# Audio Art 100hc



## thelbz (Dec 6, 2010)

So i have a old audio art 100hc and I for the life of me cant find the user manual. So does anyone know if I can run it at 4ohm bridged. I do remember its rated at 1000w or so at 1ohm.


----------



## cubdenno (Nov 10, 2007)

yes. wont provide the max power. probably around 300-400 watts


----------



## thelbz (Dec 6, 2010)

Perfect I picked up a cheap 8 that's 350w max and this is the only amp I have that works at the moment. Now to build a box.


----------



## FartinInTheTub (May 25, 2010)

That's an incredible amplifier. A true masterpiece.


----------



## thelbz (Dec 6, 2010)

I didn't know that when I bought it back in the day, the guy at the audio shop was jealous and wanted my blown a7hc really bad.


----------



## thelbz (Dec 6, 2010)

I was also told by one car audio shop owner that no one makes 8" subs anymore. That was news to me, I swiftly proceeded to the exit.


----------



## FartinInTheTub (May 25, 2010)

Yeh... Audio Art dumped all of their money into top quality parts and design... but they failed to add quality marketing to the mix and went under. I have owned a few 2 channel models like the 200.2RXT which was quite a component amp. Open that baby amp and peep inside... or better yet check this out. It's like a treasure trove of SQ goodness.


----------



## jimmy2345 (Jul 12, 2010)

FartinInTheTub said:


> Yeh... Audio Art dumped all of their money into top quality parts and design... but they failed to add quality marketing to the mix and went under.


This could be said of every company that was current in the 90's. Or you could say they decided not to sell out like everyone else and then went under. I believe they are actually still in business and manufacture product for other companies to be rebadged....but only home audio.




FartinInTheTub said:


> I have owned a few 2 channel models like the 200.2RXT which was quite a component amp.


The 200.2RXT was a high current design that produced it's max power at 1 ohm stereo per channel. I wouldn't call that a great component amp. The most sought after amps from Audio Art, for SQ purposes, are their 200.2, 200MS, 400.2, and their larger 4 channel models. None of those amps are high current designs.


----------



## FartinInTheTub (May 25, 2010)

jimmy2345 said:


> This could be said of every company that was current in the 90's. Or you could say they decided not to sell out like everyone else and then went under. I believe they are actually still in business and manufacture product for other companies to be rebadged....but only home audio.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


wow! Nice of you to try to discredit everything I said. As for audio art what I said is true of their lack of marketing... do some research on the company and you'll see what I'm talking about. I owned the 200.2 and yes... it's a nice amp but the RXT sells for more money and is much more sought after than the 200.2. The RXT is a great component amp that will also serve well driven in lower impedences. The 400.2 is another amp that I briefly owned which was a very powerful amp which I used to drive 2 Soundstream SS10 subs nicely. I've been collecting amps for over 15 years and own more than 75 old school amplifiers. I pride myself on knowing the good and the bad from most manufacturers. Audio art in my opinion had some great amps that were VERY well built... it's a shame that the economy and the state of the car audio biz in general would have a hard time supporting such build quality. China is pumping out tons of electronic garbage and it's hard for quality companys to compete. guys like you and I choose to buy quality, but the average 17 yr olds driving honda Civics would rather spend $100 on a POS amplifier that says 3000watts on the side. I may just pick me up a few more AA amps to add to my collection... IMO they are a nice example of what car audio used to be and hopefully will be someday.


----------



## jimmy2345 (Jul 12, 2010)

FartinInTheTub said:


> wow! Nice of you to try to discredit everything I said. As for audio art what I said is true of their lack of marketing... do some research on the company and you'll see what I'm talking about.


Oh yeah...I am the one who needs to do some research. I own all the amps pictured and don't know anything about the company or their amps. 

Running a high current amp at a low ohm load to components is dumb to say the least. You aren't taking advantage of the amplifiers power if you don't run it at a low ohm load, and then if you do....you lose damping and gain distortion. High current amps had their place when you could get away with cheating in comps. Today, they aren't good for much if you are looking for SQ. Hence, the reason most of the high VOLTAGE amplifiers that Audio Art produced are sought after by SQ oriented folks. 

You surely are the one who needs to do research.


----------



## MACS (Oct 3, 2007)

While the 200.2T and 200.2RXT is a high current design, it still puts out an under rated [email protected] ohms. Not a slouch even by todays standards. My 200.2RXT will absolutely slam my 300 watt 4ohm shop monitors. Too bad they did not make a version of it with max power at 4 ohms. That is a damn nice amp and built like a tank. I own 10 or 12 AA amps and consider the 100MS, 200MS, 400.2, and 200.2T/RXT my favorites. 

The only thing I don't like about them is the input sensitivity. Even with the amp gains at "0", it is easy to over run the input with a high voltage deck. Just have to be careful with the head unit volume level.

P.S. jimmy2345, that is a sweet collection of AA's. You've got a couple of amps I would love to own *cough 200.2T, cough 400.2*.


----------



## [email protected] (Jun 12, 2008)

They are very nice amps, that is a great collection there.

Does anybody know who designed them for Audio Art? I assume that Genesis might have had something to do with it. Or atleast the boards were coming out of the same factory as DLS or older Genesis.


----------



## The Baron Groog (Mar 15, 2010)

BeatsDownLow said:


> They are very nice amps, that is a great collection there.
> 
> Does anybody know who designed them for Audio Art? I assume that Genesis might have had something to do with it. Or atleast the boards were coming out of the same factory as DLS or older Genesis.


Would guess nothing to do with Genesis or DLS-Genesis did DLS's amps for them and all their connections were on the same side of the amp IIRC?


----------



## [email protected] (Jun 12, 2008)

The Baron Groog said:


> Would guess nothing to do with Genesis or DLS-Genesis did DLS's amps for them and all their connections were on the same side of the amp IIRC?


I am familiar with that, was just assuming since the boards are pretty much identical in construction to DLS amp boards, not layout, just construction of the boards. Prob just a case of the boards being made at the same factory.


----------



## FartinInTheTub (May 25, 2010)

Here's a review for the RXT. This was my favorite of the AA line except for the 400.2. As you can see it did more than twice the rated specs at 4ohm stereo. I used it to run comps and it was fantastic.

Audio Art 200.2RXT


----------

