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MrRline2010
02-11-2010, 06:57 AM
Looking for some general info on what kind of amp I should go with.

Got two jl 10w3v3's(I think) and I believe they are running at 2ohms (single voice coil)
Currently running a jl a1400 monoblock 500 watts rms
if it matters 8 guage from amp to subs and 2 guage from battery to amp and setup is unbridged
Regular honda civic battery, no big 3 upgrade, no cap

According to Jl's website it says I should try and find something in the 300-500 watt rms range per subwoofer.

here's where my question comes in. The rms range of the amp is that split in two so right now I have 500 watts rms and divided by 2 = 250 watts or is it supposed to be 500 watts rms per channel?

Also how do I tell the rating's of some amplifiers. I know that some companies over rate their amps like sony for instance who has an 800 watt amp that pushes like a 300 watt.

Also on my next amp i'd like something that I can run my mids into as well should I be looking at more wattage for something like this?

Finally what brands are good to stick with. I like jl's power wise, but I dont like the alan key setup, and the price is kindda crazy at almost a dollar or more a watt. I was also considering the 1000/1 amp posted in the car and audio classified section on here, but i'm wondering if it might be too much and too much for a civic battery.

MrRline2010
02-11-2010, 05:10 PM
common nobody here knowz audio?

bumpstick
02-11-2010, 05:55 PM
Looking for some general info on what kind of amp I should go with.

Got two jl 10w3v3's(I think) and I believe they are running at 2ohms (single voice coil)
Currently running a jl a1400 monoblock 500 watts rms
if it matters 8 guage from amp to subs and 2 guage from battery to amp and setup is unbridged
Regular honda civic battery, no big 3 upgrade, no cap

According to Jl's website it says I should try and find something in the 300-500 watt rms range per subwoofer.

here's where my question comes in. The rms range of the amp is that split in two so right now I have 500 watts rms and divided by 2 = 250 watts or is it supposed to be 500 watts rms per channel?
2 subs, 500 watts total, 250 to each. Optimally yes you want 500 watts per sub, meaning either a 1000 watt amp or two 500 watt amps

Also how do I tell the rating's of some amplifiers. I know that some companies over rate their amps like sony for instance who has an 800 watt amp that pushes like a 300 watt.
most companies use CEA ratings now, which were standardized a few years back. But to calculate output, multiply the current draw (or the rating of the fuse on the amp, not on your power wire) by the voltage it will see. it's not exact though because no amp is 100% efficient, but that should give you an idea of the maximum power output

Also on my next amp i'd like something that I can run my mids into as well should I be looking at more wattage for something like this?
IMO stick with seperate amps for subs/mids/etc.

Finally what brands are good to stick with. I like jl's power wise, but I dont like the alan key setup, and the price is kindda crazy at almost a dollar or more a watt. I was also considering the 1000/1 amp posted in the car and audio classified section on here, but i'm wondering if it might be too much and too much for a civic battery.
I've always been partial to Arc Audio, but there are lots of good brands. PowerBass, US Amps, McIntosh (if you got the cash).

yeah

dobslob
02-11-2010, 11:03 PM
The 10W3V3s will be great with about 250 to 300 watts a sub. They can handle more, but that is their optimum range. I have done a ton of systems with a pair of 10W3V3s and a 500/1 and it is a great combination. The 1000/1 is a great amplifier, but it is really overkill for those subs. Don't get me wrong, you can never have too much power, but it takes a lot more to run a bigger amp like the 1000/1, so if you aren't ready to upgrade your electrical system, it is best to stick to something more reasonable.

You can definitely run the whole system off of one amp, but to get the most out of your system, make sure to get an amplifier that is really designed to do the job properly. Sticking with JL I would suggest an HD900/5. Another great choice would be my favorite amp of all time, the Audison LRX5.1K. Both have designated sub channels as well as full range channels and both use very good built in crossovers.

MrRline2010
02-12-2010, 06:17 AM
ok but with a bigger amp will I have to upgrade my battery or add another battery on. That's my main concern I can already dim the headlights a bit with the setup I have now and i'm trying to avoid this. I was also considering upgrading my big 3, but i'm not sure how much this would actually help if i'm planning to go bigger. This system is basically just for tunes it's not competition or anything fancy like that I just wanna make sure i'm running the right stuff without getting into upgraded alternators and crap like that.

dobslob
02-12-2010, 10:00 AM
An upgraded alternator is the best direction. A battery is a load on an alternator, so a bigger battery is a bigger load. If your headlights already dim, a bigger battery won't be of much assistance. A battery is really only there for when the car is not running, mainly for starting the engine, after that its only real function is to filter the AC ripple an alternator puts out. A bigger battery will help, if you spend much time listening with the car off, but keep in mind that it will also require more from the alternator.

Sound=vibration
02-12-2010, 12:19 PM
X2 on the alternator there are a lot of great companies that do high output alternators. Should be hard to find one for a honda. Most deffinatly upgrage the big three and get a decent battery and stay away from capsacitors. Make sure all grounds are secure and on bare metal it will help a lot when it comes to you electrical.

MrRline2010
02-12-2010, 04:04 PM
already made sure my grounds were solid into the metal. I even made sure I sanded all the oem paint off the area I put in my ground so i got a good solid one. Like I said ill probably upgrade the big three. Do you all have any recommendations should I decide to go with a bigger alternator.

i30stmi
02-12-2010, 05:03 PM
They're not cheap, but go with Ohio Generator for the alternator. You'll have to call to order it and they usually don't give prices up front. I'm a big fan of yellow top Optima batteries as well.

If you have any audio questions, don't hesitate to PM me.

dobslob
02-12-2010, 11:53 PM
Ohio Generator are my favorite for alternators, Tom and Gus really know their business. I have only had one issue with well over 100 of their alternators installed, and that was handled as soon as UPS would allow.

The Optima yellow top is probably one of the worst options for a battery. It was designed for use in demo vehicles where power supplies would keep a charge voltage higher than a typical vehicle.

MrRline2010
02-13-2010, 01:26 AM
Is ohio gen the only option someone on 7th gen honda picked up one from them but at 550 for an altenator that's a hell of an investment that's half a kpro for tunes

dobslob
02-13-2010, 02:44 PM
They are not the only option, but they are the best. Any other even halfway decent option is going to be pretty close in price. There used to be one better option, but they went out of business. Critical Mass made custom alternators back in the early 90s. I bought a 300 amp amp unit for my 92 Si for just over $1000. as a dealer. They were outstanding, but sold very few and went out of business.

I find it interesting, a lot of people have the same reaction when it comes to swapping out a high output alternator to power their new system. No problem buying a $1000 amplifier, but hesitant to spend the money it takes to actually utilize it. It is a chunk of money, but if you really want good sound, do it right. It will be worth it.

MeanMachine22
09-01-2010, 12:22 AM
dude just get 2 pioneer champion subwoofers and a 2 channel boss amp 4000 watts and ur good to go

DarkTinman
09-01-2010, 10:18 PM
Your running a JL mono block amp and your dimming headlights!?

I'm running a 1800 watt kenwood amp and I'm not dimming. Even with my 1000 watt i wasn't dimming either.

Jl sucks. If you want to get serious about car audio, send me a PM. If not i would say don't get JL because they suck. If your looking for something cheap but loud and reliable, look for kenwood. Honestly.