1993 Rockford Fosgate 200 DSM vs SMD AD-1 Amp Dyno - Impressive!

1993 Rockford Fosgate Punch 200 DSM Amplifier

The 1993 Rockford Fosgate Punch 200 DSM was one of the most well regarded amps of it's time. Here's a quote from a May/June 1993 Car Stereo Review test of the Punch 200 DSM, "In terms of design, construction, aesthetics, and sonic purity, Rockford's Punch 200 easily stands among the best power amplifiers on the market today...If you're driving your system with something else, chances are you're listening to something inferior." (Ken C. Pohlmann)

We knew based on the previous tests of the Punch 200 this amp was powerful and dynamic, however we were unaware of the hidden "dynamic power" within this amp. Back in 1993, this amplifier retailed for around $600 US and replaced a legend, the Punch 150HD. It was no small feat for Rockford engineers to create a superior amp to the tried and true Punch 150, but trust me...they were successful! 

Watch the video and see the results obtained from this 20yr old car audio amplifier. Nothing short of spectacular!

Here are the results from my test with the SMD/D'Amore Engineering AD-1 Amp Dyno:

8 ohms mono = 4 ohms stereo x 2
8 ohms - Amp is rated at 200W at 12V (or 100W x 2 at 4 ohms)
8 ohms - Certified 1% THD - 258W at 12.85V
8 ohms - Uncertified - 262W at 12.87V
8 ohms - Dynamic RMS - 262W at 12.83V

4 ohms mono = 2 ohms stereo x 2
4 ohms - Amp is rated 400W at 12V (or 200W x 2 at 2 ohms)
4 ohms - Certified 1% THD - 421W at 12.53V
4 ohms - Uncertified - 423W at 12.51V
4 ohms - Dynamic RMS - 459W at 12.93V

2 ohms mono = 1 ohm stereo x 2
2 ohms - Amp is not rated at 2 ohms mono or 1 ohm stereo
2 ohms - Certified 1% THD - 573W at 13.06V
2 ohms - Uncertified - 856W at 11.87V
2 ohms - Dynamic RMS - 890W at 12.97V

All tests above were at 40Hz. We re-ran the tests at 1kHz and the only notable differentiation in results was the 2 ohms Dynamic RMS test where we obtained 920W at 12.79V. We have determined the difference was related to voltage and believe provided the proper voltage (14.4V), the amp would have measured over 1000W Dynamic RMS at 40Hz also. Not bad from a 200W amp!

Watch the video in full 1080P HD Here >>

Or embedded below:


More Amp Dyno AD-1 tests coming!

Make sure you are subscribed to my channel so you'll receive notifications when I upload the next exciting video! Thanks for your support and remember to keep it Old School!


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Check out these other cool car audio channels:
http://www.youtube.com/CarAudioFabrication
http://www.youtube.com/meade916
http://www.youtube.com/SoundManCarAudio
http://www.youtube.com/DAmoreEngineering

For more information about Rockford Fosgate equipment, please visit:
http://www.rockfordfosgate.com

Rare Old School Rockford Fosgate Power 1000 Mosfet Terminator Edition Amplifier

est. 1990 Rockford Fosgate Power 1000 Mosfet "Terminator Edition" Amplifier designed by Wayne Harris

Let us take a journey back to the year 1989...Car audio had been around for a while, but with amplifiers such as the HiFonics Colossus, Linear Power 8002 and Rockford Fosgate Power 1000, things were really getting serious. Wayne Harris, one of the pioneers of modern car stereos, was hired by Rockford Corporation and was given the task of swapping out his amps in the "Terminator Hearse" with the Power 1000 Mosfets. Wayne was kind enough to send an email describing the beginnings of the 1000C:

"If I recall correctly, I went to work for Rockford in July of 1989. One of my first tasks was to upgrade the equipment I was using in the Terminator. Rockford gave me 6 each Power 1000 amplifiers. Unfortunately, they were too long to fit in my car. I took the sheet metal for each amp to a machine shop and had them cut off the “caboose”. This made the amp about 6 inches shorter. (Now the amps would fit in my amp rack.) I then designed an LED bargraph meter display and installed these displays within the MAIN housing of the amplifiers. The final step was to chrome plate the amp shroud and then apply custom silkscreen.

