800 watt RMS sub, how much wattage do I really need?

Armed with a keyboard ready to rule the world.

Everyone see's you're words differently then you do and so far all we see is someone who claims to be smarter then everyone else and has nothing to back it up with.

Beat your chest all you want, we are not impressed or amused and we have no respect for your opinions.

Because "Knowledge is power"..

 
You obviously dont deal with to many car audio rookies, or kids just looking for systems. Most of them dont understand power requirments or dont really care. Therefore putting a larger amp than needed to the subs and kids not knowing what they are doing, will equal blowing them.
Ive got more money than you //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

My amp is only around 900 watts but it costs much more than most of the 1200 watts garbage amps around such as my jbl 1200.1 that I have lying around. I dont buy trash so lets not talk on that subject.

Go to the realmofexcursion then go to soundsplinter then look for Fonzis Rlp 15. Thats with 500 watts. Remember the challenging part of car audio is to make real loud cars with minimal power. Any idiot can slap a 1200+ watt amp in there and be loud. I am still to this day amazed at the high power, high excursion sub revolution thats going around it wasnt really like this 4 years ago.
The jbl 1200.1 is a great amp. What are you smoken! Jbl makes some solid products.

 
You obviously dont deal with to many car audio rookies, or kids just looking for systems. Most of them dont understand power requirments or dont really care. Therefore putting a larger amp than needed to the subs and kids not knowing what they are doing, will equal blowing them.
Ive got more money than you //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

My amp is only around 900 watts but it costs much more than most of the 1200 watts garbage amps around such as my jbl 1200.1 that I have lying around. I dont buy trash so lets not talk on that subject.

Go to the realmofexcursion then go to soundsplinter then look for Fonzis Rlp 15. Thats with 500 watts. Remember the challenging part of car audio is to make real loud cars with minimal power. Any idiot can slap a 1200+ watt amp in there and be loud. I am still to this day amazed at the high power, high excursion sub revolution thats going around it wasnt really like this 4 years ago.
Yes it will run fine at 400 hundred, even 50. But this dude bought an 800 watt sub, so Im assuming he didnt waste his money on the D9 to Not run it at its rated power. If he wanted to run 400 watts, he could have bought a D6 or D3.

Just becasue he wants strict SQ doesnt mean he wants it quiet. There is no point in getting a class AB amp because as you have stated, there is no audible difference.

Also, his car is not running at 14.4 volts which is what many of these 1200 watt amps are rated at. Most people dont even run their amps at rated power. He would be better off with an amp thats puts out more than his sub is rated.

 
Armed with a keyboard ready to rule the world.
Everyone see's you're words differently then you do and so far all we see is someone who claims to be smarter then everyone else and has nothing to back it up with.

Beat your chest all you want, we are not impressed or amused and we have no respect for your opinions.

Because "Knowledge is power"..
I have my respect from who I want, which is none of you. Armed with a keyboard and ready to rule the world the world? Please kid, your signed on here everytime I log on. Im more than willing to argue anything with you, I live for it. Debates and arguments is what I do, philosophy son philosophy.

 
Ok, there is nothing wrong with running class D amps in any setup...period...

You will see more current being drawn off a A/B a,mplifier over a more effecient class D. I'd choose class D anyday, in any enviroment. And for a steet beat setup, which the original poster probably has, class D is actually better.

I agree with Mackenzie here, the JBL 1200 is a nice piece for the money. Great output value, underrated, great little piece.

With a sub that is RMS 800, max 1600, 1200 is perfect, IMHO.

Class D is perfect, as sealed a driver can handle more power anyways.

For a good list of amps, stay in this amplifier section and look at 1000+ amps....big list with power, and prices.

 
Ok, there is nothing wrong with running class D amps in any setup...period...You will see more current being drawn off a A/B a,mplifier over a more effecient class D. I'd choose class D anyday, in any enviroment. And for a steet beat setup, which the original poster probably has, class D is actually better.

I agree with Mackenzie here, the JBL 1200 is a nice piece for the money. Great output value, underrated, great little piece.

With a sub that is RMS 800, max 1600, 1200 is perfect, IMHO.

Class D is perfect, as sealed a driver can handle more power anyways.

For a good list of amps, stay in this amplifier section and look at 1000+ amps....big list with power, and prices.
x2

 
just wanted to add:

Heres a few more details without getting overwhelming.

How amps are classed depends on how the output transisters handle the + and - halves of the signal.

Class A: The transisters are always on. Very clean, ultra low distortion but they run very hot and are inefficent as hell. Thats why there soooo well.... HOT!

Basicaly alot of power goes in for very little output.

Class B: Use different parts of the circuit to deal with the + and - halves of the signal. The output transisters are always switching. They are more efficient and run cooler but have much higher distortion rates than class A.

Class A/B: are a combination of?? you guessed it A and B designs. The most widely used amps. Odds are if you own a amp its a class A/B. Good for any application. subs, mids and highs.

Class D: Use a design where the transistors are either on or off. Hence the marketing guys calling them "digital" They are not true digital but hey! They got away with it for awhile!

Class D amps are very efficient so they run cool but have high distortion rates kinda like class B's and have a limited frequencies responce. 20Hz to 200 Hz is normal. They work great for subs because they produce alot of power with less current, are small for the amount of power they produce and are cheaper per watt. The high distortion means very little with subs because the human ear does not hear distortion untill much higher levels at low frequencies.

 
Alright Im going to step up and say Im sorry. Im having a terrible day and I took it out on the net and I usually never do that. I have no problems with anyone here, except Lemans.

But I still stand behind that I dont recomend over powering to new people in the car audio world, I've seen lots go bad.

And Polecat working for kicker you know just as well as I do that putting 1200 watts to your l5 or l7 does void any warrenty.

I do just as all of you are talking about I over power my setups too, but that is because we have knowledge of caraudio. For people that dont, they can get stupid. Then all of a sudden that 300+ dollar woofer is worthless w/o another 100 to get it reconed.

Is there problems with overpowering no, not if done correctly. But the general population that have systems in their cars dont take it as seriously as we do, therefore the risk of abuse is much greater.

My general appoligies that I kept this pissing match going, its just a difference in approaches.

 
Question (not referring to this back and forth deal about power,) I have 2 Skar Audio RP4500.1 amplifiers. I have just purchased 2 Sundown Audio X-8 V.3 D4 800W RMS dual subs and about to purchased 2 more (totaling of 4) for a 2001 Acura MDX running on a 250A alternator, a dry cell secondary battery and a Gravity 800A Car Audio Battery Stiffening Power Capacitor. Would that be enough to push those 4 Sundowners?
 

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Question (not referring to this back and forth deal about power,) I have 2 Skar Audio RP4500.1 amplifiers. I have just purchased 2 Sundown Audio X-8 V.3 D4 800W RMS dual subs and about to purchased 2 more (totaling of 4) for a 2001 Acura MDX running on a 250A alternator, a dry cell secondary battery and a Gravity 800A Car Audio Battery Stiffening Power Capacitor. Would that be enough to push those 4 Sundowners?
This thread is over 15 years old. You might just want to start your own thread and ask this question.
 
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