would like some suggestions..

[JennAndJuice]

i'm looking for an amp for the polk db5251 components i just got, and also one for my two pioneer premier subs..actually anything anyone wants to share would be greatly appreciated, im new to this.

[zarrdoss]

which model # subs and how many watts are the polks rated? I know my pioneer premier sub takes 5000 watts peak so a model # or power handling would be a place to start

and welcome to the forum

[Kinetic]

check the zapcos..

you can put the subs and the components

http://www.zapco.com/prod/ref_prods/6506Frame.htm

[JennAndJuice]

older pioneers, ts-w125c|dvc 400 rms and 800 peak, 4 ohm, dual voice coil

polks, db5251 10-100rms 250 peak 4 ohm

[1996blackmax]

How much do you want to spend? Is space an issue?

[JennAndJuice]

i guess around 250..space isn't really a problem, ive got a 2000 grand prix gt, surprisingly spacious...i'm not necessarily looking for the loudest either, i just want it to be reallyclean.

[cadenceclipse]

really clean for 250, good luk, guess your thinking used(ebay)? i know 250 will get u 1 nice new amp( highs or sub). bi-amp dbs off HU and get ia7 for subs

[Kinetic]

i guess around 250..space isn't really a problem, ive got a 2000 grand prix gt, surprisingly spacious...i'm not necessarily looking for the loudest either, i just want it to be reallyclean.

want it really clean?

pay as much power as you can afford..

for example, in the DBs wich are (100RMS) buy a 2 channels (200RMS or 150RMS)

then just adjust the "GAIN" at half as it should be.

thats how you get 100 RMS of clean power all the way to the top...

i have the SR6500 in the front (125 RMS) powered by a 600 RMS amp (150x4)
in the trunk a SR125DVC (700RMS) with a 1,100 RMS amp

just use de common sense with the gains...

[JennAndJuice]

i meant 250 for each amp..sorry..

[cadenceclipse]

cadence ia4/ia7hc

[arun1963]

$250 per amp is ok. Check out the polk pa 250.2 as a 2 ch amp for the fronts. you can run your subs off the pa 1200.1. You may have to dish out a bit more than 250 per amp but it would be a good choice.

Before you put down any $$$$ on the equipment ask and answer the following q's:

1. Am I an sq or an spl person?
2. How far the sq/spl road do i want to go?
3. You will build your setup in stages. So how much can u afford to put down per 6 months?

1. SQ vs SPL : SQ=sound quality, clarity, staging, imaging are critical. SPL = Sound power level.........I like it loud. The louder the better.

2. Do I just want to listen to some tunes vs I want perfection in either choice of 1.

3. If ure focused on perfection then always buy equipment one step ahead of where you think you want to be. That way you will minimise equipment purchase / upgrade.

If you can answer the above q's we can decide on the equipment you should buy.

I hope mac / exalted / candaddy jump in here as they are folks who can really help you.

[cadenceclipse]

uhh he did say "clean", and $250/amp, options start to get very small at this point , gettin a litttle ahead of yourself again arun...

[arun1963]

No Cadence, I am not getting ahead of myself. I mentioned in my post that he would have to spenda bit more than the $ 500 to get two amps. But more important is what he wants to do and how far he wants to go. That way he can keep the equipment change to a min. Eg if he is a sq guy AND wants to go the whole hog, he will want to bi-amp. Hence may as well up his budget and buy the 4ch amp now........etc etc.

Plus he may need help in setting things like amp gain, xover points, etc that would be relevant info for him.

[arun1963]

if i'm wrong pls let me know.

[JennAndJuice]

well..im a she..and i've been looking and i think i am gonna end up spending more than i really wanted to. but right now i just wanna focus on the amp for the subs, i hooked up the db's over the weekend (i was gonna wait and do it all at once, but i just couldn't) and was kinda surprised. i've never had any polk stuff before and i was nervous about ordering them from crutchfield, i've never heard polk before, most of the people i know have kickers. but i think i just became a fan.

[JennAndJuice]

oh, and thanks for the replies, very helpful

[1996blackmax]

I would go the used route if I only wanted to spend $500 total. I've done that myself several times. You could also spend that money on one amp & save to get the other one. Get what you really want little by little. Many times people end up doing that anyway after not being totally satisfied by what they settled for in the first place.

