NVX 800.4 Amp Review

[Nitrousbird]

NB - please do not run those speakers on full pass, they won't last. Talk to any audio professional out there. A 6.5 coax speaker need to be run in High Pass.

I wouldn't run ANY speaker without some type of crossover. That includes my home theater.

I'll be using the crossover on the amp. Once I get around to buying Alpine's Imprint box, then I may bypass the amp's crossover. No chance in hell I will be running any of the speakers on full-pass. My headunit already has a very basic high-pass crossover setting if I find the amp's crossover undesirable.

[NorrisMike]

Norris, did your PPI's get hot pushing your rev10s at 400x2?

They will get warm but nothing I would consider being close to hot. That goes for both the ppi's. I push that sub pretty hard too.

[Murphy8166]

Does running an amp at full pass versus high pass make any difference in the amount of heat it generates?

Edited August 16, 2012 by Murphy8166

[nyryan2001]

I would think so, yes, as it work much harder tk generate those lower freqs.

I played around with the NVX on the boat tonight for about an hour. I played it pretty hard for about 15 mins, only got warm, not hot.

Right now I have it set on HPF, it sounds ok. If I go back on the ZLD and crank up the bass and mid bass it sounds much better.

[CRF-Rider]

I have 1 PPI P900.4, and 3 PPI P600.2's.(I'm only running 1 PPI p600.2 in the boat). I've had the P900.4 for 7 months. It's running at 2ohm, and gets warm but, not hot and has never gone into thermal protect mode. My previous 800w class a/b 2ohm stable 4 channel would go into thermal protect after 30-40 mins. I use an Audiocontrol 6XS, so I haven't really messed with the built in crossovers. If you don't like the amp crossover an FMOD from parts express may be an option. At the end of the day, these are great amps. I recommended these amps on wakeworld early on, but most ended up paying 3 times as much for a less capable amp...

[NorrisMike]

I recommended these amps on wakeworld early on, but most ended up paying 3 times as much for a less capable amp...

some people just like spending more money I guess.... I was told by a stereo shop guy that he has been beating the heck out of a few P600.2's running at 1ohm with no problems. Apparently these are tough little power houses!

[wakesetter8796]

This is a little off topic but what amp from this line would push a pair of xm9s (looking at some) at 400 watts each? Could you add another pair of speakers like you can with the the harpoon?

[Deephaven]

The 4 chn version: PPI Phantom 900.4, Hertz HPD4, NVX 800.4, Polk 4000.4 will do what you are asking if you present a 4 ohm load to it. Actually it'll be a bit less at 12v when the engine is off, but the difference won't be audible.

[Nitrousbird]

I got the amp hooked up this weekend; pretty happy with the amp thus far. Complaints:

- Not in love with the Phillips screw for changing settings. Very hard to make a reference as to where you have anything set.

- Mounting holes for the amp are a pain; they would have been much better if they were just closed off on the sides.

- Personal preference, but I perfer speaker terminals that accept ring or spade connectors vs. twisting the wire then placing it into the hole with a screw down.

Love the size. I'm not sure where the getting hot complaints are coming from, but I think some of you have never had an amp that runs hot. I recall my old Audio Art 200.2XE (never should have sold that amp) would get hot enough to fry an egg on it...from pushing it to an ohm load well below spec, but the thing took the abuse for years without complaint and was a super clean sounding amp.

Right now I am using my head unit as the crossover and will likely just do that instead of using the amp's crossover.

[TallRedRider]

I once had a crappy cheapo amp that had marking on it indicating where the crossover frequencies were. I eventually figured out that 80 hertz was actually about 2000. No wonder I couldn't get any midbass. This was a BOSS amp.

[Deephaven]

Some of the old Boss units are Mantz designed niceness, some are absolute #$#$%%#$^%$#^%$#^%$#^

On the Polk's I love the mount holes. They are super hard to use and make it really easy to make them damn near impossible fr someone to get them out. Yes, pain in the a** in that it requires the right tools It's a good clarification on the dials. Not only are they not indexed, they also don't line up with each other. Of course they were never meant to and that's okay. Dials, marks, and absolutes just confuse you into thinking you can set by view instead of ear and that is never a good idea.

[shawndoggy]

oh man nitrous, good like finding an amp that takes spades. That went away about 10 years ago.

[nyryan2001]

Ok I have an update:

I not too proud to admit when i screw stuff up...I wasn't using the crossover properly: there's a HPF/all pass/LPF switch.... AND a HPF button.

