Hifonics BRX1616.4 Guts!

[jimdog32526]

I got this amp a few months back and I have been putting off installing it until I get everything upgraded on my Bronco.  I have thrown it in for a test run and Damn this thing is loud!
It Looks really nice, but it is made in CHINA, so there is no telling how long it will take this thing to blow up.  I couldnt pass it up though, I got it for about $150 on sale, so I figured WTH, might as well give it a shot.

I know there is quite alot of bad press about Hifonics around, especially the stuff they are currently making and have made the last year or so.  I dont have any personal experience with their stuff, so I am going to be very objective here.  If it blows up after 3-6 months, I will come here and tell you it was trash.  If its still kicking 3 years from now, I will tell you that too.

 

So lets open this big boy up and see what its packing.

This amp is a 4 channel amp.  It claims to be 200 watts RMS x 4 @ 4 ohms and 400 watts RMS x 4 @ 2 ohms.

It also can run in 2 channel mode with a RMS claim of 800 Watts x 2 @ 4 ohms.

Looking at the box its nicely packaged.

Inside it is fairly well protected with some foam supports.  It was also bagged but I didnt get a shot of that.

The input section looks pretty nice, all the usual controls.

The Business end looks pretty nice, nothing special.  It does have 2 pretty hefty 60 amp fuses.  If this thing can blow those it will be pumping out some power.

Cracking it open, it has an extra chassis ground on the bottom cover, pretty typical layout for Hifonics.

Power supply section

Filter caps

Caps

Mosfets

Pfets

Input rails

output rails

Board

C H I N A

2 Thermistors on this side

1 thermistor on the other side

 

 

Well there you have it.  Hopefully its not complete JUNK.  Im sure it will be better than my Pioneer amp I had been running, even though that amp has been hit hard for 5 years without a hiccup.  It just is gnarly sounding though.  Hopefully the HF will be better.  Only time will tell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jimdog32526]

I did a bit of digging and all of these caps are made by a chinese company Foshan Sanshui Rlming Electronics.  No Idea what the quality is, at least they are rated at 105°.

[whazoo84]

On 1/4/2017 at 10:27 AM, jimdog32526 said:

I did a bit of digging and all of these caps are made by a chinese company Foshan Sanshui Rlming Electronics.  No Idea what the quality is, at least they are rated at 105°.

They're a good brand.

I've seen these things be put in mid-high tier electronics, and in very high temperature applications. I've seen these in European standard electronics too, so they must pass EUR safety standards, so they can't be that bad.

I know that I've seen them hold their own under high voltage (220V) applications that are high load (3000W heater had these caps on the power supply, which was located right next to the heating element). Even after some time under strenuous load, they seem to have no problem whatsoever.

They also (internally) have the same guts as a good branded capacitor. By this, I mean that they don't lie or cheap out like cheaper brands do in terms of capacitance and voltage rating. Some shit caps in amps are rated for 35v on the input because >shit and will not last long when run close to rated voltage.

I'm gonna make a thread explaining this stuff actually. Check that thread for more on caps.

[Ron36]

Hifonics is a good cheep brand amp they are just power hungry , Got one in my wife's car can't hate 

[jimdog32526]

Since all my full range speakers are 2 ohm, I think I will blow speakers before I ever blow the amp up.  Im going to trim out everything below 100 hz and send that to the sub.

[twalker182]

I'll still stand by my old Zeus'.