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Choosing an amp to go with a sub?

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Mast0rMason_

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I'm looking at buying a Sundown ZV5 15 but I'm having trouble finding an amplifier to go with it. I've seen videos ect of people feeding them a fair thousand watts more than their RMS rating. Im fairly new to car audio as I was more into home audio. But I have a few questions. If anyone can recommend another subwoofer that they feel may be better around the same price mark or lower, that would be nice //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I looked on Sundown's website at is says it must be installed to a small ported enclosure due to the mechanical motor, but could someone explain why to me? This one is quite important!

What's the best way to calculate amperage required for an amplifier as the amp draw is different for every amp. I looked at 2000Watt amp dyno test on youtube and it was 2100 watts @ 1ohm, I was thinking of just buying a 350a alternator and hoping it doesn't dim my headlights.

Can anyone also recomend an amplfiier to go with the ZV15, I don't really wish to spend TOO much money on an amplifier, I found an Audiopipe APMI-2000 which are less than 200USD and the dyno tests are around 2100watts.

Also would it be easier just to throw another battery and alternator into the boot rather than wire it all through?

Also does anyone know where I can find decent alternators in the UK? Preferably universal ones so I can change it for when I buy a new car in the future.

There were some more questions but my mind has just gone blank but I'll probably post them in the replies.

Thank-you!

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the apmi 2000 is more suited for a sundown X or sundown U series. ZV5 will need a 3k-5k amp.
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Ah I see. Are there any amps you can recommend for the zv15 and an alternator that can handle the amp? Also do you know why the zv5 on the sundown website says it needs to be a small enclosure?

 
Ah I see. Are there any amps you can recommend for the zv15 and an alternator that can handle the amp? Also do you know why the zv5 on the sundown website says it needs to be a small enclosure?
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since you are in england, vibe audio is based out of there, might find a cheaper solution going that route.

 
since you are in england, vibe audio is based out of there, might find a cheaper solution going that route.
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I didn't really fancy the vibe subwoofers I think they look ugly as hell! There are sundown and other retailers in the UK. If I can't find one I'll just have to pay the import fees.

 
270 is good. going past 320, your idle output goes down.
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Ooh I see, I thought standard calculations would be watts / voltage, @ 14 it's 257 just for the 4000W Vibe Black Death, that's not including efficiency or standard car features (a/c, headlights, ignition ect)

 
Ooh I see, I thought standard calculations would be watts / voltage, @ 14 it's 257 just for the 4000W Vibe Black Death, that's not including efficiency or standard car features (a/c, headlights, ignition ect)
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with alternators they have an idle amperage output at idle rpm around 750 rpm and a max output when you rev into 2k-2.5k rpm. That determines what your voltage drop will look like under load. If you drive around and bump it all the times, its fine to get the higher rated alt. However if you like to demo to friends or need frequent stops while driving, you'll have to rev the car in order for it to keep up with the 320/370 amp alt because the idle output is lower the higher your max is.

Also calculating wattage/voltage to amps is completely useless. Whatever power numbers you think you are getting on paper will never be your actual power numbers in real world. There's too many other factors you never bothered to factor in. Such as impedance rise, recording levels in music, those two things alone will already make your 4000 watt amp only make around 1000-2000 on music. so your amperage draw is way less. Its not that the amp is bad, no its just how physics work, its the same with any amp. Hence why i said the audiopipe 2k is barely enough for a lower end model of sundown. a sundown ZV5 definitely needs a 4k amp or higher to wake up.

 
with alternators they have an idle amperage output at idle rpm around 750 rpm and a max output when you rev into 2k-2.5k rpm. That determines what your voltage drop will look like under load. If you drive around and bump it all the times, its fine to get the higher rated alt. However if you like to demo to friends or need frequent stops while driving, you'll have to rev the car in order for it to keep up with the 320/370 amp alt because the idle output is lower the higher your max is.
Also calculating wattage/voltage to amps is completely useless. Whatever power numbers you think you are getting on paper will never be your actual power numbers in real world. There's too many other factors you never bothered to factor in. Such as impedance rise, recording levels in music, those two things alone will already make your 4000 watt amp only make around 1000-2000 on music. so your amperage draw is way less. Its not that the amp is bad, no its just how physics work, its the same with any amp. Hence why i said the audiopipe 2k is barely enough for a lower end model of sundown. a sundown ZV5 definitely needs a 4k amp or higher to wake up.
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Ooh I see okay! Would it be better to find an amp that runs at 0.5ohm? Or will it still have the same amperage draw? Do you know if the Sundown SCV-4000D is capable of 0.5ohm? Then I could possibly buy another zv5

 
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