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Thread: Orion Amps... Trash??? |
    
Bronze Member Username: Pkilla21
Post Number: 26
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Saturday, July 10, 2004 - 11:13 pm: |
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What do you people think about Orion amps. I heard they were doing a RF move. You know, the old sh it is really good but the newer stuff is sub par. does anyone know anything about this. Let me know |
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Silver Member Username: Jonathan_f
GA
USA
Post Number: 728
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Saturday, July 10, 2004 - 11:27 pm: |
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Yep. You hit the nail on the head. I wouldn't call them trash (my opinion, sony, volfenhag, legacy, rockwood is trash), they're more mid-line now. They'll work, but they're definately not what they used to be, this applies to ANY offering from Directed electronics. |
New member Username: Loudnobnoxious
Post Number: 6
Registered: Jul-04
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| Posted on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 01:11 am: |
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ADS, which Orion is apart of, was sold I believe 2 years ago now. The company was sold to DEI. Everything in the warehouse was auctioned off, this is why some people on eBay have tons of odd Orion/ADS stuff. The engineers for the Orion stuff (almost all of them) went to Diamond Audio and are still there today. A sad thing about Diamond Audio is they are in the process of going in the hole, but they keep that away from the public of course.
The stuff that "Orion" puts out now is stuff that DEI already had the blueprint for, wasnt that great, but they wanted to make the money off the equipment and the design until they could move on. The stuff that comes out next and will replace this stuff, will be better guaranteed. DEI as a company will have prepared a special line for Orion instead of substituting in its own products just to sell it under a name that most people trusted in car audio for over a decade.
If you have any more questions, post them. |
Bronze Member Username: Pkilla21
Post Number: 27
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 02:07 am: |
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So what do you thinks gonna happen to Diamond Audio? Are they gonna fall victim to the dollar and get brought out by big mid to low quality amp making companies. like the rest of the high end amp producers? I'm a big fan of US amps and Zapco. Is US a product of Directed? Zapco will never cross into mainstream. |
Gold Member Username: Glasswolf
NorthWest,
Michigan
USA
Post Number: 3879
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 09:05 am: |
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Chief is pretty close there.
Orion (self owned) along with a/d/s, PPI, and Viper, et al were bought out by Directed.
At that point, yeah I agree their quality went downhill to the average mass produced off the hself stuff.
Not the elite high end stuff they were when Orion's amps were all hand assembled in Tempe, AZ. using MilSpec grade components..
Granted they don't cost what they did then either.
Same with RF and PPI. the three top dog amp companies of the 80s and early 90s.
Now all three are average consumer grade offerings at the low to middle price bracket.
If you want the old Orion quality in new amps look at Zapco, Arc Audio, McIntosh, and similar companies who are considered the current elite.
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Bronze Member Username: Loudnobnoxious
Post Number: 11
Registered: Jul-04
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| Posted on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 01:01 pm: |
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actually RF hired back the old tech who had their stuff pushing waaaaay over its rated stats. and after hearing of testing of the amplifiers, yet again RF amps are underrated. this is as of the last couple weeks. |
Bronze Member Username: Loudnobnoxious
Post Number: 12
Registered: Jul-04
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| Posted on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 01:02 pm: |
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Diamond Audio will probably claim bankruptcy and stay in the game. only time will truly tell though. |
Gold Member Username: Glasswolf
NorthWest,
Michigan
USA
Post Number: 3887
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 01:28 pm: |
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yeah I've heard different things regarding rockford fosgate. by no means are they "junk" of course.. and they never have been (with the exception of things like the old Series 1 crap they made for low end, and Lightning Audio..) I just don't have quite the respect for their more recent products I did for their older class AB amps. Those things were solid, and could do a lot depending on how you used them.
They'd last for years, too.
I'm just not crazy about class D amplifiers myself.. they're great for efficiency and price per watt, but for pure sound quality and performance, I'll always be a fan of class A amplifier topology.
They make great space heaters in the winter, too!
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