I am probably going to get a box for one 12" sub and I want it to hit PRETTY decently. Nothing mind blowing, but I want to feel it. So how big of an amp would I need to power all the speakers in the car(including the sub)? Thanks for any help!

------------------
1992 Polo Green RS 3.1L K&N conical and working on the ram air....

"Yeah, it's a V6 SO WHAT!?"

 

If you only want to pick up one amp, then you'll have to go for a five channel amp. There are lots of companies that offer 5/4/3 channel amps meaning that they can run 4 speakers and a sub or they can be bridged down to three channels (two speakers and a sub).

Sounds like you're just looking for a moderate setup, so one 5 channel amp should be fine. After that, you just have to find one that suits your needs.

Chances are, the brand you choose will determine the amount of power you'll get and the amount of money you'll spend. I don't know of any companies that make more than one 5 channel option. A couple of examples: Clarion makes a decent five channel Pro Audio amp that puts out 4x35w + 1x100w (RMS), while Alpine and JL make some that have higher power output.

It all depends on where you want to go with your system and how much you have to spend. Just do a little bit of research, ask around at your local audio shops for the stuff they carry, and try to find one that is the best compromise between cost and quality for you.

 

you also have to be careful with the wattage. make sure you know what wattage the sub needs. sometimes its better to get 2 seperate amps (one for speakers, one for sub(s)) so you can more properly match the rms of the sub. if you dont push enough watts to sub, your amp may go into clipping and blow the sub. just somethin to look out for. i think a few of us have done this when we first started out....

 

Cool, thanks guys!

------------------
1992 Polo Green RS 3.1L K&N conical and working on the ram air....

"Yeah, it's a V6 SO WHAT!?"

 

Some amps have seperate gains for each pair of channels. Mine has three gains, one for each pair of channels, so I can set the levels accordingly.

- Mike