Help Finding the Right AMP
07-08-04, 12:30 AM
#1
Help Finding the Right AMP
hi you guys doing?
well I just wanted to start off by saying that I'm not a genius it terms of the audio side for my FD so I need a little help finding an AMP for the stuff I had just bought.
I just bought:
*KenWood KDC-MPV5025 CD/MP3 player
22 watts RMS/50 peak x 4 channels
CD frequency response 10-20,000 Hz
CD signal-to-noise ratio 105 dB
FM sensitivity 9.3 dBf
____________________________________
*Infinity Kappa 50.5cs component system
2-way crossovers (high-pass/low-pass at 3500 Hz, 18 dB/octave)
frequency response 55-21,000 Hz
power range 2-85 watts RMS
peak power handling 255 watts
sensitivity 90 dB
____________________________________
*Infinity Kappa 100.3dvc 10" 4-ohm Dual Voice Coil Component Sub
power range 50-275 watts RMS (137.5 watts per coil)
peak power handling 1,100 watts
frequency response 20-250 Hz
sensitivity 90 dB
dual 4-ohm impedance
As you can see I'm going for the front end speakers/tweeters and sub in the back setup.
well I just wanted to start off by saying that I'm not a genius it terms of the audio side for my FD so I need a little help finding an AMP for the stuff I had just bought.
I just bought:
*KenWood KDC-MPV5025 CD/MP3 player
22 watts RMS/50 peak x 4 channels
CD frequency response 10-20,000 Hz
CD signal-to-noise ratio 105 dB
FM sensitivity 9.3 dBf
____________________________________
*Infinity Kappa 50.5cs component system
2-way crossovers (high-pass/low-pass at 3500 Hz, 18 dB/octave)
frequency response 55-21,000 Hz
power range 2-85 watts RMS
peak power handling 255 watts
sensitivity 90 dB
____________________________________
*Infinity Kappa 100.3dvc 10" 4-ohm Dual Voice Coil Component Sub
power range 50-275 watts RMS (137.5 watts per coil)
peak power handling 1,100 watts
frequency response 20-250 Hz
sensitivity 90 dB
dual 4-ohm impedance
As you can see I'm going for the front end speakers/tweeters and sub in the back setup.
07-08-04, 01:21 AM
#3
well I'm not planning on having an insane sound system, just looking for something that would allow my speakers to do its justice. Using most of its capabilities.
I checked on www.crutchfield.com and they seem to run from $75~$1,000+ my limit would probably no more then $150 at the most.
I checked on www.crutchfield.com and they seem to run from $75~$1,000+ my limit would probably no more then $150 at the most.
07-08-04, 11:14 AM
#6
Rotary Enthusiast
just get a little 2 channel to power the amp, and run the speakers off the amp in the head unit... you said you didn't want anything crazy right?
i'm gonna run front and rear speakers off my head unit, and just do my one 10 of its own amp.... i don't want anything screaming... just to sound nice.
i'm gonna run front and rear speakers off my head unit, and just do my one 10 of its own amp.... i don't want anything screaming... just to sound nice.
07-08-04, 12:57 PM
#7
Originally posted by SWAT81
well the thing is what ever CrutchField says the price is a rip off, if you go to ebay they are usually $100 cheaper. So, I guess my bugget from Crutch Field should be set to $250 since it would be cheaper on ebay.
well the thing is what ever CrutchField says the price is a rip off, if you go to ebay they are usually $100 cheaper. So, I guess my bugget from Crutch Field should be set to $250 since it would be cheaper on ebay.
If it's a very expensive item, then even though I don't want to, I usually pay full price from the shop (or at least get a hookup but still buy it from the shop) simply because a warranty is invaluable on expensive equipment, should something go wrong (and it usually does over time). These warranties aren't available from Ebay, or if they are, good luck getting help from a no-name company. So it's a tradeoff...
