All you with DIY subs

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Howard

Howard

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Joined 2003
#1
What are you powering them with? (For those who aren't using plate amplifiers).

I'm using a basic old technics 100Watt integrated amp to power mine, and was wondering if I bought a slightly better second hand amp whether or not it'd make it sound any better? Is the quality of these amplifiers as necessary in bass-only applications, as with "full range" hifi?

Thanks for any input 🙂
 
#2
What are you powering them with?
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I power my two 2 x 12 drivers with a TK Pro 150 PA.

I'm using a basic old technics 100Watt integrated amp to power mine, and was wondering if I bought a slightly better second hand amp whether or not it'd make it sound any better?
Click to expand...
A better amp could certainly exercise more control over your sub. I think a dedicated sub amp would be better than standard stereo amp. Check out BK Electronics: http://www.bkelec.com/DIY.htm
 
#3
On a $/Watt basis, it's hard to beat an NAD amp from eBay. I'm currently using and older NAD 2600PE @ 150wpc that I picked up on eBay for <$200USD. It makes a pretty good sub amp, especially with the 3db of transient headroom.
 
#4
I'm using a

Crown Com-tech 410 from E-bay for about $160.00 ( 205 watts per channel)- I'm thinking about picking up an 800

Like anything else, the more you spend - the more you get. Hard to say where the point of diminishing returns is for someone else.

An upgrade in SS amp would probably be a step in the right direction to upgrade your system.

However, to make the best use of the upgrade you'll have to use a good crossover that will probably cost you more than the amp.

Likely, it will never sound quite right till you get a good crossover dialed in.

regards

Ken L
 
#5
I recently picked up an Adcom GFA-555 on e-bay for $300 US. Bridged into 4 ohm its rated at 850W. It replaced my old sub amp....it was a Denon, I forget the model, but it was bridgeable and the rating was somewhere around 120W. I was amazed at the difference. The sub is a 15" Kicker in a slot loaded box...the only thing I use it for is movies.
 
#7
When I originally hooked up my Tempest I used an older JVC reciever that was rated at 120W RMS into 2 channels. For the hookup I used 2 channels (dual voice coil in Tempest). The response on the SPL meter was pretty flat down to 20hz in my setup. I don't have any frequency signals to use below 20hz for testing. I had to turn the volume to about 70 out of 90. Then I decided to get a sub plate amp from Adire. I combined the dual voice coils for a 4 ohm load to accomodate the plate amp. I definitely had more power but the frequency response wasn't as flat as with the other amp. There was about a 10db drop from 30hz to 20hz that didn't happen with the JVC amp. It may be that driving each voice coil independently is better than combining them for a 4ohm load.
I will eventually try to get another mono amp or 2 (like the Outlaw M200) or find a good used NAD 2200. My experience with my first plate amp wasn't very gratifying.
 
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