*RELATED VIDEOS* 1999 Rockford Fosgate Power 1100a2: ruclips.net/video/zADEl30A8_o/видео.html 1999 Rockford Fosgate 800a4: ruclips.net/video/7GzeaagdH9s/видео.html See Playlist of Rockford Fosgate Videos: ruclips.net/p/PLu98-M_EowHPDfvb2L7BuwCdogJF0DIRQ *SHOP* Elac Bookshelf Speakers: amzn.to/47Q6zw8 SAVARD HO12 Elite Subwoofer: lddy.no/1jdxd Support on Patreon for Early Video Access: www.patreon.com/OldSchoolStereo 3 Modes of the Amp Dyno Explained: ruclips.net/video/Q0m6NsB-HHc/видео.html See the 7 Days of Amp Tests Playlist: ruclips.net/p/PLuodE1Zx7Y-6bhrEfCERSfl43EpB3P3lS *SHOP AFFILIATES* SAVARD Speakers: lddy.no/1i9ss (use code WAL7 for 7% off!!) Down4Sound - Shop4Bass.com Amazon - amzn.to/3wNX6Fn Crutchfield - howl.me/cjZI33auToW _DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase from one of the product links, I may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases_
I will never forget these days! I was 18 and Rockford was the cats meow. I worked at Best Buy in 2000 and it was timeless. We raked it in with discounts. I'll never forget the first time I saw/heard a 18" Solobaric (sp?) sub connected to a mono Rockford - holy hell,.....holy hell. That was literally and figuratively earth-shaking stuff. Just a great time for car audio tech. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
I remember those days also at Best Buy. Back in 1998 at Best Buy they had a whole area where they sold car audio equipment. They had a test vehicle that was interactive on the show floor with buttons to press to hear the difference in speakers and subwoofers in the test vehicle. You could alternate the music also through a pre programed music playlist. Every time, I would press the buttons to get the best speakers (Cerwin -Vega) and I would play the Fugees The Score and let the bass hit.. man I miss those days...
@@CobraR1993 YES! We had that too. Thinking back, it looked like a Tesla Roadster kind of. I think it was red too. Best Buy always pushed Cerwin, it was their staple. That and Pioneer I should say. Man, Pioneer 4-way 6*9's back then could hit when properly amped!
Same, I was also an install tech. we were best of the best for years. we got hooked up with the deals on this era fosgate. I would kill for a head unit with sd card changer from this era today.
Back at n the day,I put 4 of these in a Sanger boat for a customer. That thing was insane. 4 - Punch 12’s and 4 pair of Infinity Kappa 6x9. He ended up adding an alternator and 2 more batteries to the system with a battery isolator. I guess he got tired of getting stranded from listening to his tunes too long.
Great video. For the comments being surprised about power output falling short, many of you accurately focused on the capacitors. So, YES capacitors do start to degrade by leaking around 15 years old. Since we don't know the condition of the capacitors in this amplifier, they should be replaced on older amps since they are the primary current storage devices for the power supply and rails. If you have a hole in your bucket, you can only store water up to where the hole is, same with current, right? For questions on why the MOSFETs don't use a clamp bar, it's because they are soldered to an extremely efficient substrate called T-Clad (MEHSA - Maximum Efficiency Heat-Sink Application). This substrate is then secured to the heatsink using those black hex screws. This eliminates the reliant on clamp bars for effective heat transfer.
I’ve got the model before this one, it’s the punch 800.2 it’s got some mosfets missing on it as it went into protect, was wondering if those are still available to repair and replace, or at least schematics. I’m a local around the warehouse as well!
I think everyone is just use to seeing these old beasts best their numbers so if ever they don't people are gonna be shocked. All us collectors know the truth. Gotta replace those caps!
The golden age of car audio. Stuff was pricey in them days but very well built. I sure did love the un regulated power supplies. Lanzar Rockford Orion.........oh man i miss those days!!
MTX also made some killer gear in the 1990s and early 2000s. Had a couple 12" 9500 subs and those things were nasty with a 1200 watt RMS amp on each of them. Very musical subs too.
Anybody in car audio in that era knows these were top notch amps. Idc what the dyno says they put out alot of power for that time and nearly bulletproof.
@@TheLionAndTheLamb777 not really. We've been conditioned to accept capacitor failure. But done right that doesn't always have to be the case. Eventually sure. But this here proves eventually can be a very long time.
The first series B&G's (the .2 & .4) were noticeably stronger than the second series (the @2 & @4). The first series could also take more abuse than the second series
I still have mine from 1999. I had a lot of different subs run through this thing and it held up perfectly! 2 JL w6 15's, 2 sound stream SPL 15's, and 2 kicker Solo 15's
We (Rockford Dealers) asked our reps the exact questions you have with the 800a2 and its perceived underperformance (for a Rockford Product...). The answers we got was that the amp was originally designed to be rated at 150 watts RMS X 2 @ 4 ohms or 600 watts RMS @ 4 ohms mono but it fit in the model lineup better calling it an 800 watt class amp. It was in direct competition with the MTX2300, and it looks better on paper rated higher than its competition, even if it barely makes the ratings. It certainly fits the mold to have been called a Punch 600a2. The Power 1000a2 or 1100a2 (or whichever it was designated for the 1999 model year) was a straight up beast for the day. I owned a shop in '99 and had a 800a2 on a 3-way MB Quart component set and a Power 1100a2 on a pair of HE2 12's in my personal car for shop demo. Both amps performed extremely well in that setup and lasted for years without issue. Anyway, it might've been just an excuse for an underperforming product, but it certainly made sense.
