My Car Audio. Unbiased opinion.

[seanism]

Hello all I just signed up for the site and I have a question. I hope this is the right place to put it.

I went to the car audio place around here and spent a couple dollars to get my car audio a little nicer. Now the guy there said it is pretty good but but I want others opinions on this. Also it seems to be low wattage when I talk to some people who say there stereo is pushing 1000+ watts and what not.

I got a JL Audio W6 12in Sub powered by a Pheonix Gold 300.2 Tantrum AMP. With some Kenwood eXcelon KFC-X698 6x9's in the back. The front has some hifonics with an alpine 9813. I want to get an amp for the front speakers also just not sure which one to get.

Thanks

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[jleecong 10+ year member]

IMO

JL good company

Phoenix Gold good company (some would say more power, but it's your preference.)

Not a big Kenwood fan

HiFonics good company

Alpine good company

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Don't worry about wattage. If it is loud enough for you then you have enough power. Your front speakers will benefit from an amp. The amp section in the 9813 isn't bad speaking from experience but a little more clean power will give you better headroom for better sound. I would say get another of the Tantrum amps to match the one you have already. You can pick them up pretty cheap on eBay. Use it to power your front speakers and leave the rears on the HU power (or get rid of them all together, personal preference).

 

[seanism]

How is the tantrum compared to the JL amps. Also would it be advisable to get the new phoenix gold models or just stick with the trantrum?

Thanks again for your guys help.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

better value imo. jl is overpriced

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Amps are pretty much amps. The new PG amps are expensive and very similar to the JL's in features, none of which do you any good, BTW. The Tantrum amps will do fine and save you alot of money.

 

[seanism]

I went to the car audio place and he says he can get me the Phoenix Gold Octane-R 5.0:4 INSTALLED with cables and all that for $350 out the door.

Decent price? Supposedly he is "hooking me up"

 

[SirClay 10+ year member]

Amp - $250 http://www.cardomain.com/item/PHOR504

Cables - $80

Instal - $60

Total: $380

You are saving a little bit in my opinion.

 

[ss3079 5,000+ posts]

Just FYI, that amp is only ~ $185 (unauthorized, even cheaper on ebay I'm sure. ~ $250 authorized) . $165 for labor and wires ... wire isn't more than $50. Yikes. Markup is a pain in the ***, but that's how they make money. Just goes to show you save a fair amount of money doing it yourself. You'd be saving a little bit if you went through the shop, but if you're not worried about buying it there, you can save a bunch of cash. No biggie either way, it's not my money.

I'd grab a Tantrum off of ebay or one of the reputable online stores with an amp kit and get them installed by your local shop if you want. I wouldn't expect to pay more than $180-$200ish for one of the Tantrum series amps with a wiring kit.

- Steve

 

[seanism]

O ok. Is that amp worth getting to power some hifonics in the front and some Kenwood eXcelon KFC-X698 6x9's in the back? Whats the MAX wattage/RMs for that amp btw?

80W x 4 (4 ohm stereo)

250W x 2(4 ohm bridged)

Any other amp suggestions?

thanks again

 

[SirClay 10+ year member]

$160 eBay - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4950&item=5707382717&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 

[seanism]

**** thats a really good price.

That site also has the Phoenix Gold R8.0:4 Octane-R for 10$ more.

 

[SirClay 10+ year member]

They look like a good company. I would buy from them.