4 or 5 channel amp for the boat??

[JeffCooper]

Greetings!!

My boat system needs some help. It has a Clarion headed up (CMD6), a Clarion APX480m, (4) Polk 6.5" Mobile Marine 2-ways (651's), and a MM 1040 DVC sub. Everything was great for 3 years and sounded amazing "top-side". Suddenly the APX480m (that I bought used), took a powered.

The one thing I noticed was the heat while it was working. You could cook a steak on it. I'm in Florida, so it's EXTRA tough even though the amp is in an air-conditioned space.

I had the APX480m wired three-way - Channel 1+2 were running a pair 651's each (2ohm load, I think), and I have channel 3/4 bridged for the sub. I'd like to do the same again, but I worry about snuffing another amp.

I'm kinda partial to Polk amps - I have a 1-channel in my truck running a par of the same subs and it just kicks ***.

Can I run four speakers on two channels and get by with a 4ch amp, or should I get a 5ch amp (Polk Audio PA D5000.5???) and run the four speakers (bridged off the four channels) and the sub channel to power the single-DVC sub??

Thoughts??

Thanks,

Jeff

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[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

JL has a XD marine line. That's what I would use personally. DD was working on a marine line but I haven't heard anything in a while.

 

[JeffCooper]

JL is awesome... price-y though. I am getting away from Clarion, that's for sure.

To be clear, this is a 45ft ACMY, so everything is protected... this system is for the cockpit which is enclosed and air-conditioned. Polk is marine rated, but the home for this amp is in a locker below decks. The big question is, will 4 channels run my four speakers+sub without detonating.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

As long as it's wired right yes. Polk is decent but they are not at the lvl they use to be. They seem to went stagnet and others have blown past them. Never buy JL from a shop and it's priced good for what you get.

 

[JeffCooper]

Looking at a JL Audio JX360/4 as we speak... very well priced. Four speakers off of channels a/b (2ohm?), and the sub off of C/D bridged (2 or 4ohm as I have a DVC sub). Seems like it would be good -better than the Clarion it's replacing. Thoughts?

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

I wouldn't go lower than the XD. The JX is just a name on a Chinesse amp.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

There are some great amps out there you may have never heard of before. The good stuff we call boutique brands.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

This is a class A/B little monster.

SSA Store - SoundQubed Q4-90 4 channel amplifier

 

[Inferno333 10+ year member]

What are your power requirements?

I have a 5 channel that may work for you.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I have an old school fan cooled JBL GTQ400 sitting atm that is pretty clean and is one that has no current limit, can be ran in 6 ch mode done right.Ive ran it that way with caps on a pair of components up front, a pair of 6x9s in the rear with caps and a pair of Old school Still Water Kicker 10s @4ohms.Never had an issue with it..Still runs perfect today.Looks pretty decent for an oldie, have a Hifonics VII Gemeni 4 ch that is cream also,Ed Nine5,and a few other amps. Several 2 ch old school Alpine Duo-Bs,and others.PM me if interested,and leave me a number,and I can take pics of what Im willing to let go for a suitable shipped price pretested

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

Ive got a chit load of old school amps that only need 12ga power wiring and still shell out some power

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

You like polk?? Ive got a one time one week used Polk MoMo 500.1 with original box and bass knob and specs Id let go at a fair price also

 

[sackamous 10+ year member]

If you not really concerned with it being marine rated since it will be protected from the elements the PPI P900.4 and 900.5 come highly recommended for the price. Iv heard ppl say its the same board as the polk 5 channel but im not sure on that.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

I think you need to understand the impedance situation a bit better.

You would certainly not be bridging the channels running the speakers.

I think you mean wiring parallel.

Four 4 ohm speakers (2 wired parallel per channel) would give you a 2 ohm load on each channel (stereo -- not bridged).

Your sub I believe has dual 4 ohm voice coils. So it can be operated at 2 or 8 ohms. You can't bridge the amp and safely run the sub at 2 ohms so you'd have to go with the 8 ohm option.

With the APX that should have given you about 160w. With the JL 110-140. With the SQ about 180w.

Running only one of the voice coils at 4 ohms as you eluded to isn't usually advised.

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

The current Clarion marine amplifiers are top quality, on par with JL XD and Arc Audio XDi. However, in the US they do not offer a 5-channel amplifier or a mono amplifier in the XC line. You could use 2 channels on a dual 4 ohm subwoofer if it's an efficient sub.