I have a question on amps. I am looking for a mono amp to push 2 8w3v3-4 subs and i was wondering what the difference is between "popular brand" and not so popular brand amps. Would the brand of the amp make that big of a difference if the proper wattage was used? I figure since its for low end, disturbance isnt that big of an issue. I'm just looking for some input and any suggestions you guys have. the max rms for the 8w3's are 250 watts with a 600 watt peak. Currently looking at the Sony XM-1S. Thanks!

 

I see no difference in Brand vs. Generic but make sure you buy from a reputable dealer so that you receive a warranty on the amp for at least a year or so.

 

My insight is that the amplifier you choose makes a tremendous difference. Get the highest quality amplifier you can afford. It needn't be a "popular" brand, but it should be quality. I wouldn't use a Sony amp under any circumstances personally. They're not of good quality.

 

Sony, not of good quality? I beg to differ, Sony rates extremely high on almost all there products in any Consumer Report I've read over the years. Have look at the JL 500.1, that should be enough for 2 8's and more.

 

When you say quality... do you mean in terms of life span? Clearness? Power usage? And how can one determine which brands are high quality? Also, i think im going to get two 10w3's now instead of the 8's. Any suggestions on amps for those? Thanks again

 

Good idea.. IMO 8's are worthless. Save yourself the hassle of searching/checking specs etc.. buy a JL Amp that is recommended by whomever is selling you the subs. Probably a 1000.1 should do it, that's a bit more than you will need but its the best way to go for quality and performance as well as a warranty.

 

Hey sumo, are you looking for just good low end filler or are you looking to blow out your windows. The reason i am asking is because I have 1 10" audiobahn and the JL 500.1 amp and I have way more bass than I need. I am just looking for extra low end filler but if I actually turned it up I could do some damage. If you are close to the 626 let me know and I will let you hear my system.

 

There are a ton of good amps out there. It depends on your price range though. Rockford Fosgate, Orion, JL, and Clif Design plus some other ones. Sony is junk IMO. There were POS back when I sold home and car audio unless they have changed since then but I doubt it. It comes down to how much power you need and how much you want to spend. Another thing to keep in mind and what a lot of people don't understand is higher end AMPs produce better, steady, and cleaner power. A lot of cheaper AMPs (such as Jensen) will show they produce 500watts but that is peak power which they cannot sustain were as the higher end AMPs will show 500watts and they can produce that constantly (if not more since they under rate the power). Give us what type of power you want and a price then we can give you some better advice if you want it.

Edit: saw the power requirement that you want. What is the ohm rating you need?

 

i am looking for 2 ohms. i dont really want to spend over 250. i was looking at hifonics brutus 1206D. it seems like it got pretty good reviews. what do you all think?

 

Never purchase an amp on so called "sound characteristics". Buy an amp with these considerations in order: Wattage (actual and not garbage like peak wattage), functional bells and whistles you need (internal crossovers, sub filters, EQ etc), reliability and good construction. Any reputable amp manufacturer (Sony, JL, Zapco, Pioneer etc) will provide the last point. Find out what you need and power you would like and then what else you would need. Amps that make claims that you will get silky smooth highs, thick warm lows are full of garbage. An amp should do only one essential thing to sound and thats amplify it. Get the most watts you can for your money, just be aware of the low end amps that sometimes give false numbers.

 

If it has all of what you need (2 ohm stability) then go for it. Reputable amps for years.

 

hi, thought i would ask this questions here since some amp experts seem to be viewing.

Does anyone have thoughts on the Alpine M350?

Seems like it should be okay to drive a JLW3. A couple people have spoke highly of Alpine amps, and a couple others have told me they don't like them at all. Any thoughts?

Thanks,

 

Use to own Alpine amps like 15 years ago. They were pretty good, but can't speak for the current crop. Have been out of the car audio game for like 6+ years and just getting back in, so I am not familiar with how some brands are currently.

With solid brands like Alpine, RF, JL, Memphis, you can't go wrong with their amps. As long as you have a warranty or know where it came from then you are good. GO to JL's website and see what the optimal power for that W3 is. I have the original 12W3's (awesome subs) and they were like 250 each sub for optimal performance.

Don't get so hung up on a difference of 30, 40 or 50 watts. Its won't make a difference. Just a quick lesson to remember here. If I put 200 watts into a sub and it puts out 110 db's, I need to double that power (400watts) in order to make that sub play 3db louder. 3 db is barely noticeable. it's like 1.5 clicks on a HU, depending on the HU, but you get the point. In order for me to make that sub play twice as loud, which is equal to 10 db's, I need to give it about 2000 watts!!! so when people squabble over 30 or 40 watts in an amp, its almost laughable. Pick an amp that give the approximate power your speakers need, is reliable and has the functions you want/need. If you see two that are identical (quality, bells and whistles, power) with maybe a few watts difference, take the cheaper one.

 

Hello all,

This is my first post and I just priced out a system for my ride. The G37 has a marginally weak charging system so I would recommend going with a digital power amp. I just bought an Alpine PDX 1.1000. It draws little power from what i am told and can be bought for around $450. It is class D power amp and is small in design plus its stackable. Check it out on the Alpine website. I am going to push a JL 10 W6.

Just food for thought.

 

FYI, class D does not mean digital. It has to do with the switching mechanism within the amp. They are more efficient and run cooler, but unless your pumping a system with 200+ amperage draw, which for the most part will never be seen, you shouldn't have anything to worry about. If you have lights dimming with just one 10w6, you have installation issues.