Directed Audio amplifiers, Hifonics ZX8000

LOL, dunno if you really want to see the installation pics cos there is nothing much to show! Well let me start by saying its just a regular install. In my SUV (Expedition), the 5 Channel Directed Audio is gonna be under the back seat since there is alot of room there and also because that way, if I need to load some stuff in the back, I can take the sub box out and fold the seat flat down without worrying about the amp getting in the way.

This is my audio setup :

• Pioneer AVIC-N2 Head Unit
• Kenwood 5x7 Co-axials on all four doors (I think they are like 60W / 65W RMS each)
• 100W 1" Tweeters up on front and far rear pillars
• 100W JL Audio Tweeters up on middle pillars   (LOL, 6 Tweeters I know - but I really love my highs!!)
• 1x Kicker Solobaric L7 15" Dual 2Ohms (Running at 1ohm because the amp is rated at 600W RMS into 1ohm)
• Directed Audio 1100d5 powering the entire setup.

I am still waiting for the amp to be delivered. What do you guys think of my average setup?

Oh yeah, I have had some bad experiences with 5 channel single amp setups in the past. The only one that really lasted was my Hifonics that I use to own but I thought it did not really have enough power for this L7. I have heard lots of good things about this Directed amp so I believe it should live up to its reputation. Another thing that gave me more hope about this amp is that the sub channel is actually a Class D.

I blew two amps in my suv before and it happened right when the Winter started ... now I admit it was my fault and am glad I found out lol. What happened was I installed the amp under the middle row seat and there was a large vent facing directly onto the amp from under the driver seat. So as you know, in the winter I had the heat full blast and this vent was blowing hot air straight onto the amp!!! So it overheated the amp and eventually they could not keep up and blew up. Here is what happend ...

MTX 5 Channel - blew up after about 1 hour of continous music - went into protection once.

Jensen 5 Channel - went into protection about 3 or 4 times while I was driving and then slowly died.

Hifonics 5 Channel - This amp must have some great protection circuitry - it went into protection several times and refused to play at all until it cooled down a little bit. I sold it thinking it could not handle my setup - doh!

The last amp I had was the MTX and thats when I felt the hot air blowing on the amp. After blocking off the vent and now using a 4 Channel Hifonics (temporarily) with 1 x 10" Kicker in a JL Audio stealth box - no problems at all for the past 2+ months after blocking off the floor vent that blows onto the amp. Boy have I learnt something new...

Vehicle is a Ford Expedition btw.

i have a 600d and a 1200d and i wouldnt trade them for anything they are awesome, perfomance and the price is very reasonable

Good to hear that! Well the amps for both my vehicles arrived today yay! Now I gotta get some time this weekend to remove the JL Audio Stealth box that's in the suv right now and figure out where I am gonna put that monster 1100d5. Thing is way more longer than I expected and it would not go under the middle row seat but I am not letting it go because of that! Actually thinking about recessing it into the rear passenger side panel (where the factory sub / Stealth box goes).

Good thing is that I will not have to worry about not being able to access the gains, etc. because they are on top. Not sure yet as to what I am gonna do now.

As for the other amp, the 450d5 that's going into my custom Civic - all the wires are there so thats easy.

Okay I just thought I would come back and say that I installed the Directed 450d5 in the Civic and it sounds very nice. I did not have time to tweak the filters or the gains for the HP and Subs but even with a rough setting it still sounds sweet. Amp barely gets warm too - guess it must be because of the Class D Sub Channel and the other channels all running on HP so there is not much strain on it.

I put some Lanzar 5.25" midranges on my front doors and they suck. I think the Pioneer Co-Axials that were in the door sounded better so I am gonna put those back in. I am very happy with this amp otherwise.

Can't wait to install that monster 1100d5 in the suv and see how that setup is gonna sound! Probably get to that done in about a week or so...

Just thought I would update if you have not read it in one of my other posts that I did install the 1100d5 in the suv and it too sounds great. I wish I knew about these Directed Audio amps before. I never was really too happy with the power output of any 5 channel single amp setup I owned and these are just what I was looking for!

Only thing that kinda makes me nervous is that my co-axial 6x8s on the four doors are 60W RMS 4 Ohms and this amp is rated at 75W RMS into 4 Ohms on the 4 regular channels - BUT since that is at 14.4V which I will probably not see constantly I guess the output would be a bit lower. I finally tweaked the filters and gains and got the L7 15" hitting hard with very clean ultra low bass even though I am only using a 3.5 cu.ft. temporary box. I think I am just gonna keep the L7 15, make some custom enclosures for two 8" or 10" mid-bass drivers and use two channels of the amp to run those.

Then just use the other two channels to run the 4 6x8s and tweeters - since the amp is rated at 125W RMS into 2 Ohms, guess I will be safe since that be roughly around 50 to 60W RMS to each 6x8 at max volume (unlikely most of the time). What do you guys think of this setup? I really want to just keep it a one amp setup and I am very happy with the 1100d5 right now.