I've got CDT HD-6 mids, BCK-26 'braxial' tweeters, and ES-200Z crossovers, total system power handling is 180W RMS at 100HZ highpass.

I've got an older AuraSound RPM Stage 4200 50Wx4 amp that bridgeable into 150Wx2 into 4ohms. But I dont like the additional THD you get when bridging an amp.

I've been looking at:
RF Power T400-2 120Wx2 @4ohms 11"x10" $349 inline fused 80A
RF Punch P550.2 150Wx2 @4ohms 14"x11" $249 2x30A fuses
RF Punch P650.2 175Wx2 @4ohms 16"x11" $299 2x40A fuses
RF Punch P500-2 125Wx2 @4ohms 13"x8.5" $399 inline-fused 100A
elementalDesigns NINe.2x 200wx2 @4ohms 15"x10" $220 2x40A fuses
elementalDesigns NINe.2 100Wx2 @4ohms 12"x10" [/i]$275[/i] 2x25A fuses
PPI A800/2 125Wx2 @4ohms 14"x10" $339
PPI A1000/2 230Wx2 @4ohms 17"x10" $249
MA Audio HK398 150Wx2 @4ohms 12"x9" $158 1x30A fuse (this single 30A doesn't make sense compared to similar powered amps above)

My main question is how much power should I throw at my front stage? Certainly I dont want to underpower it and send clipped signals from the amp to it when i play my music louder, but I don't want to grossly overpower it. I'd like at least 100W up to 200W. Is there an amp I haven't listed I should check out?

Size is somewhat of a concern as this is going into a 94 civic, and I will be running a mono sub amp and want to keep as much space as possible in the trunk, so a false floor is for the most part out of the question, unless I can create it to give me 'hinge access' to the spare tire. Prices aren't all that much a concern but I don't want to spend more than $350; the prices above are all authorized dealer prices; I know I can get them less expensive un-authed but don't want to risk no warranty.

Some help/direction/insight would help me out here. HU is a Pioneer Premier DEH-P980BT

 

I would go with a 2x200W RMS into 4 ohms amp, even the PPI 2x220W, you can always back off on the gain a little, and it's definitely better to be over-powered then under-powered. 94

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fcm &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would go with a 2x200W RMS into 4 ohms amp, even the PPI 2x220W, you can always back off on the gain a little, and it's definitely better to be over-powered then under-powered. 94</TD></TR></TABLE>

palabra

 

So, would you recommend the PPI A1000/2 at 230Wx2 or the edesign NINe.2x at 200Wx2? Or some other amp in this power range? I know the edesign NINe.2x is going through a esign change and won't be availible till later this month or next month.

I know PPI used to be really good, but are they still good amps even after DEI bought them out?

 

i would probably go with something in the 200-250RMS range but i would i would also suggest some dedicated midbass drivers if you plan on running your front stage highpassed at 100hz. in which case you could use less power for the midrange and more for the midbass.

 

I would love to go three-way up front, but I'd need to make custom kicks because the ones fom q-form don't quite work with the civic's 5-spd clutch pedal area. If anything, I might later on upgrade to the M6 mids/midbass which extend quite a bit lower so i can highpass lower. My 980BT has front HPF controls, selectable from 50, 63, 80, 100, 120, 150 at either -6dB or -12dB slopes. The total system power is 180 at 100high pass but I'll trade a little bit of power handling for 80 and just accomodate this via gains or what not.

3-wy right now would just add a bit more complexity then I'd want and am ready for right now with fab etc or trying to make the q-forms fit, and this would likely make me want to go active and want to (but not need to) get the DEX-P9/DEQ-P9 some more amps, alhought I could verywell get an external DSP/EQ/crossover for my current HU or just get the three-way passive crossovers from CDT. At this point I'd be spending more on my cars stereo than what the car is worth. I've spent $430 on my HU, the HD-6/BCK-26/ES-200Z was about $340, and then a new amp will be about $275 all this just for the front stage and then I'm going to be putting in my subs) [still haven't decisded on 1-12, 1-10 or 2-10], about another $900.

I want good SQ don't get me wrong, but by no means am I going to be competing so I'm not going all-out on it.

Right now I'm leaning towards the PPI A1000/2 or the elemental designs' new NINe.2x.

 

Please please please stay away from the rockford amps. They are NOT sq amps. Period.

That being said, I'd look in to diamond audio and boston acoustics if I were you. I have one of their entry level amps (The d3400.4) that puts out 200x2 and I love it.

I have had boston, ppi, rockford and diamond audio amps in my cars, and I have been most impressed by the diamond audio stuff

 

I'm going to go with either the PPI A1000/2 or the new eDesign NINe.2x; its supposed to go under some revisions and be re-released by end of july so I'm waiting for specs on it. I figure if I'm going to be selecting eDesign for my sub(s) and sub amp I want to try and match the 'look' of everything. I will not be considering the RF amps any further. I have looked at Diamond but they dont make a 2-ch with 200+ watts unless you bridge, and I would like to avoid bridging the amp for my front stage because of the very small increase in THD.