Tomorrow, I am taking the car in to get the factory speakers replaced - they're pretty blown.   I am having 4 Infinity Reference speakers put in.  

My question is this - should I also get a four channel amp installed too?  The guy at Circuit City recommended it.   I've got an Alpine Head Unit with a 10 inch sub in the trunk.

If this is something I should consider, can anyone speak for MTX Amps?  He suggested a MTX model that runs ~300.  

Thanks

Yes, quality speakers need more power to drive them.

Amp(s) do more than make it loud.

MTX is good stuff.

I have Eclipse amps in my car though.

DEFINATELY get an amp. Doesnt have to be a big one, even a good 25 watts per speaker amp (Say 25x4) would do nicely. I'm sure I dont have to tell you, but if you shop online you could probably get it quite a bit cheaper.


Nice choice BTW. I've always liked Infinity. Funny thing is, I've never used them.
But to me they seem to be about as "middle of the road" as you can get. Not too harsh, not too bright, just all around a good mild speaker.

Depends, is the sub amped already?

I sure hope the sub is amplified, if not, I bet you can hardly hear it since it takes about 100 watts to get a sub going good. I also recommend you run the 4 channel amp. Todays head units can put out a fair amount of power for what they are ( about 15 clean watts per channel), but you'll get a noticable increase in volume and clarity using any decent seperate power amp and certainly one with decent out put at least 50 watts per channel.

Here's an interesting thing, most people believe you need a lot more power to your sub woofers than your mids and highs but I disagree unless you like booming rap shit. I have 2 old PPI Art series amps, one A600.2 that puts out 150 watts per channel in stereo and 600 watts bridged mono and an A200 that's 50 watts stereo 200 watts mono. I ran my system following conventional wisdom with the larger amp running my 2 10" JL Audio 10W3's and the smaller one running my MB Quart/Focal front speaker set up. I recently switched the amps around running the larger one on my front speakers and the smaller 200 watt one on the 2 subs. What a difference, the subs sound the same as before even with less power, but the larger amp really woke up the front speakers a lot.

Again, if you like rap shit and like to piss off people with overly loud bass you would like my set up, but if you listen to a variety of different music running a lot of power to your main speakers is the way to go. Don't get my wrong, mine can still pound pretty good if necessary though.

Quoted: Quoted: Tomorrow, I am taking the car in to get the factory speakers replaced - they're pretty blown.   I am having 4 Infinity Reference speakers put in.   My question is this - should I also get a four channel amp installed too?  The guy at Circuit City recommended it.   I've got an Alpine Head Unit with a 10 inch sub in the trunk. If this is something I should consider, can anyone speak for MTX Amps?  He suggested a MTX model that runs ~300.   Thanks Run!  Stay away from the big box retailers. the kid selling you is probably 19 and the installer is only 20. I have been running a stereo shop for 3 years now, I have been in/around the business for 12. If you are running an aftermarket headunit you should be fine with just the new speakers, adding an amplifier will gain you extra power and control. my shop

I'm a little  confused, are you telling him he does or does not need an amplifier?

Of course no one needs an amplifier anymore than someone needs more than a 10 round mag, but we all know we need more than a 10 rounder.

Circuit City is fine if you are only buying the equipment, that's were I got my Alpine head unit, I'm not sure about their installs since I install my own equipment.

Quoted: I sure hope the sub is amplified, if not, I bet you can hardly hear it since it takes about 100 watts to get a sub going good. I also recommend you run the 4 channel amp. Todays head units can put out a fair amount of power for what they are ( about 15 clean watts per channel), but you'll get a noticable increase in volume and clarity using any decent seperate power amp and certainly one with decent out put at least 50 watts per channel. Here's an interesting thing, most people believe you need a lot more power to your sub woofers than your mids and highs but I disagree unless you like booming rap shit. I have 2 old PPI Art series amps, one A600.2 that puts out 150 watts per channel in stereo and 600 watts bridged mono and an A200 that's 50 watts stereo 200 watts mono. I ran my system following conventional wisdom with the larger amp running my 2 10" JL Audio 10W3's and the smaller one running my MB Quart/Focal front speaker set up. I recently switched the amps around running the larger one on my front speakers and the smaller 200 watt one on the 2 subs. What a difference, the subs sound the same as before even with less power, but the larger amp really woke up the front speakers a lot. Again, if you like rap shit and like to piss off people with overly loud bass you would like my set up, but if you listen to a variety of different music running a lot of power to your main speakers is the way to go. Don't get my wrong, mine can still pound pretty good if necessary though.