[arun1963]

well..im a she..and i've been looking and i think i am gonna end up spending more than i really wanted to

:o :o appologies. Not the first time I've been embarassed here. Yes u will end spending a bit more, but you'll enjoy the journey.


i've never had any polk stuff before and i was nervous about ordering them from crutchfield, i've never heard polk before, most of the people i know have kickers. but i think i just became a fan.

Sound quality is one thing you don't have to worry abt with Polk.

Did you get the sub amp?

Buying used is a good idea if youre just starting out, as long as the technical bits match up. It will allow you to build economically and you can upgrade when ure ready.

[JennAndJuice]

hows about the Rockford Fosgate PRIME R500-1?

[1996blackmax]

Buying used is a good idea if youre just starting out, as long as the technical bits match up. It will allow you to build economically and you can upgrade when ure ready.

Even if you are not just starting out, going the used route can allow you to go higher up the chain. I picked up my Arc Audio XXK's used for good prices at the time. Same thing with the newer Rockford Fosgate Power Series amps. Those were great amps and they never gave me any issues.

[arun1963]

The amp you have chosen puts out 500watts rms at 2 ohm. I dont know if your subs are 10" or 12" pioneer premier. Anyways the subs are rated 350 watts (10") and 400watts (12") RMS. Make sure there will be enough power going to the subs. IE you may want an amp that puts out more power.

[cadenceclipse]

brand new 5 yr warranty sweet a$$ 75 x 4-channel and 800wrms@ 2ohm, 1ohm stable, high-end, highly underrated, sq/spl ia series amps costing half as much as anything else mentioned or even considered and sounding 2x as nice(more like 10x as nice as any RF prime amps that for sure). could proly get em both 500 shipped...

[unrealii]

If you want a clean amp to run your components, here is a very clean amp:
Audison SRX 4 - 4 channel amp. Bridge it to a 2 channel to run your components
http://www.woofersetc.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=4282

[1996blackmax]

brand new 5 yr warranty sweet a$$ 75 x 4-channel and 800wrms@ 2ohm, 1ohm stable, high-end, highly underrated, sq/spl ia series amps costing half as much as anything else mentioned or even considered and sounding 2x as nice(more like 10x as nice as any RF prime amps that for sure). could proly get em both 500 shipped...


Please explain to me what amplifiers sound "2x as nice" as the ones that I mentioned. Also, would you please let me know how you arrived at this conclusion. What kind of testing was done that showed this.

[cadenceclipse]

wht'd u mention? used arcs? didn't know that was being considered or even mentioned as a suggestion but rather your experience which i can't see having anything to do with this post unless you got em for < $250 or, i guess, got used at a good deal and they worked well. don't take it personally man, did u design those arc amps, i'm sure they're great. what kinda testing could ya do? read the specs. guess thats a start eh? i just mentioned cadence ia series amps, cause, well got anything that comes close? personally i don't recommend buying used i'd say more like authorized dealer...

[1996blackmax]

You said they were twice as good as anything being mentioned, and 10x better than the entry Fosgate amps. You said it not me. You made claims, now back them up. So how did you arrive at your conclusions? By way of test results? Personal experience with these productc? I'm not insulted, if anything just tired of people making claims without actually knowing.

I bought my Rocford Fosgate amps for under $500. This was for both amps. They were a T400-4 and a T600-2. My Arcs were under $500 each, and if you read my post I also mentioned getting one amp at a time. By the way both my Arc amps came from authorized dealers. Nothing wrong with going the used route if you know what you are doing.

So please tell me how you got to your conclusions. If they are built that much better, I may actually try them out. I highly doubt that there would be any audible difference.

[cadenceclipse]

back em up? what do want me to do, no test results, sorry. read specs, research, take a listen. geez, i take it back ok? there only 9 times better. look black, she said she's new, i figured brand new, 5 yr warranty, wish i had that my first time around. personally like i said i've had some negative experiances purchasing used. u somehow found some sweet authorized used ish, i think that sounds awsome never heard of such a thing though. these amps retail for 4 times what they r available 4 now(and brand new). of course price and warranty only mean so much. i m currently running the amps they replaced which were new in like '02. i've spoken to a few cadence reps about them also and for $250, sory budy, but your RFs r smoked!! research, i know they don't beat my a series, but ia is def worth a look. please, chech out RF, that will only help to prove my suggestion was worth it.

[1996blackmax]

What are you basing your statements on? What the reps told you? How do they smoke the Power Series Fosgates? You are going to tell me that you can tell that they sound better? Have you done an A/B comparison with levels being matched? You have to do that relatively quickly as the brain does not do this well if you wait more than 5 seconds or so.

