Choosing an Amp ... your thoughts?

greetings to all...

I've read aroud this site a few times ... usually linked from mp3car.com ... anyway i've been researching to find a good 4-ch amp for under $200. looking for some input.

I just bought some Infinity Kappa 50.5cs off ebay. Two sets for $145 total (pretty good deal yes?)

I also plan on getting some Kappa 52.5i's for the rear.

Regarding an amp to power them. I'm going between the Alpine MRV-F340, the Soundstream EGA4220, and the Rockford Fosgate 501x.

I like the way the alpine looks the best, and i've read they are very clean, and very reliable. However it reports 55Wx4 @ 4Ohm (though I understand it's closer to 35W at 12v) ... this should be fine for the 52.5i's ... but the 50.5cs asks for 85w. Will this amp suffice?

I've heard good things about soundstream as well. But for as inexpensive as this thing is at 100Wx4, it makes me wonder how clean it will be.

And Rockford ... people seem to like it but EVERYONE buys rockford ... and it's ugly.

I'm going for sound quality, not booty bass.

I'm open to other suggestions as well. Trying to keep it under $200.

thanks

fosgate is overpriced unless its old school fosgate. ive seen a huge decline in their quality over the years of all my installs. as for soundstream, they are a cheaper brand and arent that great, pretty much a little better than pyramid. alpine has always been nice, but pricey. if you have a little bit of cash check out boston acoustics or mb quart for a nice component set. as for the amp, alpine is very reliable, and you may pay a little more for something like that but you do get what you pay for.

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Pete - SPL Enterprise Inc.

yeah i was originally gonna get MB Quart components ... but i read that the ones in the lower price range had protection circuitry in the x-over that caused the tweeters to be too low when the volume is cranked. and i can't afford the expensive ones right now.

besides, they low-end MB-Qs are abour $140 for a set on ebay (so $280 to get 2 sets for the front) and I got these kappas for $145 for 2 sets! everywhere i've read people have been happy with the kappa's

fosgate is overpriced but ebay fixes that. The 501x is 300 at best buy ... but 150 on ebay ... and that alpine i mentioned goes for 400 at circuit city and 180 on ebay :-)

i may splurge and go with the F540 to get the extra power. that's the only thing stopping me from the F340 is i'm afraid the power will be too low for the kappa components.

anybody else have any thoughts?

fosgate isnt that great to tell you the truth. youd be better off buying something else. they are just interior speakers so it could be a class a/b amp or something with just a normal crossover. i think youll be fine as far as the power, the only thing is fosgate is bull when it comes to rms. fact is theyre weak. the infintys still are nice speakers and that is a good deal for them. yeah the quart's are expensive, so are boston acoustics but they make 2 of the best sets out there. your kappas will sound nice though.

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Pete - SPL Enterprise Inc.

are the performance amps good? clean power?

they are pretty inexpensiv on ebay.

Rockford fosgate haters?

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The Clear Bra Guy
KCs premiere paint protection guru

Pete, I don't know of your past with Soundstream but they are in no way the bottom feeder company that you are suggesting. This is one of the oldest specialty amp and sub manufacturers in the US today. They for years made very proprietary product, in alot of cases handbuilt, to do very dedicated tasks. IMO they have built some devastating product over the years. Where I can give Soundsteam an "E" for effort but admire them at the same time is when their company ran into financial difficulties. They could not properly look after their dealer base when availability of funds was a problem. They have since been resurected and restored to the proud manufacturer that they once were thanks to their purchase by a major Korean car audio company. This company was actively looking for a real good American company to buy to give them access to the marketplace better and give their company a high end amp and sub profile. They have succeeded with this and now have also given the cash injection to Soundstream to bring new products to market at better pricing as well as create a new entry level amp and sub that hits a good pricepoint. This line is the amp that was questioned above and is in fact built offshore instead of in the US like their other amps. It does not and will not mean that it is a bad amp or is low in quality and is compared to Pyramid by any means. Kicker if you are a Kicker fan is also built offshore as well, Rockford how about them? Does it mean that they are all bad amps now as well and should be grouped into the same category, no it does not. There are alot of good amp brands on the market today, the thing for the purchaser to know is the facts, and I'm sorry to say in this case you are wrong.

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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

Soundstream!!!!

Sorry here is a good website for almost anything!

Even Soundstream!

https://www.infinitecaraudio.com/

my fault i thought it was soundstorm you were talking about. i know about soundstream. i see them a lot in my wholesale catalog, and i think i may have done few installs with them years back. i dont like kicker or fosgate either, but id group them in the "overpriced & overrated" category.

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Pete - SPL Enterprise Inc.

 I'm with forbbin.I'm running a soundstream class A 10.0 amp.25w x 2ch @ 4 Ohms/1000w x 1ch @ 1 Ohms and stable to 1/4 Ohm.Pure class A design,draws alot of current but its clean and mean.I have two soundstream SPL 170 subs{15's} that will soon be in the mix but for now it drives my old pioner 12inch subs to thier limit.Amp and subs are five years old never had a problem.soundstream kicks.cant wait to fire up the 170's.

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SPL mopar=2 spl 170's 2cbft each\soundstream class A10.0@1ohm mono\infinity ref 5.25seperates\ads PQ10 4x30@4ohm\Alpine 9813 HU\optima red top\110 amp alt.\1/0 power cable=for now

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I ended up getting the Alpine. .. but i decided to go with the 340's big brother and got the MRV-540 ... it was $100 more ($299 new on ebay) but i figured my components will enjoy the extra power.

considering it's $600 at circuit city i don't think i did too bad ...

thanks again for the advice.