i could do with help choosing an amplifier?

Question

right i have two subwoofer in an enclosed box and need an amp my subs specifiactions are:

Power: 100x Rms / 200x Max
IMPP cone
2" Kapton Voice coil
Frequency Response: 30 Hz - 2.5 Khz
Impedance: 4 Ohms
Sensitivity: 90 DB.

So what amp should i buy? and wheres a good place?

also i have no idea what specifications i just typed in so if you can shed some light on that too it would be much apprecitated

Answer 1

jl makes good amps infinity make good amps read up on it. Some amps will say they output 1000 wats when they really only output 700

Answer 2

Rick G says; 'you need a amp that is 200 RMS into a single 2 ohm load or a 2 channel amp that is 100 RMS into a 4 ohm load... the second will be easier to find.'

A 2channel amp won't necessarily be easier to find. Plus, a mono (1 channel) amp will be less expensive.


Go get a mono amp that delivers *about 200watts RMS @ 2ohms. You would then wire the subs in parallel to the amp. Parallel is like this;
http://www.the12volt.com/caraudio/woofer_configurations.asp?Q=2&I=41 -option #1, 2ohm load

Make sure the amp you get is CEA-compliant. This ensures that it'll put out what it claims.

Have Fun!

Answer 3

The power ratings give you the maximum sustained power the speaker can handle without burning out the voice coil, which is the coil of fine copper wire on a cardboard or plastic cylinder that surrounds the pole piece of the permanent magnet, at the center of the speaker. It is usually hidden.

The IMPP cone is probably the kind of material of which the main part of the speaker is made of. Older speakers used a special type of cardboard, newer ones use plastic. The 2" is the diameter of the voice coil itself - usually, the bigger the coil, the better the speaker. That is a very good size for a woofer or subwoofer.

The frequency response tells you the range of sounds the speaker is designed to handle at a fairly constant level. Most music is between 50 Hz and 16,000 Hz, and of course the midrange and tweeter speakers will carry the frequencies above 2.5 Khz (2500 Hz) along with the stereo information to get the spaciousness of the sound. Bass frequencies tend to be non-directional, so it doesn't matter where you place the woofer/subwoofer in the room or in your car.

The impedance of 4 ohms is basically the resistance the speaker voice coil has to the electrical signals coming from the amplifier. Older speakers used to be 8 or 16 ohms, but the newer amplifiers can handle a lower impedance and put out more power than the older amps. Your amps have to be matched to the speakers in terms of impedance.

The sensitivity figure is a measure of speaker efficiency - how much sound you get from a given power input - the higher this figure is, the more sound power you get for the same watts from the amp. Any number at or over 90 is good.

You need a stereo power amplifier capable of putting out a maximum (peak power) of 100 watts per channel. Such an amp would be rated at 50 watts RMS per channel, which is the constant power rating. Most of the time, you will use less than half of this, and keeping the power level a bit low will protect your speakers from burn-out at high volumes, as well as protecting your ears from deafness. Don't let a salesman or anyone else try to convince you to get any more power than this - you don't need it.

Just to give you an example, I once used an amplifer with a power rating of 14 watts per channel RMS to power two not-so-efficient speakers to reproduce the sound of thunder in a high school gym. The sound was sudden and loud enough to make everyone in the audience jump out of their seats. Too much audio power over prolonged periods can affect your hearing permanently, and of course you can't hear the sirens of emergency vehicles if the sound in your car or truck is too loud. Besides that, if you have your windows open, you may be breaking the law if you have your music too loud.

I would suggest going to a good car audio shop to get a good amplifier - but don't let them talk you into an amplifier more powerful than you really need.

Answer 4

you need a amp that is 200 RMS into a single 2 ohm load or a 2 channel amp that is 100 RMS into a 4 ohm load... the second will be easier to find.

You'll find much better prces online, i won;t buy any other way.
here is a list of the top ten sites.
http://www.caraudio.com/

Here are a few recomendations i have for you.

http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=4874
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=2518
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=529

Wire a 2 channel amp like this:
http://www.crutchfield.com/learningcenter/car/subwoofers_wiring.html?imageID=2SVC%5F4%2Dohm%5F2ch

or a mono amp like this(if you find one that is 200 watts or less power): http://www.crutchfield.com/learningcenter/car/subwoofers_wiring.html?imageID=2SVC%5F4%2Dohm%5Fmono

The specs that give a indication of sound quality are the THD (lower % is better) and S/N ration (higher is better), However unfortunately there are no laws protecting the consumer so you'll find blaten lies on specs, the only way to avoid a potential faulty spec sheet is to get one that is CEA-2006 certified. this means they passed certain critiea and follow specific guidlines in the rating they provide. It does not mean that amps that are not certified are not good, just that amps that are will be. The samples i gave you are all decent amps, my fovorite for the money would be the profile. clean, decent power, and easy on the wallet. The rockford, is a bit better, but with a much higher price tag, the sony is o.k. but there are alot of sony haters out there, i personally do not mind them.


Hope that helps.

UPDATE:
Ohm Do you know where there are 200 Watts RMS mono amps into a 2 ohm load? please send some links, i could not find anything that small. that would be a good solution.

Answer 5

Basically, you want an amp to match the RMS of your subs. Forget the "Max" watts, it's all about the RMS watts. Don't get an amp that goes over the RMS of your subs or you'll blow the Subs. You can opt for a 1 channel amp or a 2 channel amp, you can opt for more but becomes a wiring issue. You also need a wiring install kit for the amp.

Check out:
http://www.crutchfield.com
http://www.soundomain.com

Good luck.

Answer 6

When it comes to getting proper amps and speakers a few questions have to be answered
1. What type of sound are you looking for, booming, crisp, soft and subtle, or ear shattering.
2. How much space do you want it to take up or are you willing to compromise your trunk space?
3. Cost

If you can do a little research that would be great. I would also suggest going to www.crutchfield.com they have alot of useful information and it is very quick and simple to pick stuff out.

Now from my knowledge, I would suggest you look for an amp that has
2x100rms
I am not sure if both of your speakers are 2ohms each or 4 each but go ahead and get a 2x4ohm amp

Answer 7

Best buy is good and some of the sales people know what they are talking about. Some don't.

If I remember correct watts don't mean anything. Make sure the RMS matches the speakers.