best budget 4 ch SQ amp recommendations

Excellent recommendation.

If you want to do the smarter thing and go through a vendor committed to supporting this community, my company offers Zapco amps including all of the Studio X line through the Z-LX limited production line.

ST-4X SQ is rated at

Power @ 4Ω: 4 x 70 watts

Power @ 2Ω: 4 x 105 watts

Power @ 4Ω Bridged: 2 x 210 watts

I will cover shipping(normally between $15-25) for caraudio.com members if the amp is purchased by this Sunday, February 5th. PM me as this model isn't listed on the web site tonight. We'll get those component speakers sorted, and if you also need the amp wiring to install it let's talk about your new Stinger kit and RCAs at that time.

Definitely looks like a righteous unit, I appreciate it. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/yumyum.gif.0556df42231b304b9c995aefd13928a8.gif Although I think that would probably qualify as my "last hurrah" amp if I was 65 and buying my retirement wheels. I think it would look a little too posh for my 18 year old hooptie. I'm trying to stay strictly under budget, and even $150 is stretching it for me right now. I was pondering the US acoustics LISA, or the CT sounds m75.4 . I like the m75.4 because it is quite smallish for being class A/B. I definitely won't be going with class D for SQ. Anybody know any others? I really miss the old school 4 channel PPI power class amps from the late 90's. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crying.gif.ec0ebefe590df0251476573bc49e46d8.gif

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There is nothing wrong with class D. I use it and compete with it. D holds a lot of SQ records.

There is nothing wrong with class D. I use it and compete with it. D holds a lot of SQ records.

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there is nothing wrong with QUALITY class D. there's plenty of things wrong with cheap class Ds.

there is nothing wrong with QUALITY class D. there's plenty of things wrong with cheap class Ds.

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Plenty of things wrong with cheap A/B also.

Plenty of things wrong with cheap A/B also.

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not as much as cheap class D. A lot of Cheap class A/B can still play high without breaking up and the midbass is present. Most cheap class Ds have horrible break up when pushed and has a major roll off under 100hz even without any filters. Literally heard a cheap planet audio sounding better than some sound stream class Ds aka playing properly even when pushed closed to clipping.

My PPI 600.2 vs a CT 125.2

ppi supposed to have 25 more watts a channel and more efficient. Well the CT was miles above the ppi in every aspect with just a pure test with a bookshelf speaker and a sundown SD 10 in a sealed box.

the CT was noticeably way louder and cleaner sounding bass than the ppi on the subwoofer test bridged 600 rms vs 380 rms on the CT. At 4 ohms On the bookshelf speaker The CT got way louder, clearer all around, you can easily tell its cleaner less distorted power and the midbass did not roll off, overall natural sound. PPI made it sound like dull and lifeless, rolloffs all around and slight peak in the 3.5khz range and 5khz range. Sounded sibilant. Good amps arent supposed to color the sound. pretty sure the cheaper class Ds do these peaks and rolloffs on purpose so it can force out more power on the specsheet which forces you to overly rely on processing.

CT costed 99 bucks. PPI costed more.

Lol.... slow down guys! I didn't mean to instigate an argument about A/B vs D. Mr. LosIsaTool, I don't mean to say that class D is inferior, I just said that I strongly prefer A/B for my SQ taste. I would seriously look into a class D for a sub application though, because of the efficiency factor. Right now cost is a major issue, so I fall back on class A/B. Mr. Jeffdachef, I think you are referring to the newer PPI amplifiers, right? Not the big shiny old school USA made powerclass series..Good to hear that the CT sounds amp powers subs well. Have you tried the 4 channel models?

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If you think you can hear a difference go win $10,000. Nobody has done it in 30 years

Richard Clark Amplifier Challenge FAQ

If you think you can hear a difference go win $10,000. Nobody has done it in 30 years Richard Clark Amplifier Challenge FAQ

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interesting.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. So were you actually going to make a suggestion for an amp that fits the outlined requirements, or are you just interested in strongarming me into buying your crusade for a class D amplifier? If you have a recommendation for a decent class D amplifier less than $150, then why don't you share it instead of all this bravado?

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I wouldnt recommend using any class D costing under 250$ if SQ is the goal. Higher end class D like an alpine F6 supposedly only 5 watts more than my current ppi 900.4 is night and day difference way better than the ppi. None of the bad issues I experienced, sounded good just like any other class A/B amp mainly because when driven high, it doesnt distort or color the sound. But yes class D technology has gone a long way in the SQ department but you gotta pay to play. Most of the modern high end SQ people are swapping over to class D. Even legendary amp designer Zed audio is a full blown convert to class D.

MB QUART DSC 480 640W RMS CLASS A/B 4-CHANNEL DISCUS SERIES CAR AUDIO AMPLIFIER

I have been always with the discus amps class a/b