Should I get a new amp for my speakers?

[blazian87]

So I have a set of Rainbow Germaniums 6.5 in the front. I'm planning to run them active soon with the pxa-h800 processor. The amp I have now is the Rockford Fosgate 500X (Rockford Fosgate Punch 500X 62.5W x 4 Car Amplifier at Crutchfield.com) So do you think it is enough power to get full potential out of them or will putting more power like with the Sundown amps make a big difference? I heard once you go active, everything is more efficient and also be much more louder? Doesn't take as much power to get loud maybe? Do you think it's a smart move to swap out this old amp and replace with a new school amp with more power? or it won't make much difference at all? I take it the tweeter doesn't need as much power but will 62.5W be enough for the midbass?

Sorry for asking so many questions, I just want to get it right the first time. Any of your input will be appreciated. Thank you

[calebkhill]

Idk how much power they can handle but you'd probably bee more satisfied with a bigger amp for those.

[blazian87]

It does say that the speakers are rated 100W but that's when it's run passive but I have no idea how much power it needs when running active. I have 4 channels to work with. Obviously the tweeter doesn't need as much power as the woofers so I really don't know if I only need the 62.5W or more power would actually make a difference in sound quality? Do you see where I'm getting at?

here's the link for the Rainbow manual. http://rainbow-audio.pl/docs/CS_23025-26525-46525.pdf
I have the CS 265.25

[calebkhill]

More power will make a difference.
How its the sound on your current amp?

[blazian87]

Well right now I'm running them bi-amped but still passive and I run my gains fairly low because I do hear alternator whine through one of my tweeters. I notice it really livens up if I put the gains higher but it tends to sound kinda distorted so I just keep em low and put it up on the volume on the deck. I suspect that there's amp noise or maybe bad RCA's. I'm not exactly sure. I've had this whine for a long time switching out different speakers but kept the same amp all these years. I think it might be a good pace of change to put some high quality RCA's and get a stronger and cleaner amp. I'm looking into buying the soundqubed Q4-120 Q4-120

[calebkhill]

A bigger amp will definitely liven them up. Seems you already have the right idea. And running the mids active is a good idea.

[trumpet]

Well right now I'm running them bi-amped but still passive and I run my gains fairly low because I do hear alternator whine through one of my tweeters. I notice it really livens up if I put the gains higher but it tends to sound kinda distorted so I just keep em low and put it up on the volume on the deck. I suspect that there's amp noise or maybe bad RCA's. I'm not exactly sure. I've had this whine for a long time switching out different speakers but kept the same amp all these years. I think it might be a good pace of change to put some high quality RCA's and get a stronger and cleaner amp. I'm looking into buying the soundqubed Q4-120 Q4-120

I can get you a better deal on a main stream brand amp with higher power output and similar crossovers. The noise you're hearing might be from the amplifier, not the RCAs. If it would make you feel more confident I can get you new RCAs as well.