Nissan 370Z Forum  

ARC Audio Amps

I inquirying about your experience with ARC Audio amps - model KS 300.4 (a 4 channel amp). How reliable are they and how easy is it to set-up/tune? How much

Go Back   Nissan 370Z Forum > Nissan 370Z Tech Area > Audio & Video


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-05-2011, 09:04 PM   #1 (permalink)
37Z
Enthusiast Member
 
37Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 476
Drives: 370Z MB 6M -sold
Rep Power: 263
37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute
Question ARC Audio Amps

I inquirying about your experience with ARC Audio amps - model KS 300.4 (a 4 channel amp). How reliable are they and how easy is it to set-up/tune? How much power does it use?
37Z is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-05-2011, 11:06 PM   #2 (permalink)
A True Z Fanatic
 
chops's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: NA
Posts: 1,732
Drives: NA
Rep Power: 22
chops has a reputation beyond reputechops has a reputation beyond reputechops has a reputation beyond reputechops has a reputation beyond reputechops has a reputation beyond reputechops has a reputation beyond reputechops has a reputation beyond reputechops has a reputation beyond reputechops has a reputation beyond reputechops has a reputation beyond reputechops has a reputation beyond repute
Default

no experience here, but you really cant go wrong with arc audio. most of their stuff is good if you do some research. all amps are essentially tuned the same as well.
chops is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-06-2011, 05:23 PM   #3 (permalink)
Car Audio Installer
 
bigaudiofanat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Magnolia DE
Posts: 8,342
Drives: 2012 Infiniti G37x
Rep Power: 853
bigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to bigaudiofanat Send a message via Yahoo to bigaudiofanat Send a message via Skype™ to bigaudiofanat
Default

Arc audio is ok, they have went down hill a bit in the past few years and the only thing I would buy from them is amps as their speakers are just not as good as what else is out there.
__________________
Need help with car audio or electronics? Let me know!! Need Help Let Me Know
Direct email address reimermatt@gmail.com
Owner of: Dynamic Mobile Audio Follow me below
https://www.facebook.com/Dynamicmobileaudio/
bigaudiofanat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2011, 10:04 AM   #4 (permalink)
37Z
Enthusiast Member
 
37Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 476
Drives: 370Z MB 6M -sold
Rep Power: 263
37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute
Question Arc Audio Amps

Quote:
Originally Posted by bigaudiofanat View Post
Arc audio is ok, they have went down hill a bit in the past few years and the only thing I would buy from them is amps as their speakers are just not as good as what else is out there.
Any experience whith their amps?
37Z is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2011, 02:46 PM   #5 (permalink)
Base Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: south jersey
Posts: 247
Drives: 05 ram, 79 z28
Rep Power: 16
speedfreak28 is on a distinguished road
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 37Z View Post
Any experience whith their amps?
Of course not. Their SE line is still reveared in the sq community for their clean output however they are pricey. The Kar series are solid dependable everyday amps for the price. Robert Zeff designed them but like 95 percent of amps today were built overseas.
speedfreak28 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2011, 02:51 PM   #6 (permalink)
Base Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: south jersey
Posts: 247
Drives: 05 ram, 79 z28
Rep Power: 16
speedfreak28 is on a distinguished road
Default

Also one thing to note is the class H design is pretty efficient since that seems to be a concern.
speedfreak28 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-07-2011, 10:35 PM   #7 (permalink)
Car Audio Installer
 
bigaudiofanat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Magnolia DE
Posts: 8,342
Drives: 2012 Infiniti G37x
Rep Power: 853
bigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond reputebigaudiofanat has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to bigaudiofanat Send a message via Yahoo to bigaudiofanat Send a message via Skype™ to bigaudiofanat
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 37Z View Post
Any experience whith their amps?
Actually twice, and Mike you have given me a few strange noises when I mentioned arc audio and the foose edition stuff before.

Two installs I have done one on a friends civic and one on a mazda 6 arc audio was used. Might of just been me but they just had a flat sound to them even using a set of polk mm series that I have used a lot prior to that install.
__________________
Need help with car audio or electronics? Let me know!! Need Help Let Me Know
Direct email address reimermatt@gmail.com
Owner of: Dynamic Mobile Audio Follow me below
https://www.facebook.com/Dynamicmobileaudio/
bigaudiofanat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-14-2011, 05:32 PM   #8 (permalink)
The370Z.com Sponsor
 
Wicked CAS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Kingston, NH.
Posts: 469
Drives: 98 Supra 1036 RWHP
Rep Power: 15
Wicked CAS is on a distinguished road
Default

