If you had to buy a new amp....?

jol50 · 16th January 2009, 02:00 AM

Just wondered what everyone thought of new amps, in various price ranges. What would you actually buy for a new amp with a cheap/mid/large budget and why?

Would you only buy a used/older amp for some uses?

I prefer old amps for mid/highs but on subs its usually class D unless its under ~300rms. Not tried a full range class D yet. I would use any amp that worked no matter how cheap, but it seems that only a few cheap amps on mid/highs made me happy. I bought a new kicker and the sub works great but the highs are not pleasing me in this setup.

I have no idea what new amp I would buy, I'm going back to old amps for a while.

damage · 16th January 2009, 02:13 AM

As cheap as you can get some of the older SQ amps, I don't see the need to buy new.

Besides all the usual suspects, I have been impressed with the build quality and SQ of MTX amps.

amc32 · 16th January 2009, 05:06 AM

Good point on the older MTX amps.
Sound Q. is excellent.... For mosfet outputs
Power output is 50% more than its rated at. Check-out some of the older Car-Sound test reports
And they are installer friendly (very thin compared to todays standard)
Almost a give away on E-Bay!

But if I had to beat the bullet and buy one manufacture for all of my ampifcation. I could compromise and live with DLS,ARC,(Zapco)

tsmith1315 · 16th January 2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by amc32

But if I had to beat the bullet and buy one manufacture for all of my ampifcation. I could compromise and live with DLS,ARC,(Zapco)

I was told some time ago that Zapco's production had moved to Asia. I haven't checked into it, but would before buying a new Zapco.

If buying new, I'd be compelled to try ARC and Zed.

jol50 · 16th January 2009, 03:34 PM

I never tried MTX amps. I have a blue thunder pro 754 I was going to let go, you mean I should keep it?

It does look pretty nice inside but I thought it might not be big enough. My 4x70 kicker is a little short on power, but the 754 is rated 37x4 IIRC since I need to run 4x4 ohms...so I figured it was around 4x50+rms compared to other amps. It has similar guts to a JL 4ch, the same pair of mosfets per channel.

ben04srt · 16th January 2009, 04:36 PM

the mtx will sound alot better than than that kicker will.

damage · 16th January 2009, 06:30 PM

Use the Pro 754. The old Blue Thunders are built like tanks.

jol50 · 16th January 2009, 06:45 PM

Working on an alpine 3555 have to get some parts for it, but not sure how that would compare. I will try the 754 though, soon as I get time to run the heat in the garage. I'll have to put a sub amp in at the same time.

Having a hard time piecing this together, but my latest thought is I want an amp that distorts gracefully. The kicker does not by far, another old alpine I have sure does. I know today's model for car audio is just put a 2x200rms on your highs and set the gain low, but maybe I just can't get out of the old school way. I'd rather have a smaller amp since I never have room for large anyway, one that just lets me know its done on the occasion I push it to the limit. Something like 50-75rms/ch@12v amp is usually loud enough to overcome any unreasonable noise floor a car can have. I can never get the gains right with the range source material is anyway, why not let the amps do it. If you do distort these big cheap amps they are like a bomb and shred your drivers, and in the case of this kicker it sounds nasty a ways before outright distortion so you can't use its power anyway. Sounds like the preamp is distorting, for lack of better description. I read up on it before buying too, most said it was a good amp in that price range. Don't tell anyone, they do pretty good on epay....

ppia600 · 17th January 2009, 05:22 AM

Eclipse for mids/highs, eclipse, earthquake, or mtx for lows. There are several good brands still out there, haven't had the chance to experience many of them lately.

jol50 · 18th January 2009, 12:43 AM

I would say this 2yr old kicker is the first new amp I've put in one of my cars since '95 minimum. Is the only new amp I have used I guess.

16th January 2009, 02:00 AM	#1
jol50 diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2007	If you had to buy a new amp....? Just wondered what everyone thought of new amps, in various price ranges. What would you actually buy for a new amp with a cheap/mid/large budget and why? Would you only buy a used/older amp for some uses? I prefer old amps for mid/highs but on subs its usually class D unless its under ~300rms. Not tried a full range class D yet. I would use any amp that worked no matter how cheap, but it seems that only a few cheap amps on mid/highs made me happy. I bought a new kicker and the sub works great but the highs are not pleasing me in this setup. I have no idea what new amp I would buy, I'm going back to old amps for a while.

16th January 2009, 05:06 AM	#3
amc32 diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2008	Good point on the older MTX amps. Sound Q. is excellent.... For mosfet outputs Power output is 50% more than its rated at. Check-out some of the older Car-Sound test reports And they are installer friendly (very thin compared to todays standard) Almost a give away on E-Bay! But if I had to beat the bullet and buy one manufacture for all of my ampifcation. I could compromise and live with DLS,ARC,(Zapco) __________________ ...............I Hear in color.................

17th January 2009, 05:22 AM	#9
ppia600 diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Louis y ana	Eclipse for mids/highs, eclipse, earthquake, or mtx for lows. There are several good brands still out there, haven't had the chance to experience many of them lately. __________________ Don't worry... you can always turn the gain down!

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16th January 2009, 02:13 AM	#2
damage diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2006	As cheap as you can get some of the older SQ amps, I don't see the need to buy new. Besides all the usual suspects, I have been impressed with the build quality and SQ of MTX amps.

16th January 2009, 03:34 PM	#5
jol50 diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2007	I never tried MTX amps. I have a blue thunder pro 754 I was going to let go, you mean I should keep it? It does look pretty nice inside but I thought it might not be big enough. My 4x70 kicker is a little short on power, but the 754 is rated 37x4 IIRC since I need to run 4x4 ohms...so I figured it was around 4x50+rms compared to other amps. It has similar guts to a JL 4ch, the same pair of mosfets per channel.

16th January 2009, 04:36 PM	#6
ben04srt diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Dover,ohio	the mtx will sound alot better than than that kicker will.

16th January 2009, 06:30 PM	#7
damage diyAudio Member Join Date: May 2006	Use the Pro 754. The old Blue Thunders are built like tanks.

16th January 2009, 06:45 PM	#8
jol50 diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2007	Working on an alpine 3555 have to get some parts for it, but not sure how that would compare. I will try the 754 though, soon as I get time to run the heat in the garage. I'll have to put a sub amp in at the same time. Having a hard time piecing this together, but my latest thought is I want an amp that distorts gracefully. The kicker does not by far, another old alpine I have sure does. I know today's model for car audio is just put a 2x200rms on your highs and set the gain low, but maybe I just can't get out of the old school way. I'd rather have a smaller amp since I never have room for large anyway, one that just lets me know its done on the occasion I push it to the limit. Something like 50-75rms/ch@12v amp is usually loud enough to overcome any unreasonable noise floor a car can have. I can never get the gains right with the range source material is anyway, why not let the amps do it. If you do distort these big cheap amps they are like a bomb and shred your drivers, and in the case of this kicker it sounds nasty a ways before outright distortion so you can't use its power anyway. Sounds like the preamp is distorting, for lack of better description. I read up on it before buying too, most said it was a good amp in that price range. Don't tell anyone, they do pretty good on epay....

18th January 2009, 12:43 AM	#10
jol50 diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2007	I would say this 2yr old kicker is the first new amp I've put in one of my cars since '95 minimum. Is the only new amp I have used I guess.