Old School HiFonics vs Orion Amp Dyno and SPL Testing [4K]

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  • čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
  • #AmpDyno #OldSchool #HCCA
    If you know about cheater amps, you must know these two beasts. Back in the early 90's, many amp manufacturers were on the "less is more" bandwagon. Of course, less only in the rated wattage as these amps were expensive! Today I'm doing a comparison I've always been intrigued by....1991 HiFonics Isis VII vs Orion 250 HCCA. These amps were matched in price (around $900 USD) as well as ratings. Both were rated to deliver:
    50W x 2 at 4 ohms (or 100x1 at 8 ohms)
    100W x 2 at 2 ohms (or 200x1 at 4 ohms)
    200W x 2 at 1 ohm (or 400x1 at 2 ohms)
    Despite what claims you may read online, neither amp was rated for 1/2 ohm stereo or 1 ohm mono loads. The interesting thing if you were an Orion fan is the little brother 225 HCCA was also rated to deliver 400 watts, but it was at 1 ohm mono or 1/2 ohm stereo loads.
    For this shootout I decided to not only do an Amp Dyno Drag Race, but also compare SPL numbers (in car) as well as check out some flex from the 8" Savard HiQ subs. The video is nearly 20 minutes long, hopefully it is packed with good info for the old school car audio junkie in us all!
    Shop for Savard HiQ 8" subs:
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Komentáře • 777

  • @wal
    @wal  Před 4 lety +15

    Shop for Savard HiQ 8" subs:
    Dual 2 ohm: amzn.to/3aGZujD
    Dual 4 ohm: amzn.to/3aGZzDX
    Term Lab Magnum: shop.termpro.com/t/test-equipment
    Handheld Dyno SMD AMM-1: amzn.to/2u2EgKV
    My Favorite Screwdriver Kit: amzn.to/2x0VzcE
    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. This helps support the channel and allows us to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for the support!

    • @DJRS9045
      @DJRS9045 Před 4 lety +1

      Hey BigD, can you dyno test the pioneer GM-A3702. It's 500w and it's $60 - $50 in America

    • @adameve8026
      @adameve8026 Před 4 lety

      Can you wire 4 Gauge or 2 into the Orion amp. It looked like a pair of screws/Nuts and the 8 comes out.

    • @bonzainews
      @bonzainews Před 4 lety +2

      You were hitting nearly 140 db in a big suv with only 500 watts. How many more DBs can be found in a smaller interior such as a Honda CRX or Corvette C4. Nobody believes when I tell them my Zeus VIII and 4 Solobaric 10's in My minuscule interior of my 1986 Corvette must have been approaching 150 db. The Amp rack/ batteries/ Subwoofers took up 75% of the space to begin with. Every time you halve the distance you gain 3 db (in theory). the car became a bandpass box itself.

    • @michaelsears306
      @michaelsears306 Před 4 lety +1

      I always heard that you could run those old school orion amps down to 1/4 ohm ?

    • @jeremiahmontgomery802
      @jeremiahmontgomery802 Před 4 lety

      I have some thing I now you would like I would actually hate to get read of it but I would like to give it to you instead of it going to waste sitting in my garage but I don't now how to get it to you and mybe see a video about it

  • @rrho170
    @rrho170 Před 4 lety +8

    A little old school history on why the "cheater" amps exist. In mid 80's to late 90's car audio competitions were a big deal, national events were in stadiums and the like. The classes were divided on power levels. For instance the sanctioning body I was involved in has a Consumer and Pro category split at 0-100w 101-250w 251-500w 501-100 and 1000 up classes so you can see where having 1kw in a system showing 250 rated watts was an advantage. These guys went leas beyond that, like stuffing additional amplifier board into the empty"thermal management" space, or stacking them in the same chassis when simply hiding an extra amp wasn't enough.
    We had a tear down rule where if you won a category, you could be challenged by a placing competitor. He puts up money, you disassemble your car in front of a judge until he was satisfied and if you passed scrutiny you collected the challenge money for your trouble. Guys had to get very creative with the cheats. You had to disassemble you rack and such but nothing was in the rules about disassembling the amp its self as not to cause warranty issues. Sometimes the manufacturers or their reps helped on the down low or citing ignorance by providing fake nameplates or custom heat sink builds. Ever see an Autotek 666 that was 2 inches higher than the rest? How bout a Rockford Power 1000 with brass buss bars for power leads? Got an annoying flapper vent in the cowl that seems to release cabin pressure at just the right point? What about that unfortunate split in the weld in the kick panels or floor pan that accidentally introduced unfortunate beneficial resonance with the cabin? My all time favorite went unnoticed by the mid west guys where a competitor has his own pass-thru cable from the mic to the meter in his door that was there to keep from kinking the B&K SPL meter cable as he fastened the doors shut. How nice.
    Needless to say that cable made a detour to the head unit where he dialed in his SPL.
    It happened A LOT. The rules were made of lead and elastic, easy to bend and stretch.
    That is where the displacement rules stemmed from instead of power. It's harder to fake surface area. Harder....

    • @tarnationsauce2
      @tarnationsauce2 Před 4 lety +1

      Yep, that "empty" space in the Hifonics is so you can add another amp in there and get away with actually cheating.

