Printer Friendly Forum Posts - PPI or Soundstream?

I previously had a PPI PCX-4125 and loved it but it was recently stolen. I was going to replace it with the new PPI equivalent PPI DCX-1000.4 but also thought about the Soundstream VGA-500.4. They have almost identical specs. Any thoughts or comparisons? I've never used soundstream. Thanks.

https://www.woofersetc.com/product.a...70&1=471&3=2780

https://www.woofersetc.com/product.a...07&1=408&3=3433

if you are looking for an awesome sounding four channel and can afford about $600 check out the us amps tu4360 tube amp. us amps has figured out how to keep the quality sound of tube technology uncontaminated while being able to produce good output voltage. i think that amp is 4x75 @ 4ohm and 90 x 4 @ 2. check out www.usamps.com to see some nice nice amps, also check out the class de technology theyve patented, quit impressive.

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Any other comments on the soundstream versus the ppi?

I'd go soundstream, just cuz PPI has done me wrong in the past year. I agree with the other advice, US AMPS is the best amp out there. Go for that if you can.

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

I've personally heard any Soundstream amps, but I do own a PPI PCX1250. Personally, I'm rather fond of it. I love PPI and think their gear is some of the best, but even I would never reccomend their new stuff. Crap.

Paul

newtone wrote:

if you are looking for an awesome sounding four channel and can afford about $600 check out the us amps tu4360 tube amp. us amps has figured out how to keep the quality sound of tube technology uncontaminated while being able to produce good output voltage. i think that amp is 4x75 @ 4ohm and 90 x 4 @ 2. check out www.usamps.com to see some nice nice amps, also check out the class de technology theyve patented, quit impressive.

I'd be a little skeptical about their claim of "90% efficiency" on those DE amps. I would have to see an independent review/test that would verify their numbers first before I could truly believe that...

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VEHICLE: 2002 GMC Sonoma ZR2
Alpine CDA-7940
AudioControl EQT x2
JL Audio 1000/1
JL Audio 10W6 (originals) x3
Kicker ZR120
Kicker ZR460
Polk GXR-6 x4
Polk GXR-4 x2

Paradigm, wake up call. They've been in the business for like 10+ years making the highest quality amps in the US. The only thing that really comes close to their efficiency is MMATS, but US Amps still take the cake. Believe what you want, but for those of us who have heard/owned the equipment, we'll tell you that there is no review/test needed. They are amazing.

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

90% efficiency? In a class D amp? No way. Even the most efficient design available today, the Tripath or "class T" amplifiers are only around 84% efficient. The best class D amps are around 75-78% efficient. If US Amps (or any other company) is advertising 90% efficiency, ask them to prove it.

And I hate to send you a wake-up call, uthink, but the only thing worth believing in the audio world IS an independent review and test. No doubt US Amps makes good gear, and if you like them so be it, but a review by someone other than the manufacturer would be nice.

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pssst... secret ... i live in florida, and i've stopped in miami and watch them build one of the amps. I saw them bench test it, and yes, it put out 90% efficiency. I'll try to get them to send me a review of it.

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

Interesting..lets see the review. I live in FL as well..where do they make the amps?

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Dave

Pioneer Premier DEH-P660
15" Kicker CVR
Profile AP1000M
It's Loud

They are now made in Gainsville up by the University of Florida. I'll look around for the address. I saw them build on in Miami side to side with the MMATS D700.1 . Both were awesome.

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

U.S.Amps Inc.
2405 NW 66th Court
Gainesville, FL 32653

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

the us 'de' amps are a hybrid class d. what ever that means right. the 'control' section of the amp is like class ab but the power supply is like class d. well thats what the tech at us explained to me. i'm kinda skeptical about that effeciency rating myself, but i like us amps so it doesnt matter to me how efficient they are. back to the topic though. i like old school ppi myself, but have never had a soundstream mids/his amp so i cant make an educated recomendation. if you can find some old ppis id say go with those

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i can say from experiance if you go with soundstream, you will not be dissapointed. i have a TR/800.5 and i've had various passangers ask me what size of sub i run when i havent even had the luxery of putting one in. but any quality amp can produce that.

if your looking for SQ or powering you incab speakers i would go with SS, but if its strictly powering your subs, maybe SQ isnt as important to you, and US or PPI w/e would make a good choice as well.

US Amps have excellent SQ, that series in particular i believe has less than <0.006% THD. Besides it's statistics, I heard it powering a ProCast woofer, and it sounded marvelous. that ProCast is an SQ sub, so yeah, it was nothing short of breathtaking.

