Best 2k-2.5k Amps - 2 JL 1000/1's or RF T2500-1bdCP

[DaVibe 1]

I always hate these "either-or" scenarios but I'd like some ideas for 2,000 to just below 3,000rms.

I'd like to run 2 10" SSA ICON's which run at 1250rms a piece ...

The amplifier needs to run at 1ohm or above, not below.

I have 2 JL 1000/1's I can run. Takes up a lot of room to run 2 but I know it will be stable power at 2,000rms.

100A Fuse Per Amplifier.

To make things look nice, I'm considering selling the 2 amplifiers to buy a Rockford T2500-1bdCP - 2,500rms.

300A Fuse

I just want someone to agree with me and say yes, you're nuts and go for it.

OR

Someone to say "No, don't do that, you have amazing amps already, RF is downgrading" etc etc ...

It's hard to find this information online when you're not comparing 2 equals ...

I'm looking at stats and specs like a deer in the headlights so ... a little help is appreciated.

Edited February 25, 2012 by DaVibe

[Shogen 325]

BIG QUESTION... are you porting the enclosure???

[DaVibe 1]

BIG QUESTION... are you porting the enclosure???

That much power, you don't think I'd be? Hahaha

Yeah, it's ported.

I just went for 10's just because ... I listen to a lot of different music, wanted to hear it on 10's for a change. That's all.

Ported. A big friggin' port.

[snyderd758 0]

I know what you want to hear. Go with one bigger amp dont limit yourself to fosgate(although great amps)there are so many choices. Dont forget with that much power though you are going to need a subsonic filter to keep the woofers from unloading and facing potential damage.

[Shogen 325]

Reason I asked it because of the SSF settings on RF aren't as forgiving is your port tuning is high.. I think they have a ON/OFF type setup on the BDcp models @ 28hz if I remember correctly.. So the box tuning matters greatly in that respect...

[DaVibe 1]

I know what you want to hear. Go with one bigger amp dont limit yourself to fosgate(although great amps)there are so many choices. Dont forget with that much power though you are going to need a subsonic filter to keep the woofers from unloading and facing potential damage.

Agreed. I've seen friends run the AQ monster's just fine.

Thing is, I've indebted myself to the idea of running my subs off 1 amp (underpowered originally) or running 2 amplifiers (these JL's) ... so they are actually not setup for a 1ohm load. Which is why I didn't suggest AQ but instead, RF because of this setup they have that's just like the JL amplifiers.

Maybe I will just run the 2 huge amps and stay happy with that ...

[bassahaulic 155]

The best question, what's you budget?

[NB50 206]

If you can spare the space I would keep the J's, if looking to save a little space then I would go with the RF.

[DaVibe 1]

The best question, what's you budget?

Maybe $1200 maximum? It's flexible if I believed I was getting a product that's worth it.

Musical system though, not SPL numbers.

[DaVibe 1]

The best question, what's you budget?

Maybe $1200 maximum? It's flexible if I believed I was getting a product that's worth it.

Musical system though, not SPL numbers.

[bassahaulic 155]

The best question, what's you budget?

Maybe $1200 maximum? It's flexible if I believed I was getting a product that's worth it.

Musical system though, not SPL numbers.

Man, for $1,200 I can get you new DD amps.

PM me, lets work something out.

[CrownVic 15]

Yea for 1200, Id look into sundown, incriminator audio, or maybe DD as mentioned.

Also do you have the electrical system planned out to support these amp(s)?

[Ohjay 116]

$1200 is a healthy budget for an amp to run a pair of Icons, you have plenty of options.

[snyderd758 0]

$1200 is a healthy budget for an amp to run a pair of Icons, you have plenty of options.

Um yeah you can look into just about whatever you want barring really high end, dc, jl hd, dd, sundown etc....

[NB50 206]

With that budget two of these http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/store/products/ZED-Audio-Minotaur-Mono-block-amplifier.html if you dont keep the JL's. Much rather have them then any of the korean stuff mentioned here.

With their footprint they wont take up to much room.