I used to run two Rockford Punch 800@2 with two power DVC Rockford 15s at 2 ohms mono. Did extremely well for the two woofer class at the time. Unfortunately, the Rockford PowerDVC 15s would melt the voice coil to the magnet every couple contest. Even though I was sponsored by my local Rockford rep Rockford warranty for the woofers was not happy with me. Most of the time the wolfers were not repairable. They had to replace the magnet because they could not get the voice coil out of it. But that was the point of DB dragration you pushed it till something broke. Just a win.
I have five of these amazing amps, 2 800a2's and 3 800a4's, and one of the 800a2's, with the remote bass knob, is still brand new in the box, never has seen power, yes I'm a collector haha I want to be buried with them!
Just found your channel👍 Been into this stuff since the 80s. Saw one of your videos on an old MTX, but gotta search for R/F Power series, h/k CA240 and 260, and Orion HCCA series now!!
I got one of these from a classmate that worked for Best Buy back in the day. If i remember correctly his cost was either $399 or $499 so it was a great deal. I ran two JL Audio 15W0's in a rather large sealed box with the amp. It was pretty impressive at the time & never had an issue with the entire setup. Unfortunately the amp & subs were stolen by a jealous person who i thought was a good friend. It was an enormous hit for a 16 year old with very little money to replace it all but life goes on & it was only the beginning of a life long hobby. Thanks for the video it brings back so many great memories from 25 years ago.
Back in the day all u need was a Rockford Punch amp,Solo baric subs and an Alpine deck..the Rockford amp still looks beautiful compared to newer amps..the heat sinks are huge..i miss having a system..my last one was stolen and i drive BigBoy cars now,,but one day i will put in some 10 inch solo barics,punch amp with a capacitor..i miss the deep bass drop when listening to music,,then again i think im deaf in one ear due ro all the loud music back then..😂😂😂..my last system was in an integra..alpine deck,fockord amp to run my mids and highs,12 inch solo barics, Rockford 1.5 farad capaciter,and Alpine 1250w i yhink it was a mono amp bit somehow i was able to bridge it..that shit knocked so hard and was so clear i remember folks running up to the car to say it sound perfect.
My buddy just picked up an MTX 250 Thunder amplifier used for a good price. And the manufacturing date was 10/1999. Naturally I took off the back panel and inspected it and no leaky capacitors, everything looked good. So putting it back together is when I saw just the most amazing thing on the amp cover. It said: "Made in America"! Sure enough, when we got it installed it worked just fine. So MTX used to be honestly the "real deal" when it came to car stereo amplifiers. I guess you learn something new every day. lol Because, the video I saw of a recently tested MTX amp on the channel ended up with the "Dick Rickulous" seal of approval. lol
back when these came out I worked at Best Buy and sold these amps. I had a full set but ended up selling them. To be young and dumb. Wish I would have kept them. Great video BigD! Keep them coming
Thanks a million, I was dying to see what these beast’s did at 2ohms as we used them for mids here in Philadelphia. We like our music load. Big shout out Big D for these amp dynos.
I've been waiting for this!!! I collect this series of amps and subs. I've got 11 amps both of the a and z variety and 15 subs from the z to hx2, dvc, and power dvc. Amps in black, gold and chrome end caps. Punch links are rare!!
In 98 I had bought the last series before they went to these "a2" series. Had two Punch 125s on 4 Punch DVC 12s and two Punch 45s for highs and mids. Did a 151.9 at the DB drag wired to 1 ohm in a 97 ext cab Chevy with a wall. Till this day I regret selling the amps. I ended up keeping 1 of the 12s. Good memories and Thanks Big D!
I was an installer on and off for 30 years. My first system was original Punch amps/Polk MM speakers, Punch SPP!24 and Alpine source. I remember all that followed. At one point I possessed a Fosgate "Gavotte". I remember when good amps commanded $3/watt.
