Help me pick an amp! Blew up SAE-1000d

[gdaigle]

yep, no point in buying another amp if there is an underlying problem that doesn't get resolved. U should provide more info on the rest of you setup/install (equipment, electrical, ohm load on the amp, etc) and maybe we can help u with figure out what happened... And how to fix it

[JakeMN]

I'm just running one SA-12 @ 1 ohm but would like some headroom

I was running a C2 Audio Recon 1.6 at 0.5ohms on BONE stock electrical (like seriously bone stock, no big 3, not even upgraded alternator to battery cable, OEM battery FROM 2008!) and the volt meter on my dash hovered around 10 volts listing to decaf music on my two Sundown 15" Zv4's. Survived perfectly and would only go into protection if it dropped below 10 volts or if I clipped it real bad. They put up REALLY well with crappy electrical!

Recon 1.6 does 1642 watts certified 1ohm at 12v on the SMD AD-1 amp dyno, can be bought for $449 from TeamKustom and others. Not sure if 1600watts is too cookin for your SA-12 but you could run the sub at 4ohm on the Recon 2.4 and get 800 watts at 12v ($649, 2485 Watts 1 ohm AD-1 cert 12v). They are also just coming out with the Recon 1.0 which would do 1000watts at 1ohm (and Recon 3.5 too, does 1050 watts at 4 ohms 12v). Every model is strappable so if you get a second SA-12 you can link two Recon 1.0's or 1.6's together (or just run one at 0.5 ohms).

-Jamie M.

That's pretty interesting.. Really makes me want to get one of those although have you ever dealt with their customer service or warranty? I read a horrible review about their customer service. Do you still have this amp or how long did you use it for?

I think this amp may work well for you. Operates at as low as 8 volts according to the specs. Soundqubed makes good stuff so you can't go wrong here.

Soundqubed Q1-1200.2D

DESIGN FEATURES

SQ series amplifiers are fully stable down to one ohm.

Daisy Chain connection of two amplifiers stable down to 2 ohms

Four way protection circuits: Speaker shorts, DC offset, High/Low voltage, Thermal protection

Double sided boards with high current MOSFET switching devices

24db/oct slope crossovers, Fully adjustable Low Pass Filter and Subsonic Filter

Remote Gain Knob Included

Specifications

Model Q1-1200.2D

Frequency Response 20Hz—250Hz

Signal to Noise Ratio 100db

Low Pass Crossover 24db / Oct

Low Pass Crossover Range 20Hz—200Hz

Subsonic Crossover Range 10Hz—50Hz

Input Sensitivity 0.2V—8V

Output Master / Input Slave Connection Yes

Working Voltage 8V---16V

Efficiency @ 4 ohm 84%

Damping Factor Less than 150

Fuse Rating 40Amp X 3 (Linked 240 Amp)

Output Power 14.4V @ 1% THD 510X1 @ 4 ohm,870X1 @ 2 ohm,1300X1 @1 ohm

Output Power 14.4V @ 5% THD 1470X1 @ 1 ohm

Dimensions 12.75"(L)x9.27"(W)x2.35"(H)

I looked at this before I got the sundown but it seems like they're nothing special or better than say a PPI or American bass, I might be wrong but I would have to say a sundown is better built than these.

Why did your amp go up in smoke? I'm sure it didn't just decide to blow smoke one day. If it failed due to an issue you are having and you don't fix that issue, any amp you get is likely to end up the same way. Just trying to save you some money.

yep, no point in buying another amp if there is an underlying problem that doesn't get resolved. U should provide more info on the rest of you setup/install (equipment, electrical, ohm load on the amp, etc) and maybe we can help u with figure out what happened... And how to fix it

I'm not sure... I have a 2014 dodge dart, 140 amp alt, no big 3, LC2I with setting all the way down, 4Ga Knuconceptz power and ground, SA12 D2 ran by a SAE-1000D @1 ohm. I understand, the big 3 will be done within the next couple of weekends. I didn't think I was able to because of a pcm issue but turns out I'm good to go. Power and ground wires also read 12.4V

[toysareforboys]

That's pretty interesting.. Really makes me want to get one of those although have you ever dealt with their customer service or warranty? I read a horrible review about their customer service. Do you still have this amp or how long did you use it for?

I still have and run this amp I got it around the middle of last year, so I've had it about a year. For most of that time it was at 0.5 ohms on stock electrical hovering around 10v. A month ago I installed a HUGE capacitor bank AND a second Recon 1.6 so I could strap them together to share the load (basically to make them more efficient, they are pretty power hungry at 0.5 ohms). Now I can't get my voltage to drop below 13.8 (still on stock electrical everything minus cap bank).

Never ever had a problem with mine so not sure how the service/repair is. The company who makes it (CSG) has been quick to respond to e-mails about how to strap them, etc. so seems OK so far.

