Class D 4 channel amp needed - whats good?

[Bigbore500r]

Fried my trusty old 4 channel amp this weekend, after years of overheating abuse. Looking to replace it with a good 4 channel Class D amp that runs cool and draws less power. Amp will be powering 4 kicker 6.5" full range component speakers, 4 ohm load. Amps are mounted under back seat, i have fans and a vent hole to cool them off but the Class A / B style amps get hot and eventually start clipping. Will Class D solve that? My current mono sub amp is Class D and it runs cool in the same space.

Whats a decent amp that doesnt kill the bank? Saw the JL Audio MHD/600-4 but its $850.00 !! Looking to stay under $300 if possible

 

[Bigbore500r]

Was looking at this guy

https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_127805_Kicker-KXA400.4-44KXA4004.html

 

[Boat 405]

I like my JL audio M700. I picked it up on amazon for $500. It's a 5 channel. It will run 4 full range speakers and 1 sub in 4 ohm load. Or you can run 8 full range speakers in 2ohm load and 2 subs in 2 ohm load. It's a great amp.

 

[Bigbore500r]

And this guy

https://www.amazon.com/Rockford-Fos...pID=51x1P1Mnh6L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Alpine PDX-V6 4 channel, 600 watt RMS total, 150 per channel. They are about $450 though.

If you don’t need that much power that RF amp you noted will probably work just fine, it is 75 RMS per channel.

I’ve had 0 issues with my class D 5 channel PDX-V9 Alpine.
The old RF amp I had would overheat and turn off occasionally. It was class A/B.

I don’t know what your current sub situation is, but you gain some efficiency with a 5 channel amp, as opposed to running 2 amps.

The PDX-V9 I have is $450 too. 400 watts for channels 1-4 and 500 watts for the sub.

 

[RCDave]

Alpine pdx would also be my choice

 

[Bigbore500r]

I can tell you this....when the amp takes a shit, drunk chicks on the boat get pissed! Nothing kills a party like turning off the stereo...i was about to get beat up

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

I can tell you this....when the amp takes a shit, drunk chicks on the boat get pissed! Nothing kills a party like turning off the stereo...i was about to get beat up

I’ve been there Kemosabe.

 

[fishing fool]

I think Kicker is sponcer here.....

Anyway I would say kicker

 

[bradscott48]

Following... my buddy tells me I can’t or don’t want to run my 4 6.5’s and 1 10”sub on a single amp. I asked what about a class d and he said no.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[RCDave]

As long as its a 5 channel and with a dedicated sub amp channel, it should be fine.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Following... my buddy tells me I can’t or don’t want to run my 4 6.5’s and 1 10”sub on a single amp. I asked what about a class d and he said no.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That is the perfect setup for a 5 channel amp.

I run (8) 6x9s and (1) 10 inch sub off mine. It runs it like a boss.

 

[ka0tyk]

the alpine pdx digital amps are beasts.

 

[was thatguy]

You didn’t say how much power you want to the components.
But I am a kicker fan, and have used the kicker 400, 600, and 800 4ch amps in all manner of configuration with great success.
I had an 800 driving Focal components at 4 Ohm on Ch.1-2, and ran Ch.3-4 bridged mono driving a pair of DVC 10” Comp VR’s.

That amp was mounted in the cargo tray in the back of a Durango with the heat sink removed for it to fit and it never once overheated even in a confined space with no auxiliary cooling. (That system also won 2 SQ competition’s)
Arguing brands is a moot point with stereo stuff. I personally have no use for alpine stuff. Never have.
Obviously when money is not an issue the JL digital stuff is hard to beat.
But with the budget you suggest the Kicker is easily the choice for me.
If not that, then a Fosgate (power series) on clearance would be the choice.

Check “online car stereo.com”.

 

[Bigbore500r]

You didn’t say how much power you want to the components.
But I am a kicker fan, and have used the kicker 400, 600, and 800 4ch amps in all manner of configuration with great success.
I had an 800 driving Focal components at 4 Ohm on Ch.1-2, and ran Ch.3-4 bridged mono driving a pair of DVC 10” Comp VR’s.

That amp was mounted in the cargo tray in the back of a Durango with the heat sink removed for it to fit and it never once overheated even in a confined space with no auxiliary cooling. (That system also won 2 SQ competition’s)
Arguing brands is a moot point with stereo stuff. I personally have no use for alpine stuff. Never have.
Obviously when money is not an issue the JL digital stuff is hard to beat.
But with the budget you suggest the Kicker is easily the choice for me.
If not that, then a Fosgate (power series) on clearance would be the choice.

Check “online car stereo.com”.

I believe i'm running 4 of these babies - 2 front, 2 rear
75 watts RMS, 225 peak.
https://www.crutchfield.com/S-iKvl1O8u6lO/p_2066KM6252/Kicker-KM625-2.html

 

[fishing fool]

https://www.kicker.com/kxma4004-4-channel-stereo-marine-amplifier

 

[was thatguy]

That kicker amp is a little cheaper here

Personally, I’d go up in power to a 600.4, but I don’t see any on that site. This kicker will get the job done however.
http://www.onlinecarstereo.com/CarAudio/r_48044_Kicker_44KXMA4004.aspx#write_review

 

[Wakebrdr94]

Go with Exile and never look back. I have a total of 12 speakers and A sub, all being pushed by two amps, and never once have had a problem with overheating. I’ve used Exile in my last 4 boats and they are awesome.