I sure miss my 1998 Pontiac Grand AM. TSW Spirit 18x8's. RF 800a4 and 1100a2. Boston Acoustics 3-way components up front, 6.5 in the door, mid and tweet in custom kicks. 4 x JL audio 12w3's in a custom, sealed fiberglass enclosure and completely hidden as a false floor. Trunk was still 100% usable, except I had no spare tire. Amps were mounted horizontally inside the trunk on either side of the trunk lid latch area and were flush mounted with a custom carpeted enclosure around them. Al & Ed's Auto Sound of Rancho Cucamonga, CA did all the work and Brent (I think) did a fantastic job! Later down the road they added a JL Audio 8w something in a custom fiberglass box that was mounted in the center console under dash. Also added a Rockford Fosgate Symmetry. Yellow top battery and power cap. They removed it all in 2002, I sold it all off and bought a 2002 Subaru WRX. If I had it to do over I would've kept the Grand AM as it was! Stuck in LA traffic, but cranking Metallica, ZZ Top, Van Halen, etc sure made things better! :P
I've got several collecting dust. Around 70 plus Fosgate from all vintages. Don't fo car audio anymore but kept buying them. Even have a matched pair of 500 chrome with end caps. Nice amps
Nice video, I still have my punch 800A2. When I had my MA AUDIO 15's powered by this amp. My friends always said they heard me B4 they saw my truck. Awesome amp, they dont make them like they used too. Just like MBE said when u tell someone u have a fosgate amp, u will never, ever, ever, ever here someone say something bad about FOSGATE amps period
Best amps I’ve ever owned. I’ve had 800a2, 800a4 and 1100a2c. Boy they got hot as hell but never shut down. I had the link and the 2 800s together went almost all the way across the trunk.
Thanks for another cool video. But I can't say I'm surprised how everything turned out. I'm a fan of Rockford Fosgate products, and even just how they run their business having their products made in South Koea instead of China. Advertising they are not a stereo company, but a "Design company". I could be wrong, but I just have a feeling if you worked for them you'd not only have a good job, but a fun one as well. (However much fun you can have designing amplifiers anyway). lol
I had a Rockford Fosgate amp similar to that back in 2003-4. It was a 300W RMS (900W max) and I got it from Best Buy. I forget what model it was. It was an amp, 12in sub and box combo. The first system I ever had. That is incredible that it was able to move that sub so much. It did hit almost 1200W for a split second. I currently have a Rockford Fosgate setup in my car.
In 1999 I had bought the Fosgate 800a2 with the 400a4 amps powering three 12 Punch DVC HX2S, and four MB Quartz 6.5 component speakers. The 400a4 blew out and was replaced with the Zapco 6.0. I was going to replace the 800a2 with the Zapco 9.0 but decided to keep it. After 20-plus years my system is still bumping good.
Also the MEHSA mounting literally solders the mosfets to the heat transfer plate but electrically isolates the drain from the heat sink. Great idea IMO. Easy to work on with an appropriately large soldering iron AND effective cools the mosfets
20yrs ago my roommate had a punch 800 4 channel pushing 4 volfenhag 15s rated 1500 watts/750 rms each. It gave those subs hell. His whole truck shook like jello. Ive bought dozens of them since then
i love old amps. if taken care of they last a long while. I still use a Carver amp i bought in '92. It hits above its rated weight class then and now. I have run it hard for years it sat for a few and it always fires up. I will truly be sad if it ever dies
Back in the latest of the 90's when people used to "cruise the ave" it basically a car audio demo of different brands nightly, Rockford Fosgate always were more powerful audio set ups.
I wish i could find a couple of the 800.2’s that had the chrome removable panels. I had 2 of those on 4 ‘07 Cvr 15’s in a sealed box in my 2000 Impala. That thing sounded so good, and all the equipment lasted YEARS. Unfortunately, it all got stolen when I was out of town for work. Came home and it was all gone.
I still have my Power 500a2 and a Punch 360a2 from the late 90's. Those amps have some power! The birth sheet on the 500a2 showed over 650 watts, and the 360a2 almost 450.
In 1999, I was 18 and running 2 RF Punch DVCs on a Kicker ZR240 in a bandpass box. My parents gave me the ok to buy the RF 800a2 off of Crutchfield. I ultimately decided not to get it because I thought it was too much money. It was a great time in car audio.
I remember these days :) I was installing at Best Buy during the initial release of Rockford Fosgate products. We sold a lot of the amps and subwoofers. The Rockford CD players were not great, and the coaxial speakers didn't fit many of the vehicles we had coming in. Overall, we loved the amps and subs.
Brought back a memory of riding down to Kansas in a station wagon for illegal fireworks. He had two 12s on one of these and it was loud until it wasn't because these punch amps always seemed to overheat on long drives.
A proud owner of the chrome version of this amp! Gets brutal bass bridged at 4ohm, but you can fry an egg on it. Can't imagine people running it on 2ohm without additional cooling...
@@NightshiftCustom you are absolutely right sir, they like it hot cause mine never shut down on thermal protection no matter how long and hard I pound on it!
Big D... Just got done wiring the Punch POWER dvc 12 subs up, went with t2d2 coils & used a hx2 cone w/ voice coil cut open for 4" coil and used top ringland for the sewn tinsel lead spiders from the T2D2s.... Basically made a shalllow t2 12... The good ol' 500.2 punch POWER grey series ready to do its thang on the subs...going in an ext cab Silverado... Should wake up the neighbors lol 🤣🤣🤣
Great video 👍👍I can confirm that , I had 409W continuous 1kHz into 2 Ohms with a 800a2 and dynamically 530W at 13.6V. If we take the difference in dB it will show that the difference is no difference 😊
My first system had a RF amp from that era! Don't remember the exact model but had it paired to a pair of Alpine Type-R 12s. Thought I had the loudest system possible haha
At the shop I worked at in 2001, we're an authorized Rockford dealer. And I've installed a bunch of these amps all models. But I was more impressed by the Directed 1100d at the time.