The VP of marketing (Jerry Cave) saw the amps in my car prior to the 1990 CES show in Las Vegas. He like the amps in my car so much that he decided to make all Power 1000 amps look the same."

As many of you old schooler's know, Wayne Harris' Terminator Hearse is a legend in car audio. If you haven't seen it, take the time to view the video of this beast from 1985 from dBDragUSA's YouTube channel...can you say 30" subwoofer?

Sorry for the side track, I'll try to stay on subject here. The Rockford Fosgate Power 1000 Mosfet "Terminator Edition" (from now on we'll refer to as the 1000C) was a step forward in design from the original Power 1000 Mosfet, which was introduced around 1987. The internals were identical except for the LED meter and removal of the "caboose". The 1000C's chrome appearance and $2650 US MSRP meant this amp was not for your average 16 year old getting a new stereo....it was for serious competitors and those who got had the means to buy such an expensive amplifier. Many Rockford dealers had one or more of these amps in their demo vehicles and most of us could only dream of owning such an amp.

RF T1000 vs. Orion Concept 97.3

The 1000C is a four-channel, class A/B amplifier with no internal crossovers. See detailed specs below:

• Power Ratings 2 Channels (Bridged): 500 watts x 2 channels from 20-20,000Hz with less than 0.1% THD
• Power Ratings 4 Channels: 4 Ohms: 150 watts x 4 channels from 20-20,000Hz with less than 0.05% THD; 2 Ohms: 250 watts x 4 channels from 20-20,000Hz with less than 0.1% THD
• Frequency Response: 20-100,000Hz +0.5dB, -3.0dB
• Damping Factor: At circuit board: Over 200 (referred to 4 ohms); At speaker fuse: Over 50 (referred to 4 ohms)
• Signal to Noise Ratio: Over 80dB Unweighted
• Instantaneous Peak Output Current: Over 100 Amperers 
• Protection: The Power 1000 is protected by analog computer output protection circuitry and a 100A fuse. A thermal sensor shuts down the amplifier in case of overheating
• Dimensions: 22.75" L x 7.4" W x 3.75" H
• Weight: 21lbs
• MSRP: $2650 US (1991)

Here is an informational email I received directly from Rockford Fosgate when I inquired about the 1000c Terminator Edition amp:

“The T1000’s went from the black painted and silkscreened ones with the caboose (that covered the 6ga B+ & Gnd terminal block), then to the black painted and silkscreened ones that no longer had the caboose and just had the one B+ and two GND cables hanging out of it.  Then it migrated into a chrome fan shroud.  That’s about the time that Wayne Harris came on board with designing the LED output meter for the T1000’s.  Then probably in ’92-’93* is when the Terminator Edition hit the market with the special screening and LED display.  It was a very limited run….I think maybe only 100pcs or so.  I think Wayne had 10 of them for himself.”

(* I think the year range was '90-91 - BigDWiz)

See the unboxing and overview video below. More information coming as soon as I get the amp repaired and fully functional...

Make sure to Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to stay updated of my latest videos. You can also follow me on Twitter @oldschoolstereo.


Watch the video on YouTube in 1080P or embedded below:

The Vintage Rockford Fosgate Collection of OldSchoolStereo.com

Some of the Older Fosgate and Rockford Fosgate Amps in the OldSchoolStereo collection

We at OldSchoolStereo.com are Rockford Fosgate fanatics! I myself, started off with a late 80's Punch 45 and still have the amp to this day (and it still works great!). I decided to put together a video slideshow of much of our old school collection of Fosgate and Rockford Fosgate gear.

