28 replies to this topic

[Brams96]

I thought I'd start a new thread for anyone wanting to buy a new amp.

Hopefully TMF members can have there say about the amps they've used and how they rated them in terms of real world tests or experiences.

I'll start:

Alpine MRV-1507

I used this a few years ago and it was brilliant. It was driving 2 x 12" 1000Wrms Alpine subs bridged in mono(4ohm) and putting out about 900Wrms. I was geting over 140dB in a estate car.
- The gains are easy to use and it takes big power cables (4ga) & has a built in fan.
- A bit pricey but worth it if you want BIG bass. (I think I payed NZ$1500 6 years ago) but you can still pick them up for about US$500.
- On the down side it is a very big amp at nearly 2 feet long

Overall a great amp from a respected brand.


OK your turn

[monkeybiz]

ok here goes

phoenix gold MPS2240 circa 1993-


rated at 2x24W........... yea right, realistically 2x200+ loaded correctly
built like a brick
take the base off and its stunning to look at naked
just goes and goes
audiophile grade sound
price...... considering its close to 20 years old now. somewhere in the region of £300-800 for a good one
matched to a eq215 and its sonic excellence
very difficult to beat

sound quality is up there with mcintosh and high end audison amps

Edited by monkeybiz, 27 October 2009 - 07:35 AM.

[Jimmy Hat]

Ok well every little helps:

The Fli 450s and 900s, much slated by car audio enthusiasts but a lot better than you'd expect.
Bass adjustment a bit crap unless you get the remote, otherwise its 0, 6 or 12 db of boost
Very good once set up
Cheap!
Powerful
Both look cool and well built

[daemonchild]

If you're going to do this, why not come up with a list of set features that you have to describe for each amp.
I guess something like:

- Physical dimensions:
- Wattage:
- Sound: (Eg, warm, harsh, punchy)
- Suggested use: (dance, rock, la la la)
- Best mounting point:
- Suggested accessories:

You'll have to agree the format between yourselves; that was just a stab in the dark as a starting point.
I don't know - you're the audio pros.

But It would be nice if a 'guide' actually came with some figures to back it up.
I'd like to use you guys extensive knowledge to choose the amps I need for my project (way way from now), so I want objective values to base it on.

Just my 2p.

[Brams96]

Monkeybiz - I agree Phoenix Gold rock, I new a guy a few years back with 3 comp amps & 2 x 1/3 octave 32 band EQ's. That system was wicked!


Has anyone had any experience with TheLoudest.co.uk?

If their product specs are true to what they say then that is pretty impressive. I'm seriously considering getting one of their 3000W 4-ch amps which at 4 ohms claims to be 4 x 160Wrms(@14.4V) & bridged 2 x 330Wrms.
At £130 that's not too bad a price, considering what you'd pay for the equivelant in big name brand.

Any comments or thoughts?

Edited by Brams96, 29 October 2009 - 11:34 PM.

[monkeybiz]

theloudest.com...............
well...............................

thier ratings are pulled out of a hat at random so ignore that bit, they are slated and called crap purely on that basis.

amps. copycat amps from china. very good for the money as the ones they are copies of are a lot dearer.

speakers out od the box they are well made but if just plonked in as most people that buy budget stuff do they sound awfull

now.....

if you take a pair of 6" and a pair of 4" take out the removeable tweeters and bin one set
fit them in properly made front pods with the 6" low down off axix and the 4" slightly on axis and the single set of tweeters 15deg off axis
add a 1.6mH coil and 250uF cap to the 6", a .12mH coil and 70uF cap to the 4" and a 10uF capacitor to the tweeter they sound pretty dammed good (after playing with a few resistors on the tweeters to get the correct level without sounding harsh). very warm and mellow and excellent for vocals. not up with the likes of focals but hey you have just spent under £100 for a 6+4+ tweeter set and all capacitors and coils.......... 6" focal utopia are £600+
amps..............

the loudest amps are rated by monkeys and fitted by idiots

if you were to buy (on ebay as they are massively discounted) 2x 2000w 4 channel amps (really only 4x85w) and one 4000w class D sub amp (really only 1x500w) with a GOOD electronic 4/5 way crossover, 2 sets of 6" speakers and one set of 4" and one of the 12" subwoofers all thier power kits (which are very very good) link it to a very good head unit and get your crossovers right and it will sound awsome.

alternatively...........
the 6+4+1 setup above with the caps and coils i said with the 12" sub and a 6.6mH coil and a 2000w amp with a good head unit it will sound very good IF you fit it correctly with proper enclosures front and rear. a very good budget system.

you cant just fitt it out the box, they need to tweeked!!


now.....................

if you are all like me and have little spare money here is teh way to do it
ebay

look at a top of the range head unit from a couple of years ago, they can be picked up on ebay for less than £100, a fifth of the price when new
speakers, go for top notch like focal, mac audio, phoenix gold, rockford fosgate or top of the line alpine or kenwood ect. 6" up front and rears are not really necessary but a pair of sixes in the rear wouldnt go a miss if you must £100 should do it
sub....... JL, diamond audio or rockford fosgate £50 should do it
amp.......... go for an old school amp. orion OLD rockford like the land mine ones, audison (my second choice) or old phoenix gold (M series or MS or MPS, my first choice) £50-£300

buy it bit by bit


my system
old alpine 9811r, just gotta love that deck
front speakers are focal utopia audiom6w 6" 6ohm AC 6ohm ribbon tweeters, my own 6ohm passive crossover
rear nothing
sub. diamond audio 8" dual voice coil sub running at 2ohms
amp phoenix gold mps2240
eq phoenix gold eq215