The switch is the standard crossover we are all familiar with.

The HPF button is a x10 multiplier... I thought you had to push in the HPF button also along with the switch..... not necessary. So instead of trying to block out 70hz and lower like I was trying to do, i was crossing it over at 700hz..... Hence my comments saying it sounded like crap.

Ignore the HPF button, HPF switch only sounds great.

Also, as far as getting hot.... I ran it HARD this weekend.... 15+hrs wakesurfing and about the same in party cove. NVX amp was a BEAST... Ran hot(can hold hand on amp for 10 seconds) when blasting but never cut off.... Even when other folks' amps were cutting out.... 113 degs on SAt. Also, you will get much better sounds by splitting the 2 RCAs into 4 for the 4 inputs on the NVX. 2 3$ Y splitters at Walmart.

So now my assesent of this amp iS higher than I stated earlier...very happy with the amp, I would buy another!!

[BMonnin]

I am getting ready to order a pair of Wet Sounds Rev10 speakers and need an amp, how is your NVX 800.4 amp still working?

[nyryan2001]

Ok that was 2 years ago... And have since used the PPI and the Arc600.2.

I would rate the amp a B-, or use it as a temp till I could do it right if funds were not avail.

I would encourage you to wait till you had $475 for an Arc 600.2 or $650 for the JL HD750-1 or $450 for the Exile 15.4.

I run the Arc 600.2 now, and would give it a solid A. That JL would be the absolute premium choice... As it'd deliver 375w wether at 12.6 with the engine off or at 14.4v, very ideal. All the other amps vary 100-150w between when the engine is running and when it's not.

[David]

BMonnin,

When you purchase the Wetsounds Rev10s in a zone package, a Wetsounds Syn4 amplifier will be very affordable. It's all the power that the Rev10s will need. It also bridges the correct way with a symmetrical signal delivered to the speakers.

[BMonnin]

When I spoke with Wet Sounds techinal support that was the Amp they recommended. I will probably go that way. Great thanks for your help.

[NorrisMike]

Ok that was 2 years ago... And have since used the PPI and the Arc600.2.

I would rate the amp a B-, or use it as a temp till I could do it right if funds were not avail.

I would encourage you to wait till you had $475 for an Arc 600.2 or $650 for the JL HD750-1 or $450 for the Exile 15.4.

I run the Arc 600.2 now, and would give it a solid A. That JL would be the absolute premium choice... As it'd deliver 375w wether at 12.6 with the engine off or at 14.4v, very ideal. All the other amps vary 100-150w between when the engine is running and when it's not.

Can you please elaborate more on the rating you gave it? I have the ppi p900.4 on my rev10's and I am about to switch it to my cabin speakers so I will need another amp for my Revs. What did/do you gain (other than the voltage vs watts swings) by going to a more costly amplifier? I was just going to get another p900.4. However, if I am leaving something on the table with that choice, I would like to know why.

Edited April 23, 2014 by NorrisMike

[nyryan2001]

1. Both the PPI and NVX were HOT amps. Very hot by most accounts, when you run them even medium hard, hot to the touch. When 2 amps are rated/near 400w x 2, and one gets screaming hot, youve gotta assume thats a lot of wasted amps. Both PPI and the NVX ran hot, I'm not a fan of that anymore at this point. Although I will submit, neither of them cut out into protect mode... even up to 115degs here in Oklahoma. The Arc 600.2 never even gets warm.... stays at ambient temps even when Ive gone bonkers on the volume. Zero indication of heat. I just dont want anything like that in my boat getting that hot anymore. What will happen when the wife throws a towel in there an completely covers/smothers the NXV/PPI amp?

2. I am not an audiophile by any means.... but my untrained ear tells me the Arc has a little warmer and articulate sound when you go above 50% volume, especailly with the Revs and the mid bass they are capable of.... very well may be complete BS....but its my perception, I think it may have to do with the cheaper power supplies and their ability to deliver accurate reproduction to lower freq's for extended periods. Also, understand that one Arc 600.2 can drive 2 sets of Rev10s very well for $475.

I am not trashing the NVX/ PPIs by any means.... I have ran them both. I just dont know of an application where I would use them again. Perhaps someone price sensitive piecing together a system DIY, and needed to wait another season for the $500 premium amp perhaps, fully understand and been there...like 5x now......But I would consider them both B level amps. they do their jobs well, but definitly not perfectly compared to other offerings.