funkdaddysmack

My friend was talking about getting a profile amp for some subs he has, the california series. Back in the day I heard a lot about them, and not the greatest quality, but wasn't sure why... Anyways, I saw a 4ch. amp that was like 150x4 peak and 75x4 RMS. That's plenty of power for 4 6.5s. And to top it off, the amp was like $150. Why so cheap? Are they really that bad? I just want an amp for my 4 6.5s, but I don't want to spend a lot of cash. Most of the 'brand name' amps i've been looking at (kenwood, etc.) are like only MAYBE 50x4 rms, and still more expensive.

http://justamps.com/Amp_Pages/Profil...california.htm

it's the 640sx.

Aaron

i have'nt used profile but i do have a US ACOUSTICS. it is very cheap for the power and i have been pleased so far. i also research stuff before i buy it and many people seem to like them for the $$. i have just ordered another one too. sounddomain.com has their muli channel for like $180. it's 85x4 RMS @12.9 volts. i guess the reason they are cheaper is cause their kind of streamlined and keep costs down. plus their not real flashy. my 2 cents.

funkdaddysmack

Wow, they sound pretty decent! Thanks for the info!!!

hiredgoon

Profile amps are over rated a bit (especially the BAJA line) but they are decent for the price. I have a Baja640 and bridged it to run a pair of subs and never had any problems. Still works great. Better than Pyramid and Mobile authority (not MA audio) for sure.

hihoslva

Most of the time (emphasis on most, but not all), cheap amps are cheap because of the internal components they use, and how they are rated for power.

Cheaper amps generally use cheaper internals. Now, most (emphasis again) car-audio buffs like to pump up whatever equipment they buy, to see what it can do, and how much of a headache they can get . "Cheaper" components generally have a lower tolerance for this kind of use (or abuse). The cheaper internal parts can fail quicker.

Another important aspect is the true power, and how "clean" it is. Cheap amps generally overrate the power, meaning that while it says it'll put out 100 watts, fo example, it only actually gives that power for a brief second when driven as hard as possible and just before it catches fire or shuts down. More reputable manufacturers will list the useable power more accurately, many times even underrating it, so you get more than what you thought you bought. A good example is the JBL 1200.1 - this mono class D sub amp claims a max of 1200 watts, but its true max output is nearly 1400. So you really do get 1200 (or maybe a little more) watts of USEABLE, CLEAN, UNDISTORTED power.

Distortion kills speakers of all types and sizes. If the amp sends a distorted or "clipped" signal, it is very damaging to the speakers. The level of distortion put out by different amps varies widely. "Better" amps will put out "cleaner" power, with the lowest distortion possible. "Cheaper" amps will put out mild levels of disortion sooner than better amps, and at lower volumes.

There is nothing wrong with a "cheap" amp - fact is, there isn't much that will go wrong when any amp is used responsibly. So for modest sytems, cheaper amps do a great job, for a great price. The problems really start to happen as the power goes up - the louder you like it, and the more watts you want or need, the greater the need for high-quality components, and not just in amplifiers. Basically, it's like anything else - the harder it's pushed the more the need for strong, reliable products.

Unless you like gobs of power and volume, the amps mentioned should be just fine. And if you wind up hating it or frying it, at least it didn't cost you much to try it out.

Just my $10 (a lot more than two cents).

~HH

funkdaddysmack

Thanks for the great reply, silva.... I really only plan on running my modest 4 kenwood 6.5s off the amp, and I only have 2 right now running off my head unit and I think it sounds pretty decent... So I think I'll be happy with a cheap amp.

Thanks to Aaron, who mentioned US Acoustics, I think I will get one of them (85x4 RMS), because they've gotten really good reviews from people, and are hella-cheap...

After my 6.5s, I think I may eventually get one or two subs (12" or 10"), and another cheap amp like 300-400 watts RMS. I think that will sound plenty good for me.

Again, thanks for the great post silva!!!

20FS

oh dear lord, Pyramid and RA are the worst **** imaginable

1000W pyramid amps put out 25w RMS with like 3% THD, some magazine did a test on it and it was the worst **** they have ever seen

Maz94Protege

Put it this way....

You usually "Get what you pay for!"
Profile/Baja amps are good for starters jus to run some small stuff. Pioneer Amps are over rated too...but will be a bit better.
Kenwood makes awsome amps that arnt that expensive!
and dont make me get into Rockford Amps...WAY TO PRICY...and they aint all that!!

if you want to get a amp to last u a while go for Kenwood. even Sony make some shitty amps that make some power. But Sony sucks at audio equip period.

hihoslva

I use Rockford amps, and while they are certainly NOT the highest of the high end, they are a decent value for the money, IMO.

They are well underrated, meaning they make more power than they are advertised as putting out.

I have 860 watts RMS total from two RF amps (a 360.2, and a 500s), and I paid about $500 for both. The actual max output is closer to 1000 watts. Not a bad deal at about $.50 per watt. I do run the 360.2 as a two channel into 4 ohms per side, so that's only making half power (180 total), but the capability for 180 watts per side is there if I need it (2 ohm stable per channel)

Plus, most RF amps come with a bass boost controller **** that can be mounted anywhere. I really enjoy this feature, too.

I don't see that they are WAY overpriced. I think it depends on where you buy from.

I think there are better amps, and better values out there. But I am happy with my Rockfords. Just my $.02.

funkdaddysmack

I was originally going to get a Punch 360.2 or 360A2 for my 15" solobaric I have laying around, but I never got around to it. I agree that Fosgate amps are good performers for the price, and are indeed under-rated. I need to get moving on my mini-system though to see if I really want to keep the 15" or get one or two smaller subs instead.

Metallargy

If you pull apart a cheap amp and look inside, you'll instantly know why they're priced the way they are.
They're also overrated & have shitty distortion numbers (with performance to match).
Although with some of the amps you're paying more simply for the name ...


For the most part, the amps that are underrated are your best shot. The warranty offered with the amp (not store bought) is also an indication of it's performance.
I haven't heard of that many complaints about Profile amps, but don't expect expect top-notch performance & reliability from them.

For a lot of people, Profile amps are suitable when their cost is considered. If you have a demanding stereo system though, it'll be worthwhile to save up for a better built amp.

douggie

While we're on the topic of crappy amps, I was just wondering...

Are jensen amps more/less crappy than profile amps?

pr5owner

Jensen isn't actaully that bad, they sound good when powering front/rear coaxials, and the 500w jensen amp is perfect powering 2 sony xplode 10" (my friend has this setup)
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douggie

Thanks, coz my friend picked up a brand new 400W 4ch Jensen for $100 (just to power his 4 non sub speakers). And he asked me whether he should return it becoz Jensen stuff are bad.

Maybe I'll ask him to get me another one for myself too!

pr5owner

yeah tell him to install it correctly and don't abuse it, and it should work fine
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