What's up with these small tiny little amplifiers? Old newbie question.

[davidc]

Hello Everybody,

So, while I've been an audiophile for decades, including car stuff, I haven't really been following the car audio scene lately. But, it's time to get a new system for my new used car.

I had a Honda S2000 until recently when it got totalled. It had a Polk "MOMO" amp, which seemed fine, but was very big. It was just sort of bolted to the trunk floor with one bolt, but it's a big amp, so it took up a lot of space.

So, I got another S2000 (for those who don't know, it's a small two seater with a very small trunk).

I've noticed sort of a new "breed" of car amp that is very, very small, yet capable of decent power output. What can you guys tell me about these? Are they a new class? Or class D but new physically smaller components?

Can someone point me to a primer about them? Pros/cons, etc.

I'm looking for a three channel, somewhere in the range of 75W RMS per channel front, and 150W RMS for the sub.

Thanks everyone!

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[Fattony911 10+ year member]

They're called nano amps I have all three of the American Bass VFL Hybrid series amps and they are absolute MONSTERS. I was really set back by the foot print at first until I hooked it up. Doesn't mean every "nano" amp is just as powerful though still need to do your research b4 buying. What amp are you more specifically looking at?

 

[davidc]

Well, I haven't looked around much yet. Just got my crutchfield catalog, and saw a few. I was looking at the Rockford Fosgate PB300X4, but it doesn't look like it's bridgeable.

I want "around" 60-100 WRMS for each front channel, and about dbl that for my one subwoofer.

Some others I noticed were the Rockford Fosgate Prime R400-4D and the Kenwood Excelon XR400-4. They aren't micro sized, but appear a good deal smaller than the monster Polk amp I had. Although my Polk was absolutely miniature compared with the table topped sized HiFonics I had in the '80's!

It seemed I remember seeing these amps a couple years ago, but for about double or more the price. Have these smaller amps come down a lot?

How are they so small? Is it a new class of amp?

 

[Tbsh 10+ year member]

The PPI phantom 900.4 would be a good choice and it's small as well

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

The PPI phantom 900.4 would be a good choice and it's small as well

This^^^^^^

I want one!

 

[naughtyca 10+ year member]

The pbr will be the smallest amp you can get and best for price I used to run the pbr300x4 and it is loud and nwver cutoff on me even aftrt 6hr long drive

 

[ciaonzo 5,000+ posts]

Well, I haven't looked around much yet. Just got my crutchfield catalog, and saw a few. I was looking at the Rockford Fosgate PB300X4, but it doesn't look like it's bridgeable.
I want "around" 60-100 WRMS for each front channel, and about dbl that for my one subwoofer.

Some others I noticed were the Rockford Fosgate Prime R400-4D and the Kenwood Excelon XR400-4. They aren't micro sized, but appear a good deal smaller than the monster Polk amp I had. Although my Polk was absolutely miniature compared with the table topped sized HiFonics I had in the '80's!

It seemed I remember seeing these amps a couple years ago, but for about double or more the price. Have these smaller amps come down a lot?

How are they so small? Is it a new class of amp?

Here you go, bud. Scroll down to the Class G/H section.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amplifier

 

[Kingstroker 10+ year member]

Memphis has a 300w 4 ch and a mono amp in the 400-600w range(not sure on these figures) both are slightly larger than a pack of cigarettes, very small and run very hot.

 

[AnthonyO 10+ year member]

one of the smallest amps on the market

 

[AnthonyO 10+ year member]

They also have the SD600.1. Micro amp that does 600 watts RMS

 

[davidc]

The PPI phantom 900.4 would be a good choice and it's small as well

Thank you. And it looks like the ion520.4 would be good also if it's bridgeable to a 2x1.

 

[davidc]

Here you go, bud. Scroll down to the Class G/H section.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amplifier

Ahh...thanks very much. I don't think these were mentioned much in the sticky.

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

Thank you. And it looks like the ion520.4 would be good also if it's bridgeable to a 2x1.

The i520.4 can be bridged. I have the specs in the link. The P900.4 is worth it for the extra power, but the i520.4 is smaller. I offer free shipping on the P900.4 but there's a modest shipping charge on the i520.4.

Another option is a pair of i350.2s. These are on sale until the end of the day today.

To add my input on these small amplifiers, most of them are Class D. Manufacturers are pushing to miniaturize the parts while maintaining the same level of power. Some manufacturers are paying for this R&D while others are buying the rights to designs and then making their own amps.