Your honest opinion

[kzy]

i'm looking to get a new amp after already blowing my hifonics brutus 2000w and a soundstream 1500w

I have two 15" kicker cvx's (1000w rms each) in a sealed fibreglass enclosure.

I'm going to do the big 3 upgrade (which i should have done already, but whatever) when i get my new amp.

My question is, what do you think would be better suited for them.. i've been looking at the Sundown Audio amps and it was between the SAZ 1200d and the SAZ 1500d. I'm worried i will need crazy electrical setup for the 1500d.. i have a red top battery and a 1.8farad capacitor.. wired with 4 guage i believe .. maybe 2.. it's been awhile lol. I would be running either amp @ 1ohm

What should i go with, do you think?

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[mast240 10+ year member]

well, a few things...

1. GET RID OF THE CAP! its been said soooo many times on here, but cant be said enough... they dont do anything for your electrical, and can actually harm your voltage level, if set up wrong

2. with stock alt, your going to need to upgrade you batt... as well as doing a run of 1/0, for the 1500 ( i would also recommend it for the 1200 as well)

3. how did you "blow" your other 2 amps?? might want to figure that out, before you dump a bunch of money on a sundown

 

[sacsking916 5,000+ posts]

How do you go through 2 amps? Definitely user error. Figure out why you screwed up 2 nice amps before dumping out a good chunk of change on a good amp

 

[09civic 5,000+ posts]

How do you go through 2 amps? Definitely user error. Figure out why you screwed up 2 nice amps before dumping out a good chunk of change on a good amp

he fried them from lack of electrical. he's trying to push 2k without even the big 3 done

 

[kzy]

The brutus amp, not sure what went wrong there but the soundstream blew randomly when i didn't even have any volume to it. I heard a woomph from the subs and then smelled it with the seats up and everything.. blew all four fuses on the outside of it and when i sent it for repair, they told me the whole mobo was fried. When the soundstream blew my fuse by my battery did not blow so i'm thinking it was just the amp?

I have a very clean install though and I'm not sure what you mean by user error (cranking it too loud, improper level settings or bad install) but i'm pretty sure everything checks out aside from not doing the big three.

So I'll take your advice and lose the cap, upgrade to 1/0 wiring and do the big 3. After this is done, i should probably be alright with going with the 1500 then eh?

thank you for your help so far!

 

[mast240 10+ year member]

was that soundstream a rubicon? cuz those are pretty stout amps...

how were you setting your gains? what size inline fuse were you running?

not trying to down talk your install... its just not normal for 2 amps to blow, one after the other. theres got to be a reason why they blew, so you might want to look into that, before dumping a bunch of money in the SAZ.

with big 3, and 1/0, you would prolly be good for the 1500... but i would still upgrade your batt. a single red top would have a hard time handeling that much pull, and it wouldnt be long before you start seeing voltage drop

 

[kzy]

hmm maybe i'll get a second opinion (other than my current sound guy) to look over it and see if there's anything out of the ordinary in the install.

Thank you, you've been a great help and i'll do everything listed there before i drop money on the sundown.

One more question.. if i were to get a second red top battery, would i have to upgrade my stock alternator? Hold your laughter lol it's an 04 civic

and the old soundstream amp that fried was a PCA 1500D .. loved the amp.. sounded great and worked no problem for over a year, never shut off, then out of the blue boom there she goes.

 

[mast240 10+ year member]

i wouldnt get a second red top... you can get a much better batt for the same money... look on here for bad4healths deka battery sale... he has great prices on the 9a31's... much better batt for car audio than the red top.... and yes, putting a second batt in the back will help... but normally with a second batt, you'll need to upgrade your alt... especially on a honda, cuz they have pretty small alts stock

 

[kzy]

you wouldn't happen to know off hand what a suitable upgrade would be for a civic would you? Like.. a ridgeline or something. i'm going to look into it now as well

 

[mast240 10+ year member]

dont use an alt off a ridgeline... there are a ton of alt companies out there, that specifically make HO alts... been a WHILE since i've had a honda tho... so i'll let someone who has one chime in with a good company

 

[Bettr n' Revrse 5,000+ posts]

OP IM me I have an amp and Alt company for you to check out...

 

[kzy]

basically the only HO alt i could find for my engine (1.7L I4 B17) which is in an 04 civic would be

https://www.dcpowerinc.com/fit/2001~Acura~EL~1.7L-I4-B17/13893-170-oem.html

other than their 200 amp model which is $50 more

what do you think?

looks like my cost to upgrade before i even get the amp is running away on me :S

gonna be 400 for HO alt after shipping

at least 200 for another batt

probably another 100-200 to re-wire everything with 1/0

ohhh boy lol then the amp itself. i better start saving //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[sacsking916 5,000+ posts]

basically the only HO alt i could find for my engine (1.7L I4 B17) which is in an 04 civic would be
https://www.dcpowerinc.com/fit/2001~Acura~EL~1.7L-I4-B17/13893-170-oem.html

other than their 200 amp model which is $50 more

what do you think?

looks like my cost to upgrade before i even get the amp is running away on me :S

gonna be 400 for HO alt after shipping

at least 200 for another batt

probably another 100-200 to re-wire everything with 1/0

ohhh boy lol then the amp itself. i better start saving //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

think about this.... DO YOU WANT TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER AMP????

 

[kzy]

oh i know it's a must.. i'm going to do it it was just unexpected when i tallied it up.

 

[mast240 10+ year member]

honestly... i would spend the extra 50 for the 200... gives you room for expansion.

this hobby aint cheap bro... and if you try to go cheap on it... then you'll find out very fast, why thats a bad idea