Does amp make matter?

[Creeps228]

does amp make matter when buying one, or does everything else matter (ie; watt output, channel, stereo/mono, fan, etc)?

[MrSo0h0o]

Both play an equal part in how good an amp is. Specs may show one thing, but it could all be MAX output and not RMS. It also depends on what you are looking for in an amp.. Didn't you want me to check out your setup at the meet? What happened?

[chullen]

it doesn't really matter just make sure when you are buying an amp you look at rms and peak power. Also make sure the RMS in at the right ohm for the application you plan to run. Most good companies ( Rockford Fosgate, Kicker, Alpine, JL) etc will also include a tested peak power sheet to show the true power of the amp. This is good for actually knowing how much power the amp can produce.

[MrSo0h0o]

Originally Posted by chullen

it doesn't really matter just make sure when you are buying an amp you look at rms and peak power. Also make sure the RMS in at the right ohm for the application you plan to run. Most good companies ( Rockford Fosgate, Kicker, Alpine, JL) etc will also include a tested peak power sheet to show the true power of the amp. This is good for actually knowing how much power the amp can produce.

Please dont answer questions if you dont know what you are talking about. Peak power means nothing. Do you know what RMS stands for? Or how about ohms. I hope you are just a bit misinformed or misworded because the power sheet you refer to is its power rating at certain voltages(usually 12v(when car is off) and 14.4V(when car is running)).

[chullen]

Originally Posted by MrSo0h0o

Please dont answer questions if you dont know what you are talking about. Peak power means nothing. Do you know what RMS stands for? Or how about ohms. I hope you are just a bit misinformed or misworded because the power sheet you refer to is its power rating at certain voltages(usually 12v(when car is off) and 14.4V(when car is running)).

for one I know what I am talking about for two you you need to go and do some more research. I understand what everything means I am not some idiot like you suggest. I was letting the gentlemen know that peak power means nothing and and RMS is all you should worry about. My question to u is why are you such an asshole when someone else puts in their input. Maybe what I said was a little off kilter, but it doesn't justify the answer you posted. Anyway back to the original question the power sheet I was just refering to was a sign of a good company showing what a amp is capable of producing nothing more. Most lower grade companies do not give this sheet and there for just rep their peak power which is nothing since at certain "ohm" levels is different. It really depends on what you are running the system and amp at. so thanks for being a asshole who ruins everything for everyone online and in these forums.

[MrSo0h0o]

Originally Posted by chullen

it doesn't really matter just make sure when you are buying an amp you look at rms and peak power. Also make sure the RMS in at the right ohm for the application you plan to run. Most good companies ( Rockford Fosgate, Kicker, Alpine, JL) etc will also include a tested peak power sheet to show the true power of the amp. This is good for actually knowing how much power the amp can produce.

How exactly was I an asshole? The one thing that barely even comes close, which was not even a personal attack, was "please dont answer questions if you dont know what you are talking about." I am sorry if you misconstrued that as being an asshole, but the way you word things on a forum makes a huge difference in interpretation. As highlighted above, the way you said things would lead a less knowledgable person to believe that peak power means something or that an amp birthsheet says anything about "tested peak power". Here are examples of a birthsheet:





As you can see, nothing about peak power like your wording suggests.
So again, I am sorry that you feel that I was being an asshole, but like I said, your wording was very misleading.

P.S.- I sure am not the one "ruining" this forum; you can see that in all of my posts, along with the people that know me on this forum.

[chullen]

Originally Posted by MrSo0h0o

How exactly was I an asshole? The one thing that barely even comes close, which was not even a personal attack, was "please dont answer questions if you dont know what you are talking about." I am sorry if you misconstrued that as being an asshole, but the way you word things on a forum makes a huge difference in interpretation. As highlighted above, the way you said things would lead a less knowledgable person to believe that peak power means something or that an amp birthsheet says anything about "tested peak power". Here are examples of a birthsheet:






As you can see, nothing about peak power like your wording suggests.
So again, I am sorry that you feel that I was being an asshole, but like I said, your wording was very misleading.

P.S.- I sure am not the one "ruining" this forum; you can see that in all of my posts, along with the people that know me on this forum.

well I am man enough to say I was wrong about you. I reread my post and left out a single word that made it misleading. I have seen many of these spec sheets/ Birth sheets to know what I am talking about. So I formally apologize for be a such a crude asshole myself.

[MrSo0h0o]

Originally Posted by chullen

well I am man enough to say I was wrong about you. I reread my post and left out a single word that made it misleading. I have seen many of these spec sheets/ Birth sheets to know what I am talking about. So I formally apologize for be a such a crude asshole myself.

Apology accepted. We are all here to help each other out. No harm done. The birth sheets were more for creeps228 to get an idea what we both meant also.

[Jigg007]

Oh you bet your butt the amplifier manurfacture matters. But it matters just as much as the type of amplifier it is.

