Best 2-Channel amp under $150

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

That Boston GT125 is a great suggestion. I'm a huge BA fan

I recently bought one of these ----------------->Aura RPM2300 RPM Stage 2 Mobile Amplifier 2x150W 269-189

and it will give u more power than u need and do it cleanly. Not fan cooled and 1 ohm stable like the BA amp though. But they are on sale for 100 till the end of the month. Great amp.

 

[srb 10+ year member]

Man that Aura looks like a fantastic deal. This is going to be a really tough decision! What about the ARC audio amp I linked too? Does anyone have any experience with that amp?

 

[srb 10+ year member]

Anyone used the ARC? which is better the ARC or the Boston?

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

It's a little more expensive, but how good is the ARC audio FD 2200?
WoofersEtc.com - FD 2200 - ARC Audio 2 Channel 370 Watt Amplifier

Arc Audio makes great stuff, but Ive always wanted to run Aura amps. I love the looks and they have a great reputation with anything they make.

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

The difference in the Arc, Aura and Boston wont be noticeable. Id go Boston, then Aura. Simply due to how versatile the boston is.

 

[srb 10+ year member]

Arc Audio makes great stuff, but Ive always wanted to run Aura amps. I love the looks and they have a great reputation with anything they make.

I know I am really torn between the arc, aura, and the Boston. I am really hoping someone will come in and say something that will help me choose one over the other two.

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

Yupp just looked at the price on tha Arc. I wouldn't buy it. Also if it helps, a guy local to me ssells Arc amps and he told me the Foose runs hot as all hell at 2 ohms. He even clearly told me the Boston GT was better than his Arc.

 

[srb 10+ year member]

Yupp just looked at the price on tha Arc. I wouldn't buy it. Also if it helps, a guy local to me ssells Arc amps and he told me the Foose runs hot as all hell at 2 ohms. He even clearly told me the Boston GT was better than his Arc.

Yeah I think if i can get the money before the sale stops on the Aura (they stop selling it for 100 at the end of the month correct?) then I will go with that. If I can't get it in time i will go with the Boston.

Thanks everyone for the help, I really appreciate it!

 

[duanebro 10+ year member]

Yeah I think if i can get the money before the sale stops on the Aura (they stop selling it for 100 at the end of the month correct?) then I will go with that. If I can't get it in time i will go with the Boston.

Thanks everyone for the help, I really appreciate it!

A little bit about the Aura 2300, I can't compare it with the others as I have not used them. It is rated at 300 watts at 2 ohms 20-20000hz both channels driven! Oh, and that is a 12.8 volts. Someone has benched one at 14.4 volts, bridged, 4 ohms. 640 watts rms. I would say these are under rated. (Is that an understatement //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif ) They were designed by one of the guys that made some old school amp that people still pay lots of money for. They were made in China though.

As for the price, they are a buyout. They will stay the same price until they sell out.

I think these are the best value around. I just bought another one just incase I ever need it.

 

[srb 10+ year member]

A little bit about the Aura 2300, I can't compare it with the others as I have not used them. It is rated at 300 watts at 2 ohms 20-20000hz both channels driven! Oh, and that is a 12.8 volts. Someone has benched one at 14.4 volts, bridged, 4 ohms. 640 watts rms. I would say these are under rated. (Is that an understatement //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif ) They were designed by one of the guys that made some old school amp that people still pay lots of money for. They were made in China though.
As for the price, they are a buyout. They will stay the same price until they sell out.

I think these are the best value around. I just bought another one just incase I ever need it.

The more and more I find out about this Aura the more I like it! Now i just need everyone to STOP buying it until I get my money!

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

Not sure if this will affect your decision and I honestly dont think it should but here's something you should know about the Aura Amp. I run both an Aura and Boston GT amp in my car right now. I can blast my system all effin day and that Boston amp doesnt even THINK about heating up. The Aura....will get warm, but not hot enough to shut off. I guess the point is. If u go Aura, be sure to give it ample ventilating space (as you should with any amp anyway). If, for some odd reason, you are limited to some weird spot for your amp, the BA might be the better choice.

Once again, the Aura has never EVER shut off on me, but it does get warmer than the BA GT.

 

[zako 10+ year member]

No I want to use it to run a set of component speakers.

Well, anything that's comparable to say Alpine PDX, PPI Power Class, or Boston Acoustics GT in terms of fidelity could cost a little more. For under $200 you will not buy a reference quality amplifier unless you buy used. The PPI Phantom actually measured to be a very clean amplifier except for channel separation spec, which is kind of low in the 30s at 1KHz. Most other budget amplifiers measure the same way, usually in 40s or lower, regardless of what vendor claims. This shouldn't matter if you're bringing it or running component speaker with a passive crossover. I don't know if it's even audible, but that spec only matters to those seeking extremely consistent imaging. In >90% of installs you will not get reference level consistent imaging out of a passive component set anyways, no matter what amplifier and processing you use. If you were running active, that would be a different story. If you want very good reference quality amplifier consider a Boston Acoustics GT amplifier, if they're still available, or a PPI Power Class. Sub-200 dollar amps usually have tradeoffs. For example, that Aura RPM2300 seems like a nice amp, but it has its own tradeoffs (big, warm, and power hungry, some people have mentioned turn on noise and less fidelity compared to more expensive amplifier).

 

[srb 10+ year member]

Zako, there is a Boston Accoustics GT amp linked for $169, so that is a reference quality amp for less than $200. It's just a choice between that, and saving some dollars and going for the Aura.

 

[zako 10+ year member]

That seems like a decent deal. Usually they're more expensive. I believe the whole line is being discontinued and possibly updated. This may be a reason for recent sales.