help choosing amps...

marshallp333
marshallp333 Posts: 9
edited February 2004 in Car Audio & Electronics
hello all,

i recently bought some polk car audio speakers: EX3560 components for my front doors and some EX365's for the rear doors. anyway my question is what kind of amp do i need to get good power to them. KEEP THIS IN MIND: I am a poor **** student... so what would be the best for my $$$. I am looking to spend under 300. do i need to be looking for a 4 channel? any advice or ideas would be great. also i bought 2 GNX124 (12" @ 4 ohms) and need an amp for that as well. i was told to get a mono amp, so that is what im looking for. once again, any advice?? Thanks a lot.

Marshall
Post edited by marshallp333 on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • sntnsupermen131
    sntnsupermen131 Posts: 1,831
    edited February 2004
    what kind of radio do you have?
    -Cody
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TrappedUnder Ice
    TrappedUnder Ice Posts: 975
    edited February 2004
    for that budget... get on ebay and find some good used amps by RF, PPI or xtant...should be able to get some decent stuff!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marshallp333
    marshallp333 Posts: 9
    edited February 2004
    im going to be using my stock HU for now, its a ford mp3 player. so for the mono amp im gonna need a bass remote. i have looked on ebay but im not sure on what to look for... how many watts am i gonna need? that is the stuff im not to sure about. do i just need to add up the RMS watts from each speaker and then find a 4 channel that will power them as close to the total as possible?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • sntnsupermen131
    sntnsupermen131 Posts: 1,831
    edited February 2004
    what are the RMS ratings of the speaker?
    thomas, was it me or did you just recommend rockford fosgate?
    -Cody
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • PoweredByDodge
    PoweredByDodge Posts: 4,185
    edited February 2004
    best used amps to buy -- mtx... why? not because its the cleanest or prettiest, but it never breaks... so you can pretty much rest assured that even if an idiot beat on it and ran it below its rated impedance, it's probably still worth the 50 bucks you're payin for it...

    or... just go get a profile california series amp for like 50 - 100 bucks new in box... it'll do the job, and be cheap and new at the same time.
    The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marshallp333
    marshallp333 Posts: 9
    edited February 2004
    thanks for the advice, i think for the time being im gonna go cheap till i get some more $$$
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • MacLeod
    MacLeod Posts: 14,358
    edited February 2004
    Sound Domain has some dirt cheap amps. Good quality amps for dirt cheap. Like Phoenix Gold 4 channels for $220 and RF Power 4 channels for $270. Give SoundDomain.com a look before you buy some used **** or a budget amp.

    Im not a big fan of the Polk amps mainly because theyre expensive as hell! Ive never heard one but if I were going to pay $500 for a 4 channel it would be Xtant or PPI.

    Polk is known for making high performing audio equipment for reasonable prices. They seem to be getting too big for their brithces with these amps though.
    polkaudio sound quality competitor since 2005
    MECA SQ Rookie of the Year 06 ~ MECA State Champ 06,07,08,11 ~ MECA World Finals 2nd place 06,07,08,09
    08 Car Audio Nationals 1st ~ 07 N Georgia Nationals 1st ~ 06 Carl Casper Nationals 1st ~ USACi 05 Southeast AutumnFest 1st

    polkaudio SR6500 --- polkaudio MM1040 x2 -- Pioneer P99 -- Rockford Fosgate P1000X5D
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marshallp333
    marshallp333 Posts: 9
    edited February 2004
    ok so i was looking over the speaker specs and is the Power Handling (Cont.) the same as the RMS?
    Here are the specs of my speakers:
    EX365- cont. is at 60w and the peak is at 180w
    EX3560- cont. is at 100w and the peak is at 300w
    GNX124- cont. is at 175w and the peak is at 400w

    so if my figuring is correct is this what i need to look for? a multi-channel (4 channels) amp that has about 320 watts for the front speakers... and for the subs a mono amp that has 350 watts? i can never seem to get a good answer but hopefully this info will help. any info would be great, thanks for the help so far.

    marshall
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • PoweredByDodge
    PoweredByDodge Posts: 4,185
    edited February 2004
    you want an amp that is like 50 - 75 RMS x 4 at 4 ohms (4 channel) for your fronts and rears.

    and a 350 - 450 x 1 at 2 ohms RMS mono amp for your subs. or a single 5 channel that'll integrate all that...
    The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marshallp333
    marshallp333 Posts: 9
    edited February 2004
    cool, went with the profiles and got them tonight. thanks for the help and this site is awesome for ppl like me who need help with this stuff. be back later with more questions.

    marshall
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • TrappedUnder Ice
    TrappedUnder Ice Posts: 975
    edited February 2004
    If your planning on running stock HU...check out RF's punch line. they accept high level inputs and you wont have to get a converter thingy :)
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter