MTX or Crossfire

JDOGG

which amp would be a better choice to power an Infinity Kappa Perfect 6.1 component set. An MTX Thunder 8302 or a Crossfire VR402? I don't really care about how clean the amp is really. Thanks to anyones input. Oh, and i wiill be using a clarion DXZ935 head unit.

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................... blue thunder 150.2 -- puts out more power than the 8302 does, runs exactly the same as the 8302 though (previous model of it thats why), and its cleaner, nicer, better, gooder... get the drift? -- and its only 150 bucks.

www.mitekfactoryoutlet.com


other than the 8302 i would not use any other mtx amps on highs -- maybe the OLD 204, 304, Blue Thunder 4 channels, sure.. but nothin else new...

crossfire is a nightmare -- only amp they make i like is the VR2000D or whatever its called... over 2 kw ... and its reliable.

you might be better to look at rockford for a large 2 channel.

i found that i never found a 150 - 200 x 2 in my price range that i liked... and i was much happier to bridge a 50 x 4 channel amp up to 175 or 200 x 2 to get that power, and i paid less, got the reliable amp i wanted, and all that jazz.

might wanna toss that around in the salad and think about it.

JDOGG

can you give me an exact link, I can't seem to find it.

MTXMAN

PBD, you realy don't want to bridge a 4ch for running comp sets though... most comp sets i've seen sound like total shite at 2 ohms... the x-overs were designed for 4 ohms only...

C-Man

If you bridge a 4 channel amp... wouldn't it be 4 ohms X 2 bridged?

I've actually got a 2 channel amp that I'm running all 4 of my interior speakers (set of Crystal comps and a pair of..... shiznit I don't remember.... in the rear) at 2 ohm stereo and I love the way it sounds. That's just me though, I don't get the "fill" effect, but it sounds good nontheless.

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if you bridge a 4 channel amp, and put a single 4 ohm speaker (or single set of 4 ohm components) on it, its still 4 ohms.

the crossovers are designed for 4 ohms, yes, but that is not dependant on the amp, its dependant on the speaker.

if you put a 2 ohm or 8 ohm speaker on the crossover, it would change the crossover point by iether raising or lowering it... but as long as u keep a 4 ohm speaker on it, it'll crossover and function in the same manner regardless of the amp you put on it.

as far as nto wanting to bridge a 4 channel to highs... its not ideal, i'll grant you that. its more junk the signal has to fish through, but all things being equal, a 4 channel bridged to 2 channels, running at 75% of its potential putting out say 150 watts will be "better" than a 2 channel running at 100% of its potential putting out the same 150 watts (assuming similar specs).... also - it'll be cheaper.

Systems

An amp running bridged at 4 ohms is putting out all its power and its THD rating increases dramatically. A 2 channel amp capable of running 2 ohm loads will only be putting out roughly half its potential at 4 ohms and the THD will be much lower. Thats why I prefer a 4 channel to power my 4 speakers. As far as which between MTX and Crossfire; Crossfire seems to be winning a lot of competitions these days but I have always liked MTX's products and they make some good amps. If youre wanting some big power though give Kicker a look. They have some big, way big amps and they put out very clean power as well. My personal favorite amp is Precision Power. They may not be the loudest but they are very stout and ultra clean and virtually bulletproof.

sntnsupermen131

how do you consider an amp to be loud?
-Cody

Systems

I mean that some amps like Kicker, MTX, MA Audio, Crossfire and others are known for making lots of power. Where amps like Xtant, Precision Power, MacIntosh, Brax and others are known for pure sonic accuracy. They may not have a 4000 x 2 amp but rather have 50 x 4 amps that reproduce music perfectly and are clean as a whistle.

sntnsupermen131

i get ya
-Cody

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an amp running bridged at 4 ohms (hence each channel "seeing" 2 ohms) at its "top" power (ie... if its 200 x 2 at 4 ohms bridged, then top power would be 200 wrms per channel) will produce more distortion and be in general crappier than a 2 channel amp running at its top power at 4 ohms per channel -- this is considering the amps are of the same roughly general caliber, quality, and deisgn/build.

however... the way around this is to fk with the numbers...

to get an amp that is 200 x 2 at 4 ohms (stereo 2 channel) that has a "mid grade" quality to it (like a recent model rockford, mtx blue thunder, alpine, old sony) you're going to pay a pretty penny... since this same amp will probably do about 800 x 1 bridged at 4 ohms... it will have the internals and a power supply that is geared for this 800 watts... thus, you're paying for all that.

now, we take an amp that is of the same quality as stated above, and by any of hte same mfg's, and we pick the 4 channel model that is like 75 x 4 or 90 x 4 or whatever. and we're lookin at an amp that, when bridged, will do like 300 x 2 or thereabouts at 4 ohms. so you pull the gain back, run it at only 60% of its top power (200 watts out of a 300 watt bridge) and you end up with specs that are very close if not as good as the amp that is built to be 200 x 2 at 4 ohms/800 x 1 bridged.

.... but you saved $200+ dollars in the process. the smaller power supply of the 4 channel and less-powerful components result in a piece of equipment that is no more capable than what you need it to be... so you save a few bucks.

Systems

Crossfire is a sudio company I'd put with profile, urban, crunch.

MTX makes some nice amps if you go with the thunder series. I'd recomend Rockford, soundstream, or orion. not JL amps ever when you lower your ohms your amps RMS power doesnt double. those amps where made for people who dont wanna think

Jstas

You can't be serious?

