I need an amp? x-post

I have a '99 Dodge Ram Quad Cab with the Infinity 6 speaker sound system (4 speakers/2 tweeters). The head unit is an AM/FM/CD/CASS 1.5 DIN with steering wheel controls. This system has an amp integrated in each front door speaker. The right front door speaker quit working. I swapped the right and left front door speakers and the problem followed the speaker so the HU or wiring is not my problem. I don't want to lay out $187.00 for a speaker to restore a factory sound system. It's upgrade time. I want to keep the HU, tweeters, and rear speakers and replace the front door speakers with some decent aftermarket ones. I know the factory HU won't drive the system without adding an amp, but I'm clueless about amps. I want to keep the cost reasonable for a clean sound quality at a moderate level. I'll spend the money where I need to, but I don't want to pay extra for a name on the box. New rear speakers and a sub will be added later so expandability is a consideration. Any amp and speaker recommendations?

-- Ken

Reply to
Nosey
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Most any brand 2 to 4 channel amp will do you just find in this application. Stay away from Jensen and other Wal-mart brands. I would not recommend anything that is more then about 50 watts per channel as you are only looking to run your speakers and not a sub. 50 will be clean and powerful enough.

Reply to
azwiley1

Thanks, Larry. I do want to add a sub later. Is 50 watts enough for that? Crutchfield has a MTX Thunder282 70X2 and a Rockford Fosgate Punch 201S

50X2, both are tri-way capable and in my price range. Is 70X2 overkill? I'm not out to win any boom competitions, but I find the factory system is lacking in bass at moderate volume levels so the sub is going to happen in the future.
Reply to
Nosey

No a 50 would not be enough to run all your speakers and a sub too, even in a tri-way set up. You would have to have a second, larger amp to run the sub, or buy a 4 or 5 channel amp to run them all.. I would go with MTX over Fosgate, I (personally) have had a lot of problems with Fosgate, but never a one with my MTX.. The Thunder, bridged would run an 8" or 10" sub with no problem, by itself.

With a 2 channel running your speakers what you will run into is that you will loose either your fade or balance due to how you will have to wire the speakers. A 4 channel will prevent that.. A 5 channel will run the speakers and a sub.

Other brands, Bazooka, Alp>> Most any brand 2 to 4 channel amp will do you just find in this

Reply to
azwiley1

I don't want to lose either the balance or fader so I'm looking at 4 channel amps. I'll add another for the sub later. Is it better to have an amp rated higher than the speakers, or the speakers rated higher than the amp? I can get a 60wX4, 40wX4, or 30wX4 amp, all priced within $50 of each other. Oddly, the cheapest amp (Profile) seems to have better performance specs than the other two (Kenwood). Is Profile any good? I found 2-25 watt rms (Pioneer), and 6-45 watt rms (Kicker) speakers for about the same price that will fit my truck. Would the best combination be the 45 watt speakers with the 40 watt amp? Maybe the 25 watt speakers with the 30 watt amp? Would the cheaper 60 watt amp be too much for either of those speakers? Thanks for all the help so far.

These are the items I'm looking at (Crutchfield comparison pages) Amps:

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Speakers:
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Reply to
Nosey

Nosey, if you are interested, I've got a Soundstream amp I can sell.

It's an MC245 and should be just the ticket for what you are looking

to do. Not going to win any major competitions but will make you think

you're able to. I can dig out the specs if you are interested. Anyone

that knows good amps knows about Soundstream. This one is from

the "old school" original designs from Soundsteam.

Actually, here is a link for the owners manual with all the specs.

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Carolina Watercraft Works

Reply to
azwiley1

Check your e-mail.

-- Ken

Reply to
Nosey

Thanks for the advice.

Reply to
Nosey

The old Soundstream line is one of the better ones out there... Too bad everyone had to "improve" everything.

Reply to
azwiley1

A larger Amp will do nothing to your speakers UNLESS you turn up the volume to where the full output is sent to the speakers for an extended period of time. My experience is that a 45 amp, when maxed out will be so distorted that the sound is awful anyway. That being said, I would rather have a 60 watts amp played a volume pushing 30 watts than a 40 watt amp pushing the same. in a nut shell, larger amp and smaller speakers (capacity, not size) is preferable over the opposite.

-Jerry

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