TexasThump 10+ year member
Junior Member
Hey guys, I'm about to put my stereo in my Armada that I have had for a while with addition to two different amps that came with it.
I have an older set of Focal Utopia's and wondering which amp would be best to put these on. The two 2 channel amps and two 4 channel amps I have would be bridged since the Utopia 6W2 6.5" Components and a set of Focal K2p 6 6.5 "shine on tons of power. I will also be installing a set of older Focal K2p 6K4441R 6.5" Comps and quite possibly a set of Focal PS165's. For now the Utopia's in the front door and dash factory locations and the K2p's in the factory door locations. If I throw the PS165's in the mix, it would be for the 3rd row passengers or I will fiberglass a set of kick panels, move the Utopia's to the kick panels, K2p's to the doors and PS165's to the rears. Musical speakers. No pun intended. I'm looking into a DSP for Digital Time Alignment and Attenuation for the rear fill and if I do the kick panels, for the same to make sure they are all in phase and not cancelling with each other. So here they are.
Old School Planet Audio TT4200 (This is my front runner here for my Focal K2p's because The TT2400 is rated at 50x4 @ 4 ohm, 100x4 @ 2 ohms, 200x2 @ 4 ohm bridged. However I have read these ratings are EXTREMELY
underrated. From what I have read, somewhere in the ballpark of 75x4 @ 4 ohm, 150x4 @ 2 ohm, 300x2 @ 4 ohm bridged. In the same finding, I read that this amp is definitely more powerful than a Rockford 550x, which Rockford is known for underrating their old school amps by 2 or 3 times often, but the 550x isn't old school, but it's not new either. The 550x's specs are 65x4 @ 4 ohm, 137.5 x 4 @ 2ohm, 275 x 2 @ 4 ohm bridged
Audiopipe AQX-360.4 - (My front runner for the Utopia's because of the pure wattage bridged verses the underrated Zed amp.) 120wrms x 2 @ 4 ohm, 170wrms x 4 @ 2 ohm, 350wrms x 2 @ 2 ohm bridged
Phoenix Gold Tantrum 500.2 (Probably going on my PS165's if I install them)
Planet Audio ZZR400.2 (Out of the mix. The Tantrum is a much better amp. I love the Tantrums and have owned several Tantrums over the years)
I guess I already know the answer to the question, but I think I am second guessing myself putting the Zed amp on the rear even though it has much less power. I'd have to turn the AP amp down quite a bit if it was in the rear anyway. Should I bridge these amps or should I ditch the expensive crossovers (I spent at or over $200 for the Focal K2P crossovers when I was piecing them together) and go active? I have never went active before. I do have a 13 band EQ on my JVC KW-NT800HDT, but unfortunately, it does not have T/A, which I am wishing I had again. My Pioneer I had about 5 years ago, had it and it was great for rear fill.
Also, I don't want to hear a d@mn thing about rear fill. I don't care what you say, rear fill has it's place. I have a LARGE SUV and I have a 2nd and 3rd row with a DVD Headrest Entertainment System. So I have a method to my madness.
I have an older set of Focal Utopia's and wondering which amp would be best to put these on. The two 2 channel amps and two 4 channel amps I have would be bridged since the Utopia 6W2 6.5" Components and a set of Focal K2p 6 6.5 "shine on tons of power. I will also be installing a set of older Focal K2p 6K4441R 6.5" Comps and quite possibly a set of Focal PS165's. For now the Utopia's in the front door and dash factory locations and the K2p's in the factory door locations. If I throw the PS165's in the mix, it would be for the 3rd row passengers or I will fiberglass a set of kick panels, move the Utopia's to the kick panels, K2p's to the doors and PS165's to the rears. Musical speakers. No pun intended. I'm looking into a DSP for Digital Time Alignment and Attenuation for the rear fill and if I do the kick panels, for the same to make sure they are all in phase and not cancelling with each other. So here they are.
Old School Planet Audio TT4200 (This is my front runner here for my Focal K2p's because The TT2400 is rated at 50x4 @ 4 ohm, 100x4 @ 2 ohms, 200x2 @ 4 ohm bridged. However I have read these ratings are EXTREMELY
underrated. From what I have read, somewhere in the ballpark of 75x4 @ 4 ohm, 150x4 @ 2 ohm, 300x2 @ 4 ohm bridged. In the same finding, I read that this amp is definitely more powerful than a Rockford 550x, which Rockford is known for underrating their old school amps by 2 or 3 times often, but the 550x isn't old school, but it's not new either. The 550x's specs are 65x4 @ 4 ohm, 137.5 x 4 @ 2ohm, 275 x 2 @ 4 ohm bridged
Audiopipe AQX-360.4 - (My front runner for the Utopia's because of the pure wattage bridged verses the underrated Zed amp.) 120wrms x 2 @ 4 ohm, 170wrms x 4 @ 2 ohm, 350wrms x 2 @ 2 ohm bridged
Phoenix Gold Tantrum 500.2 (Probably going on my PS165's if I install them)
Planet Audio ZZR400.2 (Out of the mix. The Tantrum is a much better amp. I love the Tantrums and have owned several Tantrums over the years)
I guess I already know the answer to the question, but I think I am second guessing myself putting the Zed amp on the rear even though it has much less power. I'd have to turn the AP amp down quite a bit if it was in the rear anyway. Should I bridge these amps or should I ditch the expensive crossovers (I spent at or over $200 for the Focal K2P crossovers when I was piecing them together) and go active? I have never went active before. I do have a 13 band EQ on my JVC KW-NT800HDT, but unfortunately, it does not have T/A, which I am wishing I had again. My Pioneer I had about 5 years ago, had it and it was great for rear fill.
Also, I don't want to hear a d@mn thing about rear fill. I don't care what you say, rear fill has it's place. I have a LARGE SUV and I have a 2nd and 3rd row with a DVD Headrest Entertainment System. So I have a method to my madness.
