Printer Friendly Forum Posts - amp suggestions to run my components/coax

I need some amp suggestions for my front speakers, and after researching, im still unsure if it would be a good idea to run both of these 4ohm speakers at 2ohms(cheaper and more power?), and exactly how to set the system up to 2ohms if you think its a good idea..

I recently picked up a Kenwood Excelon kdc-x792 deck and installed it in my 95 honda del sol. My factory speakers were blown so I picked up a pair of Focal access 165 A1 6.5 component speakers and threw them in the door panels, They have a "seperated crossover (4.8kHz), 3 levle settings: Real 12/ 12dB/ octave crossover", 92dB sensitivity, Max power= 120W and Nom. power= 60W...

Focal 165 A1
Speaker Size     6-1/2"
Design     2-way Component System
Tweeter Design     Inverted Dome
Tweeter Composition     Aluminum
Woofer Composition     N/A
Woofer Surround     Butyl Rubber
Peak Power Handling     120 watts
RMS Power Handling     60 watts
Sensitivity     92 dB
Frequency Response     60 - 20000 Hz

...And I wanted a really clear sound in the cab, so I picked up some rear speakers, which are the Alpine SPR-17C 2-way coaxial 6.5's in some 6.5 boxes behind the seats. Here are the specs for these speakers...

Alpine SPR-17c
Speaker Size     6-1/2"
Design     2-way Coaxial System
Tweeter Design     Dome
Tweeter Composition     Silk
Woofer Composition     Hybrid layered-pulp
Woofer Surround     Rubber
Peak Power Handling     300 watts
RMS Power Handling     100 watts
Sensitivity     87 dB
Frequency Response     65 - 27000 Hz
Impedance (per voice coil)     4 ohms
Top Mount Depth     2-5/16" (59mm)
Bottom-mount depth     3-5/16" (84.9mm)
Cutout Dimensions     N/A

I re-wired the speaker wires with high quality o2free, twisted and double insulated wires to the Kenwood receiver and then tuned the receiver. My problem now is that all of the speakers are cutting out or "clipping"(i think) above sound levle 26 out of 35. My reciever is 22W RMS and 50 Max...

Just so you know, Im running two 12" sony xplod subs in a sealed box, with a 1600W sony xplod amp.(I know these arent the best quality but I had it laying around in my room, so I installed it)

OK back to the speakers and amp selection. The local shops have really been pushing Rockford Fosgate amps for "real clean power" to those front speakers. Does anyone have any other suggestions of a high quality amp to run these front speakers with good power and great sound quality? The amp that Im looking at right now is the Rockford Fosgate Power T400-4. And here are the specs..

Amplifier Specifications
Amplifier Class     AB
Number of Channels     4
RMS Power (4 ohms)     60 watts x 4 channels
RMS Power (2 ohms)     100 watts x 4 channels
RMS Power (1 ohm)     N/A
Bridged RMS Power     200 watts x 2 channels
Total RMS Power Output     400 watts
Peak Power Output     800 watts x 4 channels
Total Peak Power Output     3200 watts
Minimum Impedance Unbridged     2 ohms
Minimum Impedance Bridged     2 ohms
THD at Rated RMS Power     .5%
Speaker Level Inputs     No
Preamp Outputs     1 pair
Built-in Crossover     Low-pass (LP)
High-pass (HP)
Full (AP)
High-Pass Crossover Frequency     50 - 500 Hz
Low-Pass Crossover Frequency     50 - 500 Hz
Subsonic Filter     N/A
Signal-to-Noise Ratio     85 dB
Channel Separation     N/A
Bass Boost     0 - 18 dB
Bass/Gain Remote     Optional (Accessory required and sold separately)
Rockford Fosgate PEQ
Fan Cooled     Dynamic Thermal Management
Fuse Rating     100A

I have never built a really clear sounding system before, sure I have had subs and amps for those subs, but I haven't ever needed an amp to run my in-cab speakers. If you think this amp is a good choice at $290, would you run it at 4ohms or 2ohms? If you suggest running this or a different amp at 2ohms, I understand how to wire the speakers parallel from a 2 channel amp like described on "the12volt.com" and as shown on " https://www.bcae1.com/spkrmlti.htm ". But I don't understand how to do this on a 4 channel amp. Any suggestions on different clean amps 2 channel or 4 channel, and how to wire them for the best sound quality?

FIRST OFF, DON'T BUY THE FOCALS, unless you LIKE the bright, hashy, spitty sound of metal dome tweeters. Secondly, DON'T BUY THE ROCKFORD AMP, unless you LIKE the bright, hashy, spitty sound of Rockford Fosgate high-frequency reproduction. That being said, the two of them together will be unlistenable. Both of these products have ALWAYS sounded like this to me, and I am not the only one here that will stand by that statement, ESPECIALLY for the Focals. (Not just Focals, truth be known, but ALL metal domes. GAH!)

A FAR better suggestion: The JL silk dome stuff, on an Alpine PDX4.100 or 4.150 amplifier. Another good choice for amplifier power: Something from the Eclipse premium line, the XA4200 for a 4 channel solution (NOT the EA stuff)

Last point: If you have 4 ohm speakers, you can't turn them into 2 ohm speakers. That's just what they are - 4 ohms. You will select your amplifier based on the desired 4 ohm output desired.

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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."