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-- Best Car amp for around $200

Posted by djbruuen on Jun-23-2005 02:14:

Best Car amp for around $200

appreciate the suggestions...thanks

Posted by Raymond Thomas on Jun-23-2005 02:20:

i need some info too.

Posted by 5hiftn6ears on Jun-23-2005 02:30:

are you looking for a 4 channel, 2 channel.....? from my experience pound for pound any of the alpine V12 amps have performed amazingly....if you don't mind buying used stuff, i have a friend selling a 2 channel 450W and a 4 channel 500W...both were bought last summer and work perfect

Posted by djbruuen on Jun-23-2005 02:34:

quote:
Originally posted by 5hiftn6ears
are you looking for a 4 channel, 2 channel.....? from my experience pound for pound any of the alpine V12 amps have performed amazingly....if you don't mind buying used stuff, i have a friend selling a 2 channel 450W and a 4 channel 500W...both were bought last summer and work perfect

^ allow me to ask the completely uneducated question of the difference between 2 channel and 4 channel? thanks

Posted by High on PSI on Jun-23-2005 02:39:

what do you want to do with the amp?
power speakers? power subs?

and how many?

Posted by 5hiftn6ears on Jun-23-2005 02:40:

basically if you're gonna be using it to power your mids and hi's you'll want a 4 channel otherwise it won't be in stereo (each speaker has it's own channal), if you're powering a sub-woofer enclosurement you can use a 2 channel

Posted by djbruuen on Jun-23-2005 02:42:

quote:
Originally posted by High on PSI
what do you want to do with the amp?
power speakers? power subs?

and how many?

originally i was just going to upgrade my speakers, but now i think i'll have enough to do the whole system...so i'm planning on getting speakers, a deck, 1 12" sub and an amp. (so the whole system) hopefully doing it under 600, 700 max hopefully. (i'm using etronics.com they have really good prices compared to most local places)

Posted by rabbitjoker on Jun-23-2005 02:45:

outfit your haus, not your car.

car gear is just ripe for pickin'.

Posted by 5hiftn6ears on Jun-23-2005 02:47:

quote:
Originally posted by djbruuen
originally i was just going to upgrade my speakers, but now i think i'll have enough to do the whole system...so i'm planning on getting speakers, a deck, 1 12" sub and an amp. (so the whole system) hopefully doing it under 600, 700 max hopefully. (i'm using etronics.com they have really good prices compared to most local places)

i can get you a custom sealed kenwood box with 2 10" kenwood subs, and a alpine V12 5 ch 600W for like $350 - $400...i've heard it before and it pumps it....what kinda car do you have?

Posted by djbruuen on Jun-23-2005 02:48:

quote:
Originally posted by rabbitjoker
outfit your haus, not your car.

car gear is just ripe for pickin'.

i know, thats the scary thing, but my car is my sanctuary, its the only place i can go to play music loud other then hearing it at a club, and i'd like to be able to take advantage of hearing good quality music. the key i guess is not to advertise the system in places that are prone for theft.

Posted by High on PSI on Jun-23-2005 02:54:

quote:
Originally posted by djbruuen
originally i was just going to upgrade my speakers, but now i think i'll have enough to do the whole system...so i'm planning on getting speakers, a deck, 1 12" sub and an amp. (so the whole system) hopefully doing it under 600, 700 max hopefully. (i'm using etronics.com they have really good prices compared to most local places)

a 4 channel amp is good to power 4 seperate speakers. or you can power 2 speakers, and bridge the power from the other 2 channels to one and power a sub.

Or, if you want to power the speakers only from your deck, just get a 1 channel amp to power the sub.

The last option, which is most costly, is to get 2 amps, 1 to power the speakers, one for the sub.

Personally, my setup is the second one i mentioned.

Posted by 5hiftn6ears on Jun-23-2005 02:58:

quote:
Originally posted by High on PSI
a 4 channel amp is good to power 4 seperate speakers. or you can power 2 speakers, and bridge the power from the other 2 channels to one and power a sub.

Or, if you want to power the speakers only from your deck, just get a 1 channel amp to power the sub.

The last option, which is most costly, is to get 2 amps, 1 to power the speakers, one for the sub.

Personally, my setup is the second one i mentioned.

this setup is good, unless you're running some higher end mids and hi's (i.e. MB Quarts) because they sound like shit if they're under powered and most decks only give out 50w a channel

Posted by nismodreams on Jun-23-2005 02:59:

quote:
Originally posted by djbruuen
i know, thats the scary thing, but my car is my sanctuary, its the only place i can go to play music loud other then hearing it at a club, and i'd like to be able to take advantage of hearing good quality music.

