JL Audio 300/4 v1 verses Arc Audio KAR 400.4

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

I can get the JL 300/4 for $150 from Craigslist or the Arc Audio KAR 400.4 for $200 new, but I can't decide which would be better.

It would be for Hertz Energy Coaxial fronts. Looking for the smoothest, laid back sound if that makes a difference which I'm not so sure it does for amps, but yeah.

Thx!

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[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

Stalemate?

 

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

I think the JL Audio 300/4 is out of the question. I'm not sure I'm down with the regulated power supply, plus I plan on upgrading my speakers sometime in the future and the JL wouldn't give me any more headroom.

For me, it is between the Arc Audio KAR400.4 and the Image Dynamics i4500. Even though the i4500 is $120 more expensive, I know who they are and I really don't know anything about Arc Audio.

 

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

Went with new Sony Xplod, thanks everyone!

 

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

Ummmm....

You went from JL/Arc/ID to Xplod...

Have fun with that.

 

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

Ha, I tricked someone into responding!

 

[Suicide Bobb 5,000+ posts]

Ouch, you got me good.

Too bad I don't have experience with any of those!

 

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

That alright, I was just getting a little lonely here haha

I'm going to get the Image Dynamics i4500 and call it a day.

 

[kr15 5,000+ posts]

All amps in question are solid choices...especially the sony xplod

 

[jda 10+ year member]

I have used about 10 amps on components and the JLs are the best of breed. I had a 300/4 on my K2s and went to a 450/4 active and it sounds even better. The sq out of the JL is amazing. Also, I doubt that you will hit 75W very often unless you just like listening to a test tone CD - my 300/4 would put out about 86W to the speakers according to my watt meter (if you can trust it).

I am not a JL guy (I have no other JL stuff and hate their power hungry slash amps on subs), but I do like their slash amps for components. The sound is just too clean... and it stays clean when your car idles down at a stoplight (might not matter on a new/different car, but on my old sled, I only get 12.5V at idle) which can distort the sound at idle.

 

[edgeh2o 10+ year member]

Wouldn't the JL tax my electrical system more than others since its always running at 75w. Another reason why I'm not down with the JL is because in the future I'm going to get better speakers and will want to run my amp at 2 ohms to feed them, but the JL won't give me any extra headroom.

 

[jda 10+ year member]

The JL amps are more power hungry than most, but not for the reason that you listed - you aren't talking about a lot of wattage though. Most ABs are pretty power hungry.

If you need more wattage, then you need more... but look for an amp that is optimized for the ohm load that you plan to run. Most amps at 2 ohms will have more distortion than they would at 4 ohms and you will likely be able to tell at higher volumes with good components. 4 ohm amps are no bargain sometimes at 2 ohms - especially cheap ones... not all power is created equal.

Good luck.

 

[Hoodlum007 10+ year member]

My first choice would be the ID then the ARC followed by JL and i would not even touch the Sony.