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07-08-04, 09:25 PM
#8
Originally posted by FDNewbie
While you're definitely right, you can get almost any electronic much cheaper on Ebay, doing that should depend on how expensive the item is.
If it's a very expensive item, then even though I don't want to, I usually pay full price from the shop (or at least get a hookup but still buy it from the shop) simply because a warranty is invaluable on expensive equipment, should something go wrong (and it usually does over time). These warranties aren't available from Ebay, or if they are, good luck getting help from a no-name company. So it's a tradeoff...
While you're definitely right, you can get almost any electronic much cheaper on Ebay, doing that should depend on how expensive the item is.
If it's a very expensive item, then even though I don't want to, I usually pay full price from the shop (or at least get a hookup but still buy it from the shop) simply because a warranty is invaluable on expensive equipment, should something go wrong (and it usually does over time). These warranties aren't available from Ebay, or if they are, good luck getting help from a no-name company. So it's a tradeoff...
07-08-04, 10:03 PM
#9
Originally posted by SWAT81
what do you mean "no name company"??? They are exactly the same model and the warranty is directly from the maker of the product, not the company that sells it like Crutchfield.
what do you mean "no name company"??? They are exactly the same model and the warranty is directly from the maker of the product, not the company that sells it like Crutchfield.
What I'm talking about is if you get your audio equipment from, say, Tweeter, and you purchase their warranty, any problem w/ the equipment is covered for 3 - 5 years, depending on the warranty you get, or they'll replace it. That's the type of warranty that I find worthwhile, that's all.
Example: the sub I got from Circuit City...it's on extended warranty (and on sale as well haha
Check the parts forum) But anyways...even if I BLOW the sub...it being totally MY fault, I can simply exchange it for a new one, no questions asked.
Last edited by FDNewbie; 07-08-04 at 10:05 PM.
07-09-04, 02:28 AM
#11
Rotary Enthusiast
i agree.... but it sounds like he just wanted a decent system.. not a super crazy cool sounding spend a lot of money to make it the bizzomb system..... running it off the head unit would sound fine, though more power from an amp would be able to make it better...
07-09-04, 03:00 AM
#12
Originally posted by vspecpgt
...running it off the head unit would sound fine, though more power from an amp would be able to make it better...
...running it off the head unit would sound fine, though more power from an amp would be able to make it better...
07-10-04, 10:23 PM
#13
I just want my component speakers to have its justice, I definitely do not want to run them from my deck. I've done that a while ago and it sounded like crap with no depth in sound.
Speedking what would be the ideal watts I need in an amp for my speakers listed above along with my 10" sub? After the numbers are clear then I can do some shopping, if needed I'll save up some more and go for a pricier one
Speedking what would be the ideal watts I need in an amp for my speakers listed above along with my 10" sub? After the numbers are clear then I can do some shopping, if needed I'll save up some more and go for a pricier one
07-10-04, 10:26 PM
#14
Unless you're going to buy a monster amp to give enough power to both your speakers and the sub....id get 2 amps... one for the speakers, and one for the sub.
If you're interested, I actually have a mono-channel amp for sale right now... I used to use it on my 10" alpine type r sub...it's real powerful. I can give you a good deal if you're game.
If you're interested, I actually have a mono-channel amp for sale right now... I used to use it on my 10" alpine type r sub...it's real powerful. I can give you a good deal if you're game.
07-11-04, 12:57 AM
#17
Ok a couple of things...
From your list in the thread, it looks like you're running speakers + tweeters in the front, and a sub in the rear. Either you're leaving your original rear speakers, or you're disconnecting them altogether.
Either way...you'd want to run a 2 channel amp only...because unless you have very high end rear speakers that you'd like to adjust the gain on, you want to run each side as a single channel. Meaning, your driver side (front only, or front & rear) as a single channel, and the other channel controls your passenger side (front only, or front & rear). So getting a 4 channel amp is a) a waste, b) gonna cost you when it comes to power.
