# List good clean horn amps......



## corcraft (Nov 16, 2010)

All amps aren't created equal so what are some good clean amps? I'm trying to start a list for hlcd newbs as myself to give some options. I don't have much expeience with horns but as far as amps the old Alpine v12's were some of the cleanest I've used so I'll start the list with Alpine. 


Alpine v12


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## Lymen (Aug 9, 2011)

A nice audio art 2 channel bypass crossover and nice clean straight power


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## corcraft (Nov 16, 2010)

Lymen said:


> A nice audio art 2 channel bypass crossover and nice clean straight power



by bypass crossover do you mean turn it off or take it out?


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## fish (Jun 30, 2007)

I don't think those Audio Art's have a crossover section - the ones I looked at buying on here.


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## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

Milbert BaM 235ab 
Sinfoni Prestigio 
US Amp TU-4360 (old school no Xover) 
Genesis DMX 

Kelvin


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

My favorite was the HSS HT230 and then Monolithic A501s...but don't hold your breath on buying either one.

Right now I am really liking the JL HD 600/4 on the unity-style horns I am working on.


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## Mic10is (Aug 20, 2007)

subwoofery said:


> Milbert BaM 235ab
> Sinfoni Prestigio
> *US Amp TU-4360 (old school no Xover) *
> Genesis DMX
> ...


NOT A Good amp on horns at all!!!
a bunch of ID guys ran the US amps back in 01 or 02 and all of us had a ton of microphonic noise from the amps


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

Mic10is said:


> and all of us had a ton of microphonic noise from the amps




As in you could tap on the amplifier and hear the tap thru the speakers? That's microphonic.

If so it's not a fault of the amplifier but rather cheapass tubes.


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## Mic10is (Aug 20, 2007)

chad said:


> As in you could tap on the amplifier and hear the tap thru the speakers? That's microphonic.
> 
> If so it's not a fault of the amplifier but rather cheapass tubes.


yes I agree its a tube issue that US amps refused to acknowledge.

but 4 different cars w the same Horns and Same amps....same noise....change out the amp and noise is gone.....

I changed mine out to the solid state 4300x and was fine.


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

Yeah they were cheap assed tubes...EH or sovtek 12ax7s from what I remember. I also want to remember they were soldered straight to the board without sockets so you couldn't easily change them out.

My Milbert was dead silent in the car, going over bumps and pot holes.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

thehatedguy said:


> Yeah they were cheap assed tubes...EH or sovtek 12ax7s from what I remember. I also want to remember they were soldered straight to the board without sockets so you couldn't easily change them out.
> 
> My Milbert was dead silent in the car, going over bumps and pot holes.


EH and sovteks are actually pretty quiet, not Mil-Spec old school quiet but they worked in high gain situations without a hitch.... It's the china tubes that suck hard.


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

I can't remember which tubes they were...but they were "name brand" tubes. I was more bummed that they were soldered straight to the boards and I couldn't change them out to something nice like a Mullard CV4003 or 4004. 

Was never so sure you needed ax7s in that amp...au or ats would have been as good or better for us who used them on horns.

Then they had TL074 op amps in them. Which are eh...ok for 1979. 5532s would have been a step up in performance...but I digress.

Heck I can't even remember names of Chinese tubes off of the top of my head right now.


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## chad (Jun 30, 2005)

AU would have been MUCH better. 

Ever tried to solder to a tube pin? it sucks.


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

Nope, never tried...saw those and didn't even attempt it. BIG thick solder pads on them. I decided it wasn't worth messing with considering how much of a hassle it looked like it was going to be. And I would have needed a soldering gun, I don't think an iron would have cut the mustard on those guys.

I mean it didn't make sense...the tubes were on a daughter board that was soldered to the mian board at a 90 degree angle so the tubes were flat. Then there were no sockets on the tubes. Granted there wasn't much current or voltage going through them so the tubes would have lasted an eternity...but it didn't make sense from a warranty standpoint, it would have been near impossible to service.


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## subwoofery (Nov 9, 2008)

Mic10is said:


> NOT A Good amp on horns at all!!!
> a bunch of ID guys ran the US amps back in 01 or 02 and all of us had a ton of microphonic noise from the amps


Did not know they had that microphonic type of noise... 
Tried mine on CD1e v.3 and did not experienced the noise you're talking about - although mine has been modded by Mantz with a tube change too. 
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/sales-feedback-forum/79892-mr-mantz-steven.html
If I remember correctly, those are the one inside 

Kelvin


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## thehatedguy (May 4, 2007)

Mine didn't have any microphony going on either.

About certain mine had EH tubes.


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## corcraft (Nov 16, 2010)

So far we got

Milbert BaM 235ab 
Sinfoni Prestigio 
US Amp TU-4360 (old school no Xover) 
Genesis DMX 
Audio Art
HSS HT230
Monolithic A501
JL HD


What else?

I see Audio Art allot on horns, is there a particular reason? super low thd?


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## Mic10is (Aug 20, 2007)

I still have my fully modified Image Dynamics Q700.2 that I ran the ID Cd3Ultra horns with when I won MECA Finals.
Still one of my all time favorite amps.


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## corcraft (Nov 16, 2010)

Ok, on the audio art amps are they all good horn amps? Even the ones with xovers? Also since all or most horns are 8ohm would a 4ch audio art do good bridged to 2ch? Would make each ch a 4ohm load. Can get a smaller amp that way with the same or more power as 2ch.

About to purchase a 4ch audio art and bridge it to 2ch so will be 70x2 to my horns so each ch will have a 4ohm load unless some1 tells me that I would be better off not too.....


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## asawendo (Nov 22, 2009)

Sounstream Class A 3.0
Alpine Class A 3558


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## edouble101 (Dec 9, 2010)

Mic10is said:


> I still have my fully modified Image Dynamics Q700.2 that I ran the ID Cd3Ultra horns with when I won MECA Finals.
> Still one of my all time favorite amps.


You live in York. I visit the area often. I would love to meet up.

Why would you run so much power to hlcd's?


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## roduk (Sep 19, 2008)

I have just had a Soundstream Rubicon Class A Picasso and a Renoir modified by Gordon Taylor of Genesis to suit my horns - I'm picking them up in the morning and will let you know just how good they are when I install them in the afternoon 

he also setup my 10.2 to run the Velodyne (removed all x-over circuitry, beefed up the power supply, voltage trimmer, LF caps, Bias Set etc)

So I'm looking forward to seeing what has been done


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## roduk (Sep 19, 2008)

roduk said:


> I have just had a Soundstream Rubicon Class A Picasso and a Renoir modified by Gordon Taylor of Genesis to suit my horns - I'm picking them up in the morning and will let you know just how good they are when I install them in the afternoon
> 
> he also setup my 10.2 to run the Velodyne (removed all x-over circuitry, beefed up the power supply, voltage trimmer, LF caps, Bias Set etc)
> 
> So I'm looking forward to seeing what has been done


OK a few weeks down the line and the Picasso is playing on the horns now and I'm amazed.. I was running a McIntosh MC4000M before which sounded nice, but these modified SS amps blow it away 

There is so much more detail at the top end and strangely enough I had been using a pair of EMIT ribbon tweeters at the top end with the Mac Amp and now with the Soundstreams I don't need them - it plays high enough without them! I can't explain that one....

But if you run horns and ever get the chance to hear them with a Soundstream Picasso - Do - You won't regret it!


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