Anyone heard of MA amps?

How are they?

 

Yes.

low end. avoid.

 

Thanks.

 

I guess I'll stick with the 3 brand I trust the most. Not the most expensive one but just 3 that I have used and widely use by some of good installers I know.

- Soundstream
- PhoenixGold
- MBQuarts

 

Soundstream. Went broke, bought by low end new owner, kept name and look only. Avoid.

Phoenix Gold. Almost went broke. Now all made in Korea. No more US amp manufacturing. Avoid.

MQ Quart. Was bought and run aground by Rockford Corp., then jettisoned. In bankruptcy in Germany. Now being distributed again in the US. Unknown financial future.

If those are the three brands you know and like, I ain't ever letting you ride in a boat with me, we'll get eaten by a whale.

Look at DLS amps and speakers, seriously - good values and sound great (see www.dls.se for their competition records lately). JL is reliable.

Hell, I'd go Alpine amps before I'd go SS or PG anymore.

 

el_duderino, Thanks for all the insights. I would of never known. I havn't been tickering with my audio for sometime. I guess the world has changed. I always like Alpine. Apline is what started my Audio obsession when I was a kid. I guess there is something never changed. I want something good but within a reasonable price range. Not that I can't afford it but I just don't see the need for it.

What do you think of Diamond Audio amps today?

 

If your an Audiophile i would look into the Zapco Reference Line

 

If he were an audiophile, he probably wouldn't have asked the question... but the DLS A series is sweet too.

 

Get some of the Pre-New owner Soundstream. They are some of the best amps out there. True, the newer amps by SS is of questionable quality. Some of the older ones to get are the Tarantula, Van Gogh, Rubicon, Reference (these are some of the best amps made I hear), Davinci (if you can find them, they will be VERY expensive, even on Ebay), and Finally Human Reign (Man, these things are total Beasts! They were like 5 grand new!). MB Quarts: I never did like them. I didn't even know they made amps? Phoenix Gold (also of questionable Quality.

One thing I have noticed is on these forums, people tend to stick with one brand (i.e. JL - even I think JL are of questionable quality for their amps, DPE and Volks for Rims, etc.), and Zaino for polishes and waxes. There are so many alternatives out there. Don't be "rushed" into any one brand. Just find what you like and can afford and like the best. That really how it boils down.

What do I like? I like the pre-new owner Soundstreams. I have some old Infinity Kappa amps (these things are monsters - loud and clean) and Betas (they are one of the first Digital amps - really clean), and PPI (although I haven't really kept up with them and don't know what happened to them). My recommendatin are the older Soundstreams. They are much better then the newer ones for sure, can be found at great discounts, warranty will be honored by Soundstream, and really for the price they will sound better than any newer amps by other manufacturers out there. Do a search on google and you'll see what I'm talking about. Have fun!