Need some Audio advice, brands? 5ch amp worth it?

[Scott@Hightech]

Hey guys, I acquired up a 02 explorer beater for free, Trying to make the thing pleasing to drive and started upgrading the stereo. It wasn't bad as it has a Bluetooth head unit already and had a factory sub that sounded decent. I want to upgrade the door speakers and run them off of an amp. I also already installed a kicker comp8 4ohm sub in the factory box which is 150w rms/200 max. its running off the factory amp for now but needs more juice.

So here is my question, and im asking you guys because, well the 4runnner guys tend to not buy the cheapest crap out there, What are the good brands nowadays? 10 years ago when I was into the audio scene JL was top of the line but over the top pricing. other name brands were good but also way expensive, and then you have the lanzar/pyle crap. But I know there were much less well known brands that were just as good if not better than the premium brands. And that's what I want, excellent SQ without spending 2k. but if I have to buy JL then I will.

2nd question. Are 5 ch amps worth the convenience? in other words, Am going to sacrifice a ton of sound quality and output just to only have to run 1 amp. Space isn't an issue as I don't have a 3rd row so there is tons of under floor storage.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[cpark_12]

I like the idea of a 5 channel amp. I've never run one, but my cousin has a JL 5 channel in his old 440 and it sounds great! I guess it depends on the power of the amp.

5 Channel Amplifiers | Five Channel Car Amps

The NVX line that sonic carries is great! I have all the speakers in my wife's MINI replaced with them and a NVX 4 channel amp and I'd put it up against any JL, Infinity, RF, JBL, or any other known manufacturer.

 

[tigger]

I run the Alpine PDX series in my Honda. 400.4 4 channel amp (100x4) and a 600.1 (600x1) mono amp.

In the 4Runner I have the PDR series (75 watts RMS x 4 at 4 ohms + 350 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms)
I am very impressed with the PDR. While not nearly at the power level of the PDX series, it was half the price and puts out very good sound.
Had no problem running my Boston 6.5 Pros along with an Apline 10" type R DVC sub

 

[paraordnance]

Hertz makes very good sounding amps, and if you buy them on sale they can be 1/2 price of JL audio with virtually same sound quality. HCP5D or if you have more cash HDP5 are good choices with great reviews

 

[riceandpho]

i prefer multiple amps, usually upgrades and more power is the key. how often will you upgrade?

 

[paraordnance]

i prefer multiple amps, usually upgrades and more power is the key. how often will you upgrade?

I agree, multiple amps offer more flexibility and easier to hide. Most 5 chanel amps are huge, would be hard to fit under seat for example. I have 2 tiny (8x9") gigital amps under each seat. Also most 5 channel amps have really weak subwoofer section. Like 250 watt rms at most, more like 150-200.

 

[Ohhh S.k. CFPB]

honestly it depends on what 5 chan amp you get, i personally love the alpine pdx-v9. it the power numbers are decent and its in super small package. you get 4x100w and 1x500 rms both at 2 or 4 ohms if your amp is getting the rated 14.4v. but having a mono and 4 chan is best

 

[Rhoov1]

Check out Phoenix Gold! Great line great pricing and great warranty. I currently run the PG Ti 5 channel that provides over 150 watts RMS to each of my door speakers and over 900 watts RMS to my subs. A little pricy for the average consumer at $899.99 but well worth it! My wife runs their SX 5 channel in her Lexus and is putting out over 125 watts RMS to each of her highs and over 400 watts RMS to her subs. Small package and much more affordable at $529.99. They are only sold by authorized retailers and not online! 1 year warranty out the door, 2 year warranty installed by authorized dealer and 3 years installed by dealer using special Stinger amp wire kit or select Stinger amp wire products. I have been a dealer for a couple years now and love their products.

My Ti under drivers seat, 97 4Runner SR5.

 

[Scott@Hightech]

Ive decided to go separate amps for the time being. im going to amp the current door speakers and later on replace them with components, and the sub is just the stock box with a 8"kicker. that will eventually get upgraded as well and I will then need more power. Thanks for the advice fellas. Gotta save for a supercharger so the less I spend on audio means Ill be closer to 400hp

 

[wmiranda]

Not really sure why people are saying that 2 things are easier to hide than one thing.. I have a JL Audio HD 900/5... 100x4 and 500x1... and those are RMS numbers out of an amp that's a bit smaller than a sheet of paper and less than 2" tall.

Also,.. do NOT get pulled into the hype concerning numbers and sound,.. there have been lab tests showing that all amps of similar stats and quality sound the same... No matter the price! People say that things are clearer with this amp.. that the bass is better with that brand... it's all BS. You are putting components into one of the WORST possible sound-stages... a car. A car with reflections, refraction and diffraction... and that's at a standstill! Buy something that is cheap.. but still of decent quality.. with enough power to overcome of the the limitations of having speakers in a car (ie; more power = more stable sound for highs and bass)... have adequate power to all your components (good battery-you do NOT need a stiffening capacitor until you hit competition level power and systems)... definitely make sure all your wiring is routed properly and grounded properly and your system will sound as good as the guy who spent 1000s on his components.

I spend $$ putting my system together with a fair amount of power only because that system is in my convertible sports car... what a Horrible mess those are for any kind of sound so... for me, it's got to be loud and clear!

As far as the 4runner?... Kenwood and Jensen.. sound deadening materials in the back and doors... and it sounds great.

