At the moment i plan on purchasing a new head unit, 3 way components, and an amplifier, and then within the next few months once i have the money 2 10" or 12" subs will be added. Now to the question. Should i buy one amplifier now that will provide enough power for the components and head unit and then buy another one to power then subs when i get them? Or should i buy an amp now that has enough extra wattage to power the subs when i get them? If i were to go with the 2 amp setup how hard would it be to connect the second amp into the system or should the head unit provide another outlet to hook the amplifier into?

Thanx in advance

 

connecting 2 amps is easy, the connection is between amps, you dont need to have another plug in the HU for another amp. if you have space, i suggest go for 2 amps, if space is neccesary, buy only 1 amp with high watt output, its really up to you.

 

ok thanx a lot. will do.

 

Most amps have an RCA output, which allows you to run the RCA's from one amp to the other. However, if your HU has two sets of RCA pre-outs (all the good ones do) it is recommended to use them (one for speaker amp & one for sub amp). This all depends on your HU and the features it has.

To power both amps, you will need a distribution block to split the power wire (i.e. run 4awg power wire from the battery to the distribution block, then run an 8awg wire from the distribution block to each amp.).

I highly recommend getting two amps, simply because you are going to have problems finding an affordable amp with enough power for components & subs.

The amp does not provide power to the HU, it provides power to the speakers/subs.

Lastly, pick out the speakers & subs before you buy the amp(s), this way when you buy an amp you will be shopping for one that produces the recomended RMS power of the speakers/subs.

 

Most decent HU's have three sets of RCA outputs (F,R,S). I wouldn't consider an HU with less. When you install the HU run all three sets of RCAs to the location where you are mounting the amps.

Get a good 4 channel brigdable amp to power your components. Bridge the remaining two channels for your sub when you get it. In the future, if you decide to power your rear speakers, you can get a single mono amp to power your sub. Use the two freed up channels on the 4xch to power your rears.

Don't restrict your head unit to one set of RCA outputs to the amps. You will have no fade or sub level control.

Peace.

 

The above setup will work; however, if you power the speakers & sub off of a 4 channel amp you are limiting yourself, and could cost more in the long run.

Your power will be limited from the 2 channels bridged, also it will limit you to the voice coil configuration...most 4 channel amps are only 2 ohm stable when bridged...if you power the sub with the 4 channel amp now, and decide to upgrade and buy a dedicated mono sub amp, you are losing out on power. Most mono amps are stable at 1 ohm...that is where they produce the highest RMS power. If you have a 2 ohm voice coil configuration you can't get the full potential from the amp (at 1 ohm), which means you will have to buy a more powerful amp to get the same power at 2 ohms (unless you go with JL Audio).

Just my opinion...do it right the first time.

 

2truck,

what i was planning on doing was running just the components off the 4 channel amp at first. And then later on when i have the money i would buy the mono amp for the subs. Is that what u were saying will not get me the best results. If not what do u recommend doing because i dont really understand what ur saying.

thanx again for all ur help

 

Player,
It depends on the kind of system you are after.

If you want a system with around 75W for each component channel and around 300W for a sub channel then a 4xch bridgable amp will be a good system for inside an F150 cab. There are lots of brands of these type of amps available.

In the above system is that you will more than likely be forced to use a 4ohm subwoofer configuration on the bridged channels.

Later, if you decide to get a mono amp for your sub channel the 4ohm subwoofer configuration will be a limitation. This is because most mono amps will handle 2ohm loads. These amps will output up to twice the power with a 2ohm load versus a 4ohm load (limitation). High end mono amps will handle a 1ohm load for even more power versus 2ohm and 4ohm. To take advantage of the additional power capability of the mono amp, you would have to get different subwoofers configured at 2ohms or 1ohm.

Your best bet may be to get a high powered two channel amp now for your components. When you are ready to add the sub, get the mono amp and subs to meet your needs. You will end up spending more for seperate amps, but you will get the flexibility.

IMO anything more than a 300W sub in an F150 cab is too much (been there, done that).

Peace.