Cheap brands like pyle, pyramid or soundstream will advertise wattages that you can never obtain. Well, maybe if you plug it into a wall socket. (Actually, they have been getting better about posting RMS ratings) Also these brands tend to get their ratings right before the device blows. (example: 16-18V input voltage)

The more upper brands will provide you a lot of specification on the amplifier, as compared to others just sort of leaving you in the dark.

You do not want to use a class-D amplifier for highs, maybe mids, depends how picky. Class-D amplifiers are used for large amounts of power, and the way it obtains it would go unnoticed in low frequency situations, but may be audible when used in mid/high applications.

As you would (economically) not use a class A A/B amplifier for low end. As the price/watt ratio goes rapidly up when you exceed a couple hundred watts, and a couple thousand dollars.

Cooling fans just means the amplifier runs cooler. Usualy Class-D amplifiers do not need these, but they may be thrown in as a selling point.

Class A amplifiers are more in need of a cooling fan because they are much less effcient than class D. thus they create more heat. However these amplifiers are generally a lower wattage too, again it may be another selling point. (if you want to get nit picky, the gain hFE on many transistors goes up with heat)

RMS ratings is the standard that many go by. It is the amplifiers (And speakers) constant output, that no matter what, it should always output continously.

Peak rattings are still used, mainly for selling points. peak ratings tend to be claimed at twice the RMS power. This ratting could be useful in low frequency application, but thats only if you have a peak of bass music! (peak power is simply what the amplifier can dish out before it completely exhausted its internal power supply and internal capacitors, not to mention, the heat that the transistors can withstand/time)

Keep in mind that many, and by many I mean all amplifiers advertise their power at their lower impediance because the amplifier is able to output more power (if you know ohms law, it can loosely be applied to show why) I see too many amplifiers that give their bridged output power and then put x 2 to show its dual channel. Going back to the cheapy amplfiers, its comon to find a "800 watt x 2 channel SUPER AMP) being about a 45 or 90 rms a channel amplifier

Technically it is impediance, not ohms. Impediance is the property of a coil and a resistance, as speaker impediance changes based on frequency

Generally speaking, the more money spent is a better amplifier, You pay to play. a higher quality amplifier will have much better slew/dampning factors, stable outputs, internal protections and the such.
But you got to keep in mind, the correct amplifier is going to be the one that works for your aplication.

Oh, and do something with that large picture that streached the page. |:

[Creeps228]

ok, i understand so the higher the price the "better" the amp is...but i was looking at a power acostik amp rated at i like was 1200W fro like 150ish a 4 channel amp. REason why i asked this question was that i never heard of power acostiks before.

Oh and btw, Mr.SooHoo it seemed you were moer into the meet ratehr than to look over my setup...well thats what it seemed to me..sorry if i offended you in any way

[MrSo0h0o]

Originally Posted by Creeps228

Oh and btw, Mr.SooHoo it seemed you were moer into the meet ratehr than to look over my setup...well thats what it seemed to me..sorry if i offended you in any way

No such thing man! We were all there to check everyones car out.. I didnt realize you were creeps228 until close to the end thats why i didnt say anything lol

[bigloubumpin]

Yeah creeps u should've mentioned something to me ,I was the 1st one there too.Choosing a amp like soohoo said depends on the goal & funds available.I showed u my setup,350w to a single sub ran me $150.Unlike Mike(I think that was his name) with the black SE I like to keep the weight down & have usable trunk space.My next upgrade will probably be the DD HU & swap the front speakers for aftermarkets.

[Creeps228]

the thing with me is i have a 420W, or somthing like that amp, pushing to 10" pioneer premiers rated at 1000W and a RMS of 350W, a friend of mine told me that iw as over pushign the amp and that why it over heats and then it turns off for a whiel until to cools. So i was looking at different types of amps, i was looking for another clarion amp which is wat i have currently but they are expensive and i want to try another amp with better Watt output btu idk which one to get..i'll post the ones i was looking at when i get home, currently in schcool now

[Jigg007]

Originally Posted by Creeps228

the thing with me is i have a 420W, or somthing like that amp, pushing to 10" pioneer premiers rated at 1000W and a RMS of 350W, a friend of mine told me that iw as over pushign the amp and that why it over heats and then it turns off for a whiel until to cools. So i was looking at different types of amps, i was looking for another clarion amp which is wat i have currently but they are expensive and i want to try another amp with better Watt output btu idk which one to get..i'll post the ones i was looking at when i get home, currently in schcool now

The amplifier really shouldnt be shutting down or overheating unless it is constantly peaking. Either that or the speakers could be wired wrong, impediance wise, to the amplifier. Is it a stereo amplifier? Mono? What are the Pioneer speakers impediance?

[touringcamry]

You should check the gains also. Setting that too high can cause the amp to go into thermal cut.

If the amp is capable of outputting more power than the sub can handle that should not make the amp overheat. If anything that will cause damage to sub more than the amp. That's only if way over do it though. If you have an amp capable of 420W going into a sub rated for 350W, there shouldn't be any problem as long as you keep the volume reasonable and turn maybe turn the gain down a bit. If you have the subs wired for lower impedance than the amp is stable, that will cause the amp to overheat and go into thermal cut.