# Help identifying old school soundstream amp



## jlarge (Feb 24, 2010)

HI there,
I have had this amp for over 10 years. Nowhere does it state what kind of amp it is. It is solid chrome. When I took the cover off, in the corner it says: Soundstream
Reference series
540-598
Rev F

I wanted to know how many amps it was. Ive checked all over the internet and have had no luck.
Thanks for the help
Attached is some pics


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## [email protected] (Jun 12, 2008)

I believe the class a amps and the continum were the only ones that came in chrome, yours looks small so I would guess its a class a 3.0, I could be wrong tho.

I would unscrew the bottom and look on the board it should say there what it is.


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## haakono (Apr 5, 2009)

Size and lookvise it looks like a Reference 160s or 200. Maybe a custom order or later customized (polished) heat sink? Since there are no lettering on it? The polished class a amps still have lettering on top of heatsink, and the smallest one, class a 3.0, is wider than this one if I remember correctly.

Look at these for reference: 

Soundstream Reference 160s - Amp Guts

Soundstream Reference 200 - Amp Guts


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## TREETOP (Feb 11, 2009)

Is it actually chrome, or polished aluminum? Reminds me of a Reference 160.


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## jlarge (Feb 24, 2010)

Thanks for the quick replies fellas. The amp is a reference 200. I just bought one Rockford Fosgate 12in sub with enclosure. model # P3L-S12. Is this amp going to have enough power to drive the sub and can I hook it up to run at 2 ohms


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## haakono (Apr 5, 2009)

Soundstream Reference 200 
High Power:
2 x 25W @ 4 ohms
2 x 20W @ 2 ohms
2 x 100W @ 1 ohm
1 x 50W @ 8 ohms bridged
1 x 100W @ 4 ohms bridged
1 x 200W @ 2 ohms bridged

The oldschool SS amps usually were underrated, they put out more power that specified. Should run the sub nicely, no reason not to try it


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## jlarge (Feb 24, 2010)

okay but since the speaker that I bought is a 4 ohm dual voice coil and the amp is a 2 channel is it even possible to get it to 2 ohms?


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## rommelrommel (Apr 11, 2007)

4 ohm DVC in parallel and bridged = 2 ohm mono. Just put it in high power mode and you're ready to rock.


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## Guy (Feb 16, 2006)

jlarge said:


> okay but since the speaker that I bought is a 4 ohm dual voice coil and the amp is a 2 channel is it even possible to get it to 2 ohms?


Yes. Connect the positive terminals of the VCs together and connect to the positive output of the amplifier and do the same with the negs.

edit: strange, but the reply above mine didn't show up till I posted this- 3rd Worldy internets FTL.


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## SomeGuy748 (Feb 24, 2010)

Guy said:


> Yes. Connect the positive terminals of the VCs together and connect to the positive output of the amplifier and do the same with the negs.
> 
> edit: strange, but the reply above mine didn't show up till I posted this- 3rd Worldy internets FTL.


You will actually end up with a 1 ohm load doing this as the amp will half the impedance when you bridge it. Also, if that is one of the Soundstreams with the auto high current circuit, you might kill it doing that. I worked for a Soundstream dealer when that amp was new and we had a HUGE problem with that. If it has the manual switch for high power/current, you would want it in the high current mode with that lower impedance.


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## haakono (Apr 5, 2009)

Looks from the images in the first post that it does have a manual switch for high current setting. But does the output drop by using this mode?


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## jlarge (Feb 24, 2010)

According to the owners manual the amp puts out 200 watts at 1 ohm in high current. If i run it at 2 ohms in high power it also produces 200 watts.


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## Guy (Feb 16, 2006)

SomeGuy748 said:


> You will actually end up with a 1 ohm load doing this as the amp will half the impedance when you bridge it. Also, if that is one of the Soundstreams with the auto high current circuit, you might kill it doing that. I worked for a Soundstream dealer when that amp was new and we had a HUGE problem with that. If it has the manual switch for high power/current, you would want it in the high current mode with that lower impedance.


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## SomeGuy748 (Feb 24, 2010)

Guy said:


>


That diagram is correct but bridging the amp will cut the impedance in half. That's how amps make so much more power when you bridge them.


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## Guy (Feb 16, 2006)

^ I shouldn't be confused by something so basic, but after doing more reading, the actual load would be 2 ohms, but the equivalent load is indeed 1 ohm... = amplifier cooking. 
I don't completely understand it, but it is best to accept it. :blush:


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## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

If the manual says you can run 2 ohm bridged (1 ohm per ch that would be) on high power you can, many of the old SS could. High power, usually 'high current' because lower ohm load produces more amperage across the outputs, does lower the rail voltage so the amp does not fry itself. (more amperage or current, is offset by less voltage) It is more to let you wire different ways than to change output.


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## ChrisB (Jul 3, 2008)

Wasn't there an issue with people burning those amplifiers up prior to SS implementing the auto switching technology? IIRC they would load it down and try to keep it in high voltage mode. 

Then again, I was also told that the auto switching didn't work so great on the Reference S and SX series, not to mention the fact that they tried to squeeze blood from turnips. I love how the Reference 500 became the Reference 700s...


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## jlarge (Feb 24, 2010)

Supposedly this amp is good down to as low as a 1/2 ohm.


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