Just provide a link to show your claims is all I'm asking.

[cadenceclipse]

link can b found on rfs web site as well as cadences'. once again, never mentioned power series. what r u trying to prove? that no one can suggest which amp is better w/out listening side by side? check out cadences site cadencesound.com

[1996blackmax]

My point exactly! I said Fosgate T400-4 and T600-2. Those are Power Series, maybe you should do the research before you start making claims. I ran the two channel T600-2 at 2 ohms bridged the whole time I had it. No issues, no shutdowns, no problems.


I'm not trying to prove anything, just get tired of people making claims with no basis for what they are saying. Explain why they are better. Are they better just because you said so? I am open minded and willing to look at different brands and products. At the same time I want to know what makes these amps so much better, as you stated. I just asked you how did you come up with your conclusion. If you like Cadence, that's fine. Just be careful of making claims if you can't back them up.

[cadenceclipse]

when i made that statment right after your power post i wasn't refering to your post. nor kinetic's on zapco(of course). i actually just noticed u typed "power" in that post but really i don't think i even read it till now. SO sue me!! my point wasn't even that cadence is so great(although they r) but just at her price point, can't be beat, we know max, unless used...speaking of, where might 1 find used authorized components??

[1996blackmax]

I bought them from dealers that had them in their cars and that stood behind the product they sold to me. The Fosgates, I was lucky to find them on Craigslist here in town. I went to the guys house and picked them up. See I can answer your question, but you never answered mine. You seem to talk without really knowing, do your own research, read before you start spouting diarrhea of the mouth. I stated what I had & you posted your bs without even knowing. Good gear can be had at good prices, both new and used, you just have to know where to look. Most of my gear has been purchased new & from authorized dealers by the way. I wanted to point out these options to the person that started this thread, and I gave some examples.

Are you going to answer the question or not? You spouted a lot of bs, but no answers so far.

[Kinetic]

when i made that statment right after your power post i wasn't refering to your post. nor kinetic's on zapco(of course). i actually just noticed u typed "power" in that post but really i don't think i even read it till now. SO sue me!! my point wasn't even that cadence is so great(although they r) but just at her price point, can't be beat, we know max, unless used...speaking of, where might 1 find used authorized components??

thanks

[JennAndJuice]

...i still dont know what amp to get...

[1996blackmax]

The amp you mentioned is a good start. I've run several Fosgate amps & was happy with them all. Never had any issues with them. I also like Kicker, they make good amps.

[unrealii]

Keep in mind there are several amps out there which will meet your needs and ones which will not meet your needs. I say research all the suggested amps and understand your required specs for your speakers.

[1996blackmax]

Crutchfield has a very nice deal on a couple of Kicker amplifiers, the SX600.2 and the SX600.1. Both are nice amps, a little older, but hard to beat at the price of $299. They use to sell for $650. You may want to pick up a couple of the two channels, you won't be able to get all the power from the mono amp with the ohm configuration on your subs. Those are a tad under rated so be conservative with the gains on your mids.

[JennAndJuice]

the way the subs are wired currently i just need a mono amp..which makes me wonder should i change it and get a 2 channel?

[1996blackmax]

You have speakers with dual 4ohm voice coils. The mono Kicker amp, the SX650.1 (I wrongly said 600.1 earlier) will produce full power at 2ohms. Your subs can be wired together at 1ohm, 4ohms, and 16ohms. Seeing that you will not extract all the power from that amp, you may want to look at the two channel as it will give you full power at 4ohms bridged.

The Kicker SX650.1. They have some returned ones that are even a little less, at $269 and $255.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_206SX6501/Kicker-SX650-1.html?search=kicker+sx650.1&tp=115


Kicker SX600.2 at $299, they also have some returned ones that $269 and $255.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_2064SX6002/Kicker-SX600-2.html?search=kicker+sx


Here is one that's a little more, the SX900.2 ($399), but I thought I would mention it. They have one for $339 from their scratch and dent store. This puppy will give you a over 900 watts RMS.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_2064SX9002/Kicker-SX900-2.html?search=kicker+sx

Even if you go the returned route, or the scratch and dent route, you will have a full warranty because they are authorized dealers. If you went with the scratch and dent models you could pick up two of the SX600.2's for $510. That's one heck of a deal for those amplifiers.