# need help old school soundstream experts



## todd217 (Apr 5, 2009)

i have not owned a soundstream since the 90,s and remember they are tough as hell. i picked up a rub 404 and would like to run channels 1&2 and 3&4 at 2 ohms mono. im just a little worried about trying to get too much out of it. will it run fine if it gets plenty of air?


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## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

It will do it, but would be kind of hard on it for subs. If midbass or higher I'd think it will be fine. A larger 2ch would be better for subs, but it depends on how hard you will beat on it of course. If you are not going to thrash it then don't worry about it using it on anything you want. I used to run the snot out of all those amps back in the day, but now I don't so much because I can get what size I need...and I don't want to smoke them they are good amps. A fan would help a lot.


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## couchflambeau (Apr 18, 2006)

http://www.soundstream.com/manuals/AMP/rubican/rub24604/Rub204404604.pdf

Looks like it'll do it... but like he mentioned... probably gonna run HOT...


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## todd217 (Apr 5, 2009)

i saw the manual b4 i asked. i was just a little worried about doing it with a sub. i think ill just order a dual 4ohm sub. thx guys


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## J0ne (Aug 7, 2007)

i wouldn't do it. my SS amp is underrated...I have the gains almost, if not, completely down.


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

The Rubicons (assuming it's a 1G Rubi and not the later, post-buyout Runis) will run that just fine. A dual 4-ohm will be a lot easier and have much more headroom though. The 1G Rubis are EASILY my favorite SS amps.


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## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

I have the early 302 and it can make the power, had it on a single 12 and it went very loud IMO. That 12 sounded nasty, but had nothing to do with the amp. Thing has a small footprint too.


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## GlasSman (Nov 14, 2006)

sqshoestring said:


> I have the early 302 and it can make the power, had it on a single 12 and it went very loud IMO. That 12 sounded nasty, but had nothing to do with the amp. Thing has a small footprint too.


Great amps.

I have a closet full of them....just waiting for the right time to do an entire system.


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## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

GlasSman said:


> Great amps.
> 
> I have a closet full of them....just waiting for the right time to do an entire system.


Have a pair of 302, I'd like a 700 or 1Kw but not up to losing the coin yet. Have an EGA440.2 that supposedly does 880rms IIRC that I could run for sub but its not a class D I'd prefer....not sure I would run class AB on the sub anyway.


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## VP Electricity (Apr 11, 2009)

Wait a minute... are you guys talking about the same amps I remember? 

The Reference amps that sounded great until they blew up, and almost bankrupted the company? 

The Rubicon amps which were going to save the company after the Reference debacle, which then blew up almost as badly, and DID bankrupt the company?

I know they sounded great until they blew up, and I know not all of them blew up, but jeez... let's not block these memories out like women block out the pain of childbirth.


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## VP Electricity (Apr 11, 2009)

Wait a minute... are you guys talking about the same amps I remember? 

The Reference amps that sounded great until they blew up, and almost bankrupted the company? 

The Rubicon amps which were going to save the company after the Reference debacle, which then blew up almost as badly, and DID bankrupt the company?

I know they sounded great until they blew up, and I know not all of them blew up, but jeez... let's not block these memories out like women block out the pain of childbirth.


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

VP Electricity said:


> Wait a minute... are you guys talking about the same amps I remember?
> 
> The Reference amps that sounded great until they blew up, and almost bankrupted the company?
> 
> ...



You know not of what you speak. The Rubis were bulletproof. The Refs blew up all the time. If you broke a Rubi you were extremely talented. 

Then there's the point about the company being sold. SS was in deep even before the Rubis came out. Basically it was the Refs that killed the company. 

You need to get your history of the company correct.


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## VP Electricity (Apr 11, 2009)

quality_sound said:


> You need to get your history of the company correct.


Do I? Doesn't seem like I need to do much of anything. Soundstream can sue me for libel or slander - oh, wait, that company is out of business. 

Given how I took a job as a sales rep for them at the end of the Reference debacle, and when Rubicon came out, and how longtime Soundstream dealers were beating me about the head and shoulders with manila folders full of defective amp shipping paperwork, I think I get to have my experience. 

Perhaps my experience is colored by the fact that Soundstream lied to me as their rep and to their customers, practicing underhanded dealings, and earned some enmity. Karma is a b!tch.


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## quality_sound (Dec 25, 2005)

Interesting. What territory? My shop was in Sacramento and we had a few guys go from our shop to work for SS in Folsom. We always had a very good relationship with everyone there.


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## VP Electricity (Apr 11, 2009)

Pac NW. Sales was the culprit... I laughed and laughed with Directed fired Jeff Blair...


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## couchflambeau (Apr 18, 2006)

WOW... I better get rid of all my amps then... I guess those Ref 200, 500, and two 300's I own are are handgrenades!!! And to think I've had them for 15+ years too...


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## VP Electricity (Apr 11, 2009)

VP Electricity said:


> ... and I know not all of them blew up...


Sigh.


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## audiorailroad (Mar 6, 2007)

my ref500 is still goin strong.


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## GlasSman (Nov 14, 2006)

couchflambeau said:


> WOW... I better get rid of all my amps then... I guess those Ref 200, 500, and two 300's I own are are handgrenades!!! And to think I've had them for 15+ years too...


Well if they lasted this long they'll last until the caps start leaking.

Just depend on the temp extremes they're subjected to.


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## VP Electricity (Apr 11, 2009)

couchflambeau said:


> WOW... I better get rid of all my amps then... I guess those Ref 200, 500, and two 300's I own are are handgrenades!!! And to think I've had them for 15+ years too...


Hey, only 40% of the Nak CD400 I sold, broke in the first year. (I did the math at one point). 

So 60% of them sounded great and their owners loved them. 

From a manufacturing QC POV, 40% is a disaster - but not to the 60%.


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## turbo5upra (Oct 3, 2008)

To the orignial poster... my 604 would run a sub and componets great. we ran it in our work van with a spl12 sealed and polk ex 5.25's in the dash and it worked great.
But when I bridged all 4 channels (2 channel) i'd have issues with it shutting down on a 4 ohm load,... I tried running a set of polk db 4.5" comp. off it and it didnt work. I had to go active in order to use all the power the way i wanted. VERY clean and oh so much headroom.... out performed my 805 and i'd love to have another one.

Ive broken my fair share of rubicon amps, but I can say this much... I woul put money on the fact that it has somthing to do with how softly they clip and how far past where I should have had the gain set.... now that I know what clipping is and acctually care i've had great luck with them,..... the mc245 in the old ladies car works great, no complaints about the rubicon 805 I just got back from zed audio is working great.

Bottom Line is, In the right hands the amps are great. they have some issues but they do what they are meant to and do it very well. 

If I dont win the rubicon picasso that's on ebay and buy my sleeping beauty back I might jump ship for the new zed 6 channel


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