Should I pick this amp up? Damn its SO tempting

**Graham_A_M** · 5-3-09, 17:14

Yeah, there is a Phoenix Gold ZX500 for sale at a Pawn shop. I was just planning on looking around, but BAM there it was, and with a $60 price tag I was SO tempted. I got him down to $45 tax included, considering some of the cosmetic flaws... I already have an amp I'm not using, but its so tempting to pick that up... arrrghhh.. its killing me. Such an Iconic amp.

Phoenix Gold ZX500 V.2 Mono Sub Amplifier Pre-Tested - eBay (item 270382287537 end time May-29-09 00:12:49 PDT)
^ This is basically it.

here it is. yeah, its almost 1000rms... for $50 of ultra clean power..

[fizzle] it.
Pics up soon when I go grab it. LOL, it even has the ability for a remote gain knob. I'll have to contact PG to get it from them, hopefully I still can.

**Graham_A_M** · 5-3-09, 19:23

So, the bargaining power came from both of the lexan covers having been pushed out, and were loosely being held in under the metal casing. The output RCA's are also mashed. I dont care about those as I never use them, but right now the glues drying, and the amp cleaned up very nicely. Its almost in mint condition, definately not bad for an amp produced from 1996-1999.
yeah, I'd love to hold on to this, but I may just turn around and flip it on ebay, and make a quick and easy $200-$250 off of it. These amps seem to sell all day long from $250 US to $300 or more.

we'll see. If I can get that remote bass knob from PG, then I may just keep it and use it in my Z4, or just hold onto it when I need.

While dorking around and finding some other specs on it, I found this site.
AmpGuts - Car Amplifier Guts
Pretty damn cool, Cool to see the insides and other pics of some legendary amps of years gone past. That Phoenix Gold & Zapco section, my mouth watered a little LOL.

EDIT: ALright, here is the cover after cleaning it all up and using some white gloss spray paint for some of the scratched areas. (obviously I had to reglue the windows as I mentioned). I should have taken pics before, it was a disaster.

Overall, not bad considering the stamp on the circuit board was from Nov '95.

Yeah, handbuilt in Portland... the good ole' days when PG made incredible stuff.

Da guts.

All back together and ready to go.

This should fetch a pretty penny on ebay, if I go that route.

**Nealio** · 5-4-09, 10:52

That looks really nice Graham. I was looking to get myself one of those amps a while back.

**Graham_A_M** · 5-4-09, 23:25

^ Thanks Bud.

Yeah Im keeping this. LOL, its so [fizzle]ing powerful its insane... just pounds the snot out of any sub I hook it up to.... anything, and its not even breaking a mild sweat, the dynamic headroom this amp has is surreal. I've never seen one of my prototype 15" 's dance like it did with this thing.

Best $45 ever spent LOL.

**Nealio** · 5-5-09, 15:36

I'll give you $50 for it. lol