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Question of the day. An amp doesn't do rated (by far) but is still affordable power...is it ok?


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If the amp is put on an AD-1 and I get to see what it actually does. It would make me feel much better about the purchase.

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But even making clean power at its rated output doesn't guarantee that it's not a piece of junk.

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That being said a lot of people's definition of "music" is a clipped 30 hz sine wave with some 80 IQ knuckle head grunting about committing crimes and his genitals.

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For experienced users, I don't think it's a problem. For the most part, I think we know what we're buying and what we're getting into, but it's dishonest marketing nonetheless. For folks who aren't privy to marketplace trends, I think it's bad. They wont know their amps are probably unreliable junk and won't do rated.

If I'm the consumer of junk amp X, it's not a problem. In the grand scheme of things, I think it's pretty shitty.

TL:DR No, not cool.

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Ok in that it powers up and functions sure, though I would always be letdown and pissed that any company calls it what it is not.

People can debate solder joints, build quality all they want....

I just want companies to be honest about ratings as opposed to hitting a crack pipe and thinking up some arbitrary number.

Edited by Azagtoth502

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  • sorry not everybody has a companies nuts so far down their throat they catch every drop ball sweat when it falls

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The cool thing about car audio and amps today is you can get a lot of wattage for reasonable prices. I still don't like manufacturers posting "6000W max" on an amp and/or box and it really puts out 1000W or less. That is just deceiving. However, these same mfg's overrate their speakers also, so as long as you stick w/ the same mfg, you are good, lol.

Seriously though, I come from the old school where amps were $2-5 PER WATT! Yes, most of these amps were made in the USA and helped pay salaries for these people, but these days you can get 1500W amps for $150 or less (that's 10 cents a watt for those mathematically challenged). Globalization has opened up markets in lands where slave labor is allowed and this is what we expect now.

There are still mfg's making amps in the US, such as Linear Power...but you'd better have a fat wallet...the LP2250 (250x2 at 4 ohms) goes for nearly $2000

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There are still mfg's making amps in the US, such as Linear Power...but you'd better have a fat wallet...the LP2250 (250x2 at 4 ohms) goes for nearly $2000

... there is also a LP2400 in the works. Yes, that's 400wpc x 2 at 4 ohms !!! Can't wait to see this on the amp dyno.

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Morally.... I think it's bullshit. It's flat out misleading the uninformed consumer and tricking them into buying it.

The whole "good for the money" thing is suspect too. Is it good for the money? Chances are that an amp with an inflated rating isn't going to be a quality piece of gear. So yeah... you get 1,000w for $100, but for how long? And with what sort of efficiency?

Say you spend $100 on a "4,000w" amp that only does 1k. On the surface it seems like it's a good buy. BUT.. the thing is 40% efficient and drawing 2k worth of current. Your lights dim and now you buy another bullshit marketing piece- a cap. Now you're out $100 for the amp and $100 for the cap (or whatever those things cost) and your electrical is still lacking. You're straining your alt and digging an early grave for it. You're chuggin along in the 11's and now since the amp is low quality, it pops. So, what do you do? Repair it for $150? Nope, it goes in the garbage and you buy another one. $100+$100+$100... now you're $300 deep and still only have a crap 1k and subpar electrical. The new amp is still killing your factory 90A alt and it finally dies. Now you're stranded on the side of the road and hopefully didn't burn up anything on the car in the process. Hopefully you have roadside assistance, but if not... you have to pay for a tow. That's 150 bucks. Add another 150 bucks for a new factory alt. Now you're $600 in for a crap 1k and subpar electrical. But now you have a lifetime warranty on your AutoZone reman alt so that's good. You're back on the road and back wangin. But since you're the kind of guy who buys a "4,000w" amp for 100 bucks... you got the Install Bay "4awg" CCA kit and the grossly oversized fuse. It melts and you need a new fuse holder. Chalk up another 20 bucks. You figure it's good to go now and just wang out. You didn't spring for a dash mount voltmeter so you have no idea you're in the 10's when you're demo'ing and that melted fuse holder starts a fire under the hood because your 150A fuse is allowing way too much current for the crappy 8awg aluminum wire. Your car burns down and you call your insurance to file a claim. You tell them what happened and the insurance adjuster is a car audio guy and denies your claim because he knows you overfused subpar electrical with crap wire running a crap, inefficient amp.

You spent $620 and lost a car... but at least the amp was "good for the money".

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lol^^

If it claims 4000 watts and does 3789 I don't feel bad about it but rating it "max wattage" or doing a lot less than rated and I feel lied to. I could go on and on about my opinion of things being over priced or "good for the money" but this sums it up. =)

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No do rated power the rest doesn't matter because the company is lying to you and thinking you're too stupid to know it. What else will they cut corners on.

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