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

I still cast my vote for PPI. Their Art series amp are still regarded as some of the best ever made along with Phoenix Gold's ZPA amps. Along with many others.

Paul

Francious70 wrote:

I still cast my vote for PPI. Their Art series amp are still regarded as some of the best ever made along with Phoenix Gold's ZPA amps. Along with many others.

Paul

I loved PPI's art series amps! Those were too sweet! Wish they would do another run of those since I can afford them now and could buy some for myself (drools)...

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VEHICLE: 2002 GMC Sonoma ZR2
Alpine CDA-7940
AudioControl EQT x2
JL Audio 1000/1
JL Audio 10W6 (originals) x3
Kicker ZR120
Kicker ZR460
Polk GXR-6 x4
Polk GXR-4 x2

I'm with DYohn on this - I still don't believe those US Amps are 90% efficient. Sorry. Still waiting for an INDEPENDENT test/review to confirm. Then maybe I'll believe it. Doesn't mean that US Amps are bad, just sounds like the whole propaganda game to me posted_image

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VEHICLE: 2002 GMC Sonoma ZR2
Alpine CDA-7940
AudioControl EQT x2
JL Audio 1000/1
JL Audio 10W6 (originals) x3
Kicker ZR120
Kicker ZR460
Polk GXR-6 x4
Polk GXR-4 x2

oh id say they are far from bad, us amps are kinda like jack in the box, they dont make it till you order it. after you order then you wait a couple a weeks while it is hand assembled and tested, nice nice. as far as i know zapco is the only thing close to the quality of a us amp, anyway the de series is only for sub applications anyway so im not sure why they have been brought up. the tube amps are their sq bad boys. also has anyone heard the mb quart amplifiers? i saw them advertised but havent got to see or hear one.

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i've heard the MB Quarts, not so impressed. Its clear but there is no meat behind it. If you like classical music, you'd like it, but don't expect any boom from it.

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

Paradigm wrote:

I loved PPI's art series amps! Those were too sweet! Wish they would do another run of those since I can afford them now and could buy some for myself (drools)...

If they did a new run of them, I wouldn't buy them. After DEI took PPI over, the amps were never the same.

Paul

(ditto)

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

PPI was great back in the day.
New Rockford stuff is cool, Arc audio has some real nice amps as well. JL Audio as well, that's my 2 cents.

JL= :( , stick with soundstream!

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

Uthink I dont think you were thinking right about JL's amps. posted_image

They are expensive but really nice.The new Soundstream amps are no where near the quality of anything JL makes.

Forget that. Just buy an old (read: used) PPI Art amp, or just suck it up and buy a Phoenix Gold.

Paul

I agree - The old PPI Art Series stuff was the S*#t. My last system had an A204 to MBQuart reference comps on all 4 corners and an A200 bridged to a round Solobaric 10" sub. Best system that I have ever owned...by far. I now have JL Audio 300/4 and 500/1 amplifiers and while I have a little more headroom in the JL stuff I really miss my Art series amps. However, the new PPI stuff is total crap. I would not use it in my system if you gave it to me. My local PPI dealer won't evern carry the new stuff. He is just going to drop the line. I wish he had have bought tons of Art Series stock back in the day. As for soundstream, I used to run Sound Stream D60s, D100's, and the MC240 in a system back in the early 90's. Great stuff. I think that the Soundstream product has maintained it's quality much better than the PPI stuff. Lots of great amps out there...but if I were picking only between Soundstream and PPI, modern day PPI would never even be a consideration.

newtone wrote:

if you are looking for an awesome sounding four channel and can afford about $600 check out the us amps tu4360 tube amp.

US AMPS all the way!!!!! I love the tu4360 and will eventually swap my 4300x for one. It has no internal x-overs though so you need some.

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BOOM, BOOM, BOOM BOOM....

PPI sucks, get soundstream over that. I'd would never get the JL over the Soundstream, just because i have had terrible experiences with JL and Soundstream is yet to let me down. Everyoneh diserves a chance, but JL is like on their 14th chance with me. Thats my beef with them, and thats why i don't recommend them, unless its obvious (PYLE vs JL).

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.

Tony, what exactly happened with you PPI amp??

Paul

I bought some of the PCX amp series and they frikkin fried on me in less than a year, not even pushing them 100 W over their RMS. Replaced them, same thing. No other amp in my car has ever gone that quick.

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"I don't play games. I play Nakamichi and that for real yo" - Probably some japanese kid said this in the early 80's trying to sell stereo out of his trunk lol.