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Which amp to go with

S

smp440

Member
Sep 15, 2008
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I am looking to get a amp for the truck. I'm looking for something like a 1x4 or a 2x4 because I only have about 6-10w pep output from my radio.
I have found the palomar elite 900, texas star 667, the newer dave made's M400, and the 3 xforce brands and fatboy. I was thinking after reading on several forums that the Palomar or TS would be better for the application... as far as the cleaner sound and lower amp draw.

Not sure if this is true but this is what I have read.

I do not use ssb and I may want to hook up other radios and push the unit for local fun but that is not the purpose.
 

smp440 said:
I was thinking after reading on several forums that the Palomar or TS would be better for the application... as far as the cleaner sound and lower amp draw.
I do not use ssb
Click to expand...
Since you don't use SSB I would skip the TS, it will draw more amperage than the class C competition boxes like DM and XForce.
 
I have read and repeatedly been told the Texas star are AB1 amps and are much cleaner sounding than the rest. I listened and bought the 500V, I was happy I did. When I grew tired of talking to people who could not talk back to me it was very easy to sell as most of the SSB guys really like the TS line. I used the money to help buy a Magnum S9-175, I am still talking to everyone I was before only now I recieve many more complements on my sound quality and clarity. My advice is to buy a good quality radio and have it aligned, It's the same advice I was given many times..........I didnt listen either.:D
 
IDK.. in my experience so far, class C is not as good as class A or AB for AM. It will work, but with a good bit of distortion. About the only modes that class C is really acceptable for is CW and FM.

The main difference between a class C and class A, B or AB is biasing. Texas Star includes a basic class AB bias circuit, so they tend to give higher-quality output than class C amps. If you ask me, I say go with class AB for all modes. They do use more current for a given output, but you then have the most flexibility and your output will always be cleaner than it would be if you run class C amps.
 
If a class C setup is run properly on AM you will never hear the difference, and with the radio he is talking about it won't be driven into "competition mode".
 
True, but there's more to "quality, low-distortion output" than what you hear..

In my opinion, there's a certain responsibility that every radio operator (regardless of service or need for a license) has to keep their station output clean. Splatter and harmonics can and do often bleed on other parts of the spectrum that aren't even in the CB frequency range. While class A and AB amps don't eliminate these things completely, there is a reduction in the amount of spurious content in the signal.

One can also use class C amps with proper low-pass filtering and produce spectrally clean output (ie vastly reduced harmonics and out-of-band content) but often there might still be some audio distortion on SSB and sometimes even on AM.

I've long been of the opinion that, given the extremely low cost of a rudimentary bias scheme and integral low-pass filtering, unfiltered class C boxes are really a bad idea. I've never been able to figure out why there are so many floating around.. Is it so the manufacturers save the $5-10 that the bias circuit and 11m LPF cost? Is it because the buyers can't be bothered to drop the extra few bucks for a cleaner amp? IDK.. it's just never made much sense to me.

Anyway, I'm not trying to preach, I just wanted to share my honest opinion. To each their own..
 
Straight 4 transistor like the Texas Star 400 which is 4 X 2SC2290 or better yet the Texas Star 500 which has 4 X 2SC2879 I own both but for the money the 500 is the best bang for the buck.

I have a few Texas Stars and have owned them since the 1990s and they have been outstanding amplifiers and sound great on SSB no rotten static soundiing distortion. Even if you dont use SSB alot wouldnt it be a plus to atleast know you have an amplifier that will indeed work and sound good there?

With a straight 4 transistor your radio is the driver and you have more control over what its putting out I just prefer not having a driver I hear guys out here running Texas Star 667 which have 1 X 2SC2290 driving 4 X 2SC2879 and there radios put out more then they should hit that 2SC2290 driver with and they sound like class C amplifiers but they think it sounds sweet because their good buddies tell them they sound grand on the band so they lay the boots to it a little more yet!!

Anyways a Texas Star 500 is an all around nice unit and all it needs is a fan added to the heat sinks like any amplifier should have and it will last a longtime aslong as its not overdriven and beat to pii$$. You can run it on low and have plenty power with lots of extra overhead if needed.

Running it on low or medium will be plenty to idle at and also safe. I cant stress enough how important it is to add a fan to these amplifiers heat is what kills these components and the added fan works wonders. Ive had a 400 and a 500 since the mid 1990s and never had to replace a final transistor in either Ive also got another 500 that also has not needed any replacements.

In the end its up to the purchaser what he or she is after Im just hooked on these because of their track record for me personally. I know some people that Im sure would kill this in a day or 2 but we all know atleast one or a few people that could overdrive a Texas Star 1600 and smoke it. Take care of the amplifier keep it cool use whats needed to make the contact as far as power goes and the amp will most likely be a life long friend ;)
 
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amp

Have you looked at the TNT line of amps? I run these amps and really like them alot, they have built in fans in them as well as B biased, you can find them on xforce's web site, they are built real well and work great for me, JMHO. Widowmaker
 
359 said:
No, your right, but he is using low drive in a mobile for AM only. I would look at it differently in a base application.
Click to expand...

Fair enough, in mobile apps things are a little different.. With a base your position is stationary, so any interference that might be caused will always be present at the same location and affect the same people/devices. With a mobile rig any interference caused will fade quickly as the source moves away.
 
Stop and Go lights are some of the worst as far as interference overloading the frontend or receive of a radio..
 
You know, I've heard that.. I haven't experienced it though. The only mobile radio I'm running right now is a 2m TM-271A Kenwood run on low power with a high-drive TPL 120W FM amp. I use a Diamond SBB5-NMO antenna.. works great, but being FM it is immune to much of the interference that AM and SSB receivers hear loud and clear.
 
My wife and I were out running around and I got to thinking. Does dropping the bias on a transistor actually create IMD? It creates an intended harmonic distortion which sounds louder, but is it actually dirtier?

I've never ran transistor amps on the base, only in the mobile, so I never considered it before.
 

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