Rockford Fosgate P400X1 Punch 1-Channel Mono Block Amplifier

If you want to know which amp manufacturer offers some of the best products on the market, but is also largely underrated, it’s Rockford Fosgate. This brand has been delivering awesome amps within all price and power output ranges.

They are the saviors of budget enthusiasts, as well as a reliable option for those who need a bit more power for their money. Rockford’s amps are not flashy, nor are they packed with a whole bunch of neat features, but the core performance is there and it is rock stable.

The one we are looking today bears the designation Rockford Fosgate P400X1 Punch 1-Channel Mono Block Amplifier. It’s one of their more affordable models, and generally one of the more affordable amps in this segment on the market.

For the amount of money you are asked to pay, you sure get a whole lot of performance.

That is something Rockford Fosgate is known for. Today we are going to take a closer look at the Rockford Fosgate P400X1 and go over some of the performance specs and features this thing brings to the table. If you are on a tighter budget, you should definitely stick around.  This Rockford might just be the answer you were looking for.

Rockford P400X1 Review

Rockford amps have been viewed as copies of other, more popular brands for a long time now. While the root of this prejudice is founded in a bit of truth, the situation today doesn’t leave any room for speculations of that type.

Rockford is definitely not the best amp manufacturer on the market. With that said, they know how to put together an amp that balances price, performance and build quality in a way that makes it a feasible option to those who need a budget solution.

Features:

What we have here is a monoblock amp capable of pushing some 400 Watts RMS at 2 Ohms, and 250 Watts RMS at 4 Ohms. It was designed to be used in combination with mid to high-level output subwoofers in light builds.

The versatile nature that allows it to be paired with a variety of OEM systems, as well as aftermarket ones adds to this fact. The form factor of Rockford P400X1 is pretty compact. It’s a clean looking black box with decent sized heat syncs on either side of the unit. In terms of aesthetics, it’s definitely among the better solutions on the market.

In terms of raw specs, you are looking at your standard stuff, such as integrated crossover, RCA pass-through outputs, and short circuit protection. Some not so standard features include an onboard EQ that offers additional 18 dB of boost compared to the average 12 dB we are seeing in the amps of this type.

It also sports muted turn on, as well as auto turn on features. It’s worth adding that besides the low pass and high pass filters, you also get an all-pass filter. Both the HP and LP filters sport the range that goes from 50 Hz to 250 Hz. Frequency response range of Rockford P400X1 is wide compared to other amps on the market. You get a 50 Hz to 20,000 Hz range.

This makes it usable as a single channel amp for a lead driver in a regular audio system.

Performance:

What really adds value to this particular amp is the performance you get for a relatively cheap price. First and foremost, Rockford P400X1 is easy to install. The overall design makes it pretty stealthy, and the large aluminum heat syncs don’t require much space, despite their appearance leading us to think otherwise.

Even though the bottom end on Rockford P400X1 isn’t as low as we would like it to be, this thing packs a powerful punch in that 50 Hz to 100 Hz range.

When paired with a decent subwoofer, you get a loud and well-defined sound that moves a lot of air. When pushed hard, the amp does heat up a bit, but it’s nothing that those massive aluminum heat syncs can’t handle.

It’s not something you would want to use in a high-end setup, but that’s not what this amp was made for anyway. When you put it in an OEM system with an aftermarket subwoofer, you will experience just how much of an impact a cheap Rockford is capable of making. Sure, it adds volume but it also adds quite a bit of range to your overall sound.

Overloading protection on the amp seems to work well, but that doesn’t mean you can damage a few speakers. Just like it’s the case with any other amp, you need to be careful just what type of transducer you are pairing with Rockford P400X1. It’s easy to underestimate those 400 Watts RMS.

Our Verdict on the Rockford Fosgate P400X1:

Entry level amps are a touchy subject to most car audio system enthusiasts. A lot of people need them, but most are just not ready to get anything from this segment. Rockford P400X1 should dispel a lot of that prejudice, and the one surrounding this brand in general. The amp works impressively well and offers reliable performance over extended periods of time.

Is it running warm? Yes, but it’s not one of those amps that will burst in flames after an hour of hard work. As long as you install it with a subwoofer whose specs match the ones of the Rockford P400X1, you should have no problems running that system to its fullest potential.

To some people in the community, 400 Watts RMS is on the low end of the scale, but this Rockford proves that even a ‘low powered’ unit can bring a mighty sound on a budget. In all honesty, if you are on a strict budget and you need something that works great and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, this Rockford P400X1 is definitely something you should look into.

The ability of this brand to deliver affordable performance that punches hard is still astonishing. This amp also comes in a 300 Watt RMS configuration.