.... The 1100a2 video Big D has .... Yes it's really got that much power @ 1ohm mono.... 😊 , 8 Punch Hx2 12s on a 1100a2 in a 94 ext cab Chevy w/ no back seat....
I ran this amp for many years wired at 2 ohms with a custom fan setup to keep it cool many subwoofers had a short life from the power this thing could output and even alternators back then did not last me very long lol had to add an extra battery and move up to the bigger gm alternator still have this amp today going to re powder coat it soon to freshen her up
I had 2x 400.a4 amps back in the day. Both bridged to 4ohmx2 powering their own 12" dual voice coil punch subs. Took a little effort to get the both amps synched properly but man they slapped and barley got hot
I remember these! Too expensive for what I was making working at the mall, so I ended up with a plethora of Sony and Kenwood amps. I still have and currently use my two Xplods. Found out a month ago my boy always cheaped out and ran 4 speakers off of 2 channel amps. Always wondered why the music sounded so....idk. Lateral?
Had this driving 2 pcs of 8 inch dual 4ohm voice coil version wooffers in 10 liters seal box built in 44 (2x22mm) MDF. It played tighter than a10 ton vice.
Wow!!!! I loved those amps! Back in 2000 I had a pair of those (Punch POWER 800 a2's) each running at .5 ohms, on a pair of Shocker 12's in my 1991 Buick Skylark. Did 150.6 db @ a DB Drag comp back in 2000. That was back when Termpro was using those old skool Bob Barker Price is Right skinny mics for metering.
Great work as always, keep it up. I would love to see you test the following amps: Rockford Punch 700S, older amp. Diamond audio, previously esoteric amps. Blue tube driver from Butler Zapco AG or the Reference series. Brax or helix amps from Audiotec Fischer. Also, sound demos of Seas Lotus loud speakers. As well as Diamond Audio, TDX subs, especially there 15's, boy do they slam hard as hell as well as very accurate, incredible subs. Granted, very expensive stuff here but never know.
Nothing against Best Buy or budget equipment; I spent major $ there in my younger days. But RF products DID look out of place next to Jensen, lightning audio, etc on those displays. I'm glad they re focused on their "premium" status. Unlike some other brands of the day that are now just a name on buildhouse products.
*RELATED VIDEOS*
1999 Rockford Fosgate Power 1100a2: ruclips.net/video/zADEl30A8_o/видео.html
1999 Rockford Fosgate 800a4: ruclips.net/video/7GzeaagdH9s/видео.html
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3 Modes of the Amp Dyno Explained: ruclips.net/video/Q0m6NsB-HHc/видео.html
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I TOO WAS WORKING AT BEST BUY
That is a 25 year old amp. It is doing great for it's age and unknown history!
I will never forget these days! I was 18 and Rockford was the cats meow. I worked at Best Buy in 2000 and it was timeless. We raked it in with discounts. I'll never forget the first time I saw/heard a 18" Solobaric (sp?) sub connected to a mono Rockford - holy hell,.....holy hell. That was literally and figuratively earth-shaking stuff. Just a great time for car audio tech. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
I remember those days also at Best Buy. Back in 1998 at Best Buy they had a whole area where they sold car audio equipment. They had a test vehicle that was interactive on the show floor with buttons to press to hear the difference in speakers and subwoofers in the test vehicle. You could alternate the music also through a pre programed music playlist. Every time, I would press the buttons to get the best speakers (Cerwin -Vega) and I would play the Fugees The Score and let the bass hit.. man I miss those days...
Former Best Buy employees unite!!
@@CobraR1993 YES! We had that too. Thinking back, it looked like a Tesla Roadster kind of. I think it was red too.
Best Buy always pushed Cerwin, it was their staple. That and Pioneer I should say.
Man, Pioneer 4-way 6*9's back then could hit when properly amped!
@@haroldcheatham7818 YAS! Will never happen again. Those days are forever gone. We are so lucky to have lived through those car audio days!
Same, I was also an install tech. we were best of the best for years. we got hooked up with the deals on this era fosgate. I would kill for a head unit with sd card changer from this era today.
A little stroll down memory lane. I love it.
Back at n the day,I put 4 of these in a Sanger boat for a customer. That thing was insane. 4 - Punch 12’s and 4 pair of Infinity Kappa 6x9. He ended up adding an alternator and 2 more batteries to the system with a battery isolator. I guess he got tired of getting stranded from listening to his tunes too long.
Lol😅
Great video. For the comments being surprised about power output falling short, many of you accurately focused on the capacitors. So, YES capacitors do start to degrade by leaking around 15 years old. Since we don't know the condition of the capacitors in this amplifier, they should be replaced on older amps since they are the primary current storage devices for the power supply and rails. If you have a hole in your bucket, you can only store water up to where the hole is, same with current, right? For questions on why the MOSFETs don't use a clamp bar, it's because they are soldered to an extremely efficient substrate called T-Clad (MEHSA - Maximum Efficiency Heat-Sink Application). This substrate is then secured to the heatsink using those black hex screws. This eliminates the reliant on clamp bars for effective heat transfer.
