Alpine 3522s

[1duck]

what will no doubt seem a stupid question but would an alpine 3522s be capable of powering a pair of 6x9 TS-e6996 pioneers?

I'm completely new to this whole thing so most of it is going well over my head.

[sdoom]

sure it can, the 3522 provides 30W RMS per channel and uses home-hifi components. the only lack is the missing high-pass filter.

[tsmith1315]

sdoom:

sure it can, the 3522 provides 30W RMS per channel

I'll second that, having used at least a zillion of 3522's on 6x9's, 5-1/4's, 6-1/2's and even plenty of 10" subs.

sdoom, doesn't it have a switchable LP/HP at ~80hz?

[1duck]

thanks guys! i was just a little worried after hearing various other forums warning of underpowering speakers?

thanks again!

[1moreamp]

Originally posted by 1duck
thanks guys! i was just a little worried after hearing various other forums warning of underpowering speakers?

thanks again!

Under powering speakers is the main reason for burn out due to clipped music frying the tweeters and such. But all this depends on your use and listening habits, more then the under power issue. X amount of power will not compete with some of the unlimited setups out there.
I myself use a 4 channel with 200 per channel just for mids and tweets, and have suffered no failures what so ever. When I ran a 4 time 75 watt amp I fried tweeters right and left. One I melted so bad the magnet fell off the back of the assembly. Clipped music cases the voice coils to overheat and fail. As long as your system plays without being driven into clipping you should be just fine. If you suffer from failed tweeters, then look at something bigger in the amp IMO. Hope it all works out well for you

PS you can always turn an over sized amp down, but you can't turn an under sized amp up if its too small to begin with....

[jol50]

Yes, if it distorts/clips you might damage the speaker. Used sensibly I highly doubt it. Also you can pick up another one and then run a pair mono. It think they are 90rms or something bridged. They go for $20 once in a while, they are good amps and remember older quality watts are not always the same as new ~15v watts. I tested a 3522s on a 12 and it ran it, maybe not huge loud but not bad.

[sdoom]

@ tsmith1315 : As far as I can see it doesn´t . Alpine wanted to sell their expensive external cross-overs that days

usually I agree an amp cant have enough power , for normal hearing habits a 3522 will do the job , a new amp for 30 -40 dollars will never deliver the Alpine´s 30W without sending out more distortion.

Alpine also used real PWM controlled SMPS and huge capacitors even in the smaller amps (ok they didn´t place mosfets into the SMPS but usually 4x150 power transistors for each 30amp fuse) . The amp section usually consists of home-hifi rated integrated driver - amp chips with good quality NEC - output devices. And like jol said, Alpine´s power ratings are @ 12V DC , not 14.4

[jol50]

I have used a few (older) alpines on highs and always thought the SQ was very good. Yet many people consider them mediocre amps and not high end. Good for me because it keeps the price down, but I don't really understand it. Other amps are good too and I have never ran a McIntosh/etc, but they also go into distortion much nicer than new amps and nicer than many old amps....so I could always get the most out of them without clipping. Most of my systems were less is better/k.i.s.s., so that was an advantage. Most of the 35xx amps were not large and some early ones would not do 2ohms well.

Yeah, my 3518 have a stupid DIN...no RCA, no gain, no nothing but a red LED and speaker/power wires. An effort to require alpine HU/processors/etc. One I have had since the 80s; it has run everything from 8" subs to tweeters, and 4 door speakers last time with a fan on it. I ran crossovers with gains to control it on a RCA patch cord. Now I have a manual and it says nothing about 2ohm load and it is not bridgeable, but it did 2 ohms many times.