The problem with small amps is that you will be misled into thinking they can produce higher power than they can. Higher power amplifiers use a special power supply to step up the car voltage and produce higher power output. They typically lack features you need like crossovers and bridging. They can’t produce good sound & power like “real” car amps. I don’t recommend tiny amps like this except for the smallest basic installation, like for driving small speakers. Mini amps like this one are advertised with power ratings like “200W” which is impossible for it to produce – you have to read the fine print for the RMS power ratings, and even then be cautious. That’s because they can’t produce higher levels of power as they’re limited to using the 12V supply in a vehicle unlike high-power amplifiers. Car stereos, for example, have a typical power output of about 14W RMS per speaker channel. This is generally enough power for the average person to listen to music with enough power for good volume, clear and non-distorted sound, and to be able to blast your favorite music.ĭon’t buy an amp with close to 25W RMS or less unless you have a specific reason to do so.
CAR AMP FULL
I recommend at least a power rating of 50W RMS into 4 ohms per channel for driving full range or component speakers and 150W into 4 ohms minimum for driving a subwoofer. Car amp features to look for Power ratings It’s important to understand this because budget amplifiers often are not CEA-2006 compliant and still, to this day, use the “peak” power ratings on their packaging and sales info. If a manufacturer doesn’t list their specs with some type of standard like this or highly detailed information instead, you’ll basically just have to trust (or hope!) that the RMS power and other specifications are correct.
Not all companies provide this so it’s important that you’re careful when shopping. Be aware that often you’ll find products that might not live up to advertised power ratings. But it’s not a mandatory compliance feature – many companies still have specs on their products which you’ll have to simply hope are correct. This logo means that the company making an audio product has reliable performance & power specs.
Audio amplifier manufacturers whose specs are listed as “CEA-2006 compliant” have power ratings and performance specs that are reliable. In the 2000s the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) developed a standard to help consumers with this. Can most average cars really drive that fast? No way! CEA-2006 specifications Think of it like the example of a modest-sized car with a speedometer that goes up to 200 MPH. The confusion comes from amp manufacturers using the “peak” power rating, which is not at all representative of the actual amount of power an amp can drive your speakers with. Realistic power ratings use the “RMS” label, which is an electrical engineering term to represent “root mean square”, a mathematical way of expressing the actual, useable power that an amplifier can produce continuously. For example, hardly anyone would believe that an amp that measures about 12″ x 12″ in size could produce around 1000 watts of power, right?īut for the new buyer who isn’t aware of it, it’s a misleading and confusing thing to try to figure out. Sometimes these have been simply unbelievable for a budget car amp. What to know when shopping for car amps Manufacturer specsįor years some car amp manufacturers have sold their products with outrageously large power ratings on the box. ★ The best budget car amps under $50, $100, & $150 ★.
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