The slideshow was put together to show off models ranging from a 1978 PR-250 to the 2005 "25 To Life" Anniversary models of the Punch 45, 75 and 150. Enjoy the slideshow showing off models such as:

• Fosgate (Pre-Rockford) Amps including the PR-220 and PR-250
• 1st Generation Punch 45, 75, 150 and several Perfect Interface chrome and gold amp shrouds
• 2nd Generation and HD series Punch 45, 75 and 150
• Old School Power series amps including the Power 100HD, Power 300, Power 360, Power 650 and Power 1000 Mosfet model
• A MASSIVE collection of the 1992-1996 DSM series amps including; Punch 40, 60, 100, 200 (plus the ix models) and a few of the 4 channel models; 4020, 160x4 and 400x4. I also show off a MINT Punch Power 500M in the original box!
• Speakers including the "Punch Classic" subwoofers and AUDIOphile mids/tweets and subs from the mid-1990's
• And MUCH more! Enjoy the 5 minute video!

I also created both music tracks on my iPad using GarageBand. I'm no expert making music, but have fun doing it. Let me know what you think of my beats and such.

Rockford Fosgate DSM Heaven!

Make sure to Subscribe to my YouTube Channel to stay updated of my latest videos. You can also follow me on Twitter @oldschoolstereo.



See the video on YouTube in 1080p HD or embedded below:

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Orion 275 SX - Old School 75x2 Powerhouse!

Old School Early to Mid-1990's 75x2 (150 watt) RMS Amps from Rockford, Phoenix Gold, Soundstream and Orion

So, you may have already seen some of my earlier amp output tests on the Rockford Fosgate Punch 150HD vs. Phoenix Gold MS-275 and the Soundstream Reference 300....but what about the Orion 275 SX? Well, wait no longer, my friends. I finally got the Orion 275 SX on the OldSchoolStereo.com test bench for some RMS watt output tests. How do you think it compared to the others? Well, keep reading to find out.

Now, first of all, I think it is important to mention a comparison of the 275 SX....in many ways, it is very similar to the 225 HCCA. Both share the same sized heatsink and require a 35A fuse. I've done some preliminary tests with Orion's 225 HCCA "digital reference" amp a while back and I must say the amp was VERY impressive! The 275 SX is only rated to handle 4 ohm mono or 2 ohm stereo loads. As with many of the old school amps, it can handle lower ohm loads, but not designed to handle the 1/2 ohm loads as the 225 HCCA does without a sweat!

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Orion 275 SX vs. 225 HCCA vs. Messy Test Bench!

Instead of spending so much time comparing the 275 SX to the 225 HCCA, let's move on to the comparison against the other 150 watt amps I've mentioned before. Here are the specs of the 275 SX:

Specs: rated @ 12.5 volts*
2 x 75W @ 4 ohms
2 x 150W @ 2 ohms
1 x 300W @ 4 ohms bridged
THD: 0.03%
S/N: 110dB
Freq. Response: 6Hz 20kHz (±0.5dB)
Fuse: 35A
Dimensions: 11" x 8.5" x 2.25" (28cm x 21.6cm x 5.7cm)

*note: The Orion 275 SX uses an unregulated power supply, so more volts = more power! Also, my power supply is non-adjustable at 13.8v, nearly a volt and a half more than Orion's 12.5v rating, so take this into consideration.

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Orion's 2nd Gen HCCA and SX Spec Sheet / Manual

Ok, enough specs and talk about the amp, let's see how it performed.

Watch the video in 1080p HD

or embedded below:

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Make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay notified of the latest "old school" car audio videos. Much more exciting tests, demos and information coming up soon...

-BigD

Soundstream Reference 300 Power Output Test

Soundstream Reference 300 on the OldSchoolStereo.com Test Bench

I recall back in the early 90's patiently awaiting my monthly Car Audio magazines so I could see amp tests. It was very rare to come across a test I actually cared about, but maybe once a year or so. I drooled over the Phoenix Gold MS series, Rockford Fosgate HD series, Soundstream Reference series, just to mention a few. Well, these days, I spend some of my free time bench testing some of these amps I always wanted back in the day.