[Ohjay 116]

Your pair of JL 1000/1 amps is more than enough to get a pair of Icons moving.

[Impious 1,476]

I'd save the $1200, keep the JL's and put $$ into the electrical or other items that really matter rather than dumping it into a new amp you don't actually need.

[Shogen 325]

Same thoughts here... Stay with the JL

[trod2902 26]

With that budget two of these http://www.soundsolu...-amplifier.html if you dont keep the JL's. Much rather have them then any of the korean stuff mentioned here.

With their footprint they wont take up to much room.

2kw at 4 ohm would be nice on your electrical

[Impious 1,476]

With that budget two of these http://www.soundsolu...-amplifier.html if you dont keep the JL's. Much rather have them then any of the korean stuff mentioned here.

With their footprint they wont take up to much room.

2kw at 4 ohm would be nice on your electrical

Though there is a general correlation between efficiency and load impedance for the same amp, there's no reason to assume those amps running at 2ohm each (strapped into a 4ohm load each amplifier would be operating at 2ohm) would be any more or less efficient than another amplifier operating at a lower impedance. It depends on the design and efficiency of the amplifiers, not just the impedance of the load.

[trod2902 26]

With that budget two of these http://www.soundsolu...-amplifier.html if you dont keep the JL's. Much rather have them then any of the korean stuff mentioned here.

With their footprint they wont take up to much room.

2kw at 4 ohm would be nice on your electrical

Though there is a general correlation between efficiency and load impedance for the same amp, there's no reason to assume those amps running at 2ohm each (strapped into a 4ohm load each amplifier would be operating at 2ohm) would be any more or less efficient than another amplifier operating at a lower impedance. It depends on the design and efficiency of the amplifiers, not just the impedance of the load.

i was just saying that regarding ohms law and current draw

But difference in efficiency between two different amps can have just as much impact on current draw?

[Impious 1,476]

i was just saying that regarding ohms law and current draw

But difference in efficiency between two different amps can have just as much impact on current draw?

The difference in efficiency is the only thing that impacts current draw (well, that and the supply voltage to the amplifier along with power output).

You are misunderstanding the application of Ohms Law. The impedance of the load has nothing at all to do with it other than, for the same amplifier, as impedance of the load decreases so does efficiency (generally speaking). This does not mean that amplifier A operating at 2kw into a 1ohm will be more or less efficient than amplifier B operating at 2kw into a 2ohm or 4ohm load. That completely depends on the respective designs of the amplifier. It has nothing to do with Ohms Law other than

Volts * Amps = Power. If amplifier A has a lower efficiency, then for a given supply voltage it will need to draw more current than amp B.....if it has a higher efficiency, then it will draw less current.

To make this a little more clear;

If amplifier A is outputting 2kw (impedance doesn't matter) and is 60% efficient, then it needs to draw 3333 watts from the electrical system in order to output 2000 watts. If the supply voltage is 12V, then it needs to draw 277.8 amps from the electrical system.

If amplifier B is outputting 2kw (impedance doesn't matter) and is 80% efficient, then it needs to draw 2500 watts from the electrical system in order to output 2000 watts. If the supply voltage is 12V, then it needs to draw 208.3 amps from the electrical system.

Impedance has nothing to do with it. It's efficiency, power output, and supply voltage.

[trod2902 26]

i was just saying that regarding ohms law and current draw

But difference in efficiency between two different amps can have just as much impact on current draw?

The difference in efficiency is the only thing that impacts current draw (well, that and the supply voltage to the amplifier along with power output).

You are misunderstanding the application of Ohms Law. The impedance of the load has nothing at all to do with it other than, for the same amplifier, as impedance of the load decreases so does efficiency (generally speaking). This does not mean that amplifier A operating at 2kw into a 1ohm will be more or less efficient than amplifier B operating at 2kw into a 2ohm or 4ohm load. That completely depends on the respective designs of the amplifier. It has nothing to do with Ohms Law other than

Volts * Amps = Power. If amplifier A has a lower efficiency, then for a given supply voltage it will need to draw more current than amp B.....if it has a higher efficiency, then it will draw less current.