Love these amps.

-Jamie M.

[RooTxBeeR]

Dude, you just said sundown doesn't make quality amps. That has to be the most unintelligent statement ever to be made. Really, they make amazing amps. And the penny you spend is worth it. The SCV line is a god damn POWER HOUSE. Do you even understand how those amps work? It called Sundown Capped Voltage, Caps store big energy and dish it out on the fly. I can already see where you went wrong on the build, you failed to say how you set the amp. So I am likely to assume you didn't set it right, and probably made it overheat for too long and it finally took a shit. Along with that, you're running a line out converter, which there are very few that do not introduce distortion into a signal. Almost all of them do. The big 3 is very important when you start pushing some good power. Also if you want your audio system to be at it's fullest potential, the big 3 is a must. You are only starving the amp. And it's not expensive either man. I spent shy of $50 shipped I believe to buy enough 1/0 used off someone here to do my car.

[JakeMN]

Dude, you just said sundown doesn't make quality amps. That has to be the most unintelligent statement ever to be made. Really, they make amazing amps. And the penny you spend is worth it. The SCV line is a god damn POWER HOUSE. Do you even understand how those amps work? It called Sundown Capped Voltage, Caps store big energy and dish it out on the fly. I can already see where you went wrong on the build, you failed to say how you set the amp. So I am likely to assume you didn't set it right, and probably made it overheat for too long and it finally took a shit. Along with that, you're running a line out converter, which there are very few that do not introduce distortion into a signal. Almost all of them do. The big 3 is very important when you start pushing some good power. Also if you want your audio system to be at it's fullest potential, the big 3 is a must. You are only starving the amp. And it's not expensive either man. I spent shy of $50 shipped I believe to buy enough 1/0 used off someone here to do my car.

I said I FEEL like it wasn't a very well built amp. I don't understand how amps work necessarily.. I'm very new to car audio and had that amp for about a month before it blew up. You're probably right, I overheated it. I have 0ga wire I just wasnt sure if it was harmful to do it to a 2014, I thought it was bypassing the pcm but I was wrong. What are the major differences between the SAE line and SCV

[RooTxBeeR]

I'm not super familiar with each of them. I just know the basics of their new line. Hope food you set the gains by the way? And would you consider an aftermarket stereo?

[JakeMN]

I'm not super familiar with each of them. I just know the basics of their new line. Hope food you set the gains by the way? And would you consider an aftermarket stereo?

Ah, okay. I never properly set the gains.. I kept the amp turned down to about 3/8 and thought I'd be alright with that but obviously not. Like I said, this is my first sub and amp ever.. I haven't realized how important it is to set gains properly until recently. I don't have the choice for an aftermarket stereo, the 2014 GT Darts have an 8.4" touch screen that controls the ac and heat and so far no one has figured out how to bypass that.. I don't think there will ever be a way to install one. Eventually I wanna get a JBL MS8 but that'll be in the future.

[RooTxBeeR]

I'm not super familiar with each of them. I just know the basics of their new line. Hope food you set the gains by the way? And would you consider an aftermarket stereo?

Ah, okay. I never properly set the gains.. I kept the amp turned down to about 3/8 and thought I'd be alright with that but obviously not. Like I said, this is my first sub and amp ever.. I haven't realized how important it is to set gains properly until recently. I don't have the choice for an aftermarket stereo, the 2014 GT Darts have an 8.4" touch screen that controls the ac and heat and so far no one has figured out how to bypass that.. I don't think there will ever be a way to install one. Eventually I wanna get a JBL MS8 but that'll be in the future.

Will until your doggie a way to replace that factory stereo. Or spend money on a quality line out converter, you will always have a dirty signal. Look into the tool call a dd-1. Great investment.

[JakeMN]

I'm not super familiar with each of them. I just know the basics of their new line. Hope food you set the gains by the way? And would you consider an aftermarket stereo?

Ah, okay. I never properly set the gains.. I kept the amp turned down to about 3/8 and thought I'd be alright with that but obviously not. Like I said, this is my first sub and amp ever.. I haven't realized how important it is to set gains properly until recently. I don't have the choice for an aftermarket stereo, the 2014 GT Darts have an 8.4" touch screen that controls the ac and heat and so far no one has figured out how to bypass that.. I don't think there will ever be a way to install one. Eventually I wanna get a JBL MS8 but that'll be in the future.

Will until your doggie a way to replace that factory stereo. Or spend money on a quality line out converter, you will always have a dirty signal. Look into the tool call a dd-1. Great investment.

I was under the impression that an AudioControl LC2i was high quality besides it being just 2 channels? I definitely wanna pick one of those up.

[RooTxBeeR]

I don't know anything about line or converter brands, so it might. I have no idea.