Will Albers

So what defines a good vs bad amp?


Protection circutry? Signal isolation? sound quality?

elgenyo

1. If it has chrome and has blinky lights, the company is probably trying to draw your attention away from the truth...its a hunk of crap.

2. If the dollar to watt ratio is not around .75 to $1 a watt, then its probably crap....or stolen.

3. Look at RMS wattage rated at 12volts not peak wattage at 15volts

4. Make sure you match your subs to your amplifier or vice versa. Ex. Two 10" Subs wired to 2ohms but your amplifier is designed to run at 1ohm would be wrong. Two 10" subs wired to 2 ohms and your amplifier is designed to run at 2 ohms is right. (If you have a hard time understanding Ohm's law, support your local "brick and mortar" stereo shop, that's what they are there for!)

5. Base your system around your vehicle's power creating potential.

Will Albers

I understand what you are saying, but...


Same can be said for shiney wheels, fog lights and aftermarket tail lights?


Why?


Educated customer vs marketing.


Is this to get the most volume out of the system? My amplifiers have no limiting factors in the power supply. It will continue to pull amperage regardless of the load. Does that mean i'm crazy not to run it at .000025 ohms?


as in power consumption? Not trying to pull more out of the charging system than you can afford?


I see what you are saying, but you have yet to answer what makes one amp better than the next. Is it marketing ploys that shame an amplifier?

elgenyo

1. Shiny wheels - you have your crap brands then you have your good quality products like HRE, Davin, Lexani
The idea of aftermarket lights began with a total rip off from the IS300 so "IMHO" they are all crap cuz if I wanted to look like an IS300 then I'd go buy one.

2. Becuase to make a good quality product it requires the use of good quality parts and strong MOSFETS and power supplies are not cheap, but just like everything out there, you'll always find a lesser grade replacement that will be less expensive

3. Correct

4. Its more about getting what you pay for and insuring your product operates within "safe" parameters. If you have subs wired at 2ohms and your amp runs best at 1ohm then you paid for an amp that would only be running at half efficiency. However, if you wire your subs at 1ohm and your amp runs at 2ohms then most likely your amp will push into protect or it will damage the output IC inside (burn up your amp).

5. Yes, I see customers every day come in with 2000 watt amplifers on vehicles that put out 60-80amps via the alternator. They ask for capacitors and extra batteries but all those do is band-aid the problem. If you want to exceed your vehicles excess amperage, then I would strongly suggest getting your alternator rebuilt or invest in an aftermarket one.

Sorry about not answering your original question. I would say that its whats on the inside that makes one amp better than the next. Unfortunately it takes an industry professional or an engineer to really understand what components inside an amp makes it better. I suppose thats why communities like this are so great! Hopefully as soon as the 12volt industry fully implements CEA2006 regulations then it will become easier for everyone.

techy101

From the sound of it, you just want to try to impress(annoy) people with your loud music. If thats the case, go get yourself some Sony or Audiobahn junk, and blow it all to hell. Get the amp with the most of those watt things on the box, and see how much loud you can get out of it.

If you're actually looking to build a nice system, then you've got a lot of research to do on proper sytem deisgn. Everything starting from impediance matching your system, proper gain structure, crossover settings, and designing a charging system for your car that can handle what you put in it. Thats just the tip of the iceburg.

If you want quality, research on good equpiment, and go to stores and listen to it. You'll be able to tell the difference between an Audiobahn (junk) amp, and a JL, higher end Alpine, DLS, etc... amp.

For that kind of $$ you can build a pretty nice system, IF you plan it out well.

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sanbas

Here are some facts:

yeah sony and audiobahn have a bad reputation "online," dont listen to people who automatically say "oh that brand it sucks" unless they are talkign about pyle and those real looow end brands. Just b/c u have a system with audiobahn doesnt mean it is not worthy of competing with JL Audio or what ever high dollar brands. Even Audiobahn makes good products.

I personally wouldnt buy audiobahn but thats not because they make bad subs or amps, b/c too many people have them here.

Since your budget it pretty high, you can probably go with Brand names and still not break the limit...plus if might make u feel better when u say JL instead of sony.

and Ill say it again, audiobahn does make decent equipment if your on a budget.

XxAndyxX

Oh, okay since you have two of them, then I guess they do make good amplifiers... No, I've owned a few Audiobahn amps and subs, I've installed more of them than I can remember because most my friends don't know anything about car audio and just buy the **** that looks the best. When you say great amplifiers what are you comparing it to?

sanbas

keyword is for their price, not everyone wants to spen $800 on JL w7's. and not everyone is competing.

OneFast97Z

Im talking about sound quality... im not trying to rattle my trunk and have it sound like ***** like alot of people do, although it does get pretty loud... my system is set up for sound quality... and im not one to listen to other peoples reviews, ill come up with my own on experience...

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HHdesign

Sony and Audiobahn are poor quality products in the car audio industry. I've tried the sony xplod subs, and quite frankly, they suck, nothing I really liked about them. I mean sure they are noise makers, but really nothing more. I spent a little more money and got some very nice MTX subs, these really aren't the best you can get either. If I had it to do over again, I'd have gotten some Alpine X types. You live and learn, go ahead buy it, and see what you get.

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OneFast97Z

Ill agree that im not a fan of their subs, but iv become a big fan of their amplifiers... <obvious, lol

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"Gettin Sideways"
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XxAndyxX

I'm not ragging on you, but what other amps/subs have you personally experienced? Ofcourse, if you like it and you think it sounds great, then that's fine. Infact, I wish I thought it sounded clean, it would have saved me a lot of cash.

Oh and specifically what line of Audiobahn amps are you talking about?

sanbas

like the guy mentioned above Alpine Type X subs. I have dont more research then i should have and decided to go with 2x Alpine Type R 12" Subs. Awesome reviews on those subs. I am not trying to compete, only with my friends I am though.

and those Type R's dont cost that much either. Just trying to pick out a good amp for them now, w/o spending too much...I am thinking directed or hifonics ~1000W @ 1ohm amps.

OneFast97Z

Kinda seems like it... but anyway.. if you would honestly like to me to list the amps/sub combos that iv heard, or even the amp/speaker/component combos iv heard, then i will be more than happy to make you a list and email it to you... and the two amps that i am running are.. A4601Q - bridged sending 210w rms to my front stage Focal components, and A8001D running @ 2ohms sending 500w to my 2 10" imagedynamic subs wired in parallel

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1997 30th Anniversary Z28 Camaro M6 w/ T-Tops
www.cardomain.com/id/squigley - i should prob update this...
"Gettin Sideways"
~Ryan Quigley

XxAndyxX

I just don't want someone to be misinformed. Your setup probably sounds good because of your ID subs which have great SQ, but have you tried a different amp with that setup? I bet it would sound much better.

An anology would be if you put a supercharger on a honda civic, it will be quick, but if you put a supercharger on a Mustang GT it will fast as hell.

some people might think it's a waste to put a supercharger on a civic, just like I think it's kinda a waste to put an ID sub on an AudioBahn amp. But people with civics are going to continue to put induction systems on their cars, and people with AudioBahn amps are going to put SQ subs on them.