I’ve got the model before this one, it’s the punch 800.2 it’s got some mosfets missing on it as it went into protect, was wondering if those are still available to repair and replace, or at least schematics. I’m a local around the warehouse as well!
Wow shot Nichicon capacitors and MOSFETs in a Class AB amplifier. You say some crazy things. I think the one with a hole in their bucket here is you.
I think everyone is just use to seeing these old beasts best their numbers so if ever they don't people are gonna be shocked. All us collectors know the truth. Gotta replace those caps!
I know a lot of people didn't like the side covers but I did, it made it easier to do a clean install
The golden age of car audio. Stuff was pricey in them days but very well built. I sure did love the un regulated power supplies. Lanzar Rockford Orion.........oh man i miss those days!!
most of fosgate's amps are still un-regulated except for the constant power series but it's not as tightly regulated as JLs.
Had 2 15" and 2 10" Lanzar Pros. Those subs hit so damned hard listening to Dr. Dre and Snoop. Can't forget Dj Magic Mike...
MTX also made some killer gear in the 1990s and early 2000s. Had a couple 12" 9500 subs and those things were nasty with a 1200 watt RMS amp on each of them. Very musical subs too.
Yes finally punch amps, loved my 1990 ,1991 punch 150 that thing was a monster
One of my favorite lines of RF.😎
I HAD 2 360A2'S ON 4 BOSTON 15'S AND I HIT A 150DB IN 2001 IN A NISSAN HARD BODY WITH A SNUGTOP
I love the hardbody trucks!
Anybody in car audio in that era knows these were top notch amps.
Idc what the dyno says they put out alot of power for that time and nearly bulletproof.
It’s blew 4 6x9s @2ohm each channel then blew a mosphet 5no5h 1st day I hooked it up I’m unable to find one tho so I can’t fix it
I was really surprised it barely did its power! Killed it with dynamic power though! Great video as always Mr. Williston!
Me too but over 1100 on woofer shows the real truth. Pretty impressive performance for 25yr old electronic.
@@BDauto86 agreed
The electrolytic caps inside might be getting awfully tired/dried out.
@@JasonWW2000 Exactly that, 25 years is a LONG time for caps even premium ones.
@@TheLionAndTheLamb777 not really. We've been conditioned to accept capacitor failure. But done right that doesn't always have to be the case. Eventually sure. But this here proves eventually can be a very long time.
These B&G’s were a staple for so long.
I don't see nuttin wrong, wif a little black and grind...
The first series B&G's (the .2 & .4) were noticeably stronger than the second series (the @2 & @4). The first series could also take more abuse than the second series
This video makes me feel old.
I still have mine from 1999. I had a lot of different subs run through this thing and it held up perfectly! 2 JL w6 15's, 2 sound stream SPL 15's, and 2 kicker Solo 15's
still got mine also! always ran rockford amps for anything
We (Rockford Dealers) asked our reps the exact questions you have with the 800a2 and its perceived underperformance (for a Rockford Product...). The answers we got was that the amp was originally designed to be rated at 150 watts RMS X 2 @ 4 ohms or 600 watts RMS @ 4 ohms mono but it fit in the model lineup better calling it an 800 watt class amp. It was in direct competition with the MTX2300, and it looks better on paper rated higher than its competition, even if it barely makes the ratings. It certainly fits the mold to have been called a Punch 600a2. The Power 1000a2 or 1100a2 (or whichever it was designated for the 1999 model year) was a straight up beast for the day. I owned a shop in '99 and had a 800a2 on a 3-way MB Quart component set and a Power 1100a2 on a pair of HE2 12's in my personal car for shop demo. Both amps performed extremely well in that setup and lasted for years without issue. Anyway, it might've been just an excuse for an underperforming product, but it certainly made sense.
For a 20 year old amp, it did really well honestly
I ran a 600a4 and 2 500a2s in my jeep pushing 4 Rockford 12’s I loved the sound of that thing.
I used to run two Rockford Punch 800@2 with two power DVC Rockford 15s at 2 ohms mono. Did extremely well for the two woofer class at the time. Unfortunately, the Rockford PowerDVC 15s would melt the voice coil to the magnet every couple contest. Even though I was sponsored by my local Rockford rep Rockford warranty for the woofers was not happy with me. Most of the time the wolfers were not repairable. They had to replace the magnet because they could not get the voice coil out of it. But that was the point of DB dragration you pushed it till something broke. Just a win.
I still have this amp. I have it In one of my cars in a set of mbquart 6x9 components
I have five of these amazing amps, 2 800a2's and 3 800a4's, and one of the 800a2's, with the remote bass knob, is still brand new in the box, never has seen power, yes I'm a collector haha
I want to be buried with them!
1100 watts on the Savard H.O... Great spider 🕷 control in free air. Great Video 📹 Big D
I had the power series 400.2 and a punch 360.2 . Also, a 100.2 and a punch 45 ,all transanna models. They were great amps
Just found your channel👍
Been into this stuff since the 80s.
