OK Audiophiles.... amp suggestions please - Honda Prelude Forum

Hambones · 06-20-2001, 08:24 PM

I just purchased Infinity Kappa components for the front (5.25") and Kappa 6x9's for the rear (coaxial), and now I need to decide on an amp for these speakers. I need suggestions:

1.) How much power should I look for? (in a 4-channel amp... I'm thinking 50w x 4... will I need more power?)
2.) I'd like to keep it under $500 for a quality 4ch amp.
3.) I plan to add a pair of subs and another amp in the future.

What brands do you guys recommend? I was looking at the RF Power amps... they used to be a good name... are they still good amps? What other brands???

I'm not looking for something crazy loud... just want to make sure I have enough power to these speakers to fully appreciate them.

Your suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hambones

2001 Type SH, Satin Silver Metallic.... stock, for now

TimeRacer · 06-21-2001, 04:49 AM

I'm partial to the Phoenix Gold XS series line. They're really good amps for the money and I'm almost positive that you can find something that does at LEAST 50x4. But there's also some other good amps out there. Like ESX (used to have a 120x4 one) and U.S. Acoustics that are very good amps for the money.

~Doug

thesnowturtle · 06-21-2001, 02:09 PM

I just put in those exact same speakers in my 98. i have a 5-channel Soundstream 35x4 and 100x1 at 4 ohms. I'm running a Rockford Fosgate XLC single 10" in the trunk and my system sounds great! those component Kappas are awesome. and that amp is pushing nice. i don't even have the gain up to half either.

one thing that helps is that i have built-in adjustable crossovers in my head unit. and the amp has a built in crossover for the sub channel.

just my input.

Hambones · 06-21-2001, 07:07 PM

Well, I think I'm going with JL Audio amps. Mainly because my installers recommended them. I was about to go with a 75w x 4 amp for the mids and highs... but I think I'll opt for a 50w x 4 (if they even make one... pretty sure JL has one). For the pair of 10's in the trunk, I'm having them build a custom box and amp rack... and then I'm going to run a 250 x 1 JL Audio amp to them.

I haven't decided which subs to go with... probably JL's... any suggestions?

TimeRacer · 06-22-2001, 11:48 AM

I've never actually SEEN a JL amp being used in any system other than the steathboxes that have the internal amps that I assume are made by JL. Personally I wouldn't go JL just because I like being different than the rest of the crowd. I would probally invest the money into getting some IDQ's for the subs. They don't require as much power to drive as the JL's and personally I like the sound better. And the biggest plus of them is that they require less space than the JL's.

Though if you want a budget system buy a head unit with 2 RCA's at least that's internally powered. Run the rear speakers to the head unit and the front speakers to a 4 channel amp. Bridge the two rear channels for the subs and you should be set. But that's only if you want to buy a single amp.

~Doug

ImagePree · 06-22-2001, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TimeRacer
Though if you want a budget system buy a head unit with 2 RCA's at least that's internally powered. Run the rear speakers to the head unit and the front speakers to a 4 channel amp. Bridge the two rear channels for the subs and you should be set. But that's only if you want to buy a single amp.

~Doug

hey! that's exactly what i'm gonna do..

i'm already have the infinity kappas 693.1 6x9's in the rear being run off the HU.
i was thinking i can get the RF 600.4 (75x4 rms) and bridge the rear channels to run a single solobaric; while the front channels will be pushing Diamond M3 5.25" components.

Hambones · 06-22-2001, 12:41 PM

Judging by specs alone, the JL amps appear to be high quality, clean amps. I'm going with the Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X917 CD/tuner... It has a cool 3D graphical display, 3 pre-outs, and a motorized/detachable face. I'm also considering the eXcelon amps... but they are pricey and this system is already getting expensive

<sigh>

thesnowturtle · 06-22-2001, 03:56 PM

I have the eXecelon KDC-X817. It's awesome! the only difference is that the 917 has the ability to turn off the internal amps, to keep it cool i suppose.

Nice choice.

TimeRacer · 06-22-2001, 07:45 PM

One thing, don't buy things because their specs are good. Buy stuff because it sounds good. Just because it's really GREAT on a sheet of paper doesn't mean that it will sound good to your ears. Since if anything with speakers, sometimes it being "too real" eventually will start to hurt. =)

~Doug

Mugenlude · 06-29-2001, 12:46 PM

personally I wouldn't go with the JL... I have JL speaker >>> they are great... however this is their "first run" at amps so there reliablity is still in the air...

as previously mentioned the Pheonix Gold XS series in good... ZX series that I have is a better, but higher prices amp, but has performed flawlessly for 2 years for me now... in my eyes PG is the best amp in the market >>> with exception in extreme companies ie. MacInitish, etc.

