Amp Brands

joeniel · May 20, 2011

I started my system a few years ago with 2 sony 12's and a small sony amp. I decided I wanted more boom, so I went out and bought a bigger 1300w sony amp. A few months later, I got a set of Kicker CompVRs (http://www.kicker.com/compvr_aluminized_subboxes). The kickers and bigger sony amp are my current set up.

Ive heard Sony wattage ratings are way over exagerated and not true, and have been told that my subs with a quality amp would hit harder/clearer.

So, I'm looking for a better quality amp without breaking the bank. Any suggestions?

jdc753 · May 20, 2011

Truth on the sony's sadly. Sony's quality and rep in the car audio world died with the ES line back in the 90's, when Xplod broke into the market it was all downhill from there.

Check out Hifonics, Crunch, Profile California series, and MB Quart discuss are all good budget brand amps.

Next step up would probably be Kicker, or Rockford Fosgate for name brand, and my personal favorite Sundown Audio, which is a kickass company with kickass products. Sundown is kinda like the Swamps or DI but of the audio world.

average · May 20, 2011

They still make the profile california series? I had a white one with a wave or something on it that I put in the ex-girls car for a while, worked good for the typical bump. I tried to kill it bridging it to 2 ohms but it would just get hot as heck, never did die - I think she still has it.

The newer hifonics/crunch etc. are all made by the same people if I'm not mistaken and are pretty decent amps for the price. I know when I ran a hifonics goliath and two APX 18's it was the **** at the time. I'd try to get a class d (or whatever the audio company's claim their digital amp is) for the subs, helps your battery vs the a/b amps.

I liked the MA audio stuff for budgets but I'm not sure they are even made anymore.

jdc753 · May 20, 2011

Yea sadly I am pretty sure the old Profile california series amps were discontinued a few years ago, kinda forgot about it, plus not sure if Joe is considering used gear or only new. I had an AP2000 amp for a while pushing 300x2 at 4ohms and loved it, but the thing was friggin HUGE!

Yup, Hifonics and Crunch I believe are both part of the Maxonics company, including MB Quart and Autotek. Most of these brands lost much of what they used to be, but still decent budget gear.

I did forget about MA audio, I would put them with Hifonics and Crunch label. Sooo many brands out there its hard to cover them all unless someone finds something they want to know about.

joeniel · May 20, 2011

Well, im pretty open to using whatever, used or new, just as long as I know that the used isnt blown and is coming from someone who isnt sketchy...

Whytry · May 22, 2011

I loved my rockaford fosgates.

thuglike · May 22, 2011

Kicker and Rock's all well known for putting out higher, sometimes much higher, w's than listed.

average · May 22, 2011

Yeah gotta love getting an amp with it's "birth certificate" too!

Take the 2500's I used to have:

Powerstroked162 · May 22, 2011

JL Audio

TxFireman1972 · May 23, 2011

Powerstroked162 said:
JL Audio

I second that!!!

I'm running a JL Audio 500/1 on my Pioneer shallow 12 in a SPL2k Box. LOVE it!!

White_monster · May 23, 2011

JL Audio. There class D digital amps are great if space is a concern. Also there class D amps don't heat up ever.

TxFireman1972 · May 23, 2011

Yeah, I really have had my eye on a JL HD900/5. I want one bad!!!

White_monster · May 23, 2011

I've got that amp in my other truck and it sounds awesome. Highly recommend it. I've got the 600/4 and 750/1 in my cclb and love them.

MadDiesel73 · May 23, 2011

Image dynamics, FI, sundown, hifonics, rockford, kicker, JBL, alpine, pioneer, cdt, Cadence, audioque, RE, JL

Silver2010 · May 23, 2011

TxFireman1972 said:
Yeah, I really have had my eye on a JL HD900/5. I want one bad!!!

Ordering mine this week. I've owned only JL Audio gear in the past so I have nothing to compare it to, but, if it ain't broken...

This will be me first experience with the "new" HD amps but I hear great things! Doing (1) 900/5 to power (2) pairs of C5 6.5's and (1) 13TW5. Wiring it to factory Head unit with JL Audio CL 441 and CL SSI.

MadDiesel73 · May 23, 2011

i have 2 image dynamics IDQv3 12's run by an alpine amp at 750watts, image dynamics components ran off an JBL gto 75x2 , kenwood headunit.. sounds good! got to do some deadening for sure!

swamp_ratt · May 23, 2011

I had comp vr's in my 06 duramax crew cab powered by a sundown amp. Was a very good set up

Lowdown89 · May 24, 2011

I must found out about sundown and excited to know they are local to me here in SC, they are working on a new line of low profile subs for mounting under seats and behind them can't wait to try a couple out, that beng said I have had great success with the jl amp I had a jl 500/1 and it pounded the crap outta my 2 resonant engineering 12s!

bcpsd · May 24, 2011

I think JL is a good amp based on todays standards.

The best amps still to this day are the early 90's amps made by Zed. Hifonics, Autotek, Lanzar, USAmps to name a few were all made by Zed. When the market got flooded with cheap crap, the good amp companies started having their amps made overseas. Zed went out on his own and started his own company and is soley building his own amps now. I have a collection of old school Zed amps at the house.

http://www.zedaudiocorp.com/