Kicker KX600.1 or JBL BP600.1
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New member Username: Minime80Post Number: 1 Registered: Feb-05 | Both of these amps seem pretty similar and underrated. Does anybody see a big advantage of going with one over the other. I'm leaning towards the kicker at the moment just because it retails higher and I can get them both at the same price (I know that's a bad thing to judge by, but that's why I'm asking here). |
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New member Username: Minime80Post Number: 2 Registered: Feb-05 | Oops! https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/car-audio/12315.html Looks like somebody asked this same question a year ago. Even looks like the guy is using the same sub I'm looking to get. Well, the two replies there went with the kicker as well, anyone else care to weigh in? |
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Gold Member Username: Jonathan_fGA USA Post Number: 3382 Registered: May-04 | Kicker, better build quality. Overall a better amp IMO. |
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Gold Member Username: CarguyPost Number: 1641 Registered: Nov-04 | Between those 2, I agree with Jonathan. However, you could spend around the same and get a better amp. PPI's PC or PCX series. They are US made too. |
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New member Username: Minime80Post Number: 7 Registered: Feb-05 | Yeah, those look nice, but I'm looking for a class D amp and I like the S/N ratio on the kicker a lot better than the PPI DCX's. |
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New member Username: Minime80Post Number: 8 Registered: Feb-05 | Oh, and another quick question. Am I going to need a cap for just 1 400W 12" sub or should the car ('92 BMW 325is) be able to handle that? |
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Gold Member Username: CarguyPost Number: 1644 Registered: Nov-04 | You'll know after it's installed. Judging by the car's year, I'm guessing it won't have enough juice to power 600w rms amp. The amp I mentioned was not DCX, but PC and PCX. IMO, it's better than Kicker/JBL. |
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nick_sq Unregistered guest | "Oh, and another quick question. Am I going to need a cap for just 1 400W 12" sub or should the car ('92 BMW 325is) be able to handle that?" itll handle it fine......1 cap per 1000 watts basically |
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New member Username: Minime80Post Number: 9 Registered: Feb-05 | Isaac, I know you said the PC/X series, and I agree that they are better than the kicker. My only problem with them is that they're not Class D amps, and that's really what I'm looking for because they are much more efficient than other types of amps (~90% compared to ~60% for a class A/B) which means they use less juice for the same output (I already fried one alternator with my last setup so I'm trying to be careful... hence the cap question) Now, looking at the PCX-1250 I like the spec's... anyone know how efficient it is compared to a class D? |
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Gold Member Username: CarguyPost Number: 1656 Registered: Nov-04 | Nick, that Kicker amp is NOT 90% efficient. Trust me, no class D is. The most they'll come to is 80% and that was from US Amps. Kicker will probably be around 60%-70%. Right now on eBay, there's PPI's PC series amp that's 800w rms. It is a much better amp than Kicker. The amp might be 40%-50% effiecient. It is not that far off. You will get better sound quality from PPI's amp than Kicker's class D. I've checked them out. |
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New member Username: Minime80Post Number: 10 Registered: Feb-05 | Okay, so if I got the PCX-1250 instead, do you think I would still be okay power wise (meaning I might need to get a cap, but no alternator upgrades or anything) |
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Gold Member Username: James1115Wilton, Ct Post Number: 1364 Registered: Dec-04 | if you are not going to upgrade your electrical system then a cap is just going to put more strain on it. Stay away from caps. |
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Bronze Member Username: Minime80Post Number: 11 Registered: Feb-05 | So you're saying I should invest in an alternator? Looked around online and I can get a 140A alt. for about the same price as the caps I was looking at. |
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Bronze Member Username: Sparkey2027Barnstaple, England England Post Number: 75 Registered: Dec-04 | a capacitor doesnt put more strain on your system. its their to take stain off your system. get a small capacitor like a .5 or 1 farad. if u stick a bigger alternator on it. then ur engine will have to work harder to power it. just try runnin it with no extras, and if ur headlights start dimmin u will know its time to sort sommet out. |
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Bronze Member Username: Minime80Post Number: 13 Registered: Feb-05 | Yeah, that's what I was planning on doing anyways. I was just curious which would be a better route to take (alternator, or capacitor). On the subject of the engine having to work harder, I don't have any problem with that (not like I race the thing). |