Saw one of your videos on an old MTX, but gotta search for R/F Power series, h/k CA240 and 260, and Orion HCCA series now!!
I got one of these from a classmate that worked for Best Buy back in the day. If i remember correctly his cost was either $399 or $499 so it was a great deal. I ran two JL Audio 15W0's in a rather large sealed box with the amp. It was pretty impressive at the time & never had an issue with the entire setup. Unfortunately the amp & subs were stolen by a jealous person who i thought was a good friend. It was an enormous hit for a 16 year old with very little money to replace it all but life goes on & it was only the beginning of a life long hobby. Thanks for the video it brings back so many great memories from 25 years ago.
Back in the day all u need was a Rockford Punch amp,Solo baric subs and an Alpine deck..the Rockford amp still looks beautiful compared to newer amps..the heat sinks are huge..i miss having a system..my last one was stolen and i drive BigBoy cars now,,but one day i will put in some 10 inch solo barics,punch amp with a capacitor..i miss the deep bass drop when listening to music,,then again i think im deaf in one ear due ro all the loud music back then..😂😂😂..my last system was in an integra..alpine deck,fockord amp to run my mids and highs,12 inch solo barics, Rockford 1.5 farad capaciter,and Alpine 1250w i yhink it was a mono amp bit somehow i was able to bridge it..that shit knocked so hard and was so clear i remember folks running up to the car to say it sound perfect.
My buddy just picked up an MTX 250 Thunder amplifier used for a good price. And the manufacturing date was 10/1999. Naturally I took off the back panel and inspected it and no leaky capacitors, everything looked good. So putting it back together is when I saw just the most amazing thing on the amp cover. It said: "Made in America"! Sure enough, when we got it installed it worked just fine. So MTX used to be honestly the "real deal" when it came to car stereo amplifiers. I guess you learn something new every day. lol Because, the video I saw of a recently tested MTX amp on the channel ended up with the "Dick Rickulous" seal of approval. lol
I had this model amp on two HX2 12" subs in a sealed box and man was it awesome❤
back when these came out I worked at Best Buy and sold these amps. I had a full set but ended up selling them. To be young and dumb. Wish I would have kept them. Great video BigD! Keep them coming
Thanks a million, I was dying to see what these beast’s did at 2ohms as we used them for mids here in Philadelphia.
We like our music load.
Big shout out Big D for these amp dynos.
🤘Rockford Fosgate🤘
Love all these Oldschool amps 👍🆙️
I've been waiting for this!!! I collect this series of amps and subs. I've got 11 amps both of the a and z variety and 15 subs from the z to hx2, dvc, and power dvc. Amps in black, gold and chrome end caps. Punch links are rare!!
One of the best sounding amps I've ever owned. I still have two of the 500@2 amps
In 98 I had bought the last series before they went to these "a2" series. Had two Punch 125s on 4 Punch DVC 12s and two Punch 45s for highs and mids. Did a 151.9 at the DB drag wired to 1 ohm in a 97 ext cab Chevy with a wall. Till this day I regret selling the amps. I ended up keeping 1 of the 12s. Good memories and Thanks Big D!
I was an installer on and off for 30 years. My first system was original Punch amps/Polk MM speakers, Punch SPP!24 and Alpine source. I remember all that followed. At one point I possessed a Fosgate "Gavotte". I remember when good amps commanded $3/watt.
I sure miss my 1998 Pontiac Grand AM. TSW Spirit 18x8's. RF 800a4 and 1100a2. Boston Acoustics 3-way components up front, 6.5 in the door, mid and tweet in custom kicks. 4 x JL audio 12w3's in a custom, sealed fiberglass enclosure and completely hidden as a false floor. Trunk was still 100% usable, except I had no spare tire.
Amps were mounted horizontally inside the trunk on either side of the trunk lid latch area and were flush mounted with a custom carpeted enclosure around them.
Al & Ed's Auto Sound of Rancho Cucamonga, CA did all the work and Brent (I think) did a fantastic job!
Later down the road they added a JL Audio 8w something in a custom fiberglass box that was mounted in the center console under dash. Also added a Rockford Fosgate Symmetry.
Yellow top battery and power cap.
They removed it all in 2002, I sold it all off and bought a 2002 Subaru WRX. If I had it to do over I would've kept the Grand AM as it was!
Stuck in LA traffic, but cranking Metallica, ZZ Top, Van Halen, etc sure made things better! :P
All that bass and you played zz top!
Wow i best that set up rocked. I had a 96 chevy Camaro with a 800a2 powering 3x jl 10w6 with alpine highs. Still my favorite sounding car i had.