ARC Audio amps are very reasonably priced, specialy the Mini series. It will all depend on what your goal is with the system. If you are building a sound quality system it may not be for you, it is not priced to be at that level either. However if you are not willing to give up any room in the car these amps will fit just about anywhere and they will play for a long period even after having your system at excessive power levels. They also have a matching Mini sub amp and a 4 channel.
__________________

www.wickedcas.com Call: 603-642-4222 E-mail: Wickedcas@aol.com
DIRECT AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR: AUDISON, HERTZ, JL AUDIO, JL AUDIO MARINE, KENWOOD EXCELON, COMPUSTAR, DIAMOND AUDIO, CACHE, ARC AUDIO, K40, PASSPORT ESCORT.
Wicked CAS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2011, 01:26 PM   #9 (permalink)
Base Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 203
Drives: 150cc Scooter
Rep Power: 15
Unclemeaty is on a distinguished road
Default

ARC audio is kind of a good brand, but honesly I'd look into ELF Audio to save you some money if you are really set on an ARC Audio amplifier. Its the same stuff as Arc just a lot cheaper. If you compare the internals side-by-side they are the same amp in similar packages but with much different costs.

Really, most of the good-ol-brands are now using some variation of a chinese/contracted knock-off. The Arc/Elf Mini is used a -lot- with Harley Davidson installations due to it's size, Class AB, and power output. Not too bad..

Now, if you want something really small, I have an old school ZED Audio built / Autotek 7050 (Similar to an Autotek 44, but older) thats even smaller than the ARC/Elf mini and is a really show winner.

Last edited by Unclemeaty; 01-26-2011 at 01:28 PM.
Unclemeaty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-26-2011, 01:30 PM   #10 (permalink)
Base Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 203
Drives: 150cc Scooter
Rep Power: 15
Unclemeaty is on a distinguished road
Default

Here is the ARC Audio Mini:
Arc Audio

Here is the ELF Aucio Mini:
elfAudio

Same amps folks. If you call ARC Audio they will deny deny deny. They really just both use the same contractor for the amp design.
Unclemeaty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-27-2011, 03:11 AM   #11 (permalink)
37Z
Enthusiast Member
 
37Z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Florida
Posts: 476
Drives: 370Z MB 6M -sold
Rep Power: 263
37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute37Z has a reputation beyond repute
Default Class H design?

Quote:
Originally Posted by speedfreak28 View Post
Also one thing to note is the class H design is pretty efficient since that seems to be a concern.
Does this amp overhead causing it to go into shut off mode or reduce the volume until the temp returns to normal?

What the difference in a Class H vs Class D vs Class A/B?
37Z is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-29-2011, 05:35 AM   #12 (permalink)
Enthusiast Member
 
BalanBro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NJ
Posts: 318
Drives: 40th Anniv. 370Z
Rep Power: 1111
BalanBro has a reputation beyond reputeBalanBro has a reputation beyond reputeBalanBro has a reputation beyond reputeBalanBro has a reputation beyond reputeBalanBro has a reputation beyond reputeBalanBro has a reputation beyond reputeBalanBro has a reputation beyond reputeBalanBro has a reputation beyond reputeBalanBro has a reputation beyond reputeBalanBro has a reputation beyond reputeBalanBro has a reputation beyond repute
Default

Been out of the car audio loop for a while, but my guess is class H is a variant of class D, but better suited for full range applications (Class D was traditionally for low frequencies only).

Class A/B are inefficient and generate more heat, but they potentially have slightly better sound quality. Class D (and i guess H) generate less heat and draw less current as well.
__________________
2012 Mercedes C63 AMG P31 Sedan, ROW, aFe, Eurocharged Dyno Tune. 438WHP/415WTQ
2010 SOLD: 40th Anniversary 370z
BalanBro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-01-2011, 01:29 AM   #13 (permalink)
Base Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Canaduh
Posts: 6
Drives: 2003 350Z
Rep Power: 14
orgasm_donor is on a distinguished road
Default

I have had some experience with the ARC mini amps and they were pretty decent in a 2010 Camaro I did last year. It won a few car audio competitions and did quite well with the Hybrid 3-way component set up front and two ID10's in custom f/g pods in the trunk. We used a 4-channel for the mids/tweets and a 4-channel for the midbass and center channel (bridged). Full active, no passive crossovers. Decent power out of the mini amps.
orgasm_donor is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
1990's Amps vs Todays Austin Audio & Video 22 01-14-2011 04:55 PM
Converting Non-Bluetooth Audio to Bluetooth Audio?? Can it work? RK40th Audio & Video 1 11-11-2010 09:25 AM
T3 AUDIO T1000 or JL AUDIO 12W6v2 ???? Westwood Audio & Video 4 09-02-2010 08:54 AM
Where to mount amps on 370z enclosure? flashburn ZEnclosures 16 10-13-2009 08:37 PM
Rockford Amps and Kicker L7's for sale david712370 Parts for sale (Private Classifieds) 1 05-17-2009 06:54 PM


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:07 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2