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New member Username: GunslingerPost Number: 1 Registered: May-05 | My head is spinning with all the choices... Can pick up Rockford Fosgate p8004 for less than $400, Hifonics Zeus zx 6400 under $200, Precision Power DCX 600.4 for around 269, or try to find used Zapco for around 300-400. Looking for thoughts on best value, performance, flexibility, and simplicity. Does a fan really help in cooling or is physical design more important? Will be used on a boat under passenger section so water exposure should minimal. Powering 4 speakers, but may later add two more requiring bigger power. Please provide your thoughts and expertise with any sites I should visit for better pricing or substantiated statistics. Thanks- Gunslinger |
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Silver Member Username: JeremycGermany Post Number: 691 Registered: Jun-04 | Zapco is definatly the best amp out of the 4. However you probably don't need the best in your situation. Since it is going in a boat the SQ isn't going to be as important as it would in a enviroment like a car. If I was you I would decide how much you want to spend and go from there. Do you plan on adding another amp if you add the speakers later and so on? Thin about stuff like that and plan from there. I would hate for you to spend more money than you need, but at the same time don't go to cheap and bye something that will go out in a few years or won't work with the expancions you might plan in the future. This is a real good link for someone in your shoes. It breakes down alot of manufactures and the experiances people have had with their stuff. www.caraudiocentral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=32 As for the fan, its more of how hard you are going to push the amp and were it will be mounted. Places like under a seat, yes a fan will help. However you said the speakers are going to be under the passanger section (I am guesing this is pretty open). If that is the case then I don't beleive you really need a fan. |
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New member Username: GunslingerPost Number: 2 Registered: May-05 | JeremyC- Thank you for posting!! There are two standard, stock speakers in the rear and two clarions upfront under the driver/passenger. Next set of speakers would be something like a set of cans or Evid 6.2/4.2 or Infinity 8000 on a yet to be installed tower. Could add another amp at that point or is it better to buy big now and let it drive those as well? The deck is a car stereo w/ roughly 25 watts/ch, but has been cutting out when it reaches 26 on scale of 50 in volume. Thought amp would help. I don't want to get crazy in terms of pricing and will have to get co. like Best Buy or someone to help on install. If you were designing from scratch how would you design it? It's an open field and I'm looking for any and all feedback. Thanks again! I really appreciate your thoughts & anyone else's knowledgable opinion as I don't want to get the tactical right and screw myself for the next part of the project. THX- Gunslinger. |
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Gold Member Username: SubfanaticWalton, Ky Post Number: 3872 Registered: Dec-04 | dude, i have a Rockford Fosgate P6002, that sounds like it would work really well for your boat, but thats just my opinion, but if you can, i raelly like the zapco amps, they are really nice, but as jeremy said, not neede,d but you wont reallty need a fan on a boat unless its sitting outin the sun, but its going under a seat, should be fine |
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New member Username: GunslingerPost Number: 3 Registered: May-05 | Subfan- Thanks for the post. Sounds like you have some knowledge. Don't stop there. Give it to me. If you were designing the system from scratch what would you do and you thought about $300-600 was the limit not counting a new stereo or next set of new speakers? Could the R/F p6002 handle a 3rd set of speakers or would that be another amp? I'm open for any and all configuration suggestions! Thx for your help or anyone else interested and knowledgable! G-Slinger |
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Gold Member Username: SubfanaticWalton, Ky Post Number: 3885 Registered: Dec-04 | well honestly i would stick with all of the same types of speakers, like all infinity references or perfects, but for marine, there are special speakers made i think, but honestly if i had a boat i would put 2 6 by 9 references int he back, 2 6.5s in a tower, and 2 6.5s somewhere else, run thema ll off of the same amp, and that would run me about 500 bucks with the amp, but i am selling my p6002 for 200 plus shipping if you need that amp, its a really nice clean amp |
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Gold Member Username: Jonathan_fGA USA Post Number: 4006 Registered: May-04 | I'd prefer not to have an amp with a fan on a boat as well. Water exposure is always a possibility and I'd rather have an amp as sealed as possible. As far as the amp, it depends on the load the speakers are. Most mobile and marine speakers will be 4 ohm drivers, and most amps will be stable to 2 ohms, meaning that you could wire up no more than two drivers to an amplifier channel. If water exposure isn't an issue, I wouldn't get marine speakers as they sacrifice sound quality for the ability to handle water exposure. If you wanted to run 3 sets of speakers, you'd want an amplifier stable to a 1 ohm load. You could always add another amplifier, that's no problem, or you could buy big now. For the 3 sets of speakers, keep in mind that there are 6 channel amplifiers out there. |
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Gold Member Username: SubfanaticWalton, Ky Post Number: 3892 Registered: Dec-04 | jonathon, what if he got two lower end speaker models, im just saying cause of a 2 channel amp, say they were 100 watts rms each, wire them together and get a 2 ohm load for 200 watts and then get a good pair that is 200 wats rms and run them by themselces, i know this makes no sense lol |
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New member Username: GunslingerPost Number: 5 Registered: May-05 | Jonathan-Great post. If I were to move toward a 6 channel amp is there any problem with not using the two channels for a while until I can get a Tower up with add'l speakers in the coming year? Secondly, I'm not sure I've seen any 6 ch amps out there. Any suggestions on that? Agreed on marine items appear to be inferior quality. Haven't really considered them as it's a fresh water lake. Amps would generally be moved under the passenger area if they can be safely mounted there. Thanks again for your post. G-Slinger |
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Gold Member Username: Jonathan_fGA USA Post Number: 4007 Registered: May-04 | "If I were to move toward a 6 channel amp is there any problem with not using the two channels for a while until I can get a Tower up with add'l speakers in the coming year?" No problems at all. "Secondly, I'm not sure I've seen any 6 ch amps out there. Any suggestions on that?" They are out there, not as common, but out there. How much power are you looking for? Most fall in the 50W RMS x 6 category, but there are some that have more power than that. Just off my head you can look into the Jl Audio e6450, which is 45W RMS x 6, the Zapco Reference 650.6, which is 50x6. Both are underrated and will put out more power. Trying to think of more powerful ones, I know JBL makes one 6 ch, Audison makes some (not going to be uber cheap, though). Trying to go off my head, as I think of others I'll post them, until then you might be able to find some on a Google search. Of course 50W may be enough for what you're powering, I'm not sure. |
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New member Username: GunslingerPost Number: 7 Registered: May-05 | Jonathan-Thanks again so much! I'd appreciate the thoughts so much and look forward to your thoughts or anyone who can help think through the correct way to approach this without butchering or spending money foolishly as I add on. I suspect I'd need to configure it with 1 channel running to each in-boat speaker (4) and bridge the two channels up to the top in the future? I will continue researching the ideas you've put down and keep checking back for others. The names of companies help so I can keep looking at pricing to see if I can keep this reasonable as I know I could spend lots on the wrong set-up and have a mess on my hands. One last question. Do you have any thoughts on how this might draw down a battery? Thank again for your time, thought, and consideration! I really do appreciate it as I learn more from each post. Thx, G-Slinger |