Help Choosing an Amp

[GrahmM]

This is my first post! I don’t know much about audio so any help at all is appreciated. I purchased a truck last year with two 12 inch Interfire subwoofers already installed, it is definitely a little bit of an aged system. I had a short that fried the amp, no fuses blew, the short is no longer an issue however.

The last amp was an old 2 channel which provided 175 watts RMS per channel. The subwoofers are both Dual 4 Ohm with 600W RMS and 1200W max. I need a new amp but have no clue where to even start looking, let alone knowing what would be compatible with ohm ratings (you can probably tell I don’t have Audio experience by now). If you have any suggestions or help to offer it would all be appreciated. Thank you!

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[Marve_Lous]

What's your budget?

 

[GrahmM]

What's your budget?

It’s looking like about 200 tops.

 

[Marve_Lous]

I'm assuming each sub is 600 RMS for a total of 1200 RMS. I would get a class d mono block amp, and wire the subs together @ a 2-ohm load. Any of these would be a vast improvement over the 125 watt per channel amp you're replacing. Just make sure the amp can provide around 1200 watts RMS @ 2-ohms and you'll be fine.

Taramps MD 1200 2 ohm
Taramps BASS 1200 2 ohm
Hifonics ZXX-1800.1
Planet Audio TR3000.1
Audiopipe APCLE 1500
Planet Audio AC3000.1
Blaupunkt AMP3000D
Hifonics ZG-1200.2

 

[Ridinhi 5,000+ posts]

A pair of dual 4 ohm subs = 1 ohm

 

[Marve_Lous]

A pair of dual 4 ohm subs = 1 ohm

I'm glad you caught that. Yes, both sub wired in parallel would be a 1-ohm load. So look for a 1-ohm stable amp.

 

[GrahmM]

I'm glad you caught that. Yes, both sub wired in parallel would be a 1-ohm load. So look for a 1-ohm stable amp.

Thank you very much, I appreciate all of the help, I’ll have to open the box up and look around. I saw videos on wiring parallel or series and wondered why you see more mono blocks. Couldn’t have asked for better advice!

 

[Firewalker]

You can do better then those amps that Marve posted. Right now on Apex Audio they are running Sundown B stock amplifiers on the cheap. Those are much better then what he posted. Out of that list the only ok ones are the Taramps the rest will not make the power they say they will dynos have proven that. Link below for the Sundowns. These Sundowns do MORE then what they claim on dyno testing.

199.99 plus 20 in shipping...can't beat that for a good amplifier!

Sundown Audio SFB- 1500D (SFB Series) Car Amplifier Monoblock 1500 Watts RMS

Features Digital Class-D Mono Block Amplifier Dual MOS-FET PWM Power Supply 1 Ohm Stable Load 12 dB/Octave – Variable Low Pass Filter 12 dB/Octave – Variable High Pass Filter 9 dB/Octave – Variable Bass Boost 4 Way Protection Circuit (Thermal, Voltage, Speaker Short, DC Offset) Wired Remote...

caraudiobargain.com

Or if you want to kick it up a little more spend the extra 60 bucks and get a 2000d

Sundown Audio SFB- 2000D (SFB Series) Car Amplifier Monoblock 2000 Watts RMS

SFB-2000D DIGITAL MONOBLOCK FEATURES • Digital Class-D Mono Block Amplifier • Dual MOS-FET PWM Power Supply • 1 Ohm Stable Load • 12 dB/Octave – Variable Low Pass Filter • 12 dB/Octave – Variable High Pass Filter • 9 dB/Octave – Variable Bass Boost • 4 Way Protection Ciruit (Thermal, Voltage...

caraudiobargain.com

239.99 plus 20 in shipping

 

[GrahmM]

You can do better then those amps that Marve posted. Right now on Apex Audio they are running Sundown B stock amplifiers on the cheap. Those are much better then what he posted. Out of that list the only ok ones are the Taramps the rest will not make the power they say they will dynos have proven that. Link below for the Sundowns. These Sundowns do MORE then what they claim on dyno testing.

199.99 plus 20 in shipping...can't beat that for a good amplifier!

Sundown Audio SFB- 1500D (SFB Series) Car Amplifier Monoblock 1500 Watts RMS

Features Digital Class-D Mono Block Amplifier Dual MOS-FET PWM Power Supply 1 Ohm Stable Load 12 dB/Octave – Variable Low Pass Filter 12 dB/Octave – Variable High Pass Filter 9 dB/Octave – Variable Bass Boost 4 Way Protection Circuit (Thermal, Voltage, Speaker Short, DC Offset) Wired Remote...

caraudiobargain.com

Or if you want to kick it up a little more spend the extra 60 bucks and get a 2000d

Sundown Audio SFB- 2000D (SFB Series) Car Amplifier Monoblock 2000 Watts RMS

SFB-2000D DIGITAL MONOBLOCK FEATURES • Digital Class-D Mono Block Amplifier • Dual MOS-FET PWM Power Supply • 1 Ohm Stable Load • 12 dB/Octave – Variable Low Pass Filter • 12 dB/Octave – Variable High Pass Filter • 9 dB/Octave – Variable Bass Boost • 4 Way Protection Ciruit (Thermal, Voltage...

caraudiobargain.com

239.99 plus 20 in shipping

Regarding power, my Silverado has an optima red top 4 post battery that my current system runs okay on. When switching to a 1200RMS/1600Max amp should I be concerned about getting another battery?

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Regarding power, my Silverado has an optima red top 4 post battery that my current system runs okay on. When switching to a 1200RMS/1600Max amp should I be concerned about getting another battery?

Add a voltmeter and upgrade electricals as necessary

 

[Marve_Lous]

Regarding power, my Silverado has an optima red top 4 post battery that my current system runs okay on. When switching to a 1200RMS/1600Max amp should I be concerned about getting another battery?

If you can get a Sundown on sale then that'd be my first choice, then Taramps. And I don't know what gauge wire you have now, but I'd recommend 1/0 gauge OFC for the new amp.