I'm thinking of getting a new amp for my subs. I have an okay set, could easily do better, but they pound HARD and look good. Anyways they're Dual 12" 1100 watt subs that put out 600 watts RMS at 4 ohms.
I have a Dual amp, which is awesome for what it is, that's putting out 580 watts at 4 ohms, or since I have it bridged it's doing 290 watts RMS at 4 ohms.
Time to upgrade...the amp at least. I'm thinking about getting an Ultra Linear UL1202. Anyone ever heard of it? 1X1200 watts RMS @ 4 ohms, 2X600 watts RMS @ 2 ohms, or 2x300 watts RMS @ 4 ohms.
Good choice? ANY thoughts? Will the subs hold the amp? I believe they're wired series...I'm not sure because they came already put together in a band pass box that looks like a b#$@h to open. But by them being 600 watts would that mean 600 each, or 300 each? Basically should i bridge the amp or rewire the subs in the box so that i can run 2 channels? Should I go for a smaller amp? (only cost $80 brand new)
Any help is appreciated.
Do you have the XIA3145?
That's a decent amp from what I can tell, but it just doesn't have the power to wake up a pair 600w subs. It's 290w bridged, that's as much as it will do -- not 580.
Are your subs the BP1204? You need something around 600w rms at 4 ohms (probably a bridged 2 ch).
I don't know anything personally about the UL1202, but I can see it has 2x25A fuses. Your Dual has 2x20's, so it wouldn't be realistic to expect more than 400-500w out of it. Would it be an improvement? Theoretically yes, but it wouldn't amount to much to your ears. Plus, according to Sunfire it won't last anyway.
There's a current thread (turning into a fight) about the Crunch p1100.2 being on sale for $80 - looks like
The Profile AP1200 is a pretty solid amp - millionbuy lists it for $110.
If you'd consider a used amp you might pick this one up super cheap --
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1200-watt-Profile-amplifier-2-channel_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trkparmsZ72Q3a1205Q7c66Q3a2Q7c65Q3a12Q7c39Q3a1Q7c240Q3a1318Q7c301Q3a0Q7c293Q3a1Q7c294Q3a50QQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem230337699156QQitemZ230337699156QQptZCarQ5fAmplifiers
Ultra Linear is pretty much a lateral step from dual. Personally I would save up a little more money and buy something like a hifonics or profile.
Can't argue with that.
My whole thing is this. Wouldn't technology, advancing every day like it does, produce lower-end setups (meaning lower cost, not quality) every bit as comparable to high end stuff produced 5 or 10 years ago? I mean, isn't this how it works?
It has, but it hasn't.
20 yrs ago a 100x2 amp was HUGE, and it probably would have cost you 300+.
Now a decent 100x2 is $100 or so.
Technology has mainly (from what I've seen) gone into efficiency and smart power supplies with amps, and motors that can handle thousands of watts of power in subs.
The industry has changed too. The internet has driven prices down a lot, so most of the middle-of-the-road brands have gone more to cheaper mfg processes and locations instead of producing the highest quality gear they can. So they can sell servicable gear cheap, and sell a lot of it. That's exactly how brands like Dual and Ultra Linear stay in business. It's mainly marketing to the uninformed consumers. Plus, a lot of the companies that were producing top notch products 10 yrs ago have been bought out and used to sell mediocre equipment. It's a lot easier to sell $100 amps than $300 or 400 amps.
So what makes the Ultra Linear "crap" because I got it for $80, which is by no means what the actual retail price was, or is it crap because we're talking dynamics. Distortion? DB level? Voltage? Please enlighten me for this is something everyone immediately says but ultimately has no REAL answer to. What makes it a garbage amp?
Primarily ridiculous over-ratedness - which, sadly, is standard practice among almost every budget line.
An amp with 2x25A fuses rated at 1200w (RMS) is a joke. It's a 500w amp.
Just curious. I can easily buy a Kenwood, Sony, or Rockford from my lil buddy at Best Buy and get a discount. But if I can pay 80 bucks is it not worth it? It sure as hell beats spending $349 on that Clarion I was looking at over at Smart Shoppers, which by the way is the retail price. The retail price on that Linear is around $275. So is it good then, since we're going on price?
MSRP is about as meaningful as MAX POWER...no meaning whatsoever.
I would start with atleast an alpine M500 ( which would blow those duals in a heartbeat ) We used to carry duals where i worked, and called them boomerangs. Theyd go out the door and come right back in the other a week later blown. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif
If the subs are in the form of the bp1204 it's a 4 ohm enclosure - he'd only get 250 out of that alpine.
A used M500 can be had around 120$ usually, and those are strong ass amps. One cheaper brand i can vouch for is MA audio though, some of their low end mono amps actually do rated + some. They can be had new for around 100$
Interesting suggestion -- MA and Ultra Linear are cut from the same mold.
UL's are probably MA's cheap line in a different chassis.
