What is less taxing on car electrical system?

[SamIam71]

So, without a single,"It depends on.....", which amp would be more of a strain on a vehicle's electrical system. Say you have everything installed in a car,except the amp. In one hand you hold a larger amp that will make 1000W @ 4ohms, in the other hand, a smaller amp that will make 1000W @ 1ohm. Which amp will be the easiest for the car's electrical system to power?

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[Shroomic 10+ year member]

1000w @ 4 ohms.

The greater resistance keeps it from draining the batteries as fast, but the 1000@4 costs about twice as much as 1000@1

 

[basswiigee]

1000w@4ohms the efficency would be higher which would allow the amp to make the power with less amp draw.....

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

depends on the amps entirely

take a kicker zx1500.1 draws 160amps of current to make 1500w at 2ohm the kicker is around 76%efficient at 2ohm

take a sundown saz1500d draws 160amps of current to make 1500w at 1ohm the sundown realistically the 78%efficient at 1ohm

but comparing a kicker zx2500.1 set at 1500w at 4ohm its now 88%efficient which is less taking than the sundown but its also alot more money

i personally would take the 3-400buck difference in price and put it toward a bigger alt. you would save space in amp foot print and save money out the box.

my m1c is running a 2ohm set for 1200w and it barely draws more than 100amps on hard bass hits which is good because its on 4awg wire and completely factory electrical. 100amp alt and group 27 batt

amd just for reference the slash 1000/1v2 is about 76%efficient at 4ohm but is 82%efficient at 1.5ohm due to the regulated power supply.

it take power to make power

1500w at 1ohm

1500w at 2ohm

1500w at 4ohm

ALL DRAW THE SAME CURRENT ITS THE AMPS INEFFICIENCY THAT DECIDES OTHERWISE

 

[SamIam71]

depends on the amps entirely
take a kicker zx1500.1 draws 160amps of current to make 1500w at 2ohm the kicker is around 76%efficient at 2ohm

take a sundown saz1500d draws 160amps of current to make 1500w at 1ohm the sundown realistically the 78%efficient at 1ohm

but comparing a kicker zx2500.1 set at 1500w at 4ohm its now 88%efficient which is less taking than the sundown but its also alot more money

i personally would take the 3-400buck difference in price and put it toward a bigger alt. you would save space in amp foot print and save money out the box.

my m1c is running a 2ohm set for 1200w and it barely draws more than 100amps on hard bass hits which is good because its on 4awg wire and completely factory electrical. 100amp alt and group 27 batt

amd just for reference the slash 1000/1v2 is about 76%efficient at 4ohm but is 82%efficient at 1.5ohm due to the regulated power supply.

it take power to make power

1500w at 1ohm

1500w at 2ohm

1500w at 4ohm

ALL DRAW THE SAME CURRENT ITS THE AMPS INEFFICIENCY THAT DECIDES OTHERWISE

Your point is moot, because you are comparing apples to oranges. That is why the question began with"Without a single 'it depends on'".

As for the other replies, this is what I thought. I realize price is a compelling factor to use smaller amps and just ask them to work harder. Understanding that a car audio amp is an inverter, changing dc to ac, I would think the rate at which it is converted(amperage) would be what to look at.

I keep looking at amps for subs, and I see small ones that will make the power at 1 or 2 ohms, but then I ponder the need to upgrade electrical. Then, I will look at a larger and more expensive amp that will work at 4 ohms, and because it runs slower and cooler, I don't think I need worry about my stock electrical.

It seems that either way, you can only get as loud as you can afford to get. Maybe if the current design is terminal, as is mine, then go with larger amps. But, if I planned on future expansion, maybe smaller amps running faster, and spend the money on electrical upgrades.

 

[SamIam71]

depends on the amps entirely
take a kicker zx1500.1 draws 160amps of current to make 1500w at 2ohm the kicker is around 76%efficient at 2ohm

take a sundown saz1500d draws 160amps of current to make 1500w at 1ohm the sundown realistically the 78%efficient at 1ohm

but comparing a kicker zx2500.1 set at 1500w at 4ohm its now 88%efficient which is less taking than the sundown but its also alot more money

i personally would take the 3-400buck difference in price and put it toward a bigger alt. you would save space in amp foot print and save money out the box.

my m1c is running a 2ohm set for 1200w and it barely draws more than 100amps on hard bass hits which is good because its on 4awg wire and completely factory electrical. 100amp alt and group 27 batt

amd just for reference the slash 1000/1v2 is about 76%efficient at 4ohm but is 82%efficient at 1.5ohm due to the regulated power supply.

it take power to make power

1500w at 1ohm

1500w at 2ohm

1500w at 4ohm

ALL DRAW THE SAME CURRENT ITS THE AMPS INEFFICIENCY THAT DECIDES OTHERWISE

Your point is moot, because you are comparing apples to oranges. That is why the question began with"Without a single 'it depends on'".

