4 Channel Amplifier Advice

[hangingchad]

Hello,

I am new to this forum, and I was hoping you guys could offer me some advice. I just puschased a set of Focal 165 V30 component speakers to put in my truck.

Here are the specs on these speakers:

Manufacturer Focal

SKU 165 V30

Speaker Size 6.5"

Speaker Design 2-Way

RMS Power Output (Watts) 80W

Peak Power Output (Watts) 160W

Sensitivity (dB) 92dB

Frequency (Hz) 55Hz - 25kHz

Tweeter Design TNB Inverted Dome

Tweeter Composition Neodymium

Woofer Composition Polyglass Cone

Woofer Surround Butyl Surround

My question is regarding what amplifier to use to power the speakers. I am currently looking at a couple options. I want to use a 4 channel amp so that I can use it to power a sub if/when i decide to add one in (at some later date). So here is what I need from my amp:

1. It obviously needs to be powerful enough to push these components

2. I want it to provide enough power at 4 ohms when the remaining 2 channels are bridged to power a subwoofer - I'm thinking around 300 watts rms.

I'm currently looking at two different 4 channel amps:

MB Quart ONYX4.125

A/B, 125 watts x 4 channels at 4 ohms rms

When bridged @ 4 ohms: 500 watts x 2 chan.

Price: $210.00

Infinity Kappa Four

Class D, 125 watts RMS x 4 channel at 4 ohms

300W RMS x 2 [bridged[ @ 4 ohms

Price: $261.00

I am concerned about using a class D amp to power my component speakers - anyone have experience with this?

Which amp would you recommend for these speakers, or recommend any other amps that I should look at. I'm trying to stay as close to $200 dollars as possible for the amp.

Thanks!

Click to read more...

 

[Wacky7 10+ year member]

I have experience with class D amp and it wouldn't matter what class beside mono class. You just need an off switch from high pass filter and low pass fliters just getting a full range sound for your component speakers. I would take time and do it right and get yourself a two amps. one for the component speakers on a 2 channel amp with gain contorl with no HP/LP fliters and then get a 1/2 channel mono amp for your sub someday with low pass fliters and crossover and a gain contorl. just run some 1/0 gauge power cable to your amp split for two amps into 2/4 gauge cable to each amps. depens if you got rooms in your truck.

Question I likes to ask you are you runing 4 speakers in your truck? like 4 mids and 4 tweeters as a component speakers? or just 2 speaker and 2 tweeters on 2 doors? is this a 4 door truck?

 

[hangingchad]

That's interesting - I was thinking of just using one amp to save on cost / space, but maybe I should look into running two separate amps instead.

Why would it matter if the amp pushing my components has high/low pass filters anyway? Does it effect the sound quality or something?

My truck is a 2008 Chevy Silverado regular cab short bed. I has a factory 6.5" component system in the door / dash (non bose) and filler 4x6's in the rear door pillars. I was planning to just run the component set up front and not touching the rear speakers. I would probably leave the rear speakers hooked up to the factory radio, but I wouldn't replace them or anything. I can barely hear any sound coming from them anyway. Or I could just disconnect them - either way.

Thanks!

 

[hangingchad]

Any other advice?? I ordered the speakers yesterday, so I want to go ahead and buy an amp ASAP. Anyone had experience with either of the amps i listed above?

 

[Dave88LX 10+ year member]

Wow, almost the same question I had, same speakers, but my truck is a Mega Cab, and I'm willing to spend a little bit more money...$300-$400. I'm undecided on running rear speakers or not; so I don't know if I should just get a 2-channel amp for the fronts, or grab a 4-channel "just in case". Subs will be off a separate amp.

 

[SicAudio 5,000+ posts]

the Onyx is 1 line up from the Discus which no one here can complain about and almost everyone has nothing but positive things to speak about them

that onyx amp will definately do the job very well and it has a dedicated x-over to run a sub on the 3/4 rear channel //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

the best option is like already stated, to run 2 amps. and if you do rear speakers just run em off the deck and amp the fronts.

 

[fyerbyrd22 10+ year member]

ive got a lnib dsc480 for sale if ur interested...in mint condition...80x4 @ 4, 160x4 @ 2, 320x2 @4...$120+ ship

 

[SicAudio 5,000+ posts]

his dsc480 was gonna be what i recommended but they are getting scarce online for a good price.

it would do the job spendidly!

you can and will find nothing but good reviews on here from just about anyone...

 

[Wacky7 10+ year member]

That's interesting - I was thinking of just using one amp to save on cost / space, but maybe I should look into running two separate amps instead.
Why would it matter if the amp pushing my components has high/low pass filters anyway? Does it effect the sound quality or something?

My truck is a 2008 Chevy Silverado regular cab short bed. I has a factory 6.5" component system in the door / dash (non bose) and filler 4x6's in the rear door pillars. I was planning to just run the component set up front and not touching the rear speakers. I would probably leave the rear speakers hooked up to the factory radio, but I wouldn't replace them or anything. I can barely hear any sound coming from them anyway. Or I could just disconnect them - either way.

Thanks!