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Go digital like the Alpine PDX like stated before. The digitals produce almost zero heat and automatically adjust for the ohm rating of your speakers (at least the original PDX amps did).

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[fishing fool]

Let me add something about the kicker amps.
You can run them at 2ohms and it will still play in Havasu.

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Let me add something about the kicker amps.
You can run them at 2ohms and it will still play in Havasu.

I do the same on my Alpine.

 

[glamis0812]

Following... my buddy tells me I can’t or don’t want to run my 4 6.5’s and 1 10”sub on a single amp. I asked what about a class d and he said no.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would stop asking your buddy audio questions because the system you mentioned is perfect for a 5 channel class D amp.

 

[was thatguy]

Let me add something about the kicker amps.
You can run them at 2ohms and it will still play in Havasu.

Yep 2ohm stereo.

I actually ran a 400 with 3-4 bridged at 2 ohm mono just to see if I could.
It ran that way on the bench for a while with 2 10” davinci’s and never popped.
I wouldn’t try it in a vehicle though...

 

[Pesky Varmint]

I can tell you this....when the amp takes a shit, drunk chicks on the boat get pissed! Nothing kills a party like turning off the stereo...i was about to get beat up

Kind of like the chicks can't usually tell how fast the boat is going. But they sure can tell when it's broken.

 

[Pesky Varmint]

Go digital like the Alpine PDX like stated before. The digitals produce almost zero heat and automatically adjust for the ohm rating of your speakers (at least the original PDX amps did).

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Adjusts what? (spoiler alert: I'm an engineer at a major semiconductor company who designs class D amplifiers)

 

[Bpracing1127]

Adjusts what? (spoiler alert: I'm an engineer at a major semiconductor company who designs class D amplifiers)

Do you work for qsc?

 

[Flying_Lavey]

Adjusts what? (spoiler alert: I'm an engineer at a major semiconductor company who designs class D amplifiers)

Adjusts in the regard that it puts out X amount of amps weather the load be 2 ohm or 4 ohm.

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[RCDave]

On my Alpine pdx amp, the specs for output are the same at with 2 or 4 ohm loads

• Per channel into 4 Ohms: (@14.4V Ƈ%THD+N) 150W x 4
• Per channel into 2 Ohms: (@14.4V Ƈ%THD+N) 150W x 4
• Bridged 4 Ohms: Bridged 4 I?: 300W x 2 (Ƈ% THD+N)

 

[02HoWaRd26]

INlike brand to brand id look at kicker if you have all kicker. Also with boats you always want to keep Marine amps at 4ohm from what I’ve learned and have enough power that you don’t have to turn the amp beyond the 50-65% range on the gain.

 

[was thatguy]

Adjusts in the regard that it puts out X amount of amps weather the load be 2 ohm or 4 ohm.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

On my Alpine pdx amp, the specs for output are the same at with 2 or 4 ohm loads

• Per channel into 4 Ohms: (@14.4V Ƈ%THD+N) 150W x 4
• Per channel into 2 Ohms: (@14.4V Ƈ%THD+N) 150W x 4
• Bridged 4 Ohms: Bridged 4 I?: 300W x 2 (Ƈ% THD+N)

Well...that sucks!

 

[was thatguy]

INlike brand to brand id look at kicker if you have all kicker. Also with boats you always want to keep Marine amps at 4ohm from what I’ve learned and have enough power that you don’t have to turn the amp beyond the 50-65% range on the gain.

Gain is more a function of synchronizing input line voltage from source to amp.

 

[BBYSTWY]

Being I haven't seen them mentioned yet and I'm a little biased as I'm a dealer...I like and have used Memphis audio products....installed several marine stereos and never had a single failure or problem in over 8 years...like someone said its all in the installation..if you take an amp designed to run at 4 or 8 ohm, run it at 2 in the desert, I wouldn't expect too much out of it regardless of brand...but that's just my .02

Stewart

 

[COCA COLA COWBOY]

Go on offer up and buy a good used amp. Kicker is absolute crap. You want the best, get a McIntosh. You want clean and lots of power, go Zapco. You can also just get your trusty amp fixed for probably $80 or less. I've had a bunch of JL amps fixed over and over.

Most of the old trust big names are all junk now. MB Quart used to be amazing speakers, but are now Chinese trash.

 

[Headless hula]

Fried my trusty old 4 channel amp this weekend, after years of overheating abuse. Looking to replace it with a good 4 channel Class D amp that runs cool and draws less power. Amp will be powering 4 kicker 6.5" full range component speakers, 4 ohm load. Amps are mounted under back seat, i have fans and a vent hole to cool them off but the Class A / B style amps get hot and eventually start clipping. Will Class D solve that? My current mono sub amp is Class D and it runs cool in the same space.

Whats a decent amp that doesnt kill the bank? Saw the JL Audio MHD/600-4 but its $850.00 !! Looking to stay under $300 if possible

Buy the JL....
Been there done that.

The juice is worth the squeeze.

 

[Headless hula]

I've got a jl mm100 running a 600/6, and a Kenwood 600 monoblock.

I have 6 JL 7.7'S, and 2 shitbox clarion subs..

It'll melt your face... I

The JL speakers and amps are worth EVERY penny.