    • @danielanderson8502
      @danielanderson8502 Před 2 lety

      From what I remember if you set a world record it was a automatic tear down. Especially at finals.

  • @sketchyssk8shop
    @sketchyssk8shop Před 4 lety +57

    We are paying for all those amps that were rated at 100 watts and cranked out 1000. Now we have em rated at 1000 n crank out 100

    • @sketchyssk8shop
      @sketchyssk8shop Před 4 lety +4

      @ Big base has been shut down due to nouse ordinance laws. So it will be raee to see one out cruising while bumping.

  • @25hztolife86
    @25hztolife86 Před 4 lety +11

    Big D Wiz you never let us Bassheads down; you bring us back to the day car audio was at its peak.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +1

      Thanks for watching and commenting!

    • @davidwhitmire8445
      @davidwhitmire8445 Před 3 lety

      @dicax , no. That's not so crazy, really. Back in those days, we could hit 150s and 160s on the SPL meter, without having to use 15-20,000 watts, or anywhere near it.

  • @jstrahn
    @jstrahn Před 4 lety +3

    Great video! What a testament to the build quality of both that 30 years later they're still pushing put the wattage without skipping a beat.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety

      This is a FACT!!

  • @earlhouse4458
    @earlhouse4458 Před rokem +4

    These old school challenges are a blast from the past! I remember both of these amps!

  • @jasonbear3305
    @jasonbear3305 Před 4 lety +6

    I loved the old days.."when you have 12 "12s and you need a 100 watt amp"

    • @KiloSierra75
      @KiloSierra75 Před 4 lety

      Good ol efficient sub days.

    • @ditto_75
      @ditto_75 Před 4 lety +2

      Yeah and it took all of those 12's to get as loud at 30hz as 2 12's now days and for 5 times the cost.
      I used to feel the same way until me and a friend actually did a mock up of the exact same system he had when we were 16 (28) years ago. We were both laughing so hard cause back then we though "damn this shit bumps". It wasn't loud as 1 good 10" and had terrible bottom end.
      The system was 2 12" JL Audio 12W0-4's and a Phoenix Gold 2500 bridged @ 2ohms making a good 500 watts. The one T2 Fosgate 10 smoked those things on a BRZ.2400D. Cost would have been about the same bought new.

    • @dennisritchie965
      @dennisritchie965 Před 4 lety +2

      Now its 2000watts on a daily driver and I still want more!

    • @OxBlitzkriegxO
      @OxBlitzkriegxO Před 4 lety

      @@ditto_75 I would argue you didn't have a good box.

    • @undercut3494
      @undercut3494 Před 4 lety

      Back in the day a hundred watt amp you had some power

  • @trecedaves3159
    @trecedaves3159 Před 4 lety +4

    I had a buddy back in the day sponsored by hifonics. He had 2 ISIS amps but in his there were 2 ISIS boards in ea amp. So he was able to run 4 amps in a lower class. He had special endcaps for it so it looked like a RF punch 300. Very loud system. You could hear him a half mile away.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +1

      Now that’s something I’d like to see!

  • @SunnyJulienDivine
    @SunnyJulienDivine Před 2 lety +5

    1991: Amp has 150 W, let's rate it 100 W
    2021: Amp has 150 W, let's rate it 1000 W

  • @molloyvader
    @molloyvader Před 4 lety +4

    Great test! I just sold my HCCA 250, insane we use to get so excited for 500 watts back then. These were 500 red white and blue freedom watts though, worth about 2 dollars per lol.

    • @Jackmerius_Tacktheretrix
      @Jackmerius_Tacktheretrix Před 3 lety

      Back then 500 watts wpuld make some serious sound. Now days you need twice that to make these more powerful subs do anything. My old phoenix gold xs2150 on a single 12 inch kicker cvr 12 (circa 2004) was louder than my four 8 inch American bass 8 inch subs on my jbl 1001ez, rated at 1000 watts rms that dynos over 1300 watts. Just does not hit the lows despite the excursion and power handling. Not sure if the jbl just doesn't put out below 30hz but when I throw a 10hz test tone they barely move, but my old kicker cvr 12 and phoenix gold xs2150 (75x2) would flex the hell put of that single 12. Back then a sealed enclosure and a decent sub amd amp would slam the lows. Now days its hard to find an amp and sub combo in a sealed box that will flex hard on the lows. Everyone is so focused on 40-45 hz these days it seems. But my old school stuff never let me down when it came to lows at 20hz.

  • @Jackmerius_Tacktheretrix
    @Jackmerius_Tacktheretrix Před 3 lety +6

    Back when hifonics made some good amps. Breaks my heart to see amps like hifonics, precision power, soundstream and lanzar sell out to and make such crappy over rated amps. Back in the 90s if you had hifonics, precision power, soundstream, lanzar or phoenix gold you had some serious power. Even mb quart and nackamichi sold out. This younger generation really missed p
    Out on some great amps.

    • @terryc7142
      @terryc7142 Před 3 lety +1

      HiFonics series VII and VIII are unbeatable, if you can find one. Used to be my preferred hardware back in the day. Won a competition or two with those.

