp, and you can get it for a great price at www.onlinecarstereo.com

    - Kevin
  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited July 2004
    Originally posted by exalted512
    I helped install a zeus 6400 on july 4th...awesome amp...lots of tuning capabilities...very beautiful amps
    still contemplating getting them over USAmps for the next set up
    -Cody

    What did you think of its overall build quality and such. Did it put out much heat when pushed? What did you think of its output?
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
  • Jstas
    Jstas Posts: 14,820
    edited July 2004
    I have a Zeus Z800 in my girlfriend car. It gets hot but not excessivly. I have yet to push it to it's limits and it's powering a pair of Clarion Pro-Audio 5x7 inch plates and a pair of Pioneer 6x8 in 3 ways and an MM104 off of the 5th, D-class channel. It's performance amazes me especially for what I paid for it. It's build quality ranks with the best I have seen and they are very well put together. They are so solid, it's almost like they were cut out of a single piece of metal. Totally worth every red cent. Great build quality, clean and strong power and great looks.
    Expert Moron Extraordinaire

    You're just jealous 'cause the voices don't talk to you!
  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited July 2004
    Cool.

    I am very interested in using Hifonics amps in my "upgraded" system because the ZX4000 is right were I want to be power wise. 100 rms to my Focal comps and 400 to whatever sub I finally decide on, not to mention its at a great price!

    However I cant find a dealer within a light year of me (well they could have one 2 blocks down the road but they wont respond to any of my requests for local dealers) and I dont know anybody that has one so I never get to check one out.

    I guess the best thing about them is that you dont see them in every system. Thats also a good thing about MTX amps, they are pretty rare too. Im tired of opening up magazines or checking out dude's systems I meet from time to time and seeing nothing but Rockford Fosgate or JL Audio!

    It reminds me of the early 90s when everybody ran MB speakers, PPI amps and JL subs. Doesnt anybody want to be different anymore? ;)
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
  • exalted512
    exalted512 Posts: 10,735
    edited July 2004
    Originally posted by Jstas
    I have a Zeus Z800 in my girlfriend car. It gets hot but not excessivly. I have yet to push it to it's limits and it's powering a pair of Clarion Pro-Audio 5x7 inch plates and a pair of Pioneer 6x8 in 3 ways and an MM104 off of the 5th, D-class channel. It's performance amazes me especially for what I paid for it. It's build quality ranks with the best I have seen and they are very well put together. They are so solid, it's almost like they were cut out of a single piece of metal. Totally worth every red cent. Great build quality, clean and strong power and great looks.
    100% agreed
    stellar amps
    his didnt get hot at all, but he had a fan on it
    mind you onlinecarstereo are not authorized dealers of anything they sell to my knowledge, the only warranty they include is a warranty through the website and not the manufacturer
    i wish i wouldve gotten them instead of my RF...
    i wanted too...but they were too expensive because I hadn't found acaraudio and didnt know about sounddomain's pricematch anyway
    so i made the biggest car audio mistake of my life and ordered from thezeb
    -Cody
    Music is like candy, you have to get rid of the rappers to enjoy it
  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited July 2004
    Macleod I called Hifonics originaly to get specs. They gave me all the info that I wanted. The lady on the phone was nice. She asked for area codes in my area and gave a list of authorized dealers. She also told me that the web site will be updated ?

    OK Do you think the zx 4000 will be to much power for the mm650's ?

    What do I do with my extra set of 650?

    Any body out there with amps under toyota tacoma seats?

    Is 400 W's enough for my mm12 ?

    Maybe I wil bet two zx 4000.
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  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited July 2004
    Well Im glad you had better luck than I have. Im kind of over trying to get hold of them now tho.

    100x2 will be plenty of juice for the Momo 6.5. However I wouldnt go much over that.

    The MM12 handles 500 and the Zeus puts out 400 which is ok but its as low as I would recommend going. Generally a speaker will sound best when operated as near as possible to the rated power without going over.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D