watt amp for subs?

[CaRtZ]

what would be the best amp wattage to get for my 2, 800w subs? preferably of sony brand.

1600 watts :P seriously what sort of subs are they? model number? some subs, generally cheap ones are given a high max power but there continuous is way lower. what are they rated in RMS?

[CaRtZ]

12" sony xplod XSL1220
about 250w rated power. unsure about RMS

[stiddy]

There would be heaps of amps available to power your subs, be it a 4ch or 2ch.
Fairly decent quality and price, I find US Audio to be very good. (its what I have)
Try and find something that will give you 200rms into each sub, be it bridged from a 4ch or a single ch from a 2ch amp..
Response amps from Jaycar seem to be very good aswell and at an affordable price..
go to your local car audio shop and have a look around..

yeah 250 would be there rms or nominal power. aim for a 500 watt rms or more mono block to run them. just have a look to see what sony have to offer. http://www.sony.com.au/xplod/catalog...egoryId=22002#

[Big Mike]

If it MUST be a Sony, this is the model you will need "XMD400P5", as it is a Class D monoblock amp. This means that it will waste less energy, generate less heat, draw less when not needed, cut off smoother and more efficiently, and roll the octaves more with more linearity. It's also 400WRMS x 1 @ 2Ω, so you can run your ( 4Ω ) subs in parallel to make a 2Ω load, and theoretically drive them to full volume, subject to gain settings etc.

However, if $800 RRP scares you like it does me, I have found a very good quality amp by Response (thru JayCar). Part of their new 'Precision' range, the AA-0428 is a full Class D digital monoblock, capable of a TRUE 700WRMS/channel @ 2Ω. I run an 800WRMS/1600WPMPO dual-4Ω 15" from this amp, which cost $380. I highly recommend it for quality and performance. You will also find, so long as your subs are in their correct boxes, that with those subs you wouldn't run this amp flat out to get max volume - thus allowing you more flexibility at lower volumes to increase the bass remote, etc.

[CaRtZ]

yeah $800 aint gunna happen any time soon. looks like a trip to jaycar. just to check, this would require ?4 guage wiring?

thanks guys, big help!

[InitialD]

For a monoblock id be going 4 gauge at least. If you run 8 gauge it will get extremely hot and wont get enough power through.

I wouldnt go US audio unless you were very despirate. There new stuff is very cheap in quality.

[volcom20]

Jaycar Responce 2x150RMS is what you want. I bought one a week ago and it's bridgeable to 1x500RMS :P

It's killer. My sub has a max rating for 1200, but I think you devide the 1200 by 1.73 or something to give you RMS figure (Look it up lol)

I think mine came to 500 - 600RMS watts.

Those jaycar amps though are great quality... Whenever you buy an amp, just lift it up, if it's light, it's crap. If it's heavy, you're set :P

The Response amps really own only about 200 dollars for the 2x150RMS on e-bay $250 from any Jaycar store though

[volcom20]

Sorry for a double post but

Always buy a bigger amp than what the sub's can handle, otherwise if you have 100RMS amp and 100RMS sub, on full, the amp will start to clip (sending raw DC voltage) across the sub (frying it :P).

The subs might be rated at 100RMS, but normally there's room for another 20 or so RMS.

Always buy bigger amps than the sub rating - you wont hurt anything this way, and you'll get cleaner sound when turned up.

About 4 gadge cable - Yes, and no. You should run a 4 gadge power cable from the battery under the car into the boot to power your subs. It should also hae a 50AMP fuse on it at the battery.

You'll need 4 gadge for _any_ power wires the amp is drawing from.

On the output side of things though - just get some jumbo speaker cable from dicksmith.

Or you could buy one of those online ebay speaker wiring packages. They're good value for money, and give you all the wire you need for everything

[CaRtZ]

ok cool. so to have the full 500wrms(AA-0424) or 700wrms(AA-0428) going to BOTH 4ohm subs i need to wire the + from sub 1 to sub 2, the from sub 2 to the amp, and same with - and create a 2ohm load?
am i right? :|

Jaycar Class D Monoblock.

[efgiar]

IMO sony is crap, cheap chinese brands are better, go something a bit better then sony, ull be ALOT happier *stabs sony amps in the head*

[CaRtZ]

did some research. if i used the 500wrms amp and linked the subs in parallel then i will get 250w to each sub. if i went the 700wrms amp and wired them in parallel(+ of 1 to + of 2 to + of channel) then i shall get around 350w per sub.

and u obviously didn't read all the posts efgiar. im going with the frequency response amp. what is so bad about sony anyway?

