Amp and Power Help

drone184 · July 16, 2016

Hi all,

I have very little experience with pro audio and need some advice. I am currently attempting to build a speaker system that has two 10" subs and two 6"x9" two-way speakers (see links below). I've seen people do similar online and thought I could figure everything out on my own. I already have the subs and mids, and after talking to a friend decided the amp I was getting wouldn't be anywhere close to what I needed to power the system. The speakers are car audio and I'm trying to figure out how to wire them up to AC while being inexpensive (I'm a college student and would like to stay around or under $100 on the amp if possible). Any help is appreciated on what to get and from where.

Subs: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007JV7CRC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

6x9 speakers: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000J1DAAC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Amp I initially got and decided wouldn't work: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007TUSXEY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bombaclot · July 17, 2016

So I'll try to answer this quickly, and then also give some extra info if you'd like.

Simple answer is this car amp, relatively easy and in your budget and RMS needs.

https://www.amazon.com/Rockville-RXA-F2-Channel-Amplifier-Stereo/dp/B019Z3RFK0/ref=sr_1_2?s=car&ie=UTF8&qid=1468726669&sr=1-2&keywords=1200+rms+amp

That amp is "perfect" for your situation and at $109 it's just out of budget, but is stereo and has the right RMS rating and maxes out your wattage if you ever need more speakers or a better set up.

Now for the hard truths. I'll be long winded and this may not apply, but here we go.
RMS wattage is your base need and at 2x Subs at 500 RMS each (1000w RMS) and 2x mid spkrs at 175w RMS per pair that's about 1200w RMS and if you add up their max power you get 2350w RMS.

That amp you originally purchased is 2 channels of 4w so 8w total.

I won't judge and say using a car system in home isn't good like a lot of people say, but I will say that they're meant for tight spaces, and when you use them in open spaces like rooms or home theaters, you may not get the desired results. I generally try to recommend powered monitors for music use or home theater systems which are right around the same prices.

The reason I chose that one above that is out of your price range is simple. If you go with something cheaper, you'll notice a lot of them are MONO signals which means the same source is coming out of the left and right sides. In home use where you're watching a movie or listening to modern stereo music (compared to oldschool mono recordings) will benefit from stereo amps.

In closing I'll say that it's definitely fine going with a car stereo in home depending on the usage.
But also I wouldn't cheap out on the amp as that is what will be driving your signal and speakers and too little can harm the speakers and cheap amps even at the right ratings can over exert the cone and hurt them in the long run. I apologize for how long winded this was, but I wanted to make sure you had all the info to be informed on your purchase and for future purchases as well.