Recommend an 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=44112
Printed Date: May 03, 2024 at 7:59 PM
Topic: Recommend an amp
Posted By: dr. righteous
Subject: Recommend an amp
Date Posted: November 30, 2004 at 6:28 AM
This is probably a common question but I have been out of car audio for over 10 years now and just now getting back in. I always ran HiFonics in the old days and those where the only ones I was really knew anything about. So I started poking around on Ebay for some "old school" amps. Well, there were only a couple on there and they were priced pretty high. I have heard that HiFonics was bought out and now their quality is pretty bad. What do you guys recommend for a powerful and clean amp that is priced for the budget minded? The days of dumping a lot of money into a car system are over. Those were the days before wife and kid and mortgage. I can see a lot of you noding your heads. :) OH< an another thing I was wondering. Not been keeping up on my required reading but what is a D class amp? Most amps from the old days were AB class. ------------- Real High Fidelity........
or forget it.
Replies:
Posted By: /R7
Date Posted: November 30, 2004 at 8:09 AM
class D amps are amps typically used for powering subwoofer s, they are a much more efficent amp in terms of power output and dont put as much of a load on your car as a equally powered ClassAB amp would. you can find hybrid AB/D amps(kicker has one).
this was yoinked from Crutchfield.com hopefully it explains a things a bit better.
Class D amplifiers use output transistors as switches to control power distribution — the transistors "turn off" when there is too much voltage across them. Class D amps boast higher efficiency, produce less heat, and draw less current than traditional Class AB designs. Class D amplifiers produce higher distortion than AB designs due to the high-speed switching on and off of the transistors, but this distortion occurs at high frequencies that are typically removed by a low-pass filter.
as far as suggesting amps, its hard to say what to suggest, budget-brandname stuff; i've heard JBL numerous times, Rockford Fostgate has some middle of the road amps. there are quite a few companies around. if you poke around these forums, alot of posts have been made with the same request for budget amps. the search tool is a bonus, type in 'budget' that may produce results, or just look around in this forum, should familiarize yourself with some brands :-)
Posted By: Xracerx
Date Posted: November 30, 2004 at 8:49 AM
I was out for years too, So I went to ever store and listen to all of them. One thing is to catch-up on how Amps are rated by each manufacture. They still play the measurement game "Things never change" when they spec out there stuff. Look for things they leave out, There is a reason. Then look at your wallet and stuff around the house you need to sell on Flea bay. I can always find stuff I dont use or need any more. then hide the reciept feom the wife or you will be talking to the couch and dog at night.
Posted By: pimpincavy
Date Posted: November 30, 2004 at 11:11 AM
Hifonics amps can be a great deal for the money, espeically the brutus line. In fact they are probably one of the best deals out there as far as high wattage amps go. They are not on the same level as Eclipse, Cadence, US Amps, Memphis,JL etc. But they put out the power they claim, for significantly less then the competition.
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Posted By: wheelerdr
Date Posted: December 01, 2004 at 12:27 AM
Try going to locustaudio.com A kenwood excelon 811d This amp is CEA compliant amp. 1000 @ 1ohm 919@ 2ohm and 500@ 40hm. It runs about 235.00 They are a kenwood authorized dealer and I buy from them all the time. I have this amp and it is very clear sounding and will pound the hell out of any subs. I have it on a punch stage 3 in a ported box.
Posted By: russ lund
Date Posted: December 01, 2004 at 1:51 PM
Yes HiFonics was bought out(a couple of times).They are built over seas now too.But some of their best engineers still work for them and still make some of the best amps out there. ------------- BigDog
Posted By: dr. righteous
Date Posted: December 02, 2004 at 6:58 PM
OK, Been poking around some more. The system I plan to put in my Grand Cherokee is 5 way. One sub, porbably a JL 10 and use some Panasonic 6 1/2 speakers in place of the blown and rattling factory door speakers. The amp that looks good is the Hifonics Zeus ZH8000 5 way amp. Ebay prices are $200 ballpark. If the quality of these amps are so good, why so cheap??? Has moving manufacturing overseas caused the price to drop that much? ------------- Real High Fidelity........
or forget it.
Posted By: Xracerx
Date Posted: December 02, 2004 at 9:18 PM
Prices don't drop from moving over Sea's. They just make more profit. One reason the Stocks for them rise when they move. Do you really think Micheal deserves $100,000,000.00 a year with stock options to run Disney. It's cheaper to highier Engineers to design stuff, but get China to build it.
Posted By: dr. righteous
Date Posted: December 03, 2004 at 7:46 AM
Well, back in the old days the equivlent amp with these specs would have been $400-500. Here it is for $200. BUT, that was before the internet. I guess because "internet store" that can operate with minimum overhead can sell stuff at much, much cheaper prices. Back then you went to the Hifonics Dealer in town and paid MSRP. 10% off that if it was on sale. And there was NO WAY to get a better deal. It doesn't hurt my feeling one bet they are hurting because of internet competition. ------------- Real High Fidelity........
or forget it.
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