  • @Dirtdevil1
    @Dirtdevil1 Před 4 lety +3

    Brother this is the best test that you have ever done.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +1

      Lots of work and time put in, I appreciate the feedback

  • @mrmeiii
    @mrmeiii Před 4 lety +6

    I collect series VII HiFonics but I still can't afford them damn platinum model cheaters lol
    Got 2 Zeus
    2Thor
    And a bunch of smaller 2&4 channel amps
    Oh I need a collosus VII to finish off my collection

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety

      The Colossus VII has alluded me as well. Bucket list amp

  • @rrho170
    @rrho170 Před 4 lety +1

    The fun came in when you slid a second amp board in the chassis, extended the RCA over, used one set of outs for each board in mono. I've seen a lot of cheating cheater amps in my day along with various other rule bending measures

  • @robland6118
    @robland6118 Před 4 lety +3

    Awesome video Big D. Thanks for giving me something to look forward to watching during my wonderful stay at home. Awesome.

  • @mattb9664
    @mattb9664 Před 4 lety +1

    I wouldn’t be surprised if Hifonics just didn’t want to thermally test how the entire amp performed so they just gave it a big cavity for the air to naturally circulate around for better cooling. That cord isn’t even staked down!
    This was a great review! Always like seeing how the equipment performed when I was a kid and got sucked into car audio!

  • @shanen921
    @shanen921 Před 4 lety +3

    Thanks a billion Big D. One of your best videos I have seen in a long time. Hell of a lot of work you put in for us thank you .

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +1

      About 20 hours and I appreciate the feedback 👌

  • @vocalone23
    @vocalone23 Před 4 lety +3

    D Wiz bro this is amazing footage and to see my old amp being tested is like a high school reunion. I ran the isis @1 ohm mono on two dual 4 ohm earthquake balls 18s and did 149 on the dash in what they called legal back when. Thanks bro 🙏. It will handle 1 ohm

  • @303nitzubishi4
    @303nitzubishi4 Před 4 lety +2

    Hard to believe back in our day 500 watts was considered competition- ready gear. Here we are 30 years later and 500 watts is basically daily driver status and the contenders in the competition lanes are running 2, 3k at minimum.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +1

      Truth!

  • @jaz97
    @jaz97 Před 4 lety +5

    "We like the cars, the cars that go boom!!" Since we talkin old school LOL. Who remembers that video?!

    • @rrho170
      @rrho170 Před 4 lety +1

      We cad a customer who's car was all band pass boxes. It only hit that one note so that ALLL HE LISTENED TO all summer long.

    • @electronicengineer
      @electronicengineer Před 4 lety +2

      "We're Tigra and Bunny and we like the boom..."

    • @jaz97
      @jaz97 Před 4 lety +1

      @@electronicengineer haha Fred knows whats up!!

    • @quintonlitton6779
      @quintonlitton6779 Před 4 lety +1

      @@jaz97 still jam to it today lol

    • @scottmiller3025
      @scottmiller3025 Před 4 lety +1

      L Trimm!

  • @svtkilr
    @svtkilr Před 2 lety +3

    This is One of my favorite videos you ever have made! Need more like this 🔥👍🏽

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 2 lety

      Thanks for the feedback 👌

  • @Hoppysjunkyardrally
    @Hoppysjunkyardrally Před 4 lety +3

    2 of the most iconic brands of the 90s.. I always wanted a hifonics Colossus!!

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +1

      Me too! All of these amps were so far out of reach. So cool to have them now to play with

  • @brandonstock29
    @brandonstock29 Před 4 lety +1

    Back in the 90's my HCCA 250 had the center come off for eq adjustments and what not. With a single XTR DVC 15 of the same period I hit 142.7 IASSCA sanctioned event at CAR TOYS in Tulsa which is who sold the floor models to me to get me in there. Thanks Rob, Gary, and even Andy. P.S. I had an Audio Control 4.1...

  • @myz06rocks
    @myz06rocks Před 4 lety +4

    I’ve appreciated and owned both these amps and others in each respective model line. Giving each their already earned kudos, I liked the HCCA amps more cause they were so much more presentable and looked awesome installed and I liked the Hifonics more cause they just had better sound quality to my ears. Also, the hifonics/Zed amps just seemed more musically loud on a front stage to me.

    • @Bondovw
      @Bondovw Před 4 lety +2

      Back in the day I always felt like the a orions had better sound quality. They were also built better. The hifonics were mostly for people with lots of large speakers. All my friends that had Zeus's amps would keep a Jensen for a spare when the app was being repaired.

  • @mines10inches
    @mines10inches Před 4 lety +4

    Amps of legend. I loved that era the best

    • @ernestgary6812
      @ernestgary6812 Před 4 lety

      Yes I was a kid in 90s... 37 now my 10 year older brother had all the beets in his 4wd izzuzu, shit would make ya teeth rattle back then... not like now adays.... I showed him my team fi 18s lol it like to floored him

  • @pharmacist_2773
    @pharmacist_2773 Před 4 lety +1

    My dad back in 96’ bought the Orion 250HCCA and put it into his lx v8 Ford Thunderbird which I’m happy to be the owner of it now and man it SLAPS. Nothing can compare to the power it puts it out for me and how good it sounds. (Also running 2 mtx 10 inch subs in a sealed enclosure)

  • @overboostn
    @overboostn Před rokem +3

    Me remembering fondly having 2-225 HCCA Orions in my blazer in high school, then 6:23 "remember these amps are 30 years old"..........