In regards to the amp you linked to...it's a 4-channel amp, so again, look for a 2-channel one. Also, I'm a sucker for safety. I would stick w/ a known brand... I'm a fan of Alpine amps, but they usually run a lil on the expensive side.
Check this one out...it's a Kenwood amp, just like your headunit...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...707647945&rd=1
Price is real good too. It's refurbished, but it comes w/ a factory warranty.
As for my mono-channel amp, it can run the single sub, or 2 subs if you wire them in parallel is it? I forget. But it's RMS power is like 775 watts...max is somewhere around 1100 watts...so it'll give you ALL the power you'll ever need, and then some hehe. Actually, I found the exact one on ebay. Check it out.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW
From your list in the thread, it looks like you're running speakers + tweeters in the front, and a sub in the rear. Either you're leaving your original rear speakers, or you're disconnecting them altogether.
Either way...you'd want to run a 2 channel amp only...because unless you have very high end rear speakers that you'd like to adjust the gain on, you want to run each side as a single channel. Meaning, your driver side (front only, or front & rear) as a single channel, and the other channel controls your passenger side (front only, or front & rear). So getting a 4 channel amp is a) a waste, b) gonna cost you when it comes to power.
In regards to the amp you linked to...it's a 4-channel amp, so again, look for a 2-channel one. Also, I'm a sucker for safety. I would stick w/ a known brand... I'm a fan of Alpine amps, but they usually run a lil on the expensive side.
Check this one out...it's a Kenwood amp, just like your headunit...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...707647945&rd=1
Price is real good too. It's refurbished, but it comes w/ a factory warranty.
As for my mono-channel amp, it can run the single sub, or 2 subs if you wire them in parallel is it? I forget. But it's RMS power is like 775 watts...max is somewhere around 1100 watts...so it'll give you ALL the power you'll ever need, and then some hehe. Actually, I found the exact one on ebay. Check it out.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW
07-11-04, 01:32 AM
#18
Hey I just wanted to state a disclaimer about what I said earlier regarding 2 amps vs. 1
I said that assuming you're like me, and you want your sub to really pound nice. I'm not talking about rattling the whole rear hatch and causing fenders to fall off lol...but I'm talking about really powerful (but not loud) deep crisp bass.
The bottom line is, you just *won't* get that from a multi-channel amp...because the amp can only supply so much power.
I've heard many diff. setups, and my 10" Type R isn't even all that compared to other subs out there, but it hit hard as anything..and the deep bass was something else...simply because it was amplified enough.
So my point is, you can very well run the speakers and the sub off of a 3 channel amp, BUT...I think you're not only going to be sacrificing lots of power to your sub, I think you'd be wasting your money. (The opposite is also true, you may get decent power to your sub at the expense of power to your speakers. Getting around that is getting a VERY expensive powerful amp...and you don't wanna do that
I said that assuming you're like me, and you want your sub to really pound nice. I'm not talking about rattling the whole rear hatch and causing fenders to fall off lol...but I'm talking about really powerful (but not loud) deep crisp bass.
The bottom line is, you just *won't* get that from a multi-channel amp...because the amp can only supply so much power.
I've heard many diff. setups, and my 10" Type R isn't even all that compared to other subs out there, but it hit hard as anything..and the deep bass was something else...simply because it was amplified enough.
So my point is, you can very well run the speakers and the sub off of a 3 channel amp, BUT...I think you're not only going to be sacrificing lots of power to your sub, I think you'd be wasting your money. (The opposite is also true, you may get decent power to your sub at the expense of power to your speakers. Getting around that is getting a VERY expensive powerful amp...and you don't wanna do that
07-11-04, 01:50 AM
#19
Originally posted by FDNewbie
Hey I just wanted to state a disclaimer about what I said earlier regarding 2 amps vs. 1
I said that assuming you're like me, and you want your sub to really pound nice. I'm not talking about rattling the whole rear hatch and causing fenders to fall off lol...but I'm talking about really powerful (but not loud) deep crisp bass.
