Yet another "what kind of amp do I need" post...

[Sms4001 10+ year member]

Hey guys I need a new amp. I got my system installed for me a while back so I don't know much about all the terms but here is what I have right now.

2 of these Clarion U.S.A. | SW12X

and this is my amp

TOTAL Mobile Audio T4002 (tma-t4002) - 2-Channel Car Amplifier Power Amp - Sonic Electronix

I kinda skimmed crutchfield really quick and it seems like this one is the next step up from what I have now.. Kenwood KAC-7205 2-channel car amplifier — 170 watts RMS x 2 at Crutchfield.com

I just want to make sure I get a good enough amp (possibly make the subs sound better than they do now) without the risk of blowing my subs at all. What do you guys think?

Click to read more...

 

[misfit138 5,000+ posts]

This'll do the trick, and it'll give the option of upgrading in the future: Audioque: Amps: AQ1200D

You can buy it on the same site. Just click the "Order" tab at the top right hand side of the page...

 

[mclerico83 5,000+ posts]

NEW MB Quart DSC-1500.1D Mono Amplifier 1500W Car Amp - eBay (item 360276264642 end time Jul-27-10 10:48:00 PDT)

 

[Sms4001 10+ year member]

This'll do the trick, and it'll give the option of upgrading in the future: Audioque: Amps: AQ1200D
You can buy it on the same site. Just click the "Order" tab at the top right hand side of the page...

So if I take this one for an example.. it says it's "510X1 @ 4 ohm," and I have 2 of the 4 ohm subs so I would divide that by 2 right? So that would be 255 watts to each sub? As long as it's under the 300 watts RMS of my subs there should be no problem?

 

[DarkScorpion 10+ year member]

So if I take this one for an example.. it says it's "510X1 @ 4 ohm," and I have 2 of the 4 ohm subs so I would divide that by 2 right? So that would be 255 watts to each sub? As long as it's under the 300 watts RMS of my subs there should be no problem?

That's not how it will work in this case.

You have a pair of subwoofers that are single 4-ohm voice coils. You can either wire them in series, for a final load of 8ohms, or in parallel for a final load of 2ohms. The AQ1200D puts out ~800w @ 2ohms, which means each individual speaker will be receiving 400w. That is a good amount of power that will give your subs a lot of room to work with without driving the amplifier into clipping the signal.

When you're looking at the power rating of subwoofer, the rating manufacturers provide are extremely variable. Many mainstream companies give ratings which should be considered along the lines of a blanket statement - they're there so people who are ill-informed will not damage their equipment and blame the manufacturer. I'd say most mainstream subs can safely take 200-300w above their rated power, granted that the amplifier isn't clipping.

 

[Sms4001 10+ year member]

hmm So what way do you think my sub is hooked up now? I just checked it and each sub is hooked up directly from to the amp in the L and R speaker plugs respectively. I guess what I'm saying is.. what exactly is the diff between 2 and 4 ohms? Would I be able to tell a diff from the way it's hooked up right now?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/Sms4001/001-1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/Sms4001/003.jpg

EDIT: I have pretty much narrowed it down to either this 2 channel amp http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KAC7205/Kenwood-KAC-7205.html?tp=35757

or this mono amp http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KAC9105/Kenwood-KAC-9105D.html?showAll=N&tp=35834 (this one is confusing.. because it is mono.. yet it has two speaker inputs? ) (lot cheaper on ebay)

what do you think about these two?

 

[Sms4001 10+ year member]

anyone?

 

[ngsm13 5,000+ posts]

Don't get stuck on only the brands crutchfield offers.

The other two amplifiers mentioned in this thread are the best recommendations so far.

nG

 

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

hmm So what way do you think my sub is hooked up now? I just checked it and each sub is hooked up directly from to the amp in the L and R speaker plugs respectively. I guess what I'm saying is.. what exactly is the diff between 2 and 4 ohms? Would I be able to tell a diff from the way it's hooked up right now?http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/Sms4001/001-1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/Sms4001/003.jpg

EDIT: I have pretty much narrowed it down to either this 2 channel amp Kenwood KAC-7205 2-channel car amplifier — 170 watts RMS x 2 at Crutchfield.com

or this mono amp Kenwood KAC-9105D Mono subwoofer amplifier — 900 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms at Crutchfield.com (this one is confusing.. because it is mono.. yet it has two speaker inputs? ) (lot cheaper on ebay)

what do you think about these two?