  • @evanfield580
    @evanfield580 Před 4 lety +2

    Never had a hcca250 but I had two 225hcca on four xtreme 12s and it absolutely beat the hell out of my hatchback escort. Great video big d

  • @Bassotronics
    @Bassotronics Před 4 lety +2

    This sure was a fun video and it amazes me how much space was in that Hifonics and for it to do that much power with a smaller board compared to the Orion is just trolling at its best!

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +1

      Thanks brother 👌

  • @poopool_Q
    @poopool_Q Před 7 měsíci +1

    I probably watched this video a dozen times. It's still crazy to me that these were so close but designed totally different. Seeing the guts shot is everything

    • @pucho513
      @pucho513 Před 6 měsíci

      I have a gen one 250hcca do you know what the wiring position is?

  • @bonzainews
    @bonzainews Před 4 lety +2

    I've had so many amplifiers over the years and the Early HiFonics Amps are still my favorite.

    • @bonzainews
      @bonzainews Před 4 lety

      I never felt the need for a "cheater" amp because I never did competitions.

    • @bonzainews
      @bonzainews Před 4 lety

      funny the isis is a half board. My Zeus VIIIs are full board amps.

  • @davidgilkey1899
    @davidgilkey1899 Před 4 lety +3

    size was everything. 1990 in the bay area both orion and hifonics are legendary

  • @mattsnider5904
    @mattsnider5904 Před rokem +2

    I love your bass selections. I always test with dj fury neverending bass, bass patrol nothing but bass, and or def bass krew bass bender. All will show some good flex on whatever subs your running. Your videos RULE!!!

  • @stevensmith1881
    @stevensmith1881 Před 4 lety +1

    Wow, it only took 500 watts and 4 eights to get over 135 db! Back in the day 4 twelves might not make those numbers. Thanks for the thorough testing Dereck!

    • @jasonhardison7103
      @jasonhardison7103 Před 4 lety

      The meters are way more accurate today. Enclosures as well

  • @BURNETTWEALTHGROUP
    @BURNETTWEALTHGROUP Před rokem +3

    Man I was in love with those Orion amps back in the day. Just couldn’t afford them

    • @wal
      @wal  Před rokem +1

      You and me both!

  • @zordmaker
    @zordmaker Před 5 měsíci +1

    oh gawd that HiFonics amp... I was the warranty service agent for these in Australia in the early '90s, must have changed thousands of those IRFZ44's. In the end the circuits they gave us were inadequate and in some cases wrong so bounce backs became common. In the next series of amps they made, the circuits were even worse, faxed photocopies where it was impossible to read voltages and component values. Obtaining replacement parts became a problem as the IRF's weren't cheap and would routinely destroy all of the devices in the amp when abused making service more expensive than a new amp in Aust. In the end I gave it away, just too many problems with them not supporting their product with decent service literature and parts. I fondly remember the Zeus with it's oversize heatsink 🤣🤣

  • @MeatPoPsiclez
    @MeatPoPsiclez Před 4 lety +1

    In the late 90's the family car (Ford Taurus) rocked 3 JL8W6 in a big sealed enclosure powered by a MTX 2x25 (pre Thunder series, can't remember the exact model, ugly red, was actually a ppi amp inside) @1ohm, smoked the amp twice, eventually switched to an Orion HCCA225 that performed about the same but didn't routinely get hot enough to boil water on. Wasn't the loudest car out there even at that power (132dB if my memory serves me correct), but it sounded amazing for what it was.
    Lots of memories of that setup, driving half way accross North America to scope out Iasca (I think?) championships; accidentally welding 4g with a charged 1f cap, and just lots of ground pounding and cruise nights :p
    Thanks for bringing back memories!

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety

      That’s awesome, thanks for sharing 👍

  • @davewesternky
    @davewesternky Před 3 lety +1

    In the early 90’s before the Marines I was lucky enough to help build 3 national champions at one of the top rated shops in the country back then and all we did was Orion. I have either owned or installed every Orion and Hifonics SeriesVII amps from 88-92 and they’re all legit. Don’t let that Isis board fool you setting in that big heat sink. The term “cheater amp” is for a reason. Looks to me like there’s plenty of room in that heat sink to slide another board in? 😏 I never did it but heard of it being done back then. Man those were good times. 🤘🏻😎

  • @Reefdevil
    @Reefdevil Před 4 lety

    I really like the SPL tests you are doing with these older amps. Brings back memories from decades gone by...

  • @RyanBassForLife
    @RyanBassForLife Před 4 lety +4

    Watch at the end to see 1.3 ohms drag test which one won watch!

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +2

      Always gotta watch a BigD vid until the end. Extras like Marvel yo!

    • @craigengelman4534
      @craigengelman4534 Před 4 lety

      @@wal why dont you show the high currant amps like memphis arhc100 , or crossfire hc100 ?

