Quick amp question

[GrdLockV8]

I'm helping my mom pick out an amp for two 12" MTX subs she got my lil bro for his birthday.

The subs are rated at 225W @ 4 ohms. So since there's two subs, should you get an amp that's rated to 450W @ 4 ohms, or do you only need an amp rated to 225W @ 4 ohms?

I'm wondering because this place she took it to wanted to sell her a JL A-1200 amp, but it's only rated at 120 or 175W (depending on voltage) @ 4 ohms, and Best Buy wanted to sell her an Alpine amp rated at 220W @ 4 ohms.

I was under the assumption that if you had two subs rated at 225W, that you should have an amp that pushed 450W. Is that incorrect? Do you only need an amp that will push 225W total for both subs? Will one of those two amps work fine to power both subs?

Click to read more...

 

[CRAZYCORNUTS18 10+ year member]

get a jl 500/1 and be done with it

 

[blackbonnie 5,000+ posts]

look for an amp that is rated at 500 watts @ 2 ohms. then you will end up wiring your subs in parrallel down to a 2 ohm load.

 

[XanderMoser 10+ year member]

^ what he said.

When you have two 4 ohm subs, you cannot wire them to 4 ohms. You have to wire them in paralled to 2 ohms, or in series to 8 ohms. And either way, the amp needs to give each of them enough wattage, so you need about 500 watts at 8 or 2 ohms. Go for 2, it's much much easier to find.

 

[funkyab 10+ year member]

and she could spend less money then what you would on the JL and get something that does what it needs to for less cost. There will be many extra expences on the install.. Dont know her economy or budget,, just my 2 cents!