5-channel amp, right way to go?

[SubaruFlamingo 10+ year member]

Im still deciding on speakers and a sub, but Im probably going to go with components up front and some cheap coaxials in the rear, and a single 10" or 12" sub, and was wondering if a 5-channel amp would be the smartest thing to get, instead of a 4-channel and then a mono for the sub. I was doing some googling, and most companies only seem to have 1 model of a 5-channel. Do most people just not use the 5-channel if they are running 4 speakers and subs or what?

Click to read more...

 

[johnson 10+ year member]

Most people run two speakers (the fronts) and a sub so a 4 channel would be adequate. You can run the rears off the HU.

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

A five channel amp would be the simplest thing to do, if you want to keep it simple. You can also do like stated above and use a 4 channel, power the front speakers and a sub on the rear channels.

 

[snb778 5,000+ posts]

I believe you only need a 5 channel if you are going to add a center speaker.

 

[~Magick_Man~ 10+ year member]

i am running a directed 6 channel amp with 1-4 bridged powering my comps and 5-6 bridged powering my sub

so you have a few options

1) run the comps off 1-2 and coaxs off 3-4 and sub off 5

2) bridge 1-2/3-4 to give alot of power to the comps (iff they can handle it) and 5 for the sub while using the coax's off the deck

3) get a 4 ch and use 1-2 for the comps and 3-4 for sub and the deck for the coax's

it all depends on your personal preference and what kind of power the amp puts out compared to what your speakers want.

if it was me i would probably go with option 3 for ease and lower cost of a 4 ch amp vs. a 5 ch.

~Magick_Man~

 

[guy022077 10+ year member]

i say get a 4 ch and a mono. think of the future when you upgrade or whatever,its not hard to sell a 4 chan and a mono but to sell a 5 ch or a 6 is a pita..good luck either way

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Some interesting advice floating around in here...

3 channel amps are rare because you could get a 4 and bridge the rears for a sub. 5 channel amps are useful if you want to run an active front stage and still have one channel for a subwoofer.

If I were you, I'd get a single 5 channel...run active for the components in the front, single channel for the subwoofer and run the rear fill off the head unit. You'd want the rears attenuated quite a bit anyway.

 

[revrider1 5,000+ posts]

Some interesting advice floating around in here...
3 channel amps are rare because you could get a 4 and bridge the rears for a sub. 5 channel amps are useful if you want to run an active front stage and still have one channel for a subwoofer.

If I were you, I'd get a single 5 channel...run active for the components in the front, single channel for the subwoofer and run the rear fill off the head unit. You'd want the rears attenuated quite a bit anyway.

That is what I meant to say.

 

[slain93gsr 10+ year member]

i'd love to have a 5 channel that does 100-150 x4 and a real sub channel 500-600 x 1 @ 1-4 ohms.

it would keep it simple with one large amp and provide the power for my active set up.

 

[SubaruFlamingo 10+ year member]

I would have a shop do the install for me, so the "simple" factor shouldnt matter? The soonest I would be upgrading the sound system assuming I like how it sounds when I get it would be in 3+ years in a new car.

 

[dbubble 10+ year member]

I have a directed 1200.5 in my setup, I have the front 2 channels on my comps, and 3&4 channel on my rears and the subs on the sub channel (5th channel)

Awesome amp, very solid. specs are as follows:

Rated Power @ 4 ohm - 75 x 4(ch 1-4) & 275 x 1 (sub)

Rated Power @ 2 ohm - 125 x 4(ch 1-4) & 400 x 1 (sub)

Rated Power @ 1 ohm - 600 x 1 (sub)

As you can see you have many options

 

[SubaruFlamingo 10+ year member]

How much was it

 

[dbubble 10+ year member]

202 shipped