Orion Vs. Hifonics Amps

Orion and Hifonics are two of the leading car audio companies in the world. The two companies have similar histories---Orion was founded in 1982 and Hifonics in 1983---and reputations, but their amps provide users with slightly different sounds and features.

Ohm Ratings

Each of the amps in the Orion and Hifonics Series is available with a 4-ohm rating, the standard for car audio.

Heat Sink Technology

Orion's HCCA and XTR series amps feature heat sink technology, which is useful for amps that will be used a lot by customers who are conscious of possibly wearing out their car's battery. Hifonics amps feature similar technology in all of their amps.

Remote Control

The HCCA is the only series of Orion amps in which each model includes a remote control. Orion provides a remote that can be purchased separately through their website for about $40, at 2010 prices. The XTR5002 and XTR5004 are the only XTR amps that include remotes, and the CO5001 and CO8001 are the only Cobalt amps that include them. Every Hifonics amp includes a bass remote.

Cobalt vs. Hfi

The Cobalt series is not designed for the heavy bass blast that the other two amps in the series were made for, as it is best suited for small signals. The Cobalt series lacks many of the features of the HCCA and XTR but is priced very competitively. Its pricing and features are similar to the Hifonics Hfi series, with the main difference being the inclusion of a remote control in the Hfi series.

Pricing

The Brutus series of Hifonics amps corresponds closely in pricing to the HCCA amps from Orion, as both of the most basic models are available in the mid-$300 range. The XTR and Zeus series amps are available from the mid-$250 range and upper-$100 range, respectively. Cobalt and Hfi series are both available in the mid-$100 range.

References

• Hifonics
• Orion