  • @RandomGuyStuff
    @RandomGuyStuff Před 2 lety +2

    The Hifonics amps were notoriously hot. They would melt the carpet in the trunks of cars. if you were really pulling every watt out of the amp, you also had to install fans to blow over the heat sinks. I can see why they had such a large case, without it they would have likely been glowing redder than the HCCA's. I've had both and fell in love with the Hifonics after I installed my first Hercules 200 mono on a set of cardiac 15's. Never looked back after that.

    • @neilhanley3468
      @neilhanley3468 Před 2 lety +1

      Haha I had a Zeus on 2 Orion cobalt 12s in a fiero. Had it mounted on the carpet in passenger footwell... melted the shit outta my carpet! It was HCCA from then on

  • @Brian1.
    @Brian1. Před 4 lety +1

    Awesome test Big D. Was that a Zed Audio board on the hifonics amp? Awesome video brother!

  • @jasonneal
    @jasonneal Před 4 lety +2

    Awesome video. I would think if Hifonics had cut that heat sink down, they could have marketed as big power in a small package. Also, was that a Zed amp from HF’s

  • @portoguisen2k
    @portoguisen2k Před 4 lety +4

    So the ISIS-name didn't age that well.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +4

      Nope and got my video flagged too! Had to let CZcams manually review it so I could monetize

  • @HifiVega
    @HifiVega Před 4 lety +1

    The Hifo over there in 1987 laying in the cut like “Make a huge amp chassis so we can get dat loot”

  • @PoXFreak
    @PoXFreak Před 9 měsíci +1

    Those who remember the 7 series will remember that the Colossus amp was just 2 Zeus boards in one heatsink.
    I can't say the Isis could've had the same thing done to it to make it a 200 watt 4 channel capable of 1200-1400 watts, but I'm suspecting someone already did.

  • @robtremble2277
    @robtremble2277 Před 2 lety +5

    whatchu talking about big that Hifonics was the true cheater amp that extra room was for you to stuff another board in there so you can really get your cheat on

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 2 lety +1

      Could be!

  • @perryhavard3760
    @perryhavard3760 Před 4 lety +2

    Didn't some hifonics have a second "cheater" board in some of the competition amps? So a 100 watt amp doing 1000 watts.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety

      Probably so or swapped with a Zeus board that did 1200 watts

  • @jasoncarreiro86
    @jasoncarreiro86 Před 4 lety +3

    Both good old school amps! No knowledge of today’s quality. Had a Zeus and an Olympus. I know people that had banging systems with Orion amps in high school.

  • @rlr240sc
    @rlr240sc Před 4 lety +2

    I’m running a 225hcca, 97.1 concept, and 2100hcca. I love Orion

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +1

      Stay red my friends

    • @rlr240sc
      @rlr240sc Před 4 lety

      Williston Audio Labs you got me in touch with Shawn. Great guy who does great work. Only lives a couple miles away from me. I have a nice Orion collection

  • @alejandroaguilar9038
    @alejandroaguilar9038 Před 7 měsíci +2

    WHATS REALLY CRAZY IS THAT HI-FONICS AMP WAS SMALLER AND DID THE SAME WORK ???

    • @jaybomb5022
      @jaybomb5022 Před 5 měsíci

      Lmfaoooo half that hifonics amp was an empty shell😂😂😂😂😂

  • @j.t.cooper2963
    @j.t.cooper2963 Před 4 lety +2

    I had an Orion 250 HCCA back in the early 90's. You could heat your car with it. 🔥

  • @bryanrails3428
    @bryanrails3428 Před 4 lety +1

    Thank you for another great video Big D! Needed some good quarantine entertainment....

  • @treefitty0350
    @treefitty0350 Před 4 lety +3

    I had a "45" watt fosgate back in the day. The look on peoples faces lol

    • @ds1919ds1919
      @ds1919ds1919 Před 4 lety

      Yeah a Punch 45. I was floored when I heard one too back in '87

    • @chief9-10-games5
      @chief9-10-games5 Před 4 lety +1

      The old school Punch150's were AWSOME I could not believe how hard that amp pounded subs back in the day I had one hammering a old Kicker 15 with the gold lettering I believe it was a solobaric but it was insanely loud for one 15

    • @treefitty0350
      @treefitty0350 Před 4 lety +2

      And the people's look when you tell them what amp 😂😂😂

    • @gagemoss1075
      @gagemoss1075 Před 4 lety

      @@treefitty0350 I had a Fosgate Punch I used to take to the Fosgate factory (on Rockford Street ) in Tempe AZ to be fixed. That was about 1980--that's Old School, or I'm just old....

    • @treefitty0350
      @treefitty0350 Před 4 lety

      @@gagemoss1075 small world. I lived in Phoenix when I had that Punch 45. Although this was around 07 or 08.

  • @bruceborneman
    @bruceborneman Před 4 lety

    Love the tests and the test songs! Those are some of my favorite bass songs! I love Techmaster PEB too especially if you have a great all around system! The CD It Came From Outer Bass is my favorite of theirs! Keep Bumping the old school! It takes me back to a much simpler time in my life! Thank you!

  • @sittdogg
    @sittdogg Před 4 lety +1

    Really like this comparison vid with the spl test too. Nice amps!