As for the other replies, this is what I thought. I realize price is a compelling factor to use smaller amps and just ask them to work harder. Understanding that a car audio amp is an inverter, changing dc to ac, I would think the rate at which it is converted(amperage) would be what to look at.

I keep looking at amps for subs, and I see small ones that will make the power at 1 or 2 ohms, but then I ponder the need to upgrade electrical. Then, I will look at a larger and more expensive amp that will work at 4 ohms, and because it runs slower and cooler, I don't think I need worry about my stock electrical.

It seems that either way, you can only get as loud as you can afford to get. Maybe if the current design is terminal, as is mine, then go with larger amps. But, if I planned on future expansion, maybe smaller amps running faster, and spend the money on electrical upgrades.

 

[Ahmed Johnson]

I think it will be the same since you are pulling the same amount of amps to make the power. I think the difference is that the 4 ohm will be way more efficient giving your subs cleaner power, and will make better use out of the amperes it has to play with.

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

Your point is moot, because you are comparing apples to oranges. That is why the question began with"Without a single 'it depends on'".As for the other replies, this is what I thought. I realize price is a compelling factor to use smaller amps and just ask them to work harder. Understanding that a car audio amp is an inverter, changing dc to ac, I would think the rate at which it is converted(amperage) would be what to look at.

I keep looking at amps for subs, and I see small ones that will make the power at 1 or 2 ohms, but then I ponder the need to upgrade electrical. Then, I will look at a larger and more expensive amp that will work at 4 ohms, and because it runs slower and cooler, I don't think I need worry about my stock electrical.

It seems that either way, you can only get as loud as you can afford to get. Maybe if the current design is terminal, as is mine, then go with larger amps. But, if I planned on future expansion, maybe smaller amps running faster, and spend the money on electrical upgrades.

Man its like this buying a 2k at 1ohm amp is more efficient at 4ohm than an amp the is designed to make the same power at 1ohm.

but 1000w at 1

1000w at 2

and 1000w at 4

will draw the same amperage to output the same power.

efficiency is in the design of the amp not the ohm load

 

[SamIam71]

Yeah, that is pretty much what everyone else said. It is the same amount of current being inverted, it is happening faster inside the amp ran with lower resistance, which changes nothing with the supply.

 

[basswiigee]

bro you should be able to run 1000w on a stock setup though.... with big 3, I've ran 3000 on my stock setup....

 

[Beatin' 10+ year member]

an amp can be designed to have good efficiency at 1 ohm operation. That's all that matters.

why buy a huge 1000wrms @ 4ohm amp when a smaller and similarly efficient 1000wrms @ 1ohm amp will get the job done at a lower cost?

 

[winkychevelle 10+ year member]

an amp can be designed to have good efficiency at 1 ohm operation. That's all that matters.
why buy a huge 1000wrms @ 4ohm amp when a smaller and similarly efficient 1000wrms @ 1ohm amp will get the job done at a lower cost?

if he is looking for true efficiency he needs to look at higher priced amps

ie: zapco, zed, mmats, tru, zuki, lunar.

personally if i were looking for 1k at 2ohm a zed minotaur is great, for 4ohm the kronos, for 1ohm well its a crap shoot cause so many amps can maintain 80%+ efficiency at 1ohm.

the jl hd series is pretty efficient, brax and helix are decent really for the extra cost of these more efficient amps i could almost buy or buy an upgraded alt.

for instance

the dd m1c 380 from a dealer near me

the zed minotaur is 645 from ssa

thats $265 i could put towards electrical upgrades

half the cost of a dc 250amp alt and we all know they are one of the more expensive companies

https://www.dcpowerinc.com/fit/2005~Chevrolet~Silverado~5.3L-V8/8237-250-xp.html

 

[SamIam71]

I am out to power two Sundown SA12's. Looking at an alpine MRX-M240 or a Soundstream TA1.3000D. The vehicle has a 130amp alternator, and I will do the big 3.

 

[basswiigee]

I am out to power two Sundown SA12's. Looking at an alpine MRX-M240 or a Soundstream TA1.3000D. The vehicle has a 130amp alternator, and I will do the big 3.

i'd go with the alpine, isn't that a 2 ohm amp? you should be safe get a volt meter just in case and watch it....

 

[SamIam71]

Soundstream Ta1.300D= 800w@4ohm,1,400@2ohms, 2,500w bridged 40hms(1ohm), and 3,000w@.5ohm

Alpine 1500 Watts x 1 into 4 Ohms

2400 Watts x 1 into 2 Ohms

I prefer the Alpine though it is 100 bucks more. I would run it at 4 with 750 on each sub. I could go up to sundown x series at 2 ohm, or add two more sa12's in the future