IDEAL AMP | 2 12" Polk/Momo

i have 2-12" polk/momo mm124's 500watts each plus 2-polk ex368 6"x8" which are 190watts an for the receiver i got a kenwood kdc-519 which thats 50x4watts.. im lookin for a good quality amp that can power all of this. i would rather have 1 amp thats around 2000watts or so cuz its always good to have little more then u actually need. but i want quality an i know alpine an jl are good. so if u guys got an ideal amp that would help me out that would be cool. thnx + for the mm124's shouldnt an small box be ok an give optimal bass then ported box would?

Steve,
I have yet to find a multi channel amplifier that is performance driven. They always are a compromise and expensive!! Do it right the first time and install a dedicated sub amplifier and satellite speaker amplifier. You won't be disappointed. We will be introducing our new MOMO amplifier by late August / early September. Good thing come to those who wait...
The recommended sealed box volume for these subs is .88 cubic feet per woofer. This does include the displacement of the driver.

Thanks,
Kim

Quote:

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Originally posted by Kim
Steve,
I have yet to find a multi channel amplifier that is performance driven. They always are a compromise and expensive!! Do it right the first time and install a dedicated sub amplifier and satellite speaker amplifier. You won't be disappointed. We will be introducing our new MOMO amplifier by late August / early September. Good thing come to those who wait...
The recommended sealed box volume for these subs is .88 cubic feet per woofer. This does include the displacement of the driver.

Thanks,
Kim

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Um, I have to disagree. Define performance. Are you talking peak performance or what? I have to disagree because I have a Kenwood 4 channel amplifier with a 300 watt class D sub amp with a dedicated power supply. The Class AB 4 channel amp is on another power supply and puts out about 100 watts x 4 rms. While that doesn't necessarily meet the demands of peak performance from a MOMO sub, it far exceeds the power ratings of 80% of the coaxials and seperates that are out there from anybody, not just Polk Audio. In addition, the Hifonics Zeus amplifier in my girlfriend's car has similar performance as my Kenwood amplifier but at 1,000 watts, I believe it is under rated because it is more capable than my Kenwood which is rated at 1200 watts total.

If you are going for sheer volume, then yes, multiple amps would be a better bet because a single mono-channel sub amp can support more power. But if noise is not your goal and a nice sounding stereo is all you are after, many of the 4 + 1 or 5 channel amps will be more thansufficient for even the most discerning ear.

I realize that there is probably a push to sell the Polk Audio amplifiers now but personally, I'd rather get honest advice from a tech department over a sales pitch. Not to say that your advice was not honest but rather misleading. Just because Mr. taylor wants a 5 channel amplifier does not mean he isn't doing something right. It just means he is exploring other, unconventional options. Before making the multiple amplifier suggestion, I think it would be best to explore Mr. Taylor's application, his needs for the vehicle he is installing and his expectations of the system he is installing. Then it would be much easier to say defintly whether or not Mr. Taylor is infact going to the wrong way or not. I mean face it, if Mr. Taylor is installing a stereo into a minivan that he uses to haul his 3 kids and wife in on occasion then a monstrous, multi-amplifier setup is not for him because he needs to retain most of the utility the van was originally purchased for. Mr. Taylor may have a standard cab pickup truck where space is at a premium and does not have the room for multiple amplifiers. On the opposite end of the spectrum, maybe you are right and he wants pure noise to win a dB Drag comp. If so, he needs to go down the multi-amp system path inorder to be competative.

Goading him into believeing something without knowing his full situation is, well, sorry to say it but, fundamentally bad customer service. You wouldn't let a car salesman tell you want you "really needed" when you already outlined your requiments in the vehicle for him, would you? Don't be that car salesman and I promise you more people will keep coming back.



