one thing that many people miss when it comes to car audio is quality work when installing. Yes different drivers make a big difference, such as if you had a pair of silver flutes vs the PRV mids im running. The silver flutes on the same amp as the flutes will sound day and night different in a proper install setup, but theyll both sound like trash without care when putting them in. You SHOULD amplify every channel you possibly can as the deck power is pathetic and decks always exaggerate their actual power. a 55x4 deck will actually put out around 17 to 20 times 4. Is there a discernible difference between amps that put out the same RMS power? Well, thats subjective. I like A/B class amps for full range, but the class d amps put out serious power, and in the end, its really all about install, eq'ing and correct crossover points. If you want seriously good sound, youll go active for the front stage and even do speaker pods on the dash or good kick panels. Short story is that there are a ton of amps out there that will pretty much sound the same at very low prices. Even the pioneer amps are very recommended such as the gm-d8604 for $160 is a great option for 99% of folks
there are many different amplifier architecture types and that discussion is a very deep rabbit hole. In car amps, youre mainly going to see a/b and d. Class d amps are far more efficient meaning they will put out more watts per amperes consumed. Class a/b is what the industry relied upon for decades and is the old reliable. Youll hear tons of folks argue about a/b sounding better than d and im in that camp, but its hard denying the sheer brute force of class d amps. Formerly relegated to the 200 hz and below due to the technology of the day when they hit the scene in the late 90s. Then theres tubs amps like butler. Not at all ideal for a car with subs, or a car at all really due to the vibration. Get a good powerful a/b for your fronts, big ass class d for your subs and a stout electrical system to support them all. Also, be careful of the brands you buy and even the models within known good brands as some of the brands that are known to be good make a line of duds. There are also tons of brands that youve likely never heard of, even if youre familiar with the car audio game. Trust me, the brands of old are all but dead and gone, or purchased by **** companies looking to cash in on a name
I guess the short version is I put together a stereo a little over a year ago and not quite satisfied with it. Had a new baby recently so I have down time to try and do something different. This is research for me. But I have 5 million questions lol. I think I want to start over with a different vehicle, one without a trunk. Thanks for your time and info. Very appreciated.
