# Coustic Old School AMP-150 AMP-300 AMP-500



## FairladyZ (Jan 30, 2011)

I recently aquired these three old school Coustic Amps. They are Model AMP-150, AMP-300 and AMP-500. I am trying to gather any technical information on them as they are not listed on the Coustic website. I know that they are said to be 150w,300w and 500w respectively according to the endplates. The AMP-150 is actually listed on the AMPGUTS site, and is said to be bridgeable, but there is no other information. Is anyone here familiar with these models? I sure would like to see a user operation or service manual on any one of them.


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## FairladyZ (Jan 30, 2011)

ttt...


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## FairladyZ (Jan 30, 2011)

Here's a pic of the AMP-300. I decided that I'll clean it up and give it a listen. It was installed with a Alpine 7307 in a 73' 3.0 CSL that I purchased to restore. I was planning on using O/S Soundtream Amps, but these Coustics might fit the bill and keep things period correct...well...80s' period anyway...lol! 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/5705672415/


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## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

Dang dood, you picked up some GEMS... If I where you, I'd post ALL of the pics and question in the Oldschool Showoff thread and see what pops up... 

Looks like you have some of the first Coustic lines right there... I remember the old DR models and whatnot.. 

Yeah, OSSO thread for sure...


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## Mike_Dee (Mar 26, 2011)

I never owned any of the old Coustic amps, but they were good mid level amps in their day.


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## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

I ran the AMP-300s and a 150, friend of mine has them he would love a 500. They were the poor man's linear power, not quite as good but fantastic for the price. They have TO-3 in them but not everything is to-3 iirc. They are from the 80s one of the first coustics, or full line they had. People used to pop the medallion off the top so they looked more like LPs, lol. If I had them likely I would sell them if I could get enough cash, IMHO lot of old amps are so overpriced but I have not watched the market lately. One of the best looking old school amps IMO, if you like the basic style. They ran hot too they need that sink. I'd run them today, good amp. They look like a squirrels nest inside sort of like early LPs, the XX02 LPs were out at that time was the late 80s I got those. I don't know if the caps go bad in them may depend on use. I had a couple good systems running 2-4 10s IB and ported, I ran a 300 on those and a 300 on highs. 300 is 2x75 rms and 300rms bridged, I don't remember at what voltage but back then most things were rated at 12-12.5v, so a 300 should be at least a 100+rms x2 CEA I'd guess. I don't recall them being bridgable, but maybe they are I never did. I think the 300 was close to the 2002 LP, a pretty strong amp. I don't know how close, things were all by ear back then. So they are not fantastic, but pretty nice old amp that mostly slid under the radar. I could never find more of them around here, never seen many on epay. Later coustic got bought up, and came out with the long amps with fins down the sides, and no TO-3 in them. The TO-3 did tend to sound warmer.


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## FairladyZ (Jan 30, 2011)

Thanks for the replies. I opened the AMP-300 and it does look like a hot mess inside. Sort of like a KAOS project amp build from Get-Smart with Motorola T-03s invited  It was powering a pair of Alpine mids, while the AMP-150 powered Alpine tweeters, and the AMP-500 powered a pair of Nakamichi SP-10 subs. The crossovers (there are two) are Nakamichi EC-200 and EC-200H. The headunit as I mentioned is the Alpine 7307 "dead-head" analog am/fm cassette...old school stuff. The car sat parked in a garage since 87', and just saw daylight again in 2011! It's a time-capsule of sorts, I found a Time magazine under the seat with Mr T on the cover!:laugh: I digress...I can see how these AMPs (physically) somewhat resemble o/s LP amps, but I can't speak on the performance...yet. I should have auditioned them when the car arrived, but I was eager to begin the body/paint restoration. I can't wait to get these things wired up to hear them. 

007 by hijodea, on Flickr
006 by hijodea, on Flickr


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## sqshoestring (Jun 19, 2007)

Wow, sounds like something I would have put together back then, impressive. Aside from no EQ (that was common I rarely ran one too noisy) it is top notch. He saved some cash on amps but used larger, the 300 would run the subs fairly well. I still have a Nak xover those are simple with no slope but one of the cleanest ever. I forget how many times I tried other xovers and SQ went down. Sounds like a cool project I have not done a car in a while wish I had time and larger building to do more. My friend with the amps has three 300s (on six 10s) and a 150 plus I think four smaller LP in an old trans am with T tops, that he kept. Yes it has two 3-way xovers in it. I sold the one I had what a fun car back then. I just sold him a pair of 1002 LP to go in it if he ever restores it. When I ran 10s ported or pair/quads IB the 300 put out more than they could take. The old heavy pyle drivers could do ok with a 300 since you could not bottom those, but I ran more efficient subs.

One of my 300s cruised down Daytona beach back in the day running a new set of 6x9 possibly EPI or Sansui I forget, beefing up an already good system with subs just to make sure we had enough volume. Good times for sure, it was the only system I saw there that week that could crank like that and still sound good. We built special boxes to fit in there just for that lol, you could only see the subs.


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## FairladyZ (Jan 30, 2011)

Man....that sounds like a good ol' fashioned ROCK and ROLL party time! I have always loved those Trans-Ams and Z28s. People must have thought you were something from the future with tunes like that back in the day! I remember a time when loud, clear car audio systems would gather a crowd (in a good way). Today...not so much. 

Yes, the previous owner of my current project car put together a nice system by 80's standards and even todays. To think of all of the technology and the many formats that have come and gone the way of the dodo since. Flash-forward some 24 years later, and all I really need to do is swap the headunit....imagine that? Just to keep things "looking-correct", I need to use a two-knob/shafted type HU....maybe a Mac or Soundmonitor?

Oh, before I forget....here are the "guts" of the AMP-150. 
025 by hijodea, on Flickr


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