As far as advice goes, yes, multi-channel amplifiers can be expensive but you know what? Many times, they are several hundred dollars cheaper than a multi-amp setup. Initial amplifier cost is cheaper from the outset in most cases but with a single amplifier, you do not have the added cost of the wiring and mounting parts to jack that price up. Some people do not have that kind of a budget so they go for a cheaper yet still very effective alternative. Yes, they may be a compromise in all out peak performance but sometimes we have to live with a compromise. Personally, I felt it a better choice to go with a single high quality 5 channel amp that I could afford to fit into my budget rather than going with multiple amplifiers that would have almost doubled the price for the same quality. To fit my budget, I would have had to drop down a step in amplifier quality and to me, I'd rather take the power hit than sacrifice the higher quality electronics. Did I go down the wrong path? Maybe, in some peoples eyes but, everytime I get in and turn up the volume, I find it hard no, damn near impossible to find a decent reason why I should change to a multi-amp setup.

If you already have a Kenwood KDC-519 and it seems to be a decent head unit, I'd go with a Kenwood KAC-X650D 5 channel amp. It is the same amp that I am running and I have had no problems with it. It has plenty of oomph and quality is up there with the best of them. It's a bit expensive but I bought mine from a wholesaler. You may not want to go that way because sometimes, companies will not honor warranties if not bought from an authorized dealer.

That is my recommendation given your desires. I'd like to know what your application is (i.e.: the vehicle you are installing into), what your desired results and intentions are and what kind of budget you have. That may change a recommendation to best fit your needs. I don't want to go blowing your whole budget on an amplifier and leave you with zilch for anything else.

Due to their efficiency, type of enclosure that they will be installed into, and factor in listening habits, type of program material, and type of vehicle, the Kenwood KAC-X650D is underrated for these subwoofers to obtain the best possible performance from these subs. Kenwood's power rating for the subwoofer channel is rated at 200 Watts into a 2 Ohm load @ 100 Hz at 12 Volts input Voltage and increases to 300 Watts into a 2 Ohm load @ 100 Hz when 14.4 Volts are applied. Clipping and distortion is the number one reason that drivers and tweeters fail.

If you plan on installing these woofers into our recommended bandpass enclosure, then due to the "gain" of the enclosure then you can drive these subs with a smaller power amplifier. I would not recommend using anything rated under 400 Watts into a 2-Ohm load. This will allow for a greater headroom and will minimize the chances of driving the amplifier into clipping.

Regarding 5 channel amplifiers... If space is a consideration and this design is appealing, then do some in depth research on the amplifier design. Do they use multiple power supplies or is there only one common power supply for all channels? What is the continuous and peak power ratings for each channel? Does it meet the speaker manufacturers recommended power specification for the drivers? Most 5-channel amplifiers that employ a single power supply usually will not meet their power specifications. And last but not least, does it sound good?

you're gonna crack me john but i gotta agree with kim... you're not gonna run two momo 12's off a single 5 channel sub line... unless someone decides to build one that is at LEAST 700 x 1 (350 a sub bare bare bare bare low minimum for the sub... obviously 900 - 1000 would be much better).

i think the highest one i ever saw was like 450 x 1 on an mtx 5 channel. but i dont think they make that amp anymore anyways.

if he had two GNX 12's, then sure, 300 watts would do fine.

that's something people need to take into account more when buying equipment... a lotta people overlook amps... and those who dont overlook amps overlook power supply of the vehicle.

if you buy a 500 w sub, you'd better be able to find room and budget for at least a 400w amp... and if you're gonna get a 400w amp then you'd better be sure your vehicle can put out the current to let it play as normal... its not a big concern with little systems but when u start saying "Well i have two 500 w subs and say 100 x 4 to my highs" -- you're pushing 1400 - 1500 watts and 100+ amps of current, and that's not always something people realize.

Well, no, I agree with both of you.

I made the suggestion about the Kenwood amp because 300 watts won't power the subs at thier peak performance, no. But I have one of those amplifiers. I am underpowering all of my speakers with it but it does not clip. It is clean and while not the best solution, given his Kenwood head unit, I felt that it was the best option if he wanted a 5 channel amplifier. There aren't many of them out there either and the Kenwood is one of the best ones. It's not the most powerful but it is one of the cleanest.

The main reason I replied was because Kim's post didn't, IMO, adequatly answer Mr. Tyler's question. In actuality, both Kim's post and my post did not answer the question at all. I only addressed the question as it was asked. He asked what 5 channel amp and I gave him that answer. He needs to give more information to get a better answer than either one he has recieved so far.