Joined
·
7,203 Posts
This will be a part-by-part review of the Phoenix Gold RSd series amplifiers. I picked these after a long deliberation between the Kenwood eXcelon X1R / X4R's, PG Xenons, Cadence offerings, US Amps Merlin series, Pioneer Premier PRS series, and Alpine PDX lineup.
One thing that I try to do anytime I have a tough decision to make is to draft up a pros / cons list of each choice, and try to whittle candidates down to an ever smaller and smaller list. Picking an amp set was no different! Lots of eBay deals popped up here and there on some eclectic choices (like used Zapco's), but nothing really said "shut up and buy me!", so I followed my plan. The PG RSd's kept on the list because of their low cost, good looks (to me, we're all different), and good reputation. I think what sealed the deal was the knowledge that the RSd lineup is built by the same guys that have built the old-school PG's most of us would say are EXCEPTIONAL in sound quality and durability. I guess I'll find out for myself once and for all, soon enough!
First, some close-up shots of the 1200.1 that came in
And, since she stole the show while I was trying to take pics, here's my "kitteh", Bristol.
In case people are wondering what this thing is made of, it appears to be almost 100% aluminum. Some cast parts that have been machined, and some look extruded. The end plates are metal though they look like plastic, and the top plate is metal too. In fact, there is a plexi-plate under that mesh-looking structure, the whole length of the amp. Pretty sweet, if you ask me. I also like the way that some of the connections are at an angle. This seems smart to me, because I hate jamming lots of connections into one side of an amp.
The 500.4 is still on its way in the mail, but it is the same structural size. I'll post results of how they look installed, and of course we'll be talking about how they sound.
One thing that I try to do anytime I have a tough decision to make is to draft up a pros / cons list of each choice, and try to whittle candidates down to an ever smaller and smaller list. Picking an amp set was no different! Lots of eBay deals popped up here and there on some eclectic choices (like used Zapco's), but nothing really said "shut up and buy me!", so I followed my plan. The PG RSd's kept on the list because of their low cost, good looks (to me, we're all different), and good reputation. I think what sealed the deal was the knowledge that the RSd lineup is built by the same guys that have built the old-school PG's most of us would say are EXCEPTIONAL in sound quality and durability. I guess I'll find out for myself once and for all, soon enough!
First, some close-up shots of the 1200.1 that came in
And, since she stole the show while I was trying to take pics, here's my "kitteh", Bristol.
In case people are wondering what this thing is made of, it appears to be almost 100% aluminum. Some cast parts that have been machined, and some look extruded. The end plates are metal though they look like plastic, and the top plate is metal too. In fact, there is a plexi-plate under that mesh-looking structure, the whole length of the amp. Pretty sweet, if you ask me. I also like the way that some of the connections are at an angle. This seems smart to me, because I hate jamming lots of connections into one side of an amp.
The 500.4 is still on its way in the mail, but it is the same structural size. I'll post results of how they look installed, and of course we'll be talking about how they sound.