Thoughts on Ampere Audio's new 8.0 tfe amp

[MrSkippyJ]

So I guess my question since I really don't know how amps work is this:

What makes this an 8K amp instead of a 10K amp? For that matter, how is any amp defined as a certain wattage.

Edit: I probably should put this in another thread so it doesn't seem like I am asking in regards to this amp only, I am asking how this works in general.

[dougie503]

He classified it as the 8.0 becouse he got just over 8k at 12v ! It's a great amp !

[MrSkippyJ]

Meh, I shouldn't have asked in here as now all the answers will be for that amp only.

Let me ask this way. When the engineers at Rockford designed the T1500.1 I use, did they build it, then test it to see how powerful the amp would be? Or did they know they were designing a 1500 watt amp?

[rocking.that.eclipse]

I got my preorder in. Im aware what it puts out and will use every bit of it regardless whats its rated at. Andrew is an awesome guy and has been very generous with questions and past purchases "aa7500".

And yeah it maybe be a "10k" amp but itll STILL be cheaper at regular price than other 10k's. And whoever said it puts out alittle over 10k is wrong.

It was stated to expect 12.5-13k at 14.4volts...I believe you would be getting well your moneys worth so im not quite understanding some of you guys problem with that ...carry on

Just here posting to comment on the name....

[meade916]

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, it seems like a stout mother fucking amp and I can dig that.

On the other hand, if an amp does 10k at 12v and you market it at 8k, you are lying to your customers which is just as bad as if the amp did 6k and you said it did 8k.

Customers use the rated specs when determining which equipment to use. When the amp puts out an extra 2k than it is rated for, you have to take that into consideration when desiging your enclosure and choosing your subs.

I would rather see them market this as a 10k amp if it does 10k at 12v.

i disagree. I would rather have an "underrated" amp that does 10% more power than it's ratings rather than one that struggles and barely makes the mark. Extra headroom is always good.

as far as the 12v and 14v thing, i like 14v ratings because this is car audio...and (most) cars charge at 13.8-14.4 when they are running. It's bad for your alternator to be charging your drained batteries all the time from sitting around playing with the car off (@12v) anyway. Unless you have your system turned way down (in chill mode) i think it is very unwise to play it without the alternators turning. I think it's even more unwise to play a 10kw amp at full power sitting JUST on batteries for the fact it drains the life out of them so fast and you are left with a huge LOAD for your alternator to have to charge back up...which is (again) bad for the alternator. Especially if you have multiple batteries.

[TRON]

^ Exactly. Doesn't it makes more sense to have 14v ratings, because that's where most people are going to be using it?

Still, those are impressive numbers if it actually supposed to make 8kw not 10kw

[OrionStang]

I just want to reiterate, I wasn't complaining. I simply asking "why"? Got the answer I think LOL.

I've asked the same about other amps, the AQ/SQ3500.1 is a prime example.

Anyway, the amp seems to be a beast and maybe something to consider in the future.

[MrSkippyJ]

Me as well Orion, I am simply trying to understand something. I doubt I would ever use an amp that big but I see nothing in here that would deter me from considering it at all!

[Kyblack76]

I prefer 12.8v ratings. :shrugs:

[Slinky]

I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, it seems like a stout mother fucking amp and I can dig that.

On the other hand, if an amp does 10k at 12v and you market it at 8k, you are lying to your customers which is just as bad as if the amp did 6k and you said it did 8k.

Customers use the rated specs when determining which equipment to use. When the amp puts out an extra 2k than it is rated for, you have to take that into consideration when desiging your enclosure and choosing your subs.

I would rather see them market this as a 10k amp if it does 10k at 12v.

i disagree. I would rather have an "underrated" amp that does 10% more power than it's ratings rather than one that struggles and barely makes the mark. Extra headroom is always good.

as far as the 12v and 14v thing, i like 14v ratings because this is car audio...and (most) cars charge at 13.8-14.4 when they are running. It's bad for your alternator to be charging your drained batteries all the time from sitting around playing with the car off (@12v) anyway. Unless you have your system turned way down (in chill mode) i think it is very unwise to play it without the alternators turning. I think it's even more unwise to play a 10kw amp at full power sitting JUST on batteries for the fact it drains the life out of them so fast and you are left with a huge LOAD for your alternator to have to charge back up...which is (again) bad for the alternator. Especially if you have multiple batteries.

Steve I think you missed my point here. My point is I don't want to buy a product where the ratings are off. I would not be happy if I bought a 5k amp and for some reason it did 10k. I'd likely blow my woofers since I planned my build around it being 5k. This is all assuming that as a consumer I do not know the actual output of the amp and I have to go be the ratings. Not all of us have a bench to test amps on.

Also, I don't think anyone has mentioned anything about it being 12v vs 14v. We are talking 12v numbers here. If this amp puts out 10k at 12v, its only going to be higher at 14.