Amp choice phoenix gold or kicker

Well first you should decide what subs you are getting, then the amp. Or throw us some scenarios that you might want to do. But 2 and 2 together and well tell what we think is best for the money.

I agree with special-k, deciding on subs first will be better off in the end. I'm an RF fan and would highly suggest the HX2's if you can afford them. If you go the HX2 route then you have 2 main choices. 1) Punch HX2 Available in 2 (RFD2112) or 4 (RFD2212) ohm DVC models. Both are rated at 500RMS 1000Peak. The only difference is the wiring capabilities. With two RFD2112's you can wire down to a 2ohm total load or a 0.5ohm total load. However 0.5ohm stable amps can be hard to find and are usually extreemly expensive. 2ohm mono amps are fairly common and can be found pretty easily at a decient price. With 2 RFD2112's, you want an amp that is rated 1000 x 1 @ 2ohms. With two RFD2212's you can wire down to a 1ohm total load. 1ohm stable mono amps are a little more difficult to find then 2ohm stable mono amps, and more expensive. But it's not impossible to get a good deal though (the JBL BP1200.1 is a good amp and is 1ohm stable). With 2 RFD2212's, you want an amp that is rated 1000 x 1 @ 1ohm. 2) Power HX2 Available in 2ohm (RFR3112) DVC only. It's rated at 1000RMS 2000Peak. With 2 of these subs it would be better to get 2 amps rated at 1000 x 1 @ 2ohms and run each sub off of its own amp. I'm currently running 2 RFD2112's and a Power 1000bd (rated at 1000 x 1 @ 2ohms) in an '02 mustang (soon to be moved to a '97 explorer). It quakes. I'm still trying to find somewhere to measure the SPL, but my last system (2 RFP3412's and a Power 500bd) was hitting 142db and this one puts it to shame Whatever sub's you decide on, a good rule of thumb for the amp is to match the "total RMS" rating of the subs to the RMS rating of the amp. With already knowing the ohms of your subs, you can properly match the RMS ratings. A lot of people get into DVC subs without knowing how to properly wire them, and end up with a system that they can only run safely at 4ohms because the amp they chose was not 1ohm stable.Squirrel

"No more Cpt. Kirk chit chat"

If its too loud, then you're too old

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It depends on the amp. Some amps, like the JBL BP1200.1 or BP600.1 are 1ohm stable, but do not produce any more power at 1ohm than they do at 2ohms. Other amps do have a noticible difference between 1 and 2 ohms because the power output is greater at 1ohm than 2ohms (less ohms=less resistance=more power). If you went with the 2 Power HX2's then I'd recommend either Two JBL BP1200.1 amps (rated at 1200 x 1 @ 2ohms) or Two Rockford Fosgate Power 1000bd amps (rated at 1000 x 1 @ 2ohms). Wire the subs like this for a 2ohm load... If you went with the Kicker Solo-Baric S12L7 then you will need to decide on the 2 or 4 ohm model in order to get an amp suggestion. With 2 of these subs though, you would generally either need one amp rated at "1500 x 1 @ xohms" or two amps rated at "750 x 1 @ xohms". But like I said, we'd need the ohm model to finalize any suggestions. Keep in mind that there are other amps out there too! Don't limit yourself to just my suggestions. Either way, with that much power comes $'s. Also keep in mind that with that much power you will need to upgrade your alternator to a High Output alternator and get a performance battery (like the Optima Redtop or something similiar).Squirrel

"No more Cpt. Kirk chit chat"

If its too loud, then you're too old

Donate to the12volt.com

Yeah like he said we really need to know the ohm situation of your subs. If your looking to spend $$$ there are amps that put out enough power to cover either way you  go. But you should still get an amp that suits the subs needs.

whoever told you the JBL BP1200.1 was a budget amp was only half correct... the JBL PowerValve series amps are actually the best bang you are gonna get for your buck...if you look around, there really isnt much difference in class D amps...the only real difference is the power they put out and at what impedance they are stable at... the 12w3s wont instantly blow up when you hook them up to that much power, but if you are looking to compete out here (Im in Langley) you are going to need more sub than that... also, heed squirrels warning about the high output alternator...the alt is the heart and backbone of your whole system...without a good alt dont plan on booming for long...a stereo drawing the kind of current you may be looking at will more than likely cook a factory alternator in short order unless you just do the occaisional burp in the lanes... you arent going to be competitive unless you are willing to spend some time doing it right and some money buying decent gear...the 1200.1 is a cheap amp, but very solid for performance and reliability...dont rule it out until you are willing to spend almost double on an amp that would be similar in quality and reliability...