To make this a little more clear;

If amplifier A is outputting 2kw (impedance doesn't matter) and is 60% efficient, then it needs to draw 3333 watts from the electrical system in order to output 2000 watts. If the supply voltage is 12V, then it needs to draw 277.8 amps from the electrical system.

If amplifier B is outputting 2kw (impedance doesn't matter) and is 80% efficient, then it needs to draw 2500 watts from the electrical system in order to output 2000 watts. If the supply voltage is 12V, then it needs to draw 208.3 amps from the electrical system.

Impedance has nothing to do with it. It's efficiency, power output, and supply voltage.

Thanks, i understand why amplifier efficiency plays a huge factor i just dont understand why P=I^2R doesnt really apply

Heres where im confused... if two amps are theoretically 100% efficient and supply the same power (say 1kw) but do so at different loads (amp A 1ohm, amp B 4ohm) can they have the same current draw? This would violate ohms law correct? maybe i need to read about amplifiers lol

[Impious 1,476]

Thanks, i understand why amplifier efficiency plays a huge factor i just dont understand why P=I^2R doesnt really apply

Heres where im confused... if two amps are theoretically 100% efficient and supply the same power (say 1kw) but do so at different loads (amp A 1ohm, amp B 4ohm)  can they have the same current draw? This would violate ohms law correct? maybe i need to read about amplifiers lol

This is what I meant about misapplying Ohms Law.

In this scenario P=V^2/R and it's variants apply to the output of the amplifier.  It has nothing to do with the power input, the power drawn by the amplifier from electrical system.

Yes, if we assume two amplifiers have the same efficiency and output the same power, they will draw exactly the same power (both voltage and current) from the electrical system.  For a given supply voltage, they have no choice but to draw the same current from the electrical system.  P=VI.  If they are both drawing the same power from the electrical system (which they will if their power output and efficiency is the same) at the same supply voltage (the voltage of your electrical system), then it is required by physics that their current draw be the same also.

If amplifier A is 1kw @ 4ohm @ 80% efficiency and amplifier B is 1kw @ 1ohm @ 80% efficiency, their current draw will be identical.  The two amplifiers will output different voltage and current based on Ohms Law (P=V^2/R, I^2R), but their draw from the electrical system will be identical.

Yes, this is fully consistent with Ohms Law.  You are misapplying Ohms Law and relating the load impedance to the current drawn by the amplifier with the formula P=I^2R, when the two are not related in this way. That's not how that formula is applied.

[trod2902 26]

Thanks, i understand why amplifier efficiency plays a huge factor i just dont understand why P=I^2R doesnt really apply

Heres where im confused... if two amps are theoretically 100% efficient and supply the same power (say 1kw) but do so at different loads (amp A 1ohm, amp B 4ohm) can they have the same current draw? This would violate ohms law correct? maybe i need to read about amplifiers lol

This is what I meant about misapplying Ohms Law.

In this scenario P=V^2/R and it's variants apply to the output of the amplifier. It has nothing to do with the power input, the power drawn by the amplifier from electrical system.

Yes, if we assume two amplifiers have the same efficiency and output the same power, they will draw exactly the same power (both voltage and current) from the electrical system. For a given supply voltage, they have no choice but to draw the same current from the electrical system. P=VI. If they are both drawing the same power from the electrical system (which they will if their power output and efficiency is the same) at the same supply voltage (the voltage of your electrical system), then it is required by physics that their current draw be the same also.

If amplifier A is 1kw @ 4ohm @ 80% efficiency and amplifier B is 1kw @ 1ohm @ 80% efficiency, their current draw will be identical. The two amplifiers will output different voltage and current based on Ohms Law (P=V^2/R, I^2R), but their draw from the electrical system will be identical.

Yes, this is fully consistent with Ohms Law. You are misapplying Ohms Law and relating the load impedance to the current drawn by the amplifier with the formula P=I^2R, when the two are not related in this way. That's not how that formula is applied.

Thats what i was missing