Amp Selection Help

[arctictwist]

I am looking at upgrading the speakers in my truck seens as the drivers side front blew and my warantee is up. Im looking at a set of polk components for the front and polk coaxials for the rear. Both take 100 w rms. I am looking for an amp that runs 4 x 100 at 4 ohms that wont kill me and is also decent. I dont need top of the line. I have been out of the car audio game for a long time so i dont know whats what anymore. any help is appreciated.

[Doug_Scott]

Why not just get the matching amp from polk? I went the same route you are talking.. here is what I used

 

DB6501 Polk Audio Component for the front

DB521 Polk Audio Coaxial for the rear

MTX ThunderForm sub with one 10 inch

PA200.4 320 watth amp

PA400.1 monoblock 800(max) watt sub amp

Cache CLOC+D line out adaptors to retain stock head unit

 

I did not do the install, but did watch. The speakers used the stock mounts, just cut the old speakers out, and the replacements will actually fit right in the stock framework easily. Then just mount the stock mounts right back where they came out. The remote tweeters fit in the A post like the stock ones do.

[Carder09]

Unfortunately, to get a four channel amp to power 100rms you will spend a decent amount of money for one because you are wanting to run a 4ohm load instead of 2

[arctictwist]

Unfortunately, to get a four channel amp to power 100rms you will spend a decent amount of money for one because you are wanting to run a 4ohm load instead of 2

well i dont mind wiring it to run a 2 ohm load, but one of them says nominal is 4 ohms and the other 2.7 ohms. would they be ok at 2?

[arctictwist]

if i got an amp with speaker level inputs, would it be better to use them or still get the pac converter?

[arctictwist]

if i got an amp with speaker level inputs, would it be better to use them or still get the pac converter?

 

 

Now im learning and thinking i need two different amps. One for the pair of speakers and one for the components. This was not supposed to be this complicated. I forgot about all this ohms law stuff

[aesalazar]

I wouldnt get all caught up in exact wattage and ohms and all that. The defacto standard is 4 ohms so if you want to keep it simple, settle on that and find an amp that works for your setup. That is what I did. Doing wiring to get lower impedance isnt all that necessary for that average person. Not saying there is anything wrong with it but dont let it make your system more complex then you want it to be.

 

I got a JL XD400/4. Solid amp. The name implies that it is rated at 100 w x 4 ch but that is at 2 ohms. At 4 ohms it is 75w/ch. I am running it in 3 channels - 2 for the front two components and the other 2 bridged into 1 ch to the sub. All at 4 ohms and it hits hard. Unless you after a setup that can be heard to the next block or are planning to enter competitions you probably wouldn't need more power then something like that. If you are planning to run the back speakers as well there is a 6 channel version with the same power ratings. And there are lots of other manufactures that have comparable amps that are just as good.

 

The JL is capable of accepting speaker level inputs into the RCAs actually. You just have to splice a set to go from speaker to coax. I didnt need to use this but it is an option. Before I decided swap out my oem head unit I wondered if it would be better to do this or use a converter as well. In theory, not using something like a PAC converted would be better since it one less "cog" in the system to go wrong. And running a speaker levels rather then a low-level output through the trucks chassis to the amp would be less prone to noise and interference from stuff like alternator wine. Again, in theory. Never got to test it out thought so I cant help there, sorry.

 

Ernie

[arctictwist]

OK, thnx for the in depth response! Ill probably go with an amp of similar rating. I am also going to try with the speaker level inputs first

 

I wouldnt get all caught up in exact wattage and ohms and all that. The defacto standard is 4 ohms so if you want to keep it simple, settle on that and find an amp that works for your setup. That is what I did. Doing wiring to get lower impedance isnt all that necessary for that average person. Not saying there is anything wrong with it but dont let it make your system more complex then you want it to be.

 

I got a JL XD400/4. Solid amp. The name implies that it is rated at 100 w x 4 ch but that is at 2 ohms. At 4 ohms it is 75w/ch. I am running it in 3 channels - 2 for the front two components and the other 2 bridged into 1 ch to the sub. All at 4 ohms and it hits hard. Unless you after a setup that can be heard to the next block or are planning to enter competitions you probably wouldn't need more power then something like that. If you are planning to run the back speakers as well there is a 6 channel version with the same power ratings. And there are lots of other manufactures that have comparable amps that are just as good.

 

The JL is capable of accepting speaker level inputs into the RCAs actually. You just have to splice a set to go from speaker to coax. I didnt need to use this but it is an option. Before I decided swap out my oem head unit I wondered if it would be better to do this or use a converter as well. In theory, not using something like a PAC converted would be better since it one less "cog" in the system to go wrong. And running a speaker levels rather then a low-level output through the trucks chassis to the amp would be less prone to noise and interference from stuff like alternator wine. Again, in theory. Never got to test it out thought so I cant help there, sorry.

 

Ernie

[Jeff405]

Late response, but I have already installed the Infinity Kappa 629i speakers in all four doors and will prob go with the Infinity Reference 475a amp. And will be using the rear speaker wires into the level inputs of the amp. The amp puts out 90X4 and my speakers run at 2ohms.

Just wanted to throw my set-up incase you are still looking around.