Profile does not belong anywhere near Urban Audio, Crunch or even Crossfire!

Just because Profile stuff doesn't cost a whole lot doesn't mean it is junk. It's probably one of the best cheap amps out there and excellent equipment for someone getting into car audio or for someone looking for alot of cheap power quickly.

As far as JL Audio goes, thier amps may be regulated but they are clean and powerful. Not worth the money but if you can find one used and is good shape, it's a solid amp with alot of good power.

It's also funny that you will lump Soundstream in with MTX, RF and Orion. At one time Orion was something to crow about, not anymore. As far as Sounstream goes, ever since they overcame thier QC issues, they have to be one of the most under-rated amplifiers in the industry. I would not lump Soundstream in with MTX or RF or Orion. Right now, they are all middle-of-the-road amps and Soundstream is at the bottom end of the high end. Infact, from what I have been seeing, MTX is selling more amps out of thier refurb and factory outlets online than they are in retail. That says something for the way MTX has gone in the past few years. About the only thing I agree with you about is the Blue Thunders being killer amps from MTX.

Who is filling your head with this mis-information anyway?

Systems

Im gonna have to side with my home boy Jstas here. Profile makes some pretty good amps. They have some very respectable specs as well. 105db Signal to noise is very respectable as is the .05% THD rating. They aint shabby by any means.

Crossfire is on fire these days. They are winning competitions left and right. They have more records in db drag they you can say grace over and theyre new X speaker series has been getting great reviews in magazines.

I will also have to respectfully disagree on the JL issue as well. Regulated amps are great in that regardless of voltage to the amp, you get the same wattage. Thats a lot healthier for the speaker as well. And they are considered some of the cleanest, most accurate amps on the market. Carsound.com did a review on the JL 300/4 amp and their tested output numbers were a signal to noise of 121 db (!) and Total Harmonic Distortion of .007%. Thats smokin' numbers!

As far as MTX goes, I really like their stuff but I believe their 1% THD is a little more than I can tolerate. They make powerful amps and are great for subs but I wouldnt use them on mids/highs.

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i wouldn't use a new mtx amp on mids or highs either... and i'm sposed to be their friggin "poster child".

i am quite displeased with the company's downturn last few years.

if they just took the intensity of the blue thunder amps and mixed it with the "unbreakable"-ness of the last generation thunder series (6xxx and 8xxx) i'd be a happy camper. the closest they got was the plain "thunder" series which came directly after the blue thunder pro's were discontinued.

i had hoped they would go "up" from there... they didn't. and i found myself making excuses for them year after year after that. it got quite bothersome.

i dont bother reccomending them to anyone anymore (current models).

the 1% thd isn't so bad on the older class D's as out of the box, their test sheets at full rated power showed them doing like a quarter to half of that... 0.35 / 0.45 was common.... with gobs more power than rated (1,300 x 1 at 2 ohms @ 12.5V was pimpin when it was rated at 1k at 12.5 in the brochures).

but then we see the chromed out thunder's doing like 1100 - 1150 x 1 at 12.5 V with 1.8 percent birthsheet distortion. what the hell is that!!?!??!!?

--- nothin but a serious cost cutting venture. no more gold plated terminals, down to 'chrome' plated terminals -- damned if i know if chrome is a decent conductor.

**** they can shove their iso mount board construction up their tail pipe... they spend $$$ on integrating that technology and then they forget about keeping the other important stuff in check.

sure, you can throw it off a building and it probably won't break... but it sure doesn't sound as good as you'd hope.

none the less -- i'm not regretting 350 bucks for a 1,250 watt (@ 12.5v) amp that will probably never break down on me --- even though it has nearly 2% distortion.

if i could find two 1000D's for cheap in great/perfect shape, i'd give my twig and berries for them... alas i'm stick with 81000's until then.

better yet --- go grab me a "sledge hammer"... then its all over biiiaaatttch.

Systems

I think MTX got caught up in the SPL and Db Drag scene too much. They have oodles of records and trophies and thats apparantly what they want. They want their amps to be super powerful and thats their main goal. Their subs are the same way. I have a Thunder6000 8" that puts out an assload of volume for the watts Im giving it but its not very tight or accurate bass. I could get a Focal 8" (but I wont cause its $220!!!) and it wouldnt be nearly as loud but Id wager it would be a lot sweeter.

It seems that amp manufacturers are branching off into 2 categories these days. SPL companies like Kicker, Crossfire, MTX et al. Then you have the SQ guys; PPI, Xtant, JL Audio and the rest. I guess thats a good thing. This way you go with the company who is in to the scene you are. For me tho, Im SQ all the way so MTX doesnt have anything for me really.

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actually -- the thunder 6000 subs i kinda liked -- my girlfriend had two 10's that weren't the cleanest things on earth (like u said), but with only like 230 watts each they friggin SLAMMED.

i replaced them with two polk DX10's (cuz i'm picky - and the 6000's were my subs to begin with anyway - not like everything else in her car isn't mine anyway). .. anywho - i like the much richer response of the DX10's - which is even noticeable in the trunk! although they are a teeny bit quieter.

Systems

Thats cool. Ive been thinking of going with the Momo 8" but wasnt sure if it would sound that much better. My only constraint is that I need it to be able to work in a .3 cubic ft box and I cant find any specs on it.