New guy with some questions

[IrishChamp]

I just bought some SR6500's and an SR124-DVC and now I'm looking for amps to power them. I was originally going to go with the Hertz MLK 165's or the Morel Dotech's but I came across a great deal on the Polk stuff and could not resist.
I was going to purchase 2 ARC amps for the Hertz stuff, a 300.4 bridged to 350rms x 2 and an 300.2 bridged to 700x1, now I don't believe either of those will work for the polk stuff. the 300.4 is rated at 90rms x4, bi-amped that might work but am I correct in thinking that the mid drivers can take a little more than that bi-amped? Bridged is not an option, 350x2 is WAY too much I think.
The 300.2 will not work for the sub because its bridged rating is at 4 ohms, the 300.4 might work for the sub though, 350x2 @4 homs works for this sub right? The 300.2 makes 180x2 so that might work for the sr6500's but I could not run bi-amped.............
I've also looked at the polk amps and Audison amps, I'm leaning towards the Audison, they have some really great configurations but so far I've had a really hard time finding them for sale or they are just too expensive.
My budget is $400 to $600 for amps.

I'm really new to all this stuff so any input would be greatly appreciated.


PS. I thought I would also share my thoughts on installation; my car is a Chrysler 300 srt8, it currently has a factory Kicker stereo system which I’m going to completely remove when I put in the Polk stuff. I have door spots that fit 6x9’s and 3 speaker holes in the dash at the front of the windshield that fit 3.5 inch speakers. I would love to do a kick panel installation but I don’t know if I have to know how and I’ve not found any kits for this kind of install. Another reason I would like to do the kick panel install is because then I would still have the spots in the doors for more midbass, maybe a 7 or 8 inch driver if I want or need it.
I’m also considering trying to embark on a custom box to fit above/behind the wheel well like the factory kicker sub.

Thanks in advance!

[Airplay355]

Hey Irish,

I'm not a car audio fanatic, I'm more of a stereo guy but I think that 350 wpc isn't way to much in a non-biamped config. The speaker is recommended to be powered by 50-250 wpc. Adding that extra 100 watts will only get you a little less then 3 db in SPL so I bet if you don't turn up the gain to a stupid level you'd be fine. As long as you TURN IT DOWN if you hear distortion I think you'll be perfectly fine and probably happier then if you biamped with 90 wpc on each driver. My reasoning the woofer will require more "juice" to power then the tweeter and you're kind of wasting some of the amps potential on the tweeter I'd think. You aren't adding any extra power supplies (like bi-amping with two seperate amps) so I think it would be better to give the speaks 350 each then 180 each. Again, don't go nuts with the gain. I hear stories of people with their bass boost on max, loudness on, eq maxed and the gain cranked. The gain is not a volume control and if the gain is at a proper place and it's not loud enough then you need a better amp.

I think kick panels generally go in the same place as the stock factory hole for the speaker so I'm not so sure what you mean about adding a 7 or 8" mid bass driver. Seems like a bad idea to me. Why add more drivers then you need to? The SR's will handle bass down to 80 perfectly fine and you can have a sub do the rest. Instead of wasting money on 8" drivers to put in the doors and an amp to power them, spend it all on a nice amp for the sub.

[IrishChamp]

Thanks for your advice!
my factory speaker location is in the doors, I've seen and read about many people putting the speakers in the panels down by your feet (to the right of the passengers feet and to the left of the drivers feet next to the pedals) for better imaging, this is what I'm thinking about doing.


Hey Irish,

I'm not a car audio fanatic, I'm more of a stereo guy but I think that 350 wpc isn't way to much in a non-biamped config. The speaker is recommended to be powered by 50-250 wpc. Adding that extra 100 watts will only get you a little less then 3 db in SPL so I bet if you don't turn up the gain to a stupid level you'd be fine. As long as you TURN IT DOWN if you hear distortion I think you'll be perfectly fine and probably happier then if you biamped with 90 wpc on each driver. My reasoning the woofer will require more "juice" to power then the tweeter and you're kind of wasting some of the amps potential on the tweeter I'd think. You aren't adding any extra power supplies (like bi-amping with two seperate amps) so I think it would be better to give the speaks 350 each then 180 each. Again, don't go nuts with the gain. I hear stories of people with their bass boost on max, loudness on, eq maxed and the gain cranked. The gain is not a volume control and if the gain is at a proper place and it's not loud enough then you need a better amp.

I think kick panels generally go in the same place as the stock factory hole for the speaker so I'm not so sure what you mean about adding a 7 or 8" mid bass driver. Seems like a bad idea to me. Why add more drivers then you need to? The SR's will handle bass down to 80 perfectly fine and you can have a sub do the rest. Instead of wasting money on 8" drivers to put in the doors and an amp to power them, spend it all on a nice amp for the sub.

[eloplayspolo]

if u can find some kicks for your car that would def be your best bet.

[killerb]

if u can find some kicks for your car that would def be your best bet.

i agree.

[IrishChamp]

Do you guys know of anyone that makes custom kicks? also, I've been reading about working with fiberglass, it does not look that hard to modify the ones I have, once I get the speakers I will start experimenting and measuring. I'm also going to consider using the factory plastic sub enclosure in the trunk to mold a slightly bigger better enclosure for my 12 inch SR124-DVC.

I'm a little worried about midbass response putting them in the kicks, there is SOOOO much less air behind them and I'm not sure how to seal the kicks properly.....