Good luck putting your system together.. I think just picking the stuff out is part of the fun.

Bill

 

[Rhoov1]

Bill,
You are correct on the fact that the automobile is the worst possible stage for a good system, with carpet, plastic, glass and metal surfaces that can really mess with sound.
But there is a huge difference between amps and speakers in the way of quality and sound. Just listening to 4 completely different brand 6.5" coaxial speakers on my display board and a vast difference in sound can be heard. Add into that component speakers where the tweeter can be moved to a more optimal location and the difference can be night and day. My Phoenix Gold display contains 3 pairs of components starting at 200 a pair going up to the top of the line Elites at 550 a pair. Which blow most other speakers out of the water. We were also recently auditioning Focal who makes some of the most expensive speakers for the car and could not justify the price for our community. But they sounded incredible! Also all aftermarket speakers have a higher RMS power rating than ANY headunit can put out, so an amplifier is now a given necessity.
Depending on the manufacturer of the amplifier and where in their amp lineup it sits will have a difference in sound. Depending on what components were used in the making of the amp as well as the type of amp ( class A/B or class D or ... ) will have a difference in sound quality as well as the wire used in the install ( proper sized power and ground and not undersized, proper size speaker wire and so fourth. ). Keep in mind that 90% of the amp manufacturers out their over rate their amps. Saying all over the box that it is 1000 watts but when you read the fine print they are more like 250 watts. Some company's like Phoenix Gold actually under rate their amps and give a birth certificate that shows the true power which is tested at the factory and is ALWAYS more than stated on the box.
Yes, if installed correctly, cheap equipment can sound decent but will never compare to a real system. You don't have to spend thousands to get good sound but you do have to listen to stuff to get a sense of if your ears like it or not.

 

[wmiranda]

Bill,
You are correct on the fact that the automobile is the worst possible stage for a good system, with carpet, plastic, glass and metal surfaces that can really mess with sound.
But there is a huge difference between amps and speakers in the way of quality and sound. Just listening to 4 completely different brand 6.5" coaxial speakers on my display board and a vast difference in sound can be heard. Add into that component speakers where the tweeter can be moved to a more optimal location and the difference can be night and day. My Phoenix Gold display contains 3 pairs of components starting at 200 a pair going up to the top of the line Elites at 550 a pair. Which blow most other speakers out of the water. We were also recently auditioning Focal who makes some of the most expensive speakers for the car and could not justify the price for our community. But they sounded incredible! Also all aftermarket speakers have a higher RMS power rating than ANY headunit can put out, so an amplifier is now a given necessity.
Depending on the manufacturer of the amplifier and where in their amp lineup it sits will have a difference in sound. Depending on what components were used in the making of the amp as well as the type of amp ( class A/B or class D or ... ) will have a difference in sound quality as well as the wire used in the install ( proper sized power and ground and not undersized, proper size speaker wire and so fourth. ). Keep in mind that 90% of the amp manufacturers out their over rate their amps. Saying all over the box that it is 1000 watts but when you read the fine print they are more like 250 watts. Some company's like Phoenix Gold actually under rate their amps and give a birth certificate that shows the true power which is tested at the factory and is ALWAYS more than stated on the box.
Yes, if installed correctly, cheap equipment can sound decent but will never compare to a real system. You don't have to spend thousands to get good sound but you do have to listen to stuff to get a sense of if your ears like it or not.

Understood,.. I have Alpine, JL and Focal in my Porsche. Great sound but all in it was $8k. Tuned to the environment and all. Worth it?.. when I'm sitting still and the engine is off,.. fabulous. With wind and engine noise?.. Not really. A sound board is NOT even remotely close to comparison against a car. Like I said,.. sure.. in a LAB environment you will here amazing nuances.. in a car you WILL not.. audiophile magazines have done this comparison in the past and have shown proof that it really does not matter as long as there are similar specs. You can put 20 different manufacturers speakers and amps in an anechoic chamber and run pure sine through them (which is how they are tested, btw) and you can see and hear 20 different variations on the theme but in real life?.. not really.

I have always loved how stereo vendors I've dealt with in the past will sit you in a low noise room that is 180 degrees from where they will actually go and asked me to "sense the difference" in the gear. Duh.

The settings for equalization is another matter that most places do not address.. more power needs to go to different speakers.. speakers need to be tuned (some use a pink noise generator for this) but someone without the wherewithal nor the equipment to do this ie; 95% of buyers?... their equipment will never sound as good as it should. To that end,.. you can take Pioneer and make it sound as good as gear that is 4-5x its price by tuning it to its environment properly.

We actually have the technology to input all sound through a digital environment field where you can simulate the conditions of a car/suv etc. for the customer and then have them make a decision base on a closer approximation of actual sound-field. I believe that if that became wide-spread.. a lot of people would not be spending money on higher end once they realize.. in the end, it doesn't really matter.

Bill

 

[Scott@Hightech]

Well while you guys are here. Can someone put me a theoretical system that will sound good enough while still being budget minded. im ok with the current sony headunit for now for budget reasons. and ive already installed the kicker sub. I would need an amp for the sub, and a speaker amp( unless the old kenwood(~10 yr old) 200w 4ch would work) and the doors are all 6x8. So essentially I probably only need a subamp which I saw a few 200w kicker mono amps on amazon for sub $100, and speakers.

Are components worth the extra money? Or can I get pretty clear sound from 3 way or 2 way speakers running off an amp?