Cool man. Yeah leave the speaker in the rear hook up to the factory and save some rooms for one amps.

To answer your question about the HP/LP fliter. reason why is that when there no off switch for that setting fliters setting you don't want your speaker to sound like they are tweeters or Bass subwoofers for your component system. But you want a full range clean sound from coming from your amp from the head unit. The fliters are what block some sound feilds that keeping some feq going to speakers. if it does have a on/off switch then your good to go. yeah go for it thoes are nice amps it will push some component system and push some subwoofers for the other channels.

 

[Wacky7 10+ year member]

Wow, almost the same question I had, same speakers, but my truck is a Mega Cab, and I'm willing to spend a little bit more money...$300-$400. I'm undecided on running rear speakers or not; so I don't know if I should just get a 2-channel amp for the fronts, or grab a 4-channel "just in case". Subs will be off a separate amp.

Yeah this is what i wanted to do with my truck i wanted a 4 channel amp and push all 4 speakers in doors for full range sound. So people in the back can jam out too. front and rear speaker is what i like and get another amp for some set of sub. I have cut off the rear speaker just to play around with my stereo and it does feels empty back there. when i trun it back on and wow other sound does belend in. So I was going to get a small footprint amplifier like the kenwood XR-4S and a XR-1S so they can fit under my front roll seats. But I end up with a 5 channel amp because of the jack i needed what if i get a flat in the meddle of the country dirt roads and feilds.I work out in fram lands alot.so anyway I wanted some subwoofers in the back of the truck seats. I don't have a tool box in the back either I need the room I can get.

So a small tool box with a car jacks are in the under the passenger seats.

Here my system

Kenwood DNX 6960

Kenwood XR-5S

4 JL 6w3v3

2 JL 8w3v3

Kenwood tweeter in front dash

1" tweeters in the back doors

 

[DUAL10S 10+ year member]

Great set of components. Those arent exactly entry level so dont skimp on the sub end.

Cant go wrong with 2 amps. A mono amp will be easier on your elec system and can take lower impedance loads (more power) but will cost more.

If you go with the 4ch amp your system will sound great and as you said it will cost less.

Out of those 2 amps I would choose the MB Quart. It has plenty of power for your component and 500w rms for a sub if you choose. Keep in mind your components come with x-overs so they will take care of the frequiencies. If you do run a sub, just make sure whichever channels you bridge (if you choose to bridge) the x-overs are set to low pass. Dont want full pass or Hi pass frequiencies going to your sub.

If you decide to run a sub you are not stuck with a svc 4 ohm sub. You have some options: svc @ 4 ohm / 1 - 2 ohm dvc (each channel @ 2ohm 250w to each vc) / 2 - 8 ohm subs wired to 4 ohm / and so on..

Also, disconnect the rear factory speakers. If you fade to the rear speakers or reduce the gains on your amp so that you can hear the rear speakers this defeats the whole purpose of getting components and a amp to begin with. Just my opinion.

As far as other amps - Crunch, Hifonics, Autotek and MB Quart are all under Maxxsonics. No experience with Crunch or Autotek and not suggesting anything, just FYI.

Hope that helps

 

[mclerico83 5,000+ posts]

Cadence ZRS C8 2000 Watt Peak 16V 5-Channel Class AB - eBay (item 290522134015 end time Feb-10-11 15:48:45 PST)

most amazing deal on the web jump on it, their top of the line amp, leaves a dedicated subwoofer channel for you witgh 600 watts get a really nice sub on that power.

http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/p_25305_Cadence_ZRS-C8.aspx

look how much it usually selld for

 

[SmartAsss 10+ year member]

What the hell... Totally bad/wrong info about the crossover. You NEED crossovers, besides its d**n near impossible to find an amp without them.

Small speakers are easily damaged without a crossover. if anything a sub would be the speaker to run without a crossover, but thats not a good idea either.

You need a highpass crossover for the door speakers, other wise you are sending them low frequencies that will easily damage them. you don't want your door speaker to play anything below 90hz (assuming they are 6.5") the smaller the speaker the higher you need to cross them.

A subwoofer needs a lowpass crossover to prevent high notes from playing through it, which will cause a "muddy" sounding system.

 

[SmartAsss 10+ year member]

That said, some people claim to be able to hear a difference between A/B and D Class on the main speakers. This was more of a problem back when Class D amps first came out, but today the class d designs have improved to the point where its d*** near impossible to tell the difference. I still run a A/B amp for my fronts just for good measure. I run a Class D on my sub because they have better efficiency and pull less power from the rest of the system then a class a/b. that, and subs are not as sensitive to the distortion that a class d may or may not produce.

 

[hangingchad]

Thanks for all the great advice! Unfortunately, I went ahead and ordered the infinity kappa four amp before I saw all of the responses. Just got the speakers and the amp in today. Now i'm debating returning it and going with the ONYX instead...

Anyone ever used the Kappa Four amp? it has a really nice footprint, which is nice. And it looks really flashy, but i'd rather have great sounding speakers than a pretty amp. It's not like it has **** and a vag ...

Also, any recommendations for an amp installation kit and some sound deadener for my doors?

Thanks!