Just took a look at the PPI website and noticed two new lines of amps that have been added to the online catalog for 2011. The Phantoms are a series of compact class D amps available in 1/2/4 and 5 channels. The Black Ice series seems to be an overbuilt a/b and d class group of amps. Not quite sure what demographic they are made to serve however. Maybe Grizz Archer will stop by to give the breakdown.
Not bad looking...
I saw the Art Series "Coming Soon". Anyone with any pics out there yet of what they will look like, and specs maybe?
My understanding is the "Art Series" is dead. Atleast according to Grizz Archer. Not sure why they continue to leave it up though.
There was a 'contest' thread on this site several months ago where we could come up with a new design for a new series of amps that would replace the Art Series (that never was)...I know it's kinda confusing if you haven't followed the whole saga.
Then...there was some discussion and urging by some for PPI to go in a new direction with compact D class amps. Perhaps these "Phantom" amps are the results of all of that?
I'm curious about these "Black Ice" amps and where exactly they fall in the pecking order. It kinda looks like Epsilon is taking the same marketing tact with PPI that they have with SoundStream.
Hey Grizz, are you out there?
Are they really? From those small pics, the Black Ice seem ok, but the Phantom series reminds me of... well, the '90s. And I don't mean it in a good way.
My understanding is the "Art Series" is dead. Atleast according to Grizz Archer. Not sure why they continue to leave it up though.
It was my understanding in the whole mess of things that there was nothing wrong with using the term "Art Collection" as long as the product didn't include any copyright infringing art.
Regardless, I thought the prototyped copper and black color scheme without the artwork looked pretty damn cool.
2012 Subaru WRX - JL Audio C5-650s run active off a Lunar L450; Digital Designs 1508 powered by a Lunar L1500; Pioneer DEH-80PRS as the source unit.
They must be updating right now as they have taken down the Art Series amps that had the "Coming Soon" under that tab.
Are the source units the same as the power Acoustik's with PPI labels?
I don't like the huge circle logo, they should have just used a smaller logo and kept the amp flat. I also really don't care for that shade of gold they are using either.
Is there really a need for so many different amp lines? I think not.
I don't know if you know this or not, but, the same company that owns PPI also owns Soundstream, Farenheit Technologies, Kole, and power Acoustik. Regardless, I agree that they sure do have a weird business philosophy to have so many different lines of amplifiers per brand name under one parent company.
While I am thinking about it, I wonder what circuit boards are shared across all brand names? I ask because it just doesn't make business sense to have that many different lines of amplifier under each brand name without some commonality. Even coming from a mass production build-house in China, radically different designs would jack up the cost per unit quite a bit.
2012 Subaru WRX - JL Audio C5-650s run active off a Lunar L450; Digital Designs 1508 powered by a Lunar L1500; Pioneer DEH-80PRS as the source unit.
As Chris B. stated, all of the lines are most likely similar and just rebadged. No thought is put into any of it, let alone good quality engineering. The damn Soundstream components look 90% like the PPI components. They aren't trying very hard to fool anyone.
As Chris B. stated, all of the lines are most likely similar and just rebadged. No thought is put into any of it, let alone good quality engineering. The damn Soundstream components look 90% like the PPI components. They aren't trying very hard to fool anyone.
I am not willing to believe that there isn't any difference between the power Acoustik stuff and the SS/PPI. People aren't that stupid. I know the same subject has come up regarding the Maxxsonics brands. According to a Maxx rep, their flagship line (MB Quart) doesn't share the same boards with Hifonics, Autotek, etc. The same is probably true with Epsilon and PPI.
I am not willing to believe that there isn't any difference between the power Acoustik stuff and the SS/PPI. People aren't that stupid. I know the same subject has come up regarding the Maxxsonics brands. According to a Maxx rep, their flagship line (MB Quart) doesn't share the same boards with Hifonics, Autotek, etc. The same is probably true with Epsilon and PPI.
On the flagship lines, that may be true. On the similarly priced budget lines per brand, I wouldn't be shocked if they were relatively the same with a different look to them.
2012 Subaru WRX - JL Audio C5-650s run active off a Lunar L450; Digital Designs 1508 powered by a Lunar L1500; Pioneer DEH-80PRS as the source unit.
New PPI amps (Phantom & Black Ice)
Linear Mode