I've got several collecting dust. Around 70 plus Fosgate from all vintages. Don't fo car audio anymore but kept buying them. Even have a matched pair of 500 chrome with end caps. Nice amps
HOARDER! just kidding. kinda
I have 2 of these 800a2’s. Had to get them to fill the nostalgia of being a high schooler again. Lol
Nice video, I still have my punch 800A2. When I had my MA AUDIO 15's powered by this amp. My friends always said they heard me B4 they saw my truck. Awesome amp, they dont make them like they used too. Just like MBE said when u tell someone u have a fosgate amp, u will never, ever, ever, ever here someone say something bad about FOSGATE amps period
Best amps I’ve ever owned. I’ve had 800a2, 800a4 and 1100a2c. Boy they got hot as hell but never shut down. I had the link and the 2 800s together went almost all the way across the trunk.
I had this amp as one of three on my 3 way front stage and it sounded amazing. These amps sound great with tons of headroom!
Thanks for another cool video. But I can't say I'm surprised how everything turned out. I'm a fan of Rockford Fosgate products, and even just how they run their business having their products made in South Koea instead of China. Advertising they are not a stereo company, but a "Design company". I could be wrong, but I just have a feeling if you worked for them you'd not only have a good job, but a fun one as well. (However much fun you can have designing amplifiers anyway). lol
The RF Punch amps are all I ran back in the early 2000's. I still have a few sitting around :-)
I had a Rockford Fosgate amp similar to that back in 2003-4. It was a 300W RMS (900W max) and I got it from Best Buy. I forget what model it was. It was an amp, 12in sub and box combo. The first system I ever had. That is incredible that it was able to move that sub so much. It did hit almost 1200W for a split second. I currently have a Rockford Fosgate setup in my car.
In 1999 I had bought the Fosgate 800a2 with the 400a4 amps powering three 12 Punch DVC HX2S, and four MB Quartz 6.5 component speakers. The 400a4 blew out and was replaced with the Zapco 6.0. I was going to replace the 800a2 with the Zapco 9.0 but decided to keep it. After 20-plus years my system is still bumping good.
I loved those 800a2's they were great. The punch series were the best in my book.
Also the MEHSA mounting literally solders the mosfets to the heat transfer plate but electrically isolates the drain from the heat sink. Great idea IMO. Easy to work on with an appropriately large soldering iron AND effective cools the mosfets
These where a beast, I bought a 800a2 and 800a4 when they first came out at best buy.
20yrs ago my roommate had a punch 800 4 channel pushing 4 volfenhag 15s rated 1500 watts/750 rms each. It gave those subs hell. His whole truck shook like jello. Ive bought dozens of them since then
In 2000-2001 I put two RF Punch 10’s with that amp behind the seat of my 84 Chevy S10 standard cab. Good times.
I had 2 800a2s on 4 12hx2s in a downtime box and man it was loud.i sure do miss that system😢
I had 4 of these 800a2 amps, 2 500a2, a power 250x2, a 250a2 and a couple others and they all were amazing.
I had one of those and a phoenix gold zx450 in high-school
I still have that amp and is a beast
i love old amps. if taken care of they last a long while.
I still use a Carver amp i bought in '92. It hits above its rated weight class then and now. I have run it hard for years it sat for a few and it always fires up. I will truly be sad if it ever dies
I'm using this same amp right now
Back in the latest of the 90's when people used to "cruise the ave" it basically a car audio demo of different brands nightly, Rockford Fosgate always were more powerful audio set ups.
I’m using one for my mids & highs. I absolutely love it!!
I wish i could find a couple of the 800.2’s that had the chrome removable panels. I had 2 of those on 4 ‘07 Cvr 15’s in a sealed box in my 2000 Impala. That thing sounded so good, and all the equipment lasted YEARS. Unfortunately, it all got stolen when I was out of town for work. Came home and it was all gone.
Rockford Fosgate still punches even today's amps 👍
Rf power at 12.8... Most amps today are 14.4... i wonder why? lol
I still have my Power 500a2 and a Punch 360a2 from the late 90's. Those amps have some power! The birth sheet on the 500a2 showed over 650 watts, and the 360a2 almost 450.
Looks familiar😂 glad you got around to do a video👍
The issue I had before was related to the gain pot. I cleaned it and then had no issues with the test 👌
In 1999, I was 18 and running 2 RF Punch DVCs on a Kicker ZR240 in a bandpass box. My parents gave me the ok to buy the RF 800a2 off of Crutchfield. I ultimately decided not to get it because I thought it was too much money. It was a great time in car audio.
This was already way past the heyday of RF. The Punch and Power series amps from the '80s were some of the kings of car audio.
For sure!! The Punch 75 was a life changer for me..... No more cool down time for my beat up Majestic 500😅.
Anything past 1997 is "new" to me lol.
i keep hoping one day you'll get an old kenwood 1020 or 1021 on the dyno!
921 would be nice too!
I remember these days :) I was installing at Best Buy during the initial release of Rockford Fosgate products. We sold a lot of the amps and subwoofers. The Rockford CD players were not great, and the coaxial speakers didn't fit many of the vehicles we had coming in. Overall, we loved the amps and subs.
I had the smaller amp on 2 Visonik 15s back in 2004
I got 8 of these amps all different wattage, some of the best amps ever made, still use a couple of em in my 93 camry
Had one of those on 2 HX2 12's in a civic that was extreme dynamat lined. One of the best systems I had.