Lucky bastard.
Those old PPI Art amps are the cats meow in amps.

Quoted: Quoted: I sure hope the sub is amplified, if not, I bet you can hardly hear it since it takes about 100 watts to get a sub going good. I also recommend you run the 4 channel amp. Todays head units can put out a fair amount of power for what they are ( about 15 clean watts per channel), but you'll get a noticable increase in volume and clarity using any decent seperate power amp and certainly one with decent out put at least 50 watts per channel. Here's an interesting thing, most people believe you need a lot more power to your sub woofers than your mids and highs but I disagree unless you like booming rap shit. I have 2 old PPI Art series amps, one A600.2 that puts out 150 watts per channel in stereo and 600 watts bridged mono and an A200 that's 50 watts stereo 200 watts mono. I ran my system following conventional wisdom with the larger amp running my 2 10" JL Audio 10W3's and the smaller one running my MB Quart/Focal front speaker set up. I recently switched the amps around running the larger one on my front speakers and the smaller 200 watt one on the 2 subs. What a difference, the subs sound the same as before even with less power, but the larger amp really woke up the front speakers a lot. Again, if you like rap shit and like to piss off people with overly loud bass you would like my set up, but if you listen to a variety of different music running a lot of power to your main speakers is the way to go. Don't get my wrong, mine can still pound pretty good if necessary though. Lucky bastard. Those old PPI Art amps are the cats meow in amps.

i had 2 PPI 2350's in my truck, pushing 6 JL audio 12w3's. That was a fun truck. I miss it. :/

Thanks for the replies.


Yes, sub is powered - it one of those bass tubes.   I wasn't looking for boom boom, just a little more depth to my music.

This is the amp I was thinking about:

www.circuitcity.com/ssm/MTX-4-Channel-Amplifier-TA3404-/sem/rpsm/oid/118179/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

bigscrun - The system sounded pretty good before the stock speakers gave way.  When they were working, I always felt they lacked depth and highs.   I guess that is what you get with paper cones.    Will the addition of an amp add to the depth/highs being send through the front and rear?

Quoted: Quoted: Thanks for the replies. Yes, sub is powered - it one of those bass tubes.   I wasn't looking for boom boom, just a little more depth to my music. This is the amp I was thinking about: www.circuitcity.com/ssm/MTX-4-Channel-Amplifier-TA3404-/sem/rpsm/oid/118179/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do bigscrun - The system sounded pretty good before the stock speakers gave way.  When they were working, I always felt they lacked depth and highs.   I guess that is what you get with paper cones.    Will the addition of an amp add to the depth/highs being send through the front and rear? You will get a louder sound than you had before. If the new speakers sound good, you will be fine. The amp is going to boost sound and give you some crossover and freqency control thats it.

It will also give better dynamics (Assuming your music isnt the normal compressed shit of today).

Quoted: With an aftermarket headunit and new speakers (coaxials I presume) you will be fine without an amp. With that being said, an amp will make the system louder, not better but louder. If it sounds like shit preampped, it will sound like louder shit after an amp. System design is as important as system install and sales. You don't get proper system design at a big box, nor will you get proper install.

I disagree with that statement. If you take a reference level of say 90dB then yeah, the speaker being driven by a seperate amplifier will sound the same as the speaker being driven by the head unit. In a quiet office for instance and for back ground music a 2 watt amplifier will be sufficient, in a car on the other hand where there is a lot of noise, and considering that many of us like to crank up cool songs that's where the limitations of the head units amplifier will be noticable.

Considering that in almost all cases using the head unit to power the speakers (except for maybe talk radio) the head unit will often run out of steam leaving the listener to try and get more power from the head unit then it can deliver resulting in high distortion levels and compression, that's where the seperate power amp will actually deliver better (less distorted) sound and higher dynamics, at higher levels.  I don't think he'd have a subwoofer if he only listened to talk radio at modest levels.

Is an amp necessary, of course not, but he'll be glad he bought it if he does. You don't need a 30rd magazine in an AR, but it's a lot more fun to shoot than a 10 rounder.

Also, the blanket statement that you can not get proper system design at a big box store is also inaccurate. I'm sure they are capable of installing a 4 channel amp and 4 speakers, there isn't a whole lot of system design going into that. On the other hand, if he wanted a multi-amped, multi-seperate speaker system with a lot of subwoofers then yeah, I probably wouldn't have them do that system. Places like Circuit City and Best Buy don't necessarily have shitty installers that don't know what they are doing, besides they have a reputation to try and uphold.