I recently picked up a Soundstream Reference 300 and couldn't wait to add it to my old school 150 watt (75x2 RMS) amp tests. If you've missed it, I've already done an overview and RMS watt output test of the Phoenix Gold MS-275 and Rockford Fosgate Punch 150HD.

The Reference 300 is a no-frills old school amp. It has no internal crossover and as with earlier Soundstream amps, all connections are made on one side. There are also two openings on the bottom of the amp with switches. One switch controls high power or high current mode, while the other allows switching between mono / coherent stereo / mixed-mono modes. The Reference 300 is rated to handle 1/2 ohm loads in stereo or 1ohm modes in mono, while in the high-current mode. High power modes are designed for loads down to 1 ohm stereo or 2 ohms mono.

See power output specs from the manual below:

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Soundstream Reference 200/300/500 Power Ratings at 12v

Also, here are some of the design specs of the Soundstream Reference Series amplifiers:

Soundstream Reference Series Design Features

The ability to drive 1/2 ohm loads was a rarity back in the early 90's. Only a handful of amps were rated to handle these loads. Orion HCCA models come to mind, but there were others from US Amps and Phoenix Gold, to mention a few.

As for the power output test, I was anticipating Soundstream to rate the Reference 300 conservatively. As you may have seen already, the Rockford Fosgate Punch 150HD was rated at the same 75x2 at 4 ohms and delivered nearly 120x2 at 4 ohms on the OldSchoolStereo.com test bench. Many manufacturers during this time rated their amps based on 12v, not the 14.4v you see today.

150 Watt Old School Amps from Phoenix Gold, Rockford Fosgate, Orion & Soundstream

So, enough talk already, how did the Soundstream Reference 300 perform on the bench? Well, now that you asked, here are the measurements (All taken based on 100Hz test tone and 13.8v input).

Continuous RMS Wattage Output: 

• 4 ohms Stereo - 105.6 watts/ch (both channels driven)
• 2 ohms Stereo - 134.1 watts/ch (both channels driven)
• 4 ohms Mono - 267.3* watts (in high-power mode)
• 2 ohms Mono - 224.7 watts (in high-current mode**)

*See the update video below for the updated 4 ohm mono test
**The Reference 300 popped it's 30A fuse when I attempted 2 ohm mono testing in the high-power mode.

See the power output test in in 720p HD or embedded below:



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UPDATE: One more demo to see if the 4 ohm bridged mono mode would yield the rated 300 watts:


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Keep watching and subscribe to my YouTube channel to stay updated with my latest Old School Car Audio tests and demos.

-BigD

Unboxing Old School Car Audio Gear

I will be the first to admit, unboxing videos do not appeal to me. Why? Mainly because people do unboxings for things like cameras, camcorders, computers, etc. and there is no excitement factor there. Now, take a plain brown box (with unknown goodies inside), open this up on camera and share your excitement with the world! This is how BigDWiz does unboxings at the OldSchoolStereo labs!


First off, I must say not all of the unboxings I do on my YouTube channel are from purchases. Many are from trades and barters for other gear. This is a part-time gig for me and I don't have unlimited funds to buy all of this cool, old school equipment. Well, since I know opening these packages is exciting for me, I thought you guys might enjoy the experience?

OldSchoolStereo.com Mystery Box!

Finding nice, old school car stereo gear is exciting in itself, but opening a package with unknown contents (well, unknown to you) is fun for all. Those of us who enjoy the old school gear also love to see "timeless classics"...the amps, speakers, head units, etc. that have either been babied or unused all of these years. I still find it amazing to see the condition of some of my 25+ year old equipment.