Rockford's new amp leave something to be desired after they started mass producing them for larger chains like Best Buy...

Gabe · 06-29-2001, 03:20 PM

Ewwwww, RF. If you want a quality amp then get something like A/D/S, PG, PPI, Xtant, Zapco or Soundstream. I've seen so much crap from Ratsh!it Fastbreak blow up it's not even funny.

Edit: I've also heard Nak amps are good but I've never heard one personally. If they're anything like their other car audio stuff they are very good.

Gabe

vertical · 06-29-2001, 05:22 PM

kicker and orion amps!!!

Hambones · 07-02-2001, 02:51 PM

MugenLude: Where did you purchase your Eibachs and Konis... online?

As for amps, I'd like to look into Pheonix Gold, and PPI. Are there any sites online where I can purchase good amps?

Hambones · 07-02-2001, 06:22 PM

OK, I'm a little confused on this one. Here's my planned set-up:

2x 10" subs, powered by a 2-channel amp bridged mono @ 4 ohms.

Now, my question:

Given the above information, will I need subs rated at 4 ohms or 8 ohms? Is it safe to run 2 subs off a 2 channel amp bridged mono at 4 ohms?

Ugh, I'm confused!

Gabe · 07-02-2001, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hambones
OK, I'm a little confused on this one. Here's my planned set-up:

2x 10" subs, powered by a 2-channel amp bridged mono @ 4 ohms.

Now, my question:

Given the above information, will I need subs rated at 4 ohms or 8 ohms? Is it safe to run 2 subs off a 2 channel amp bridged mono at 4 ohms?

Ugh, I'm confused!

In order to run them both at 4 ohms with 1 channel you are going to need 8 ohm subs. If you run each of them on a seperate channel then get 4 ohm subs. Why don't you want to do this? I don't see any real advantage to running them in parallel with the amp bridged to one channel.

You can always run the bridged channel at 4 ohms, or at least on every single amp I've ever seen you can.

Gabe

Hambones · 07-02-2001, 09:53 PM

So, I should run them parallel with the amp bridged to one channel? or, no?

is it recommended rather to run each sub on a seperate channel?

Gabe · 07-02-2001, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hambones
So, I should run them parallel with the amp bridged to one channel? or, no?

is it recommended rather to run each sub on a seperate channel?

If you run them in parallel then bridge the amp to one channel. I don't really know what to reccomend but I don't see an advantage to running the amp bridged or as a standard two channel amp with each channel running a sub. You'll probably get a little more power and possible a little more headroom with the amp bridged, but it's probably a minimal gain. In the end it's up to you.

Gabe

Mugenlude · 07-03-2001, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hambones
MugenLude: Where did you purchase your Eibachs and Konis... online?

bought the Eibach springs from carparts.com a while back for like $180 w/ a 30% off coupon i got on importhookup.com >>> the deal isn't' going on anymore and the price for some reason is alot higher now on carparts.com

the koni's i got from a groupbuy w/ the "name your price" for $475 shipped...

Hambones · 07-03-2001, 02:26 PM

kewl... thanks for the info Mugenlude, and Gabe

Mugenlude · 07-03-2001, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gabe

If you run them in parallel then bridge the amp to one channel. I don't really know what to reccomend but I don't see an advantage to running the amp bridged or as a standard two channel amp with each channel running a sub. You'll probably get a little more power and possible a little more headroom with the amp bridged, but it's probably a minimal gain. In the end it's up to you.

Gabe

depends on the amp... some amps (cheaper ones) can't handle running at lower ohms... however if you buy a amp designed to drop to lower ohms and not go into protect you'll get more power...

for example i did some power calculations (not looking at the box of the amp, but actual power output w/ the car battery putting out about 12.8v) on my Coustic 220 (2 channel amp) ran 190 watts RMS/channel at 4 ohms, now when I bridged the amp with two 4 ohms speakers (amp is seeing a 1 ohms load) it put out 718 watts RMS... this amp ran flawless for about two years running at 1 ohms (most amps don't) however i did have a fan on it...

lets see if i can explain the ohms now... if you put speakers wired in PARRALLEL the ohms drop in half (if you have two 4ohms speakers >>> it goes to 2 ohms, so two 8 ohms speakers would be 4 ohms)... if the speakers are wired in SERIES the ohms double (two 4 ohms speakers would be 8 ohms) >>> once you figure out that, then you have to remember that if you bridge your amp you take the number from your speakers and cut that in half again... (so two 8 ohm speaker in parrallel hooked up to a bridged amp is 2 ohms...

hope that explains it clearly >>> and correctly ofcourse...