Best 500 Watt Amp?
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=21027
Printed Date: May 10, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Topic: Best 500 Watt Amp?
Posted By: pureRF
Subject: Best 500 Watt Amp?
Date Posted: November 05, 2003 at 9:41 AM
What do you guys thing the best one channel 500 watt amp is? Im going to be running a 15 eclipse aluminum.
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dream it, build it, fiberglass it
Replies:
Posted By: MAXST
Date Posted: November 05, 2003 at 9:52 AM
JBL 600.1 would work wouldnt it? visonik v400hc is 500rms at 1 ohm...on special at thezeb for 140...it looks like a great amp. ------------- I need quality equipment, feel free to donate.
Posted By: mobiletoys2002
Date Posted: November 05, 2003 at 9:57 AM
well that all depend on how much money you are willing to spend, but jbl makes a nice mono block that will run your sub nice,i think they have a 500 watt rms by 1 channel amp (500.1 model i think)and its pretty cheap,if you wanna go even cheaper look into a US Acoustics mono block, they make a decent amp that pushes lots of power at a cheap price. Or if you have money to spend get teh new kicker amps with the digital prosesing they are really nice but they cost ,or rockford fosgate mono blocks are nice.There are so many good amps out there just match one up with your sub and you will be fine,make sure the amp can handle the load of the sub(4 ohm,2 ohm,etc)
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: November 05, 2003 at 12:41 PM
Do you have the single or dual voice coli aluminum 15? This will define the parameters of the amp that we all need to search out for you. Like I'll tell everyone, the made in singakoreatiawanapore amplifiers will save you money but the american built amplifiers will blow them away. You get what you pay for, an awesome sub deserves an awesome amp. Wattage makes lightbulbs glow, amplifiers make amps. There are a lot of really good amplifiers on the market, support your local specialty shop, get yourself a good amp and a good proper install to make it work. Info is free, ask lots of questions and you will get a lot of good answers.
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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: tdsteele
Date Posted: November 05, 2003 at 7:09 PM
Well when it comes to really good amps that put out lots of true clean power and with that sub i would say a Diamond Audio D5 600.1, 600 watts @ 2 ohms, providing you can wire your sub up for that. I run a D5 600.2 on a pair of ten's and its remarkable how clean the sound is from the subs, i can only imagine what it would do on those Aluminums. 
Posted By: Alpine Guy
Date Posted: November 05, 2003 at 7:17 PM
Alpine mrd-m500, no amp out there can touch it for the power produced/power used ratio. It is the most efficient amp you can find, its from alpines new accu-class d series, pure digital performace. Puts out 500wrms at 14.4v / 2 ohm, , or 250wrms at 14.4v / 4 ohm. 900 watt peak. And now don't forget, everyone knows alpine underrates there amps. I have the mrd-m500 and it comes with a birth certificate, i was lucky to get one that put out 598wrms on test day.
Posted By: pureRF
Date Posted: November 06, 2003 at 9:41 PM
I am actually ordering the mrd-m500, happy to hear somone likes it
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dream it, build it, fiberglass it
Posted By: MAXST
Date Posted: November 06, 2003 at 10:13 PM
i heard that the alpine amps didnt have as great as clarity and some other amps he listened to. He varified it with a few other ppl in the listening room as well. why not match it and get a eclipse amp? ------------- I need quality equipment, feel free to donate.
Posted By: nedgeworth
Date Posted: November 06, 2003 at 10:17 PM
All you have to remember is a system is only as good as it's weakest link.
Posted By: FieroAudio
Date Posted: November 06, 2003 at 10:43 PM
Alpine Guy wrote:
Alpine mrd-m500, no amp out there can touch it for the power produced/power used ratio. It is the most efficient amp you can find, its from alpines new accu-class d series, pure digital performace. Puts out 500wrms at 14.4v / 2 ohm, , or 250wrms at 14.4v / 4 ohm. 900 watt peak. And now don't forget, everyone knows alpine underrates there amps. I have the mrd-m500 and it comes with a birth certificate, i was lucky to get one that put out 598wrms on test day.
Peak. LOL. What is the efficiency rating on your amp (from your certificate?) I'd be surprised if its above 80%. ------------- Blaine Korte
1986 Pontiac Fiero SE - Custom Time!
Pioneer DEH-P3500, JL 10W0, Memphis 250D, Sony 125.2, Excursion 6.5" Mids, Custom Kicks, Custom sub box. You try putting a loud stereo into a Fiero!
Posted By: tdsteele
Date Posted: November 07, 2003 at 8:06 AM
Well im no fan of the Alpine amps either, at least the older ones, have no experience with the newer ones. Eclipse amps are nice but are not as clean as the Diamonds. Check out the THD ratings on the various amps listed. Alpines are very dirty amps, esp that one, 1%thd, thats pretty sad. The Eclipses usually are about .1%, the Diamonds are .02 or .03%. Hell the US acoustics would be a better choice than the Alpine, they are about .5%, built solid, and about half the price.
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: November 07, 2003 at 3:05 PM
Specs are good sometimes, however they don not tell you how an amplifier sounds, how loud it is going to play or what it's capabilities are. Put that spec sheet up to your ear and tell me how it sounds, because for those of you that believe in "specs" being the most important factor, it's time to do a lot more learning. I used to be the one who looked at the "specs" because it's what I was led to believe was the most important consideration, I was sure mistaken and it cost me a whole pile of $$$$$. This is the main reason why I own two of my own stores today. Everybody hears differently, what can sound good to you might sound like a$$ to your friend. Are you aware that most subs play an average of 15% distortion along with the music your playing, and as such do you think that .1% or .02% or even 5% is going to make that drastic of a difference? Just a ponit made about how a spec can have nothing to do with what we hear. Amplifiers make amps, they are not called wattlifiers or thdlifiers for a reason. ------------- Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
Posted By: Alpine Guy
Date Posted: November 07, 2003 at 6:43 PM
my test sheet does not show efficiency. and as for thd, , it is impossible for the human ear to hear the difference in distortion until it gets to the 5% mark, so never base the clarity of an amp on thd. Pyramis amps have like .9%thd, but the sound like my toilet bowl after chilly day. The alpine class d amps arent meant for speakers, there ment for subs, and they play the bass frequencies clearly at peak volumes. if you are worried about distortion, then get a class a/b amp and draw 200 amps of current to get the same result you can from 50 amps on a class d ( that was exaduration) << i can never spell that word right haha. "forbiddin" is right, so listen to him....
Posted By: forbidden
Date Posted: November 07, 2003 at 6:49 PM
Thanks alpine guy, It's nice to hear praise from someone other than my regular customers. I've had to re-learn alot over the years and continue to do so everyday. Look at some of these posts and even veterans can get new information from them. BTW Alpine has had some damn nice gear over the years, my favorite is the original 7909 and the 3558 pure class A 4 channel amp, I actually won this amplifier in a contest back in the late 80's - early 90's.
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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.
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