Need help selecting an Amp

[dedmunne]

I have a 1996 Honda Accord with an older aftermarket Pioneer HU, Infinity 6 1/2" 3-ways in the front doors and Rockford Fosgate 6x9 3-way's in the rear deck. I want to add a 10 or 12 sub and an amp. I have a JBL GTO1004 NIB but am now thinking I'd rather get a 5 channel amp to save room and extra wiring. I listen to mostly old R&B, old rock, Jazz, alternative rock, couldn't care less about boom, would rather not have to add a cap and/or HO alt and am strictly going for SQ.

I already have a HQ wiring kit and don't want to spend over $350 for amp, sub/box. Should I go for a 10 or 12" sub? Would a ported or sealed enclosure be better for my listening preferences? Should I find an 'old school' amp like an Eclispe Ea3532 for $100-$150, a Soundstream USA 305 for $150 -$200 etc. since those types are renowned for SQ, low ohm stability, bullet proof reliability and ease of repair if/when it fails? Are there newer amps that offer great reliability while offering outstanding SQ that are less than $250? I've found many Sub/enclosure offerings on Craigslist but don't know which ones are the best bang for the buck. What are some HQ HU's reasonably priced I might pick up on Craigslist or ebay? Any and ALL suggestions, direction and info will be greatly appreciated!

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[disturbed471985 5,000+ posts]

Cant go wrong with the 305 if gives u the power u need. Ported is the only way to go. Size I all up to u a 10 can be just as loud as 12 all in box. Hu either 80prs which kill budget or an old school eclipse. Id look into Daytons priced right and are good quality subs. Cl stay off of.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

any head unit with a 13 or higher band EQ and a 24 bit DAC with time alignment should work fine. If it doesnt have either of those, skip it, NONE of those features can be compromised when you want an SQ build.

A JBL gt 5 12 sealed would work fine and not require too much power to sound good. Old school amps like that are great SQ for the money.

 

[dedmunne]

Thanks for the replies! I do want a very good SQ system so my budget has now increased, it may take longer to get the pieces but I'm willing to wait a little longer. On that note I've decided to get a quality HU first and it will be the Pioneer DEH-80PRS.

My next questions is concerning the amp and components. I've been looking at the NVX JAD900.5 so I could run the front components, rear fill 6x9's and sub off of one amp. But if I could run components and a sub off of the JBL GTO1004 I already have and run the rear fill 6x9's off of the head units power. Is that even possible? Or should I just do away with the rear 6x9's all together? If so I wouldn't need to buy the 5-channel amp. If that's the case then is the JBL is a decent enough amp in your opinions. If not, is the NVX JAD900.5 a good option in the $200-$300 price range? Also what are some very good 6.5 Components for around $200.00? Is there a HUGE difference between paying $100 vs $300? If so I'd be more than willing to pay the $300. I've looked at several sets and just going by reviews they seem to be good options, but I have no idea as to the quality the reviewers expected. I've found some NIB Focal P165 V15's locally for around $225.00, are they worth that? Are there better options in that price range? Your expert advice will greatly appreciated concerning my many issues. Thanks!

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

For your goals I think the JBL is a perfectly capable amp and in a smaller car like that I don't think a lot of power in back would help anyway.

There are a lot of good quality components for

But in general -- Polk, JBL, Alpine, CDT etc.

Those focals are ~$300, woofersetc has them on sale rt now for $290. For $225 I think it would be hard to find a better performance/cost ratio.

 

[dsw1204]

First of all, the 80PRS is an excellent head unit. However, it is a little difficult to learn to use. And, if you are not going to go active, I'd recommend the Alpine CDE-HD148BT. It is much easier to navigate, gives you HD radio built in, has built-in bluetooth, has 24 bit DAC's, and looks very sharp. Again, that's if you are not going to go active.

That NVX amp should do you very nice. I've read many times on this forum where people liked that amp. It should give you plenty of power and seems to be a pretty flexible amp.

Now, regarding the front stage...yes, there's a big difference between the $100 sets and the $300 sets. My recommendation is the Morel Tempo Ultra 602 two-way components. Earlier this year, I purchased a set and WOW, what an increase in SQ. These things rock! I was comparing them to an equivalently priced Focals and I thought the Focals were just too harsh. The Morel Tempo Ultras high end was much more smoother. I can listen to my music for hours on end, at pretty loud volume, and not get ear fatigue. And, when I am done listening to them and turn my system off, my ears are NOT ringing. Don't think that would be the case with the Focals. The biggest surprise with the Morels was the bass response. Oh my God, these almost sound as if I am using a sub (which I am not). Now, I did, also, sound deaden the doors, which I am sure helped here. But, the overall tonal balance, imaging, crispness of the sound is amazing. These are the best addition to my car audio system. I love listening to my music loud with these things.

But, don't take my word for it. Google search "Morel Tempo Ultra 602 review" and you will find a build log on diymobilaudio.com using these speakers. Check it out. The guy talks a lot about them.

You can get these speakers for about $265 on Ebay. That's where I bought mine. They came from Israel, which is where Morel is headquartered. I was a little concerned about authenticity, so I called Morel's US headquarters and they told me to send them a pic of the box (with serial number on the box) and a pic of the back of the midbass driver. I did and they responded saying they were authentic.

 

[dedmunne]

Thanks for all the responses and direction! One question concerning the JBL GTO1004 amp I already have. Would it be possible to run front 6.5 Components and the subwoofer off of that amp, and run my rear fill 6x9's off of the head units power? If so, how would I wire that?

 

[pw91686 10+ year member]

I have a Phoenix gold ti21600.5 I can sell. Awesome 5 channel amp with lots of power.

 

[dedmunne]

I have a Phoenix gold ti21600.5 I can sell. Awesome 5 channel amp with lots of power.

Nice Amp but no thanks

 

[hispls 5,000+ posts]

Thanks for all the responses and direction! One question concerning the JBL GTO1004 amp I already have. Would it be possible to run front 6.5 Components and the subwoofer off of that amp, and run my rear fill 6x9's off of the head units power? If so, how would I wire that?

Sure. Just look in the manual to see how to bridge two channels to your sub and set crossovers on the amp. I wouldn't put any mids and highs in the rear at all, but if you want to run them off the rear channels of your head unit that should be acceptable.

IMO just about ANY 10 or 12 inch woofer would do what you're after. Sealed or ported won't be so important with the caveat being that you use whichever alignment for which the woofer is designed to best function. Most people say "ported is the way to go", this is largely because virtually everything decent these days is designed around functioning best in that style enclosure.

If you're still interested in 5 channel amp, Zed Audio may still have some of the Phoenix Gold 5 channels in stock. He designed them for PG. I got one for my brother and they make good power in a very small package and his price on them is very good. Send him an email if you're amp shopping, I'd definitely vouch for them.

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

If you are wanting a 5 channel DD has one that's 90x4 and 1000x1. Fits in a shoe box