  • @legendsofcaraudiobradnewso8424

    Man I love these videos! Another great one Big D

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety

      Thanks brother 👌

  • @beefysghost867
    @beefysghost867 Před 2 lety +2

    Makes me love my hcca 3000.1dsplx even more, this what people going to be saying about my amp in the future. Thing put out some massive power.
    Original hcca225 got me hooked so Orion for life

    • @steveharley2021
      @steveharley2021 Před 2 lety

      I tried to buy a second 3000splx to strap em but not sure what's up...hope they didn't go out of business...

    • @beefysghost867
      @beefysghost867 Před 2 lety +1

      @@steveharley2021 why you say that? They no longer make them. They are coming out with a 4500.1dsplx, should be out next week or two. I just got
      My amp back from them for warranty repair and they did a bad ass job. Yea took 2 months but with the chip
      Shortage and all I get it, they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. Yes I filed bankruptcy but that was a little while back but they took care of it it’s already been paid and all that so I wouldn’t worry about it I think the only Dsplx you will find is either refurbished or used, Join the Orion Facebook group there’s someone there right now for sale that are in like new condition

    • @erickouniakis5722
      @erickouniakis5722 Před rokem

      Your hcca 3000 is insane 😂 love it. Loved the 90's hcca 225 - 2100 Great amps for my 79 T/A 😂 When onto Kicker and finally settled for phoenix Gold 2500 for my IROC Z 😂 I find alot of people are more interested in power over clarity these days.

  • @TCGView
    @TCGView Před 3 lety +1

    That Orion amp was my dream amp back in the day.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 3 lety

      Mine too

  • @datatech2000
    @datatech2000 Před 3 lety +1

    2021 and still loving this amp shootout video. Thumbs up for Big D

  • @Jboost412
    @Jboost412 Před 4 lety +4

    You know what that hifonics makes me wonder....is there enough room left over to actually have 2 amp boards in the 1 heatsink....now that would be a cheater amp! Just a thought since obviously we are in the cheating era here....figure you have the room inside of the heatsink you do have 2 speaker outputs on the hifonics amp that could easily be manipulated internally 2 operate the output and from just a glance nobody’s ever gonna notice how you pulled up in the staging lanes in the 90’s and crushed it!!

    • @zumazoomzoom7632
      @zumazoomzoom7632 Před 3 lety

      I was told it's a couple of thors inside the ISIS but I don't know.

    • @NeverEnoughPyro40
      @NeverEnoughPyro40 Před 3 lety

      Did you ever think that if the case was smaller it would’ve gotten a lot hotter inside, Not to mention that the case itself is aluminum which acts as a heat sink! It doesn’t matter how much room was in those amps, They still performed to the advertised specifications!

    • @jimbobdobbs1597
      @jimbobdobbs1597 Před 3 lety

      That's exactly my thought. If you have the technical ability, swap a 2nd board in there. Its exactly sized for it !

  • @oldbuddyben
    @oldbuddyben Před 4 lety

    The very first amplifier I ever bought was a used "moon and stars" 222SX (iirc).. Those bass tracks are bringing back memories of the OOOOOOOOLD days for sure! Great vid!

  • @amanteapasionado6836
    @amanteapasionado6836 Před 4 lety +1

    Man I would love to have a pair of those JL subs from back than, I had 2 w6 12s in high school (96-97) and they were some of the best, if not the best sounding subs I ever heard and they beat hard.

    • @juicedcoupe
      @juicedcoupe Před 4 lety

      I can agree with you on that. The mid 90's is when JL cemented their reputation.
      I had a 10W1 in a JL bandpass box, on a Earthquake 200X. To this day, I don't think I've heard a single 10 that could jam that hard and play that accurately.
      A friend had a set of 15W4s on a US Amps 225 HCCA. It did 142 db in USSAC 101-250 class, the mid/high amp put ig over 100. Those subs got abused daily for years and never failed.
      I knew another guy that had a set of 8W1 Microsubs on a 400W Kenwood. I'm talking about the ones that look like little half circle truck boxes. When he opened his hatch, I was honestly expecting to see 2 12s. The amount of sound those tiny subs could crank out had everyone there dumbfounded.

  • @carlitosalanis69
    @carlitosalanis69 Před 4 lety +1

    Got love old-school Power. I used to rock the red Orion 250 with two 12in M&M Godfather in my red 87' Nissan hard body with a Super shell.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +2

      We are starting to sound like the old guys at the barber shop 🤣

    • @bryanrails3428
      @bryanrails3428 Před 4 lety

      So true.....I try to refrain from them old stories....I think the older I get the louder systems used to be....

    • @Bondovw
      @Bondovw Před 4 lety

      @Gary Benningfield I got a pair of m&m and I was so excited . Worked on it all day hook them up and my scumbag neighbor up the street came over popped his head in took a look. The next day they were gone and my speaker box was on the size of his house. I was 18 delivering news papers to buy those

    • @Bondovw
      @Bondovw Před 4 lety

      @Gary Benningfield They had a really good unique sound to them.

  • @shawnk4517
    @shawnk4517 Před 4 lety +2

    This is an awesome head to head video!