The bottom line is, you just *won't* get that from a multi-channel amp...because the amp can only supply so much power.
I've heard many diff. setups, and my 10" Type R isn't even all that compared to other subs out there, but it hit hard as anything..and the deep bass was something else...simply because it was amplified enough.
So my point is, you can very well run the speakers and the sub off of a 3 channel amp, BUT...I think you're not only going to be sacrificing lots of power to your sub, I think you'd be wasting your money. (The opposite is also true, you may get decent power to your sub at the expense of power to your speakers. Getting around that is getting a VERY expensive powerful amp...and you don't wanna do that
Hey I just wanted to state a disclaimer about what I said earlier regarding 2 amps vs. 1
I said that assuming you're like me, and you want your sub to really pound nice. I'm not talking about rattling the whole rear hatch and causing fenders to fall off lol...but I'm talking about really powerful (but not loud) deep crisp bass.
The bottom line is, you just *won't* get that from a multi-channel amp...because the amp can only supply so much power.
I've heard many diff. setups, and my 10" Type R isn't even all that compared to other subs out there, but it hit hard as anything..and the deep bass was something else...simply because it was amplified enough.
So my point is, you can very well run the speakers and the sub off of a 3 channel amp, BUT...I think you're not only going to be sacrificing lots of power to your sub, I think you'd be wasting your money. (The opposite is also true, you may get decent power to your sub at the expense of power to your speakers. Getting around that is getting a VERY expensive powerful amp...and you don't wanna do that
Oh, I also heard about using a power regulator of some sort so I dont drain my battery and see dimming lights every time my bass strikes, is this correct?
07-11-04, 02:09 AM
#20
Originally posted by SWAT81
Thanks for the advice, I'm not a big techy on the car audio side so its good that you told me these things. So you're suggesting a 2 channel amp so I use one for the front and one for the rear correct? You are right that I'm not planning on hooking up my rear speakers, which is the reason why I'm getting a component speaker set. As for the mono sub you showed me looks great, so you would recommand a amp for the sub and another for the front speakers only correct? If this is the case then I suppose I dont need to get a high wattage amp for the fronts. Perhaps something like 500 watts would be good enough for the front and the mono amp you got for the rear. How much are planning on letting that mono amp go for?
Oh, I also heard about using a power regulator of some sort so I dont drain my battery and see dimming lights every time my bass strikes, is this correct?
Thanks for the advice, I'm not a big techy on the car audio side so its good that you told me these things. So you're suggesting a 2 channel amp so I use one for the front and one for the rear correct? You are right that I'm not planning on hooking up my rear speakers, which is the reason why I'm getting a component speaker set. As for the mono sub you showed me looks great, so you would recommand a amp for the sub and another for the front speakers only correct? If this is the case then I suppose I dont need to get a high wattage amp for the fronts. Perhaps something like 500 watts would be good enough for the front and the mono amp you got for the rear. How much are planning on letting that mono amp go for?
Oh, I also heard about using a power regulator of some sort so I dont drain my battery and see dimming lights every time my bass strikes, is this correct?
Since you're not running rear speakers, each channel from the 2-channel amp will control one speaker & tweeter (ie, essentially one side of the car, eg. driver side). Then the other channel will run the other side of the car (passenger side).
And yes, you're correct again, you don't need that powerful of an amp for just the fronts. You said yourself in your first post that the components have a max of 225 watts...meaning an amp w/ a max of 500w would be just fine.
For my mono-channel amp, I was actually trying to get what the guy on ebay was asking for...$250. If you wanna talk more about price, PM me... I'm sure we can work something out.
