Rank these 5 channel amps

[STillFaster]

Please let me know your thoughts for the following 5ch amps as to SQ, value, reliability. I am more interested in SQ then SPL.

JL 500/5 (2x100/2x25/1x250) $600

SS Tarantula 800/5 (4x50/1x200) $550

SS VanGogh 800.5 (4x50/1x200) $450

PPI 5800 (4x50/1x200) $450

Alpine F450 (4x50/1x200) $330

Orion 7005 (4x50/1x150) $275

For convenience power figures are listed in 4 ohm, prices are approximate.

My system is CDT HD62EF component front, CL5X coax rear in a Subaru Impreza 4 dr sedan. Sub will likely be a 10" in a small custom box. Headunit will likely be Alpine 9835. I am not inclined to spend more then $600 for an amplifier and would be happy to spend less.

Thanks

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[EzekialPhoenix 10+ year member]

If you are willing to spend $600, I would get two amps rather than one 5 channel. The only one of those amps that gice ample power to your CDT's is the JL Audio. I would get a two-channel amp to run your front components, something like 100 x 2. I would run the rear coaxials off the deck. I would buy a reasonably medium size mono amp to run your sub. Actually I'll bet you could get two amps that would serve you better than the five-channel for about $450.00. People here recommend a U.S. Acoustics amp or profile or Lanzar Opti drives to run the components and something like a JBL 600.1 to run the sub, maybe even something smaller. You can get a combination of any two of those amps for well under $650 and they will serve you as well if not better than any of those 5-channel amps. Just my opinion of course. If you are dead set on one of the 5-channel amps, I would get the JL because it is the only one to supply your comps with enough power without getting into creative wiring schemes.

 

[Ptown 10+ year member]

U.S. Amps has an awesome tube amp - the TU-4360.

 

[ppi freak]

if you can try to find a ppi ax606 art series you would be amazed what it can do 50x4 at 4ohm and 400 x1 at 2ohm

all under rated i have yet to see amps produced to day that are as high quality as some 6 to 12 years old regardless of brand. dont get me wrong the are good products out today but when price goes down so does quality ( cheaper parts more hype)

ppi freak

 

[PopcornPlaya 10+ year member]

you looked into the hifonics zx8000? its part of the zeus series. its 399.99 here, and includes bass remote.

http://www.woofersetc.com/product.asp?0=295&1=296&3=2047

 

[adam71 5,000+ posts]

i have yet to see amps produced to day that are as high quality as some 6 to 12 years old regardless of brand. dont get me wrong the are good products out today but when price goes down so does quality ( cheaper parts more hype)ppi freak

I agree 100%. If that Tarrantula was 6 - 8 yrs old I would say go with that. (the ones made back then were the shiznit). But today you really don't know what you're going to get. Ever since they introduced surface mount technology and shit canned through-hole the quality as well as the prices have gone way down. Luckily not ALL mfgs use surface mount and those are also the mfgs that charge top dollar.

But in my opinion I would trash the rear speakers, run the VanGogh in 3 channel mode by bridging the front 4 channels into 2 and go from there.

Adam :thumbsup

 

[denim 5,000+ posts]

this is the order I would put them in

 

SS Tarantula 800/5 (4x50/1x200) $550

Orion 7005 (4x50/1x150) $275 tie PPI 5800 (4x50/1x200) $450

JL 500/5 (2x100/2x25/1x250) $600

Alpine F450 (4x50/1x200) $330

SS VanGogh 800.5 (4x50/1x200) $450