Most of these videos will just show the unboxing process, but in some cases, I may hook up and test the contents. Honestly, it just depends on how I'm feeling at the current time (and how much space is remaining on my iPhone's internal storage!). This brings up another interesting point....some of you may wonder what equipment I use to record and produce these short videos. Well, I have two words for you; iPhone and iMovie (we won't count "and" as a word!).


Recently, I've discovered making videos with the iPhone 4, is not only a simple process, but also gives a pretty good output video for viewing online. I also ensure use of the included ear buds / mic combination to get better audio, while still leaving both hands free to tear open the boxes. Once I capture the segments on my iPhone 4, basic editing is handled by the iMovie app for the iPhone. This $5 app turns your iPhone into a VERY powerful hand-held editing machine. If there is any interest, I may show the process I use to capture, edit and upload my videos to YouTube. You guys just let me know by making comments here or on my YouTube Channel.


While you are visiting, please Subscribe to my channel so you can get notification when I upload a new video. My intentions are to upload a new video every few days. As I've mentioned before, the more subscribers, comments, likes, etc. I have, the more videos I'll put up. I appreciate your enthusiasm as being an "old school nut" is addictive!


Unboxing Old School Car Stereo Gear
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Unboxing Old School Car Stereo Gear #2
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Unboxing Old School Car Stereo Gear #3
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Unboxing Old School Car Stereo Gear #4


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Vintage Fosgate Car Amps - PR 220 & PR-250 Pre-Rockford

Fosgate PR-250II and PR 220 Vintage Car Audio Amplifiers

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I decided to dig out some real dinosaurs in the car audio world....the Fosgate "The Punch" PR 220 and PR-250 Type II amplifiers. These amps were produced by Fosgate Electronics, Inc. in the late 1970's before Rockford joined Fosgate. I believe the PR-250 was 1978 or 1979 and this model was also produced in 1980 as a Rockford Fosgate PR-250II (logo was different than the one pictured above). The PR 220 was also late 1970's, found in the 1978 and 1979 Car Stereo Directory issues of Audio magazine, but not in the 1976 issue. I don't have the 1977 issue to see if they are listed there...

These amplifiers were state of the art at the time they were produced. Just think, in the late 1970's, many people were still rocking 8 tracks and a cassette player was "high-end". I don't believe there were many (if any) head units with pre-outs at the time. You definitely were lucky to have one of these back then. Don't forget, 3-way 6x9's were considered high-end at this time! Take your PR-250, power up the Sony tape deck and Jensen or Sparkomatic 6x9's and you were rockin'!!

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Another view of the Fosgate "The Punch" PR-250 Type II / PreAmp & PR 220 Amplifiers

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The Fosgate PR-250 Type II had a matching Pre-Amp, which controlled the unit's volume, bass and treble controls. The volume knob was a smooth rotating potentiometer, while the bass and treble controls had a "clicking" type potentiometer (meaning you had only a certain number of positions, by turning these knobs, it would click into position). The PR-250's pre-amp had only two connections, both DIN style plugs. One DIN cable would be integrated in with your head unit and the other would carry the signal from the pre-amp to the PR-250 amp. Then, you would need some speakers capable of handling 50 watts RMS per channel, not the easiest task in the late 70's...The PR-250 was also bridgeable or capable of handling loads more demanding than 4 ohms.

The Fosgate PR 220 was much simpler and less powerful than the 250. It was rated at 20 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms, no options for bridging or lower ohm loads. It also came without a pre-amp, all controls (bass and treble) were on the amp itself by 3-way sliders. Your options were low/mid/high for bass and treble adjustments. Again, speaker level inputs were the only signal source allowed into the amp and since most head units were only good for a couple of watts, the 20 watt PR 220 was a decent upgrade and would drive efficient speakers to loud (at the time) levels, around 110dB. Fosgate had a warning in the manual, "Sound levels of 110 dB have been recorded inside a car using the PR-220 and High Efficiency speakers. This is loud enough to lead to permanent loss of hearing after long periods of exposure. So use common sense.."