[stiddy]

Originally Posted by InitialD

For a monoblock id be going 4 gauge at least. If you run 8 gauge it will get extremely hot and wont get enough power through.

I wouldnt go US audio unless you were very despirate. There new stuff is very cheap in quality.

US Audio, cheap in quality? are you serious..

I havent really seen the new ones, but ive got 2xUS Audio amps and they are awsome. The ones ive currently got are close to 2 years old now. Not one problem and the thought of getting new amps has never crossed my mind.

[Big Mike]

So many questions!!!

Volcom20: - In a word NO you can't calculate an RMS power from a peak rating. My sub is rated at 800WRMS/1600WPMPO dual-4Ω. I am also aware of plenty of Pioneer etc. speakers with 250W peak, and only 25 or 50 W continuous. You CANNOT calculate one from the other - you MUST find the manufacturer's specs.

CaRtZ: - Easy explanation of parallel vs series, I am assuming your subs are both SINGLE 4Ω VOICE COIL subs.
PARALLEL = + to +, and - to - from amp to first sub. Same + to + and - to - from 1st sub to 2nd sub. You now have two speakers, running parallel to each other, thus halving their individual resistance. The load on the amp is 2Ω. This is NORMAL.
Some amps will work as hard as 1Ω - which could only be achieved in this manner with 4 x 4Ω subs, or 2 x 2Ω subs. OR, 2 subs with Dual 4Ω Voice Coils (like running four subs).
SERIES = + to + amp to 1st sub, and - to - amp to 2nd sub. Then, - to + 1st sub to 2nd sub. This creates a circuit, running your two subs in series where the resistance or pressure builds up to 8Ω at the amp; NOT what you'd want in this instance.

I don't have the specs on the 2x150 amp. I imagine 2x150 would be at 4Ω it would bridge to 1x 500 RMS at 1Ω, with a peak power anywhere between 800 and 1500. Distortion is what kills speakers, and underpowering them is what can cause it (as explained above). They generally CANNOT "handle" more than their capacity, though amps often fail to deliver their promise too.

Your 800W subs are probably rated to handle a maximum (for 1/100th of a second) of no more than 800W peak. Their RMS (continuous power) may be 200, 400, 600, its anyone's guess. It is also VERY dependant on what size/shape enclosure they're designed for relative to what you're running them in. A box too large they can't handle very much power, and box too small they can't handle the pressure in the box.

You WILL kill them cranking flat out with a 50W amp; however a 5,000W amp can be turned down if they start to complain. So, YES, try to match the amp and sub together.

Edit- you said they're 250W RMS (that's what rated means)
Assuming they are single coil 4Ω, you won't be able to get to 1Ω load, so the 2x150 is about all they'll get using that "500W amp". That SHOULD be ample, and if you're using dodgy boxes it will suffice. The amp I'm using is rated 700 RMS at 2Ω, so you WILL get your 2x350 RMS; depending on your head unit you'll leave the amp's "gain" off, and use the remote to about 3/4 to get Maximum Bass. I got my amp and a 1-Farad Cap for $400.

The other issue, that 2x150 volcom suggested, is probably not a class D unit. Class D's are NO GOOD for other uses besides subs; however they are more efficient and dissipate less heat (heat=wasted power) than other full-range ams. Keep that in mind, as you won't be able to use aa-0428 for non-sub applications; but at full power it will draw about as much as a class-a/b at 200 W or so (I'm lead to believe).

Hope this is of some help dude.

[snypereb]

I have been told that its perfect to ahve about 25-50w under the max wattage on your subs thats what i have a they are perfect!!

[CaRtZ]

snypereb - what amp r u running to ur subs(brand,wattage,channel) and r ur subs 4 ohm?

[volcom20]

Originally Posted by Big Mike

So many questions!!!

Volcom20: - In a word NO you can't calculate an RMS power from a peak rating. My sub is rated at 800WRMS/1600WPMPO dual-4Ω. I am also aware of plenty of Pioneer etc. speakers with 250W peak, and only 25 or 50 W continuous. You CANNOT calculate one from the other - you MUST find the manufacturer's specs.