on ebay if it were to come up would come to less than £600 (ive had most of it for years)
what does it sound like.............. sound off SQ quality that will play ANYTHING


subwoofers, i keep on reading about removing rear seats in mini's and fitting 2x12" subs in HUGE sealed box enclosures taking up everything behind the front seats.............. what the hell
hasnt anyone heard of porting!!! my 8" is ported to 22htz in a .75 cubic foot enclosure.
put a 10" sub in a 1.25 cubic foot box, get a lenght of drain pipe and a coppy of maddonas vogue. with a hole saw cut a drainpipe sized hole in the top and with a 4foot length of pipe slide it in and up whilst listening to vogue till you hear the lowest point without any huffing (the sound is only affected with the pipe inside the box not outside........)
mark the pipe and glue it to that line. use what is uotide the box to go through the rear shelf and hey presto, more bass, tighter sounding and more efficient and you still have some boot space.

off the soap box and will return soon

[Brams96]

Now that is the kind of description I'm talking about. Thanks monkeybiz.

Anyone got anything to add?

[me madjoe 90]

subwoofers, i keep on reading about removing rear seats in mini's and fitting 2x12" subs in HUGE sealed box enclosures taking up everything behind the front seats.............. what the hell
hasnt anyone heard of porting!!! my 8" is ported to 22htz in a .75 cubic foot enclosure.
put a 10" sub in a 1.25 cubic foot box, get a lenght of drain pipe and a coppy of maddonas vogue. with a hole saw cut a drainpipe sized hole in the top and with a 4foot length of pipe slide it in and up whilst listening to vogue till you hear the lowest point without any huffing (the sound is only affected with the pipe inside the box not outside........)
mark the pipe and glue it to that line. use what is uotide the box to go through the rear shelf and hey presto, more bass, tighter sounding and more efficient and you still have some boot space.

off the soap box and will return soon

I see you are refering to my 2 12" subs

not my fault if i cant flog em for decent money, If i could get what there worth I would have sold my subs in seald enclosure

and got my self a 10" sub or two in the boot and spend my money on a head unit and mids for up front.

but i dont want to loose money on the decent subs i have............

but i took my back bench out just to see if they wer Over The Top and i admit they are stupidly big so im probly not going to use them.........

and im taking your advice thank you my man.............


just to add would a 200w 2 channel/mono amp power a 10" sub decent enough?

[monkeybiz]

subwoofers, i keep on reading about removing rear seats in mini's and fitting 2x12" subs in HUGE sealed box enclosures taking up everything behind the front seats.............. what the hell
hasnt anyone heard of porting!!! my 8" is ported to 22htz in a .75 cubic foot enclosure.
put a 10" sub in a 1.25 cubic foot box, get a lenght of drain pipe and a coppy of maddonas vogue. with a hole saw cut a drainpipe sized hole in the top and with a 4foot length of pipe slide it in and up whilst listening to vogue till you hear the lowest point without any huffing (the sound is only affected with the pipe inside the box not outside........)
mark the pipe and glue it to that line. use what is uotide the box to go through the rear shelf and hey presto, more bass, tighter sounding and more efficient and you still have some boot space.

off the soap box and will return soon

I see you are refering to my 2 12" subs

not my fault if i cant flog em for decent money, If i could get what there worth I would have sold my subs in seald enclosure

and got my self a 10" sub or two in the boot and spend my money on a head unit and mids for up front.

but i dont want to loose money on the decent subs i have............

but i took my back bench out just to see if they wer Over The Top and i admit they are stupidly big so im probly not going to use them.........

and im taking your advice thank you my man.............


just to add would a 200w 2 channel/mono amp power a 10" sub decent enough?

woops, actually i wasnt but i can see what you thought.

think small good quality than cheap and big


and the amp sub question is..................... yes
according to my amps specs im feeding it 36w.................................. laughing my flipping melons off, you gotta love companies that underestimate thier products

Edited by monkeybiz, 01 November 2009 - 09:12 PM.

[me madjoe 90]

[/quote]


woops, actually i wasnt but i can see what you thought.

think small good quality than cheap and big
[/quote]

its ok i wasnt insulted or out haha owel infinity arn't cheap my drivers are old ish vertions but still cheapest i found them is £60 each just for driver


any one want some infinity 12" subs in closed seald box for £100 pick up in lancashire jus outside Blackpool ................................

Edited by me madjoe 90, 01 November 2009 - 09:15 PM.

[Brams96]

That depends entirely on what sub you get as there is a big difference in the power handling of them.

[me madjoe 90]

That depends entirely on what sub you get as there is a big difference in the power handling of them.

i see well whats peoples thughts on Kicker subs as my freind has a cupple of 10" kickers he is willing to sell me

Are Kicker a good make?

[Brams96]

I've heard Kicker are a good brand. Caraudiosecurity are doing a sale on the solo baric 10" at the moment. Might be a good buy.

You could go crazy with an Alpine SWX-1043D at 1000WRMS !! !!

Edited by Brams96, 01 November 2009 - 09:27 PM.

[me madjoe 90]

I've heard Kicker are a good brand. Caraudiosecurity are doing a sale on the solo baric 10" at the moment. Might be a good buy.

looks prity good i dident know those square speakers were any good, I always thught they were a gimic for show cars and the like.


They got the slightly newer vertion of my subs there ------ http://caraudiosecur...s_id/10688.html

Edited by me madjoe 90, 01 November 2009 - 09:32 PM.

[monkeybiz]

search on ebay for earthquake subwoofer
now that is a subwoofer

also eminence subwoofers!!!