[IrishChamp]

Bump for advise on needed power for these speakers, I have a descent deal available on the Audison LRx 1.1k and the LRx 2.4 but I'm not sure if the 2.4 makes enough power, 130x2 watts rms

[Airplay355]

130 certainly isn't 150...but how much you need depends on how loud you plan on listening and how well your car blocks our road noise....if your car is very quiet then you'll probably find you don't feel like turning it up as loud, but if you have to drown out the white noise of tires and engine you might need more power to crank it.

if it's really a good deal and you think you want it then go for it, you can always add another smaller amp right? use that one to power the woofers and use a smaller one for the tweeters. or you could just turn around and sell it.

If you are worried about enclosure volume, once you're sure you've found a way to seal the kicks from water dripping into your door from your window or something stuff some polyfill in there...it will slow the backwave from the woofer in the same way a larger enclosure would.

[IrishChamp]

Am I misunderstanding what people are referring to when they say kicks? I was under the assumption that they were the area right next to the pedals on the drivers side and right next to the feet down on the passengers side, not the bottoms of the doors, thats what it sounds like your talking about.
thanks

130 certainly isn't 150...but how much you need depends on how loud you plan on listening and how well your car blocks our road noise....if your car is very quiet then you'll probably find you don't feel like turning it up as loud, but if you have to drown out the white noise of tires and engine you might need more power to crank it.

if it's really a good deal and you think you want it then go for it, you can always add another smaller amp right? use that one to power the woofers and use a smaller one for the tweeters. or you could just turn around and sell it.

If you are worried about enclosure volume, once you're sure you've found a way to seal the kicks from water dripping into your door from your window or something stuff some polyfill in there...it will slow the backwave from the woofer in the same way a larger enclosure would.

[IrishChamp]

how much could I adjust the wattage on an ARC 300.4 amp with the gain knob? its 350x2 bridged.

[Airplay355]

No you're right. I've seen some that people molded to the door though so they weren't so far under the dash. In my car, I wouldn't even be able to see the drivers side kick panel.

Either way, you can stuff some polyfill behind the speaker if you are worried about enclosure volume.

The gain adjusts the sensitivity of the inputs, not the wattage. I'm not sure where you'd set the gain. But what you can do is just set the HU to a volume you'd like it to be, like 3/4 of the way up. Then gradually turn up the gain or have a friend turn up the gain until you have the max level of SPL you want. Listen for distortion all the time and if you head any back off the gain. I'd think going over half way with the gain is too much.

[IrishChamp]

so you think 350 rms watts x 2 would be ok as long as the gain is turned down? I think that might be my best option for amps, I've heard that ARC are great amps and although I like Audison better I think the only Audison I have a lead on for the components is the LRx 2.4 which is only 2x130 rms so allthough I'd love to have matching Audison amps I think it will be ok to have the Arc and Audison together, I don't know, I'm going to give it some thought, I would really love to be able to bi amp or run active and the ARC would not work for that either.
TOO MANY DECISIONS! :)


No you're right. I've seen some that people molded to the door though so they weren't so far under the dash. In my car, I wouldn't even be able to see the drivers side kick panel.

Either way, you can stuff some polyfill behind the speaker if you are worried about enclosure volume.

The gain adjusts the sensitivity of the inputs, not the wattage. I'm not sure where you'd set the gain. But what you can do is just set the HU to a volume you'd like it to be, like 3/4 of the way up. Then gradually turn up the gain or have a friend turn up the gain until you have the max level of SPL you want. Listen for distortion all the time and if you head any back off the gain. I'd think going over half way with the gain is too much.

[eloplayspolo]

350 sounds like WAYYYYYYYYYY too much to me.

[MacLeod]

350 is way too much.

Your best option would be the Polk 500.4 you mentioned running bi-amped. Thats the configuration Im using. Bi-amping allows for much better flexibility in tuning.

[IrishChamp]

thanks, the more I read the more I see that 350x2 is indeed too much. I'm still trying to get my hands on another audison amp, I also have a lead on an older Zapco amp from 2000 to 2004 range. one of those two and I think I will be in good shape. they are both between 100x4 to 130x4, I think either of those would work.

[Airplay355]

Why is 350 wayyyy too much? SR's can't handle the thermal load produced by that much wattage?


Sorry for the bad advice BTW. I would have done it the other way :(

[IrishChamp]

no sweat, no harm done! :)

Why is 350 wayyyy too much? SR's can't handle the thermal load produced by that much wattage?


Sorry for the bad advice BTW. I would have done it the other way :(

[MacLeod]

Why is 350 wayyyy too much? SR's can't handle the thermal load produced by that much wattage?


Sorry for the bad advice BTW. I would have done it the other way :(

I would say that the SR's could handle a 350 watt amp so long as they were listened to at a musical level and with common sense. Since music is dynamic and not always requiring full power, the SR's probably couldve dissipated the heat without much problem so your advice isnt wrong necessarily bro.

The problem is that an amp that big could easily shred the SR's and the first time you throw caution to the wind and decide to crank the volume a little while riding with the top down - whammo!

Kinda like taking stock Honda Civic and just building the crap out of the engine to where its making 500 horsepower. The rest of the drivetrain could handle that power so long as you take it very easy but the first time you try to accelerate up a freeway on ramp in a hurry, your transmission disintegrates!

[exalted512]

I thought Civics had 500hp stock?
-Cody

[eloplayspolo]

500 Mules.

[IrishChamp]

Anyone have any idea how much power the PA500.4 and the PA1200.1 would make at around 13.5 to 13.9 volts? I've searched for birth sheets for these amps but found nothing so I don't know if these amps are under rated or not.