CaRtZ: - Easy explanation of parallel vs series, I am assuming your subs are both SINGLE 4Ω VOICE COIL subs.
PARALLEL = + to +, and - to - from amp to first sub. Same + to + and - to - from 1st sub to 2nd sub. You now have two speakers, running parallel to each other, thus halving their individual resistance. The load on the amp is 2Ω. This is NORMAL.
Some amps will work as hard as 1Ω - which could only be achieved in this manner with 4 x 4Ω subs, or 2 x 2Ω subs. OR, 2 subs with Dual 4Ω Voice Coils (like running four subs).
SERIES = + to + amp to 1st sub, and - to - amp to 2nd sub. Then, - to + 1st sub to 2nd sub. This creates a circuit, running your two subs in series where the resistance or pressure builds up to 8Ω at the amp; NOT what you'd want in this instance.

I don't have the specs on the 2x150 amp. I imagine 2x150 would be at 4Ω it would bridge to 1x 500 RMS at 1Ω, with a peak power anywhere between 800 and 1500. Distortion is what kills speakers, and underpowering them is what can cause it (as explained above). They generally CANNOT "handle" more than their capacity, though amps often fail to deliver their promise too.

Your 800W subs are probably rated to handle a maximum (for 1/100th of a second) of no more than 800W peak. Their RMS (continuous power) may be 200, 400, 600, its anyone's guess. It is also VERY dependant on what size/shape enclosure they're designed for relative to what you're running them in. A box too large they can't handle very much power, and box too small they can't handle the pressure in the box.

You WILL kill them cranking flat out with a 50W amp; however a 5,000W amp can be turned down if they start to complain. So, YES, try to match the amp and sub together.

Edit- you said they're 250W RMS (that's what rated means)
Assuming they are single coil 4Ω, you won't be able to get to 1Ω load, so the 2x150 is about all they'll get using that "500W amp". That SHOULD be ample, and if you're using dodgy boxes it will suffice. The amp I'm using is rated 700 RMS at 2Ω, so you WILL get your 2x350 RMS; depending on your head unit you'll leave the amp's "gain" off, and use the remote to about 3/4 to get Maximum Bass. I got my amp and a 1-Farad Cap for $400.

The other issue, that 2x150 volcom suggested, is probably not a class D unit. Class D's are NO GOOD for other uses besides subs; however they are more efficient and dissipate less heat (heat=wasted power) than other full-range ams. Keep that in mind, as you won't be able to use aa-0428 for non-sub applications; but at full power it will draw about as much as a class-a/b at 200 W or so (I'm lead to believe).

Hope this is of some help dude.

The Response amp 2x150RMS at 4Ohm is bridgeable to 1x500RMS at 4 ohm

And no, you can't figure the RMS watts from peak power watts, but you can get RMS from actually watts.

There is a differance, search it, you'll be supprised.

google "watts to RMS"

[stiddy]

Originally Posted by snypereb

I have been told that its perfect to ahve about 25-50w under the max wattage on your subs thats what i have a they are perfect!!

Its the other way around, the a little more power into whats recommended is better for them.. if you underpower them it wrecks them..
thas what ive been told.

[snypereb]

Originally Posted by CaRtZ

snypereb - what amp r u running to ur subs(brand,wattage,channel) and r ur subs 4 ohm?

Im running two 800w 12inch kenwoods and an coustic 1200w four channell amp with 4 guage wireing at the moment i so im probably still about 400w off my peak but it sounds good i have another amp and a capacitor under my bed but i am lazy!! What do you mean by 4 ohm?

[InitialD]

Originally Posted by stiddy

US Audio, cheap in quality? are you serious..

I havent really seen the new ones, but ive got 2xUS Audio amps and they are awsome. The ones ive currently got are close to 2 years old now. Not one problem and the thought of getting new amps has never crossed my mind.

Yes I am deadly serious.
US audio is cheap, Its in the area of Audioline, California Gold, etc. There new Stuff I dont even like installing as it looks / feels and sounds cheap ***. There OLD OLD Class A/B Amps were not too bad for what they were but still nothing serious. You must have one of the very few that dont overheat and randomly kill channels like certain Eseries owners who have had there Iffy 5 channel amps

[InitialD]

Originally Posted by snypereb

Im running two 800w 12inch kenwoods and an coustic 1200w four channell amp with 4 guage wireing at the moment i so im probably still about 400w off my peak but it sounds good i have another amp and a capacitor under my bed but i am lazy!! What do you mean by 4 ohm?

He means what Ohm are you running your subs, 1/2 or 4.

Im going to take a stab in the dark and say 4 ohm being what you just said you have

[snypereb]

Originally Posted by InitialD

He means what Ohm are you running your subs, 1/2 or 4.

Im going to take a stab in the dark and say 4 ohm being what you just said you have

OMG How did you guess? lol