  • @jimg8887
    @jimg8887 Před 3 lety +3

    The zed audio hifonics were great. I miss my Ulysses. A little amp but great quality

    • @derekfreeman3562
      @derekfreeman3562 Před 2 lety +1

      I'm miss my zues..unreal 600 bridged well over 1300

  • @MrV1NC3N7V3G4
    @MrV1NC3N7V3G4 Před 3 lety +2

    I had an Orion 2100 HCCA and a 2350 (Non-HCCA) back in the day...with the 200CRX crossover & 400BDG bridging modules and a Sony CDX-R88 head unit (and Cerwin-Vega 15's) Back then everyone was using Rockford Fosgate Punch but I liked my setup better.

  • @eddieyocom5140
    @eddieyocom5140 Před 4 lety +2

    Nice I was a full on man back then--51yrs----Better times??--------------Things are cheap now but not as fun.

  • @lweston71
    @lweston71 Před 4 lety +2

    When amp’s were made well. 👍

  • @Phillipmoreno1
    @Phillipmoreno1 Před 3 lety +1

    Used nothing but the Orion Hcca they were bad ass... great channel

  • @danielhillwick8430
    @danielhillwick8430 Před 4 lety +1

    I ran the Orion 250 red on 2 15" Orion XTR back in the day it was insanely loud! And then Bernie Boland gave me some little box to plug into the DIN input. I don't know what was in that little box but whatever it was that Bernie put in there made it twice as loud! I believe all it did was boost the input signal. Bernie never marketed them and sold them. I think you got in trouble for using them in competition from what I hear.

  • @eaopanama
    @eaopanama Před 3 lety +2

    I remember back in the day a few of the best old school cheat amps were Sanyo 100, Sherwood 240, Punch 150 to name a few.

    • @zumazoomzoom7632
      @zumazoomzoom7632 Před 3 lety +1

      And the lanzar 50 watt

    • @jimbobdobbs1597
      @jimbobdobbs1597 Před 3 lety

      Wow Sherwood 240... I haven't heard those words for almost 30 years lol

    • @asapstan
      @asapstan Před 2 lety

      I still have a Sanyo 100

    • @-Jason-L
      @-Jason-L Před rokem

      We had a saying at the shop I worked at .. "Sher wood sound better with a different amp"

  • @mymemoryarchive
    @mymemoryarchive Před 2 lety +1

    Orion cheaters where the best amps for last system i ever built before growing up, my 225 ran 10 mids & highs all xtr each with separate orion passive crossovers “the ones with pigtail wires” the 250 pushed 2 XTR DVC 15’s (0.5 ohm 👈no problem) won every comp 1992 101-250 watt class 🤣 also in 92 all xtr speakers had lifetime warranty no questions asked dealer would swap them out …everyone knew everyone back then…
    Thanx for taking me back 😁

  • @randomsomeone1617
    @randomsomeone1617 Před 4 lety +3

    Thank you for making me feel like a dinosaur. 😅👍

  • @BWAproductions
    @BWAproductions Před 4 měsíci +2

    I still have a Rodek 224ci 2x24 cheater amp. I think they were built by Zed audio. It still works today and has always flabbergasted anyone that saw it was rated at 48 watts.

    • @alexgarcia9554
      @alexgarcia9554 Před 4 měsíci +1

      Had a mps-2240 on 2 12's people thought I was crazy

  • @datatech2000
    @datatech2000 Před 4 lety +2

    HiFonics ISIS is in the lead on Ebay right now over Orion 250.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety

      I noticed that!

  • @baileybasshead8762
    @baileybasshead8762 Před 4 lety +1

    That was the best Super Bowl ever, went to quadruple OT...

  • @FarAboveDaCloudz
    @FarAboveDaCloudz Před 4 lety +1

    Should have added a US Amps 100HC to the party. It was from the same era.

  • @CVObservatory
    @CVObservatory Před 4 lety

    My first amp in early 89 was a Hifonics Thor series 1 on a pair of 8" MTX Road Thunders that had just come out. Loved that amp!!! Even had someone try to steal it once. That amp impressed me a lot even all who sat in my car. Later got a new car and new setup this time with a Orion 225 HCCA series 1 with a bridging block on a pair of Kicker 12's. That little amp would flex the metal on that little 89' GT Escort I had. I can't pick a favorite because both of them are/were great brands.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety

      I agree both being great and proven right here

  • @PoXFreak
    @PoXFreak Před 4 lety +1

    Here's a question.
    I know the Colossus was 2 boards from a Zeus in one heatsink.
    If you stuffed 2 Isis boards in one heatsink, what would it be called?

  • @mrbrowz1000101
    @mrbrowz1000101 Před 4 lety +1

    Hey Big D, have you ever gotten your hands on an old Rodek??

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety

      No sir, but they were Zed designs, like Autotek and HiFonics at the time

  • @gregoryfaso3322
    @gregoryfaso3322 Před 3 lety +1

    I love your channel!!! I had the 225 and 2100 on 6 12s !!!! It was awesome

  • @Hines-73
    @Hines-73 Před 4 lety

    1991 and 12-12's. The pic of that mini truck and set up is LIFE!
    😁😎🙌🏽

  • @workingclassperson2124

    Got to appreciate what came before we have now. Ya audio is all about FUN! Ya your crazy

  • @psementalist
    @psementalist Před 4 lety +1

    Bravo excellent good video topic of choice for discussion love the amp vs amp test

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety

      Thanks for watching and commenting!