For amps Alpine is the way to go...

I got an alpine 2 channel and a 4 channel V12 lying around(but I dont wanna part the system). They were installed in my old car which I ended up selling. Let me know if you want'em I can work out a price for you.
Boston Acoustics 5.4 pro series components
Boston Acoustics 6.5 rally components
Alpine 4 channel V12
Alpine 2 channel V12
Alpine 10inch sub

PM for details

Posted by karim on Jun-23-2005 03:00:

quote:
Originally posted by djbruuen
i know, thats the scary thing, but my car is my sanctuary, its the only place i can go to play music loud other then hearing it at a club, and i'd like to be able to take advantage of hearing good quality music. the key i guess is not to advertise the system in places that are prone for theft.

I couldn't agree more. Ever since I put a system in the car I frequently drive, I stopped speeding and don't mind getting stuck in traffic. I like to leave SUPER early for wherever I need to go, and I like to spend as much time in the car as possible. I often remember to bring out a new cd more so than I remember the keys. Good sound in a car is key.

Karim

Posted by djbruuen on Jun-23-2005 03:00:

quote:
Originally posted by 5hiftn6ears
i can get you a custom sealed kenwood box with 2 10" kenwood subs, and a alpine V12 5 ch 600W for like $350 - $400...i've heard it before and it pumps it....what kinda car do you have?

sounds interesting...i'm driving a 98' grand am gt.

what are the models on the subs and amp? wouldn't mind taking a look on the net.

Posted by zoogla on Jun-23-2005 03:01:

quote:
Originally posted by karim
Good sound in a car is key.

ARMIN is key.

Posted by 5hiftn6ears on Jun-23-2005 03:07:

quote:
Originally posted by djbruuen
sounds interesting...i'm driving a 98' grand am gt.

what are the models on the subs and amp? wouldn't mind taking a look on the net.

AMPs....ALPMRDM501...MONO, 500W RMS
LPMRVT420... 2CH,340 WATT, XOVR

Subs....KENTYPHOON212

the subs are 12" not 10"

Posted by karim on Jun-23-2005 03:28:

quote:
Originally posted by fayraree
ARMIN is key.

Playing ARMIN on a good sound system in a car is key.

Karim

Posted by High on PSI on Jun-23-2005 03:30:

quote:
Originally posted by 5hiftn6ears
this setup is good, unless you're running some higher end mids and hi's (i.e. MB Quarts) because they sound like shit if they're under powered and most decks only give out 50w a channel

Yeah, it depends on the power requirements of the speakers. As long as you feed it at least 70-75% of the RMS power it should work well.

MB Quarts are really nice, but some of them are rated at 35W RMS, 80W max, so i would say its ok.

A lot of it depends on the car too. 1 sub will have more of a profound effect in say, a hatchback, than a sedan. I have a sedan and had 1 10" sub, i was happy for the time being. But it just blew a few days ago, so i think im going for 2 10s now.

Anyways, since i can assume you will be listening to EDM, i would recommend a 10" sub over a 12" in a sealed enclosure. It will sound very clean and accurate, the way its meant to be listened too =)

Posted by 5hiftn6ears on Jun-23-2005 03:36:

quote:
Originally posted by High on PSI
Yeah, it depends on the power requirements of the speakers. As long as you feed it at least 70-75% of the RMS power it should work well.

MB Quarts are really nice, but some of them are rated at 35W RMS, 80W max, so i would say its ok.

A lot of it depends on the car too. 1 sub will have more of a profound effect in say, a hatchback, than a sedan. I have a sedan and had 1 10" sub, i was happy for the time being. But it just blew a few days ago, so i think im going for 2 10s now.

Anyways, since i can assume you will be listening to EDM, i would recommend a 10" sub over a 12" in a sealed enclosure. It will sound very clean and accurate, the way its meant to be listened too =)

if you're looking for a new sub i got one word for ya.....JL Audio 10W7......holy mother of god, my buddy just put one in and sounds like 10 10"s...honestly best sounding bass i've heard...too bad it's like $600

Posted by High on PSI on Jun-23-2005 03:40:

quote:
Originally posted by 5hiftn6ears
if you're looking for a new sub i got one word for ya.....JL Audio 10W7......holy mother of god, my buddy just put one in and sounds like 10 10"s...honestly best sounding bass i've heard...too bad it's like $600

heh... i doubt my alpine amp could handle it...

Posted by newr on Jun-23-2005 22:59:

I have a Lightning Audio 450W 2 channel amp for sale

Its never been used or mounted... EXTREME Mint condition

Full range amp
RCA and High Level inputs

Bass EQ 12dB at 50 Hz

Model LA1.150.2 for $100