noob needs help.

[cotedog03 10+ year member]

Just got 2 12" Kicker CompVR's with dual 4 ohm voice coils, but i'm not sure on what type of amp to get (how many watts, ohms, channels, etc.). On the kicker site, they recomended a 2 channel amp, but i've heard a mono amp might work best.

Oh and each sub is 400w RMS and 800w max.

Thanks for any help in advance

Cody

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[tapout 5,000+ posts]

A mono amp thet puts out 800 @ 1 would work.

Or a 2 channel that puts out 400 @ 2 per channel.

 

[kmanian 5,000+ posts]

I have a diamond audio D5 1200.1 that will do over 1000w @ 1ohm mono, giving you some head room, which is what you can wire the subs to. I'll cut you a good deal if your intrested. just PM me

 

[Betrayer00GT 10+ year member]

Well, unless you get something like the above amp (something stable down to 1ohm on a single channel), your best bet is probably to buy a two channel amp that does between 200RMS and 400RMS, per channel, when running a 2ohm load per channel. You could parallel the pair of voicecoils on each sub, and this will give you a pair of 2ohm loads. That setup is perfect for almost all stereo amps. Again, that or a 1ohm stable monoblock are your best bets, IMO.

If you wanted to keep the cost down, you could try one of these:

http://www.millionbuy.com/prfap1200.html

Their stuff seems to work well. I am running a few older style California-series amps, myself.

Maybe this one, instead. It adds more power and a subsonic filter (which is very useful if you port your subs and also tune them high):

http://www.millionbuy.com/prfap2000.html

Neither of those are expensive, exactly. Never bought from that place before, but they have free shipping. Anyway, the prices on those aren't much worse everywhere else.

Just my $.02

 

[cotedog03 10+ year member]

Thanks for all the help guys, i really appreciate it.

but one thing has changed. i got the subs today, and i opened them and they're the 2ohm version, not the 4ohm. Will this make a difference in how they sound? or what kind of amp i should look at?

Thanks

Cody

 

[luvinthebass 5,000+ posts]

will just make the wiring options different.

 

[thegreatestpenn 5,000+ posts]

get a kicker zx750.1 or zx1000.1. They're on closeout right now and go well with those subs. Also, if you can run them ported, do so. I didn't like how they sounded sealed

 

[Betrayer00GT 10+ year member]

get a kicker zx750.1 or zx1000.1. They're on closeout right now and go well with those subs. ...

Yes, one of the typical 2-ohm stable monoblocks is now a good option. You could series the voicecoils on each sub together, then parallel the two subs and send that 2ohm load to a typical 2-ohm stable monoblock like those Kickers.

Alternately, you would want a pair of stereo amps, or a single 4 channel amp. Then you series the pair of coils on each sub to make a pair of 4ohm loads, then bridge a basic stereo amp (or half a 4-ch) into each of those subs. You could get a pair of Profile California-series 400SX (for 300w RMS per sub, 600w RMS in total) and it would cost you ~$100 (out-the-door), plus you'd have a 1yr warranty from Profile. Check it out:

http://www.profilecaraudio.com/amplifiers.htm

I am using one of those. Plus a pair of the CA200 models at the top of that page, actually. I have the two voicecoils of my dual-2ohm 15" sub wired in series and run off a bridged 400SX. My only complaint with the 400SX amp is that the power wire input size is rather small. It is only a 300w amp, though. Despite that one petty gripe, it works really well for me. Plus, you can't beat $45 (which includes a 1yr warranty).

You've got way more good options, now. Good luck!