  • @danielanderson8502
    @danielanderson8502 Před 2 lety

    These bring be back in time. Omaha, Nebraska. Home of some of the world record SPL cars. I was invited to the first Db drags as I had 4-15”s walled with REAL 500 watts. I remember all the cheater amps because classes were 0-50, 51-100, 101-250, 251-500, 500-1000, 1000 up and then “expert” and these classes were amateur, novice and pro. So imagine a wall of 10-15”s with only “100 watts”.
    Oh the days.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 2 lety

      Yeah that’s fun stuff!

    • @malakisands8180
      @malakisands8180 Před 2 lety

      My friend went hard at those Omaha, NE IASCA competition. 1994 he was sponsored by JL audio 3 10W6 in a custom 3 sub triangle box, used all Phoenix Gold Amps and wiring, 2 channel 31 Band EQ, MB Quart 3 way components in the doors, Switched between Alpine and McIntosh for head unit. Clarion custom made a Super Tweeter that was his rear view mirror. In a Fleetwood Cadillac. This was Sound Quality Class

  • @joesshows6793
    @joesshows6793 Před 4 lety +2

    Mang we paid through the teeth per watt back in the day

  • @rayproductionsbackupchanne3862

    at 0:10 that weird flapping sound. is that not bad for the sub? i got a 700 watt ground zero sub i just bought. and it makes that noise at higher volumes and it terrifies me. my amp is max like 600 watts. it's a lanzar vibe 1600 but at best 600 :P

  • @zerolimitsoffroad6346
    @zerolimitsoffroad6346 Před 2 lety

    Damn bro seeing all that old literature really took me back! I had ALL that Orion literature when I was in high school and building systems. Thanks for posting this.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 2 lety +2

      Love the old literature! Takes me back too! Nostalgia is the best

  • @silverbackdb
    @silverbackdb Před 3 lety

    Awesome video BigD! Love these big old school beasts that I could never afford. :)

  • @genesantos7656
    @genesantos7656 Před 4 lety +2

    Sorry Big D but i've seen the Orion bridged down to a 1/4 ohm back in the 80's and it would dominate in competition

  • @bullitt3839
    @bullitt3839 Před 2 lety +2

    Man I had a Hercules back in 94. It was a beast.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 2 lety

      Awesome 👏

    • @kylemartin-jz7ur
      @kylemartin-jz7ur Před rokem

      Yes sir Hercules wasn't no joke Hifonics Orion and the old Rockford punch was so strong the 90s were the best

  • @rob22849
    @rob22849 Před 4 lety +1

    Hey D wiz will be testing any of the bigger amps anytime soon? Like the 7ks 10ks or even these claimed 20ks?

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +1

      My test bench is suitable for 3-5kW testing right now. The bigger amps just require VERY expensive setup. Just can’t justify it now for only a few amps, not to say I won’t do it though 😏

    • @rob22849
      @rob22849 Před 4 lety

      @@wal rght on man thanks for the quick reply I've been subscribed for about 3-4yrs now and really appreciate your channel. Hopefully u do it sometime In the future and if u do I got a 20k ready to test whenever ur ready 😁

    • @mrmeiii
      @mrmeiii Před 4 lety

      Robert Woodard
      Steve mead has been testing big amps and has a huge test setup
      He also made the amp dyno that BigD uses

    • @rob22849
      @rob22849 Před 4 lety

      @@mrmeiii I know I just prefer d wiz channel a lil more when it comes to amp Dynos cuz this is primarily what his channel is about

  • @uscfroadie
    @uscfroadie Před 4 lety

    You need a video clip of mice slapping each other for the wins in this video. Man, that was close.

  • @wbnwbn835
    @wbnwbn835 Před 4 lety +1

    Great vid as always 👌 keep doing what u do 👍

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +1

      Thanks for watching and commenting!

  • @meg412
    @meg412 Před 4 lety +1

    Hi Big D,you can test on dyno this amplifier?
    Edge EDA1800.1-E8 it's almost budget amplifier🤔the price is 290$! Keep going, you are the best!

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +1

      I’ll look into it, thanks for the suggestion

  • @salecharles
    @salecharles Před 4 lety

    Great side by side test, back in 88' I was running a Punch 150 on two Punch 18's and a Punch 45 on mids and highs. Ah the good 'ol days.

    • @wal
      @wal  Před 4 lety +2

      Classic setup!

  • @Leethal1
    @Leethal1 Před 4 lety

    Big D I love your channel 👍 Keep up the good work! Have you ever done a Zapco?

  • @anthonyhoneycutt9181
    @anthonyhoneycutt9181 Před 7 měsíci

    Great channel , love your videos. Where did you get that picture of Steve at the start of the video?

  • @joelowens5211
    @joelowens5211 Před 2 lety

    I had the Orion red amps. We also put Hifonics later edition smaller amps in my friends system. I think later on Hifonics amps became smaller and they went away from the gimmicks some. The Orion I had their subs also and everything was just quality. You can have similar bench test but continuos sound over time and performance I loved the Orion brand. For my high's I had the classic Alpine A/B amps and they put out amazing quality for sound. These days at 47 years old less about super bass and more about balanced system sound quality. Still turn it up every once in awhile for songs I love to hear blasted.