legendracer

I have a 12'' woofer sitting in my room for 2 years now, from my older car

i just havent had the chance to install it in my 8 because i dont know anything about amplifiers and how to install them.... i go to bestbuy and such and i see all these numbers and ohms which makes no sense to me lol

whats a decent(and economic) amp that will suffice a single 12'' sub?

also how hard is it to install an amp? should i get it done proffesionally?

Tigerfootball

We are going to need a lot more information on what the sub is. What is the brand? What is the Model? How about impedance (ohms)? And also what is the power handling? we can probably help you out with the technical stuff just by the brand and model, but sometimes the other information (ohms, power handling, etc.) can be right on the magnet of the sub itself.

legendracer

its Phoenix Gold

Peak power : 600W
RMS power : 350W
Mag Field: 32mm
Magnet weight : 61oz
Sensitivity : 89dB

hope this can help?

What type of amp would suffice this? how hard is it to install a new amp? can i disconnect the original amp (rear amp) and install the new one?

canaryrx8

iTrader: (3)

Are you just adding a sub to your existing system? If so, there's a ton of info. on the forum on how different people have done it, all you need to do is search around a bit and you'll find a bunch of threads.

It's not that hard adding an amp, there's a little work tapping into the oem system but it's pretty straightforward as well. As I mentioned, just do a search on here, you'll find tons of stuff.

legendracer

im sorry for all these repetitive threads, but im a rx8 newb and audio retard

ive been searching for a while already, and i couldnt find one with simple answers that can help me...if someone can help please post a thread that could answer my questions or just post it up here :D

Thanks!

Colorcode

iTrader: (1)

if you dont kno much about audio then ur probably not gonna want intall it urself.

just go down to best buy or an audio place and ask what they would recomend..

Socket7

I refuse to reccomend anything I've never used.

I've used clarion amps in the past and they worked nicely. Right now, I'm rocking an ArcAudio.

Since not knowing about watts and ohms and polarity can cause you to smoke your hardware, I would recommend going to a reputable car stereo shop (not best buy) and asking them to recommend a setup for you and install it.

A piece of advice. With car audio, you tend to get what you pay for. Though some brands are overpriced, going with the cheapest hardware available will get you the cheapest sound available. So think about it before you buy that $30 amp.

firebirdude

iTrader: (3)

Like others have said, if you don't know what you're doing, take it to a shop. Look to spend at least $200 on the amp and another $100 on wiring. You'll need a box for the subwoofer too. Labor should be under $100.

If they give you a hard time because you have the Bose system, tell them to use their line output converter on the Bose amp's outputs and they'll be fine. Don't let them charge you extra just because "you have the Bose system and it's hard to work with." It's not.

legendracer

well i have stated the subwoofer's specs....

secondly i didnt say il buy a cheap amp, just a decent one that will suffice my subwoofer. In canada, a average amplifier cost 300 at futureshop or bestbuy.

I dont mind finding a shop to install it for me, but i want to know which amp to buy first and then jump to the install

Socket7

According to the sub specs, I'd get a 400 watt RMS 2 channel amp, and run it in bridged mode, assuming the sub has a 4 ohm impedance. If it's a 2 ohm sub,

I'd look for a single channel amp with the same specs, that can handle a 2 ohm load.

I beat on my old clarion amps and they still work fine (My boss is using one in his truck atm)

ArcAudio is stupid expensive gear, but it sounds sublime, and looks very pretty. Since you're on a budget, I'd stay away from Arc.

Any of the major brands like JL, RF, Kicker, Clarion, or infinity will make a satisfactory amp that should give years of trouble free service (Provided you don't do anything sadistic to it).

As a general rule, I boycott Sony products, so no xplod's on my list, and from what I hear on the intertubes, they're pretty crap amps anyways.

legendracer

thanks for the input!

now i gotta look for instructions to install the amp!

firebirdude

iTrader: (3)

I agree with Socket on almost everything he has said. However, if the subwoofer is DUAL 2 ohm, I'd still recommend getting a single channel amp that is 1 ohm stable. Reason being most 1-channel amps are class-D and will save you 10-20amps on your electrical system. Most multi-channel amps are Class AB. Not as efficient.

Just stick with a well known brand and you'll be fine.

nuke0907

iTrader: (2)

click here for tons of info about amps and such. you can learn what all those numbers mean.

Mobile

I 2nd this - plus the amp will be smaller and generate less heat...

Socket7

I've never played with class D amps.

Now I kind of want to.

Time for a second car i guess...

legendracer

lol im learning so much that im starting to get a lil lost... but il look around to try to match these specs

anyone have a link to a basic/simple amp swap thread?

legendracer

Hmm been looking around for a while but i cant seem to find anything right.

Im now planning on maybe getting 2 subs (10 or 12'') with an amp. Can you guys give me suggestions what combination i should go? or what you guys have running in the trunk?