Amp suggestions?

[Steelcore 10+ year member]

03 Trailblazer EXT. I'm currently at factory everything. Just ordered 2 pair of BA SC65's for front and rear doors, they should be here Monday. Planning to get a Pioneer AVH-P3400 in a few weeks...but I'm wanting to get a sub in there eventually so I'm trying to figure out what to do as far as an amp. Or amps.

Not sure if I should just say **** it and get a 5-channel to take care of everything or split it up and get 2 amps. Eventually I know I'm going to upgrade to a component system for my front speakers, but that's going to be a little while down the road (basically, once I figure out how to properly use them). I'm thinking at that point, I may want a 2-channel for the front and then a 3-channel for the back/sub.

Anyone wanna throw in some input? I'm pretty retarded when it comes to car audio and I've never messed with any type of amp other than a guitar amp. Any help is appreciated.

Click to read more...

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I would stick with a 4ch for front and rear, and get a mono amp that will be versitle for 4ohm/2ohms/1ohms mono, so that you can use it for multiple configurations.I like 2ohms Bridged/mono for subs.Min,of at least 600 true rms power,not peak @14.4,but below the 14v range.Spoony has a BA US Acoustics 800 on here for sale that will bang any pair of 1000 rms subs at 2ohms mono without any issues....all day long,and look at a Soundstream Lilwonder LW4.620 4ch amplifier on ebay shipped for $148.15 with free shipping,and a 2yr warranty.A good pair of tens, or 12s will be plenty for that vehicle,should hit better than 1 15..I M O.

 

[Steelcore 10+ year member]

See, originally I was thinking about the stealth box option because it's just my daily ride and I'm more concerned with SQ. Plus I'm in law enforcement and I don't necessarily wanna be banging windows while I'm driving around. But I still want to have capability for nice loud bass if I'm outside of town and don't have to worry about it. That's why I'm trying to figure out how to best set things up.

I know what ohms and watts and volts and stuff are...but I really have no idea how they correlate to anything as far as car audio is concerned. Basically, I don't know what to look for in an amp. Or any other component of the system for that matter. I've tried reading some of the stickies and doing research as far as how things work...but I'm one of those "visual learner" types.

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

That SStream amp will be perfect for the front and rear speakers, and as for the subwoofer,you can do a single good quality 10 ported and run it on a different amplifier@2ohms would be ideal and will bang when you want, and sound smooth and beefy at low volume as well.An SSA Icon 10 would be a great sub for you,and put it on an old school sub amp like a highfonics VII/VIII Cyclops will be plenty powerful for that sub.By the time you pay the price for a 5ch,you can have two amps and generate more power/and prob run a lot cooler than a 5ch.You wont get alot of power for a sub in a 5ch amplifier,and four speakers, than a 2ch to bridge mono with,or a single mono amp,and a seperate 4ch amp.If you want true sq,and not break your wallet on amps, for about$300 bucks, I can set you up with a JBL GTQ400,4ch 100x4@11.6v,and a 7050BTS Autotek for the sub.JBL is HarmonKardon,if that tells you about SQ,and the BTS is a Zed Amp/Cheater amp that is underated that will perform as well if not better than todays 400-500 watt amps.I look at the TDH,and the DB on most amps,and these are 100 and above, and the TDH is @0.01-0.05%.And real USA Made Quality amps.Some of the best SQ amps of all time were the Alpine Duo-b amplifiers,and just the little 3523/40x2 will make a pair of 6.5 200rms components scream loud and clean.Stealth?You can build a sub box with the sub enclosed/poretd, and run the amps under the back seat out of sight,and the front and rear speakers in the stock location.Bolt the sub box down/Paint it Black,or the same as the interior to blend in,and get a head unit that has at the min of front and rear/sub rca outlets,or get a small preamp eq, and a Head unit with 1set of rcas.I recommend a preamp for any and all for sq.Note..you will not achieve the true rms power out of a new amplifier unless you keep your voltage @14.2-14.4v as you would with most older amplifiers,that need only 11.6/12v,and can generate more with an unregulated supply.