I remember the dollar a watt days. Now days 800 can get you an awesome Korean made 6k.
My first big system was 8 punch xlc 12s and 2 punch 800a2s
I worked at bestbuy when this happened. It was great....got a wonderful discount on their stuff. Had to RF 12s, a 4 channel amp and a mono.
Brought back a memory of riding down to Kansas in a station wagon for illegal fireworks.
He had two 12s on one of these and it was loud until it wasn't because these punch amps always seemed to overheat on long drives.
I had mine hooked up to a couple of inverted 15" Kicker Comps very clean sound. Setting off car alarms
A proud owner of the chrome version of this amp!
Gets brutal bass bridged at 4ohm, but you can fry an egg on it. Can't imagine people running it on 2ohm without additional cooling...
oh hell yes they ran hot as shit but they seem to be happy with it lol
ran fans on mine at 2 ohms bridged for well over 10 years
@@NightshiftCustom you are absolutely right sir, they like it hot cause mine never shut down on thermal protection no matter how long and hard I pound on it!
Grew up with Punch amps. They sounded great!
Big D... Just got done wiring the Punch POWER dvc 12 subs up, went with t2d2 coils & used a hx2 cone w/ voice coil cut open for 4" coil and used top ringland for the sewn tinsel lead spiders from the T2D2s.... Basically made a shalllow t2 12... The good ol' 500.2 punch POWER grey series ready to do its thang on the subs...going in an ext cab Silverado... Should wake up the neighbors lol 🤣🤣🤣
Great video 👍👍I can confirm that , I had 409W continuous 1kHz into 2 Ohms with a 800a2 and dynamically 530W at 13.6V.
If we take the difference in dB it will show that the difference is no difference 😊
My brother had 2 of these in his 97 Tahoe back then when these released was bumping like crazy.
Hanging out at Alpha Stereo in Plattsburgh NY these were the go to....Much Love
My first system had a RF amp from that era! Don't remember the exact model but had it paired to a pair of Alpine Type-R 12s. Thought I had the loudest system possible haha
Brings back my days at circuit city and we would go to brand smart to get Rockford fosgate
At the shop I worked at in 2001, we're an authorized Rockford dealer. And I've installed a bunch of these amps all models. But I was more impressed by the Directed 1100d at the time.
I am feeling like its a party 🎉in 99... blows my mind 🤯😉
.... The 1100a2 video Big D has .... Yes it's really got that much power @ 1ohm mono.... 😊 , 8 Punch Hx2 12s on a 1100a2 in a 94 ext cab Chevy w/ no back seat....
I ran this amp for many years wired at 2 ohms with a custom fan setup to keep it cool
many subwoofers had a short life from the power this thing could output and even alternators back then did not last me very long lol had to add an extra battery and move up to the bigger gm alternator
still have this amp today going to re powder coat it soon to freshen her up
i have 2 of this sty amps there 500 watts love this amps works great
Punch 800a2 was a fantastic amp. Nobody ran these amps at 4ohms.
Facts. If you could help it at least. 2.67 ohms mono was the sweet spot.
I had a few of these amps back in the day as well.
Interesting and informative video my man , any chance of doing the t800.2 , power series amps should have better rms power in my opinion
Thank you been waiting for this
My current setup is Rockford Fosgate, they still get the job done
I had 2x 400.a4 amps back in the day. Both bridged to 4ohmx2 powering their own 12" dual voice coil punch subs. Took a little effort to get the both amps synched properly but man they slapped and barley got hot
I remember these! Too expensive for what I was making working at the mall, so I ended up with a plethora of Sony and Kenwood amps. I still have and currently use my two Xplods. Found out a month ago my boy always cheaped out and ran 4 speakers off of 2 channel amps. Always wondered why the music sounded so....idk. Lateral?
I had 3 of these amps, I loved this model.
Had this driving 2 pcs of 8 inch dual 4ohm voice coil version wooffers in 10 liters seal box built in 44 (2x22mm) MDF. It played tighter than a10 ton vice.
Wow!!!! I loved those amps! Back in 2000 I had a pair of those (Punch POWER 800 a2's) each running at .5 ohms, on a pair of Shocker 12's in my 1991 Buick Skylark. Did 150.6 db @ a DB Drag comp back in 2000. That was back when Termpro was using those old skool Bob Barker Price is Right skinny mics for metering.
Great work as always, keep it up.
I would love to see you test the following amps:
Rockford Punch 700S, older amp.
Diamond audio, previously esoteric amps.
Blue tube driver from Butler
Zapco AG or the Reference series.
Brax or helix amps from Audiotec Fischer.
Also, sound demos of Seas Lotus loud speakers.
As well as Diamond Audio, TDX subs, especially there 15's, boy do they slam hard as hell as well as very accurate, incredible subs.
Granted, very expensive stuff here but never know.
Nothing against Best Buy or budget equipment; I spent major $ there in my younger days. But RF products DID look out of place next to Jensen, lightning audio, etc on those displays. I'm glad they re focused on their "premium" status. Unlike some other brands of the day that are now just a name on buildhouse products.
I’ve still got one of these. Still kicks ass.