 

ok alag8r,

just another quick question and alittle review. So u say 2 channel amp for the componenets and a mono amp for the sub when i am ready. Now to the question... us say to get a 2 channel amp for the components as compared to a 4 channel amp that others have thought would be a good idea... why is that? Also what would u recommend buying the components or the subs first?

thanx again

 

Player, sorry if my last post was confusing. I too recommend the single 4ch, single amp approach.

Here is what I would do for a powerful, great sounding, SQ system. I am assuming that you have a regular cab pickup.

Get a decent head unit with separate front, rear, and subwoofer preouts. I like Alpine. I recommend an Alpine CDA-981x. These play MP3s and have a built-in crossover. The CDA-9813 and CDA-9815 also have a parametric equalizer and time correction. The CDA-9815 has a two line display that will display disc/track title for MP3s. You can get a brand new CDA-9815 for under $400 on ebay.

Next, get a 4ch bridgable amp with 75 to 100W per channel at 4ohms. There are many brands available. I like the Rockford Fosgate Punch 801x. This amp will give you 100W per channel for your components and 400W for your 4ohm subwoofer configuration. Get one on ebay for around $255.

For your components, get a good set that will handle up to 100W RMS. I like MB Quart, JL Audio, and Focal. You should be good to go for $300 on ebay.

When you are ready to add your subs, get a MTX thunderform with two 10in 8ohm T6000 subs wired in parallel. This system is custom fit for the F150. This system will handle up to 500W RMS. Found one for $239 on ebay.

Buy all this equipment on ebay and save at least 30% versus retail. You should be able to pick everything up for under $1300. Just make sure that you check out the sellers reputation before you buy.

Peace.

 

Alag8r,

i have a 98' extended cab. I personally was looking at lifting the seat and getting a custom made box because i figure that way i can get around 1 cu. ft. (for 1 12'") and if i need a it more space i figured i could use some polyfill (acoustuff). I believe that will work with the mono amp according to a little research. Also i was planning on doing the system in two stages but thought i'd ask for some opinions.

I was thinkin of either buy a head unit, 3 way comps, and the 4 channel amp first OR should i go with a head unit, mono amp, and the subs with enclosure and seat lift first. I am not looking to enter any comps i just wanna listen to my music with a massive amount of clear bass and the lyrics with no distortion whan i reallty turn up the volume. I guess it would be fair to say i am a typical teenager, but am looking for something a significant bit nicer than everyone else.

Once again thanx for the help

 

I wouldn't use the HU amp if you plan on a high power mono amp. You need enough power in your comps to play at the same SPL (without distortion) as the subs.

 

My recommendation is to get the HU, components & 2 or 4 channel amp first. I would stick with 2 way components...but if you really want 3 ways, then you will need to get kick panel enclosures for the midrange speaker, and you will need to get the 4 channel amp (or a more powerful 2 channel that is 2 ohm stable per channel.

Next, pick out your sub & amp...find a good 2ohm DVC sub and match it up with the amp that will give you the RMS power of the sub at 1 ohms. When shopping for the sub, you need to keep in mind that air space & mounting diameter is very important.

 

Is there any heat advantage to having one 2-channel amp and one 1-channel sub amp, as opposed to using a 4-channel amp? I like the idea of 2 amps, but am a little concerned about space.

Also, if I'm powering a 4-ohm sub rated at 75-350w rms, is a 200w sub amp adequate? I'm not looking for earth-shaking bass, since I never listen to rap or techno. Just want to use the sub to fill out the music I do listen to---mainly rock, jazz, a little classical.

 

200X1 @ 4ohm whould be adequate if you are running one 4 ohm subwoofer at 75-350RMS. note... I simply said adequate. If it were me, I would try to get 350 or 400 X1 @ 4 ohm. It never hurts to have too much power... to an extent. You can always just turn the amp down, which will provide less distortion. If you buy good quality amps with more than enough power, it will be more versatile in the long run. Amplifiers usually last longer than any other piece of equipment in an audio setup. Nice amps are a good audio "investment".