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Bronze Member Username: Sparkey2027Barnstaple, England England Post Number: 77 Registered: Dec-04 | nah its just ull pay more for petrol. |
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Gold Member Username: James1115Wilton, Ct Post Number: 1376 Registered: Dec-04 | Hey Josh where do you get your Info? If you put a cap on a electrical system that is already straining it will strain it more. It is one more thing that is pulling power. A cap only works in small bursts and then it need to be re-charged. If you were to get a .5 fared cap as Josh would say it would only hurt your electrical more. Please dont listen to him you will bennefit much much more from that alternator upgrade and anyone who know s what they are talking about will tell you the same thing. If you dont believe me ask Isaac I am sure he will be more then happy to tell you. |
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Bronze Member Username: Minime80Post Number: 15 Registered: Feb-05 | You guys are both right. Capacitors can either add more strain to the system, or take strain off... it just depends on if you're over what the alternator can put out or not. If you only need that extra burst of energy for those big hits, but you're otherwise under the alternator's limit then you should be looking into a cap. If, on the otherhand, your system is consistently going over the alternator's limit and drawing reserves from the battery then it would be pointless to get a cap because it will just act like an extra small battery that will take you a few seconds to drain and it's done and that person needs a bigger alternator. So, moving on... is this a good way to test for what, if anything, I will need. 1) Install system 2) Turn on car with headlights, fogger, AC/Heat, and system 3) Put a Voltmeter over the terminals on the batt 4) If it stays under 14.4v for most of the time get an alternator, if it can hold 14.4v except for the big hits get a cap. |
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Bronze Member Username: Sparkey2027Barnstaple, England England Post Number: 78 Registered: Dec-04 | james it is time u took a course in electronics. cus u dont know fu@K all. ive been studyin electronics for 3 years. a capacitor doesnt put more strain on a system. i even tlked to my head of department. (he thinks ur a tit and u dont have a clue.) come back when u actually know something. u sound like a salesman tryin to sell as much as you can. my dog know more about car audio than u do. |
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Anonymous | umm. yea james. i think ull find tht josh is right on this one. capacitors. have certain characteristics which help car audio. they dont put strain on circuits, they take it away. i shld know ive been workin as an electrical engineer for 15 yrs. capacitors just store the waste energy that the alternator creates. and when the sub needs tht energy the capacitor discharges. it makes a system more efficent. |
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Gold Member Username: InvainMichigan United States Post Number: 1162 Registered: Aug-04 | Actually, your both wrong, and James is right. If your electrical system is already straining to keep up with your amperage demands, then adding a capacitor is one more thing the alternator is going to have to charge. Yes, it may seem like it's better for a while, but eventually you are going to drain your battery and possibly kill your alternator. Capacitors don't just store waste energy, there isn't any waste energy to begin with, which is the whole reason the system is straining. The only real fix to the problem is to get an Alternator that produces a higher amperage. Yes, even with a large alternator, there can still be spikes and little strains at certain times when your amps need lots of power quickly. This is what a capacitor is for. The cap. can supply the power to your amp quicker in times of high draw, which smooths out the voltage rails. |
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Bronze Member Username: Minime80Post Number: 21 Registered: Feb-05 | Well, we can all stop bickering now... I just found a 140 Amp alternator at a German Auto Salvage yard for $75!  |
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Gold Member Username: InvainMichigan United States Post Number: 1166 Registered: Aug-04 | Well, if it fits your car then your making the right decision. |
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Gold Member Username: James1115Wilton, Ct Post Number: 1456 Registered: Dec-04 | thanks Joe! yeah Nick go with it man. But dont listen to me I am just a salesman I guess. OK new alternator $75 new cap over $100 yeah I am really trying to sell something here. Hey dumb as$ what the hell do I have to lose if he gets a cap or an alternator I am just trying to give the correct advice. Go back to your petty electronics 101! |
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Bronze Member Username: Minime80Post Number: 24 Registered: Feb-05 | I might still put a cap in it (just for sh!t's and giggles) now that I know the system can handle it. |
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Gold Member Username: James1115Wilton, Ct Post Number: 1501 Registered: Dec-04 | well whatever floats you boat Nick! |
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