best amp for stock audio + 10" infinity sub

[SCTc]

hey guys -

need advice for a good amp to put in with my stock audio & 10" infinity sub left over from my last car.

i'm thinking about a 4-channel, type D.. probably an MTX (because of the fan cooling system). anyway, i'd like your guys' inputs.


best,
J

[navylife59]

There are alot of variables to consider. Damn the variables! Sometimes you can just skip the lot and get what you want. If you are making an inform decision, you should ponder these questions first.

1. How much power do I need? When selecting an amplifier, you should select quality of quantity. An amp with clean RMS specs will sound so much better and all the components will last longer. You also want to have more RMS power than what RMS Watt your speakers are rated for. Example, your 6.5" speakers are rated to 50Watts RMS. For optimum results you will want an amp rated 60~75Watts RMS. A speaker handles the extra power well as long as you do not overdrive it and the signal is clean. An amp will begin to push out distortion once it reaches its RMS value. Overdriving and amp will also cause to to heat up. When dealing with mid-bass and lower frequencies and speakers over 6" an amplifier's dampening effect comes into play. This is the ability of the amplifier to absorb the energy of the speakers' change in direction of travel (push-pull). This is spec'd out at the RMS rating of the amp. Go above that and the amp quickly looses the ability to control the driver (the bigger the speaker and lower the frequency the worse it gets) and slop occurs. This manifests as muddy sounding bass notes.

2. What size foot print do I need? In other words, where do you plan on placing it? Some mount the amplifier under the front passenger seat while others tend to go a little crazy with the Dremel tool and install them in the underdeck styrofoam storage boxes like me. Buy a huge 6CH amp that is a yard long and now where are you going to put it?
Attachment 1571

Attachment 1572

3. Size matters and so does cooling. This can be a huge factor and sometimes nothing to fret over. Example from the pics above; my JL Audio mono amp @ 2ohms never overheated on me, but it does get rather hot with no airflow. That leads to distortion and possible failure. The 4CH Eclipse amp just gets warm. Yes, I have the decklid and the weather mat installed. If the amp is going to be bridge below 4ohms and installed in an enclosed area, such as the example above, then auxillary cooling will be required. From simple fans, to peltier devices, heat pipes, to complicated water cooled systems, you have options based on the amps heat load and ambient air conditions.

4. What features do I want? 1-2-3-4-5-6-7CH, hi/lo crossover, remote volume, sound shape, EQ, frequency boost, connectivity, etc. This can sometimes be the last consideration with simple installs to the one of the most important factors in more in depth systems. Alot of research will be involved to find one that matches your needs.

5. So how much do I have to spend? Remember what I said earlier about quality over quantity? Alot of car electronics are made in the same overseas factories with just a difference in nameplates. Just because it is expensive does not equate to a better product. Some manufacturers make outrageous claims so just don't take their hype as the Gospel. That 1000 Watt amplifier might just actually be peak power overdriven to above 14.8VDC. RMS values at 13.8VDC could possibly be 50~75Watts!


I sorry for the big essay. I try to be informed as possible to provide the most thorough answers. Either that or I suffer from S.E.D.D. (Simple Explanation Deficit Disorder)

[SCTc]

yeah i know what you mean navy -

i'm looking for something that i can bolt to the rear of the back seats (as i did in my old prelude). i really just plan to hook up the amp to the head unit, subwoofer, and possibly aftermarket speakers down the road.

also, i'm not trying to wake up the neighborhood with my music. i'm just looking for a better rage of sound coming out of the speakers. i listen to a wide variety of music and want to be able to enjoy them all. i'm not sure how much wattage i'm going to need to accomplish this, but i can't imaging that it's all that much.

finally, i've notice that almost all MTX amps have a fan cooling system.. which is intriguing to me.

and also, what circuit type should i be looking for: i've read that type D is better for subs, but type A/B is better overall.



what do you guys think??

[navylife59]

You are talking about switching power supplies with Class D amplifiers, also known as digital switching. This class is better for controlling bigger speakers that deal with a more narrow frequency range (low pass crossover) down into the sub-harmonics. Class A/B is a meld of the old school Class A amps with the better traits of the Class B. This gives a better soundstage and musical nuances come more alive than that of Class D. Similar to the differences between vinyl and first and second generation CD players. You could go smooth old school style and sport the sweet tunes of a McIntosh Tube Amp.
McIntosh | MCC406M

Good, in-depth info and amplifier classification.
Electronic amplifier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It has been a decade since I was involved directly the car audio industry. My knowledge on current amplifier brands/models is limited. Eclipse, Blaupunkt, Alpine, and Kenwood make excellent reference amplifiers for the money. http://www.Crutchfield.com is a good place to start comparison shopping.