Alright, i recently practically stole two Boston G5 10 4ohmDVC subs froma local car audio shop. I went and talked to a guy at tweeter and they were going to build a box for me but im now doing it myself, but for an amp he recomended the JL 500/1. The subs are rated 450rms and ive always been one to over power than under power. He said that going with a bigger amp wouldnt make that big of a difference only just a few decibels, is this true? I am very skeptical about underpowering especially after reading the "This is starting to **** me off" thread. So my question is should i go with the 1000/1 or the 500/1 like the guy suggested.
Thanks
john

 

You can never have too much power on hand. Buy the best quality, most powerful amp you can afford. Then use your ears AND common sense. While it is true that the difference will only about 3 dB in SPL capability, there are other advantages that evidently the shop failed to mention. While it may not be a huge issue with an amp of the quality of JLAudio, it is better for the average amp to NOT be run to the ragged edge of its design capabilities. So working an amp that is capable of 1000 watts RMS at only 500 watts, for example, is much better for the equipment than running an amp capable of 500 watts RMS to its RMS rated output, or close. Heat is less of a factor, and output devices are more stable when they operate at 50% of their capability rather than being maxed out. Again, this isn't a huge issue with truly good quality amps. They are usually designed with this idea in mind. For example, Linear Power amps that are rated to produce 50x2 into 4 ohms can dissipate 500 watts in the output devices. So there's a built in safety net. But very average amps, which are the amps MOST users buy, do not have this luxury, and amp stability is a huge issue even before the amp overheats and goes into protect mode. People tend to think that if their amp doesn't go into protect, it's fine. But those output devices can overheat and become unstable and produce much distortion well before protect mode. I'm sure people have noticed their system sounds different from time to time after they run it really hard for a while. It sounds ragged and edgy and harsh. There's a reason for that. Instability. It varies greatly, mostly based on the build quality of the amp. Some may think they are getting a bargain when they can buy Brand X amp for $75, as opposed to buying a "seemingly similar" Brand A for $500, when actually, for someone who really is particular about their listening, the $500 may be a MUCH better deal. If used properly, quality gear can last for MANY years. Low dollar, budget gear is the foundation for "problem" systems. Everyone either knows someone who has one of those problem systems, or has had one themselves. Some part of the system is on the fritz all the time. To me, I'd much rather buy one high quality amp than a succession of budget amps that aren't worth the cost of the heat sink they're mounted in. Everything is relative. We're all different in how much we value quality vs. cost. So we all have to get what fills the bill for our tastes and budget.