Car audio amplifier for outdoor bass use?

[JapanAxe]

If you are using car audio as the basis for your portable rig, be aware that the power ratings claimed for them are basically LIES dressed up with terms like 'Peak Music Power Output'. They think of a number and double it, then double it again!

[MoonBassAlpha]

^true, dat

[Mottlefeeder]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1386977421' post='2307234']
If you are using car audio as the basis for your portable rig, be aware that the power ratings claimed for them are basically LIES dressed up with terms like 'Peak Music Power Output'. They think of a number and double it, then double it again!
[/quote]

Less so now than it was in the past. Most reputable companies now specify their outputs into 4 ohms at 1% distortion with a 14.4 volt supply, in accordance with a 2006 industry standard. The marketing people then take the peak power, in bridge mode, at maximum supply voltage (16V-ish) and paint that on the front of the amp. Hence 60W RMS per channel becomes 500W.

I wouldn't consider an amplifier if it was not specified according to that standard.

David

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1387045640' post='2307784']
Less so now than it was in the past. Most reputable companies now specify their outputs into 4 ohms at 1% distortion with a 14.4 volt supply, in accordance with a 2006 industry standard. The marketing people then take the peak power, in bridge mode, at maximum supply voltage (16V-ish) and paint that on the front of the amp. Hence 60W RMS per channel becomes 500W.

I wouldn't consider an amplifier if it was not specified according to that standard.

David
[/quote]

Looks like the potential buyer needs to drill down into the spec then.

[Mottlefeeder]

I think the buyers fall into two camps - the wannabees who will buy cheap, not read the spec, and boast about how loud the bass is, without listening to the system with critical ears, and the serious ones, who take advice, throw serious money into the project and end up with good sounding systems.

I'm aiming to be at the budget end of latter category.

David

[fonzoooroo]

brand wise -anything should be good from: alpine, infinity, JBL, Phoenix Gold, Kicker, JL, Focal, Sony, Kenwood, JVC, Blaupunkt, Orion, Rockford Fosgate, Hertz, Rainbow.

Fusion have had some good reviews, but they always look like a budget product...
Vibe do a good range and a cheap range.
MTX should be good - they were a bit over hyped by all accounts due to sponsoring "pimp my ride" - but as a 2nd hand bargain, that becomes irrelevant!

That lot's not an exhaustive list, but should give you an idea of what'll be a better buy than a new £50er.

[MoonBassAlpha]

Are these car amps all class d these days? Only asking, as class d is going to be a lot more efficient, critical for battery operation.

[Mottlefeeder]

[quote name='fonzoooroo' timestamp='1387100324' post='2308128']
brand wise -anything should be good from: alpine, infinity, JBL, Phoenix Gold, Kicker, JL, Focal, Sony, Kenwood, JVC, Blaupunkt, Orion, Rockford Fosgate, Hertz, Rainbow.

Fusion have had some good reviews, but they always look like a budget product...
Vibe do a good range and a cheap range.
MTX should be good - they were a bit over hyped by all accounts due to sponsoring "pimp my ride" - but as a 2nd hand bargain, that becomes irrelevant!

That lot's not an exhaustive list, but should give you an idea of what'll be a better buy than a new £50er.
[/quote]

Thank you - that's the sort of information I was hoping to get.

David

[Mottlefeeder]

[quote name='MoonBassAlpha' timestamp='1387109700' post='2308221']
Are these car amps all class d these days? Only asking, as class d is going to be a lot more efficient, critical for battery operation.
[/quote]

Most amps at the budget end of the market are switch-mode power supply and class AB amps. One on-line retailer had a class D amp at almost the same price as its class AB equivalent, but that was a special offer, and the company returns policy did not give me the confidence to go for it.

David

[jazzyvee]

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1386681452' post='2302993']
mcnach - thanks for the clarifaction - it is smaller than I first thought, so I will keep it in mind if the current experiment fails

jazzyvee - PJB looks good, but is quite expensive and think I read that the recommended battery only lasts an hour. Last night's session was 3 1/2 hours.

David
[/quote]
Fair point. I've not used mine for many long gigs on battery only but have used it for 3 hour-ish rehearsals and it's been fine. That said they have been with acoustic bands so volume hasn't been up high and we aren't playing for the whole 3 hours i expect.

[Mottlefeeder]

[quote name='Mottlefeeder' timestamp='1386681098' post='2302985']
...The 300W rig I referred to was my normal gigging setup at that time, pressed into service for an outdoor event. It was powered by an invertor connected to a caravan battery (85AHr). It worked, but is not a serious contender for this job (Hartke HA3000 - 12kg-ish, Hartke VX115 - 20kg, battery - 18kg, trolley etc - 5kg: total 55kg-ish - doesn't do stairs)...
[/quote]

Just found this picture while looking for something else.

[url="http://s285.photobucket.com/user/Mottlefeeder/media/IMG_0099_zps7398178f.jpg.html"][/url]

David

[duffer1]

I played around with an Alpine woofer unit but it needed lots of battery power, ended up with a Roland bass microcube which is not very loud but runs on AA batteries. I think that everthing is digitised inside the box so it sounds much better than it should.

[mcnach]

[quote name='duffer1' timestamp='1387162313' post='2308921']
ended up with a Roland bass microcube which is not very loud
[/quote]

you're right about that!