Oh and the power regulator you're referring to is a cap (capacitor). If I were you, I'd go without a cap for now. Try it out. I had my original system w/ no cap. Yes, if I left my system on long enough while the engine wasn't running it would drain the battery, but I never saw the lights dim w/ the system blasting. It shouldn't pull THAT much power. Now if you were going w/ components in the front & rear, a huge amp for the speakers, maybe two 10's or 12's for subs in the rear and a real powerful amp for them, yea, I'd think you'd need a cap.
Point is...it cant hurt you to try it out w/o a cap for now. I'm almost sure you won't need one...and that's money in your pocket. If you end up needing one (highly unlikely), you can always just pick one up from ebay later. But I wouldn't worry about it
Last edited by FDNewbie; 07-11-04 at 02:15 AM.
07-13-04, 10:00 AM
#22
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http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...709601053&rd=1
Thats a great amp that you will be pleased with. Its 50 watts x 4 RMS @ 4 ohms and 100 watt x 4 RMS in 2 ohms, which means it will give your components 50 true watts each and your sub about a 100 watts. I had Zapco in the past and they make a very clean and powerful amp. I had no problems with it. If you can get the one above for about $200-250 it'll be a great deal. It sold new for over $600 easily.
Thats a great amp that you will be pleased with. Its 50 watts x 4 RMS @ 4 ohms and 100 watt x 4 RMS in 2 ohms, which means it will give your components 50 true watts each and your sub about a 100 watts. I had Zapco in the past and they make a very clean and powerful amp. I had no problems with it. If you can get the one above for about $200-250 it'll be a great deal. It sold new for over $600 easily.
07-13-04, 10:11 AM
#23
Ummm...guys, I'm missing something here. You're asking him to buy an amp for his speakers that's 50X4?? Why is he going to waste his money??!! His headunit is 50watt X 4!! Yes, that's peak power, but still...
My point is simple. You have something, get the most out of it. His speakers have a rating of 85 RMS and 255 peak. To me, that means one thing: if you bought those speakers, and you actually want to hear the sound quality those speakers are made for, you get an amp that's close to those numbers.
Better and higher amplification doesn't cause sound distortion...rather, it enhances sound clarity. So that's definitely not something you want to shortchange yourself in.
Oh and 100 watts to a sub...man...don't bother buying a sub in the first place! If you're satisfied w/ 100 watts...get a bass tube. It's more compact, cheaper, and well yea...it doesn't sound all that. Cuz that's the same you'll get from such an underpowered sub. Any of you hear a single 10" powered by an 800watt amp? Tuned so it doesn't pound all over the place, but vibrates beautifully at deep, crisp bass notes? It is INCREDIBLE. You gotta try it to see what I'm talking about...
My $0.02
My point is simple. You have something, get the most out of it. His speakers have a rating of 85 RMS and 255 peak. To me, that means one thing: if you bought those speakers, and you actually want to hear the sound quality those speakers are made for, you get an amp that's close to those numbers.
Better and higher amplification doesn't cause sound distortion...rather, it enhances sound clarity. So that's definitely not something you want to shortchange yourself in.
Oh and 100 watts to a sub...man...don't bother buying a sub in the first place! If you're satisfied w/ 100 watts...get a bass tube. It's more compact, cheaper, and well yea...it doesn't sound all that. Cuz that's the same you'll get from such an underpowered sub. Any of you hear a single 10" powered by an 800watt amp? Tuned so it doesn't pound all over the place, but vibrates beautifully at deep, crisp bass notes? It is INCREDIBLE. You gotta try it to see what I'm talking about...
My $0.02
Last edited by FDNewbie; 07-13-04 at 10:13 AM.
07-13-04, 10:36 AM
#24
Originally posted by driFDer
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...709601053&rd=1
I had Zapco in the past and they make a very clean and powerful amp. I had no problems with it. If you can get the one above for about $200-250 it'll be a great deal. It sold new for over $600 easily.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...709601053&rd=1
I had Zapco in the past and they make a very clean and powerful amp. I had no problems with it. If you can get the one above for about $200-250 it'll be a great deal. It sold new for over $600 easily.