Alpine PDX5 or 2 Fosgate amps?

[SeaNile 10+ year member]

Boston Acoustics SL80's in the front and rear doors and a 12" G2 Boston Sub in a Boston enclosurein my 04 Explorer. I have the choice of going with 2 Fosgate amps....r300 and r500-1 or I could have an Alpine PDX5. I am really going so SQ and not extreme output or volume. I also have the choice of two Kenwood amps as well....8404 and the 8401 mono for the sub.

Any recommendations?

Thanks.

--JK

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[Vicious_SouL]

For SQ, go with Alpine. Been with alpine all my life and always happy!!! But u might want to go with a 4channel PDX and a mono PDX for your sub, because I don't think you will be happy with the output of the PDX5 for sub.

 

[macq32 10+ year member]

For SQ, go with Alpine. Been with alpine all my life and always happy!!! But u might want to go with a 4channel PDX and a mono PDX for your sub, because I don't think you will be happy with the output of the PDX5 for sub.

^^ And thats the reason I'd go fosgate, awesome amps, always underrated. You can get some of their older stuff for cheap and its much better than their newer lines. My punch 150 puts out 304x2 @4ohms

 

[SeaNile 10+ year member]

Would the Fosgate r300 be too little power for the BA SL80's? I believe it's a 50W amp whereas the PDX is 75W. I'm not looking for earthshattering bass but rather a nice tight clean bass to compliment the SL80's. So many choices and it's hard to pick the amps!

--JK

 

[mrteacha 10+ year member]

I'm selling 2 rockford amps in the classified section. The first one is the P250.2 ($80 shipped)and I also have a 600.1bd.($170 shipped) They were purchased new and were only used from august til october of 08. I am only selling to go with bigger amps.Have original boxes and manuals

 

[SeaNile 10+ year member]

Being new to this...would those amps work for my setup? I would need a 4 channel for the door speakers and then a mono for the sub. Right?

--JK

 

[gunz4me 10+ year member]

*cough, cough* shameless plug mrteacha*cough, cough*

 

[gunz4me 10+ year member]

Being new to this...would those amps work for my setup? I would need a 4 channel for the door speakers and then a mono for the sub. Right?
--JK

You could use a 2 channel amp bridged to your subs, but, I do recommend that you use a 4 channel amp for your door speakers. A 4 channel amp will give you the choice to fade to the front so you don't hear your rear door speakers blaring. OR if you ever decide to go active, you can use the four channel for your front speakers to power your front mids and tweeters and run the rear speakers off of head unit power.

I am just trying to throw some options out there. Although you could power all four door speakers with a 2 channel amplifier, I highly recommend against that because you will lose fading control.

 

[SeaNile 10+ year member]

Good points, I am really between the 2 Fosgate amps or the single PDX. I'm not afraid to say I have no idea if I would be able to hear the difference between the amps. I'm pretty new to this car audio stuff and have a pretty untrained ear. I look at it this way....anything I pick will be a huge step up from the crappy stock Ford system. FWIT, the 2 Fosgate amps is slightly less $$ compared to the single PDX. Not trying to go for the cheapest stuff out there but want to know if the PDX offers any real SQ advantages. I'm also not looking to drop mega $$ into the system.

Thanks again.

John

 

[mrteacha 10+ year member]

You could use a 2 channel amp bridged to your subs, but, I do recommend that you use a 4 channel amp for your door speakers. A 4 channel amp will give you the choice to fade to the front so you don't hear your rear door speakers blaring. OR if you ever decide to go active, you can use the four channel for your front speakers to power your front mids and tweeters and run the rear speakers off of head unit power.
I am just trying to throw some options out there. Although you could power all four door speakers with a 2 channel amplifier, I highly recommend against that because you will lose fading control.

I wouldn't amp the rear speakers. I would run them off the deck as suggested, just to give you a bit of rear fill.

 

[Vicious_SouL]

Sorry mrteacha, not trying to kill your sale, but I'd still recommend the PDX5 for SQ. Much better SQ, unless your planning to produces a mass amount to mid-bass. Which would probably blow his fronts in the long run, with the distortion from RF. (Maybe my own myth, hehe) The PDX5 would be more then enough power to run your fronts and rear extremely good. As for running you BA-G2 12" sub, I guess it all depends on your box size.

The other reason I would probably go with the PDX is size. Also your could get away without running a capacitor.

 

[gunz4me 10+ year member]

Also your could get away without running a capacitor.

You better break out your asbestos underwear because thems fighting words!

1. A capacitor is NOT a substitute for an inadequate electrical system. It is akin to placing a band-aid over a fresh bullet wound without going to the doctor!

2. If you have an adequate electrical system, you DO NOT NEED a capacitor!

 

[Vicious_SouL]

a little off topic now, but sinces your on the topic. I'm pretty sure every car manufaturer makes thier car to their to support what they put inside and a little more. Therefore putting a high powered audio system is not in their main concern. Running a cap also helps keeping ur system running @ 14.4volts, which will help the amp produces better and louder sound. Also helping your alternator not work so hard. I would still recommend it for any vehicle which is running amps.

I was not saying that buying your amps he would have to buy caps. (If that was your concern) I was just saying the PDX5 would run just fine without 1.

btw.. Hope ur not really a psycho, cuz that would mean I'm in some serious Sh*t.. lol..

 

[systemdesignz]

I would go with the rockford amps for sure. They're underrated and will fit your setup a little better.

 

[BRZguy 10+ year member]

im running a PDX5 amp. I like it for the size and decent power, but there isnt much headroom for the sub channel.