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Photo (c) 2011 - Dereck Willis - OldSchoolStereo.com

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So, you know me, I'm good for putting up video demo's right? Well yes, I have posted an overview of the amps below. That said, don't get too excited about seeing these amps in action as I'm a little hesitant to power them up. The PR 220 at least needed to pull power from the head unit for the remote turn on.

Quote by tomtomjr, one of if not the US's largest Fosgate/Rockford Fosgate collector and radio/amp technician:

" ...ALSO, on the turn on remote wire (red) , you will need to draw power from it to turn on the amp. We used to use a 12V light bulb and a switch. Put the remote wire (red) to the positive of the bulb, then the switch between the 12V ground and the 12V ground of the bulb. Flip the switch, and it will come on. These have the power-draw on the remote wire rather than the power input like modern amps... Hope this info helps........Tom"


See the video demo in 720p HD or embedded below:

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Rockford Fosgate Punch 150HD vs. Phoenix Gold MS-275 - Old School Amp Shootout!

Let's take a trip back in time, 20 years to be exact. You are in the market for a new amplifier for your system and you've narrowed the decision to two popular choices...The Rockford Fosgate Punch 150HD or Phoenix Gold MS-275. Both can be had for about $500 US (remember, 1991 folks) so you grab your Car Audio & Electronics April 1991 "Buyer's Guide" issue and review the specs. Both amps appear to be rated the same in 4ohms stereo at 75 watts/ch at 4 ohms bridged at 180 watts. How can you decide between the two? You really like the Phoenix Gold's 24 carat gold plated circuit board and terminal strip connectors. You are also intrigued by Rockford's reputation of overbuilding and underrating their amps. Again, a tough decision, but how do you choose only one?


Step forward to 2011...


Although in 1991, I could not afford either of these amps, I thought it would be a great way to relive those days as if I could choose between them. Now with the capability to bench test each amp in addition to some real-world tests with speakers, this could be a better experience than the car stereo shops of days past.

Rockford Fosgate Punch 150HD , Phoenix Gold MS-275 propped up by a Kicker Solobaric S10c

I've been fortunate in finding near MINT examples of each amplifier. My MS-275 is the rare gray color (most are the white color which are later models), while the Punch 150HD is the classic black. The original MSRP of the MS-275 was $479 US, while the Punch 150HD was a little higher at $515. See my video overview below as I'll go into further details of each amplifier. Power output and subwoofer tests coming soon in another video, so stay tuned...

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Edit: 6/25/11 


Unfortunately, it may be some time before the power output test is complete for the Phoenix Gold MS-275 as the output capacitors are showing signs of leaking (common problem for most 90's PG amps). The capacitor swap is a relatively complex task, at least one I don't want to chance with such a nice amp. I'll send the amp off in a few months to have the caps changed out, so it may be a while before I post another video in this series. I may, however, go ahead and show a video testing the Punch 150HD and its output test...we'll see.




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Rockford Fosgate Punch 45 and Punch 150 Mosfet - Old School / Vintage Overview

Enjoy a demonstration of a first generation Rockford Fosgate Punch 45 and Punch 150 in FULL 1080p! These were originally produced in the late 1980's. In 2005, Rockford re-introduced the Punch 45, 75, 150 and Power 1000 as "25 to Life" anniversary edition models. Rockford, along with Orion, Precision Power, Soundstream, and others help boost the popularity of upgraded car audio systems beginning back in the late 1980's and early 1990's.

The Rockford Fosgate Mosfet series amps eventually transformed into the "HD" or "Hybrid Design" in the early 1990's. Hybrid Design was touted as more efficient an durable because of the surface mounted components. See future videos for more information on the "HD" Series of Rockford Fosgate amplifiers.

See the embedded video below or click the link to enjoy full 1080p video of these vintage amplifiers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOguOLc_lkg&hd=1