Uh, you've narrowed it down to those two? Not to be a dick, but those two people above recommended two amps of 100 times better quality, performance, and price and you took their advice with a grain of salt.

 

[DarkScorpion 10+ year member]

hmm So what way do you think my sub is hooked up now? I just checked it and each sub is hooked up directly from to the amp in the L and R speaker plugs respectively. I guess what I'm saying is.. what exactly is the diff between 2 and 4 ohms? Would I be able to tell a diff from the way it's hooked up right now?http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/Sms4001/001-1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/Sms4001/003.jpg

EDIT: I have pretty much narrowed it down to either this 2 channel amp http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KAC7205/Kenwood-KAC-7205.html?tp=35757

or this mono amp http://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KAC9105/Kenwood-KAC-9105D.html?showAll=N&tp=35834 (this one is confusing.. because it is mono.. yet it has two speaker inputs? ) (lot cheaper on ebay)

what do you think about these two?

Whenever you have a mono amplifier, it puts out sound in a single channel. When you have a mono amp that has two sets of terminals (two +'s and 2 -'s), they are internally bridged. The only reason why they do this is to make installing easier. It is not a two channel amp - the amp is not putting out a separate left and right channel; they are exactly the same.

The amp you CURRENTLY have is a 2-channel amp. It's actually putting out a separate left and right channel. When you're in the sub-bass region, the human ear cannot localize those low frequencies, so there really is no point what-so-ever in using a 2 channel amplifier for subwoofers, regardless of whether you have 1, 2, 3, 4, or how ever many subs; it just doesn't matter.

This is why just about everyone on the forums will tell you to get a monoblock amplifier - it will simplify things a bit more in the long run, the crossovers are specifically geared towards low-frequency adjustments, and they are usually class-D for greater power output/efficiency.

Of the two amplifiers you linked, I will suggest neither of them. Over priced, and, if it DOES do rated power, will only do it at 14.4v. The MBQuart DSC1500.1D or the Audioque AQ1200D are vastly superior amplifiers at a much better price point. Why are you so fixated on mainstream brands? I promise you that you'll be throwing money away if you go with one of those kenwoods.

 

[Sms4001 10+ year member]

@darkscorpion and others.. as I said.. on ebay I could get the kenwood 2 channel at $125 and the mono at about $170 (both new). That was the main reason I was kind of ruling out the AQ which is $249 not including tax or shipping. The MB is a little closer to the kenwood mono in price. You think that ones worth the extra 40 bucks even though (according to the numbers) it's weaker?

 

[DarkScorpion 10+ year member]

@darkscorpion and others.. as I said.. on ebay I could get the kenwood 2 channel at $125 and the mono at about $170 (both new). That was the main reason I was kind of ruling out the AQ which is $249 not including tax or shipping. The MB is a little closer to the kenwood mono in price. You think that ones worth the extra 40 bucks even though (according to the numbers) it's weaker?

The AQ1200D is $249 shipped, and there is no tax.

The kenwood amp doesn't put out any more power at 1ohm - it's regulated to 900w @ 1ohm. The MBQuart is fully 1-ohm stable, and puts out 1500w at 1ohm. Unless of course, you're comparing the output at 2ohms, which is a 150w difference on paper. 1) That difference is inaudible. 2) If you ever plan on upgrading to better subs, the DSC1500.1D and AQ1200D offer much more flexibility. 3) The MBQ and AQ will STILL most likely outperform the kenwood at 2ohms anyways, and 4) Kenwood is shit, for the 3958243th time. You seem to worried about price, but you keep insisting on wasting money on an inferior product. The extra $ for either, the AQ or the MBQ is worth it, and if you really wanted to save more, you can pick one up used from the classifieds. The DSC can be had for ~$180 shipped used, and the AQ ~$200 shipped used.

 

[emilimo701 10+ year member]

the AQ1200 is $250 including tax/shipping. get that. fvck the kenwoods

 

[DarkScorpion 10+ year member]

How 'bout this, What exactly is your budget? There are a plethora of amps we can suggest to fit almost any need.

 

[misfit138 5,000+ posts]

I have pretty much narrowed it down to either this 2 channel amp Kenwood KAC-7205 2-channel car amplifier — 170 watts RMS x 2 at Crutchfield.com

or this mono amp Kenwood KAC-9105D Mono subwoofer amplifier — 900 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms at Crutchfield.com (this one is confusing.. because it is mono.. yet it has two speaker inputs? ) (lot cheaper on ebay)

what do you think about these two?

I'd much rather buy the Audioque...