old speakers to computer

Hey, I recently upgraded from my two 12" Kicker Comp speakers to two 12" Kicker CompVRs. With nothing to do with the Comps, I wired them up to my computer sound system. Right now, my computer sound system is the Sharp CD-XP500, wired to the computer via a stereo->RCA converter. Although the subs are working fine, I want to give them a little more power than the sharp offers. Is there such a thing as an amplifier that will plug into the wall, or would I need to get a 12v testbench battery to power an amp? Also, as of right now they're just kind of sitting on the floor. How much of a difference will putting them in a box make? I know that you should try and separate the front wave from the inverse / rear wave as much as possible, but will putting them in a box be worth the money? Thanks, Austin

you will need an amp, power inverter, and a box to make those sound proper.

In my early young experimental days I would have speakers lying aroung on floors, dashboards, rear parcel shelves....like, what's a box?  Go buy a simple little sub for your computer and put these subwoofers to work like they should be worked....in a box, in a car.  Everybody wants to hook things up to their computer now.Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

ok so a power inverter and box should do the trick and @jmelton86 yeah, the VR upgrade made a HUGE difference, they're much much louder. I only have them running on 300 watts on a 1ohm load and they pound HARD...I haven't been able to turn them up all the way yet

I would definitely make the upgrade if I were you. @ coppellstereo, with a power inverter, how would I wire the power and ground connections? Can you recommend any good inverters to look at? Thanks

OK... Its a POWER SUPPLY, not an INVERTER! How many times do I have to say it?!?! (OK, I'm sorry I exploded... ) As far as connecting a POWER SUPPLY, you would simply connect the +12v lead and the remote lead to the +12 volt post on the power supply, and the ground to the negative post. Your better bet, though, is the plate amp, say something like this... (Scroll all the way to the bottom, and pick the one you like best...) By the time you spend enough money on a power supply with enough current capability to run a car amplifier, AND the car amplifier, you'll have well bought any of those amps presented.It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

haemphyst, the plate amp was EXACTLY what I'm looking for, thank you. Would you advise I get some passive crossovers so that I can filter out the lows from the Sharp speakers and direct those to the subs? 100hz should do the trick, right? That way some of the bass would be going to the standard speakers, but the majority of it would be going to the subs. Lastly would you recommend I split the RCA cable I have running from the computer via two Y cables or whatever I find to do the trick and running those to the plate amp so the amp receives a direct signal (computer -> plate amp -> sub [in corroboration with the same computer signal -> receiver ->speakers]), or leaving the setup as-is and just wiring the plate amp from the Sharp receiver? (computer -> amplified receiver signal -> plate amp -> sub)?