Best marine amplifiers according to redditors
We found 39 Reddit comments discussing the best marine amplifiers. We ranked the 11 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 39 Reddit comments discussing the best marine amplifiers. We ranked the 11 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
You can just split the video from the Wii and run it into the capture card and TV. Then, on your PC you can mirror it directly to the projector as you usually would.
The problem with splitting the signal that way is that it usually does not degrade quality too much, but it will affect brightness. You can resolve this by using something similar to this to split the signal while amplifying it.
I built a simpit that has two USB sound cards in it running seven channels: chassis, pedals, seat bottom, and seat back. USB sound cards are not recommended, but I wanted my simpit to be somewhat separated from my computer, and it's working for me.
It took some fiddling/tuning to get it right, but it really makes a huge difference in the immersion. I especially love being able to feel the gears shifting, and being able to tell from that how smoothly the gears changed. Without it turned on the car just feels dead now.
I do wish I had used larger transducers for the chassis corners, as they are on the underside of 5/8" MDF base. Seat and pedals are great. I used the following:
It's these StarTech USB sound cards that needed to be in 5.1 mode. In Quadraphonic I don't believe I was getting any channel separation in the SimVibe output.
General rule of thumb is that amps in a similar price range with similar power output sound pretty much the same.
Even across price ranges there's not a tremendous difference between amps at low output levels, just like a $90K Mercedes AMG won't get you around a crowded mall parking lot much better than a $17K Nissan Versa. Aside from the heated seats and overall coolness factor, the performance difference between the two is not really felt until you start approaching highway speeds or really pushing their performance past polite limits.
Amps should not be fucking around with the sound. They should just be delivering it accurately. Just like your cable box or bluRay player should not be trying to jack up the colors or brightness on your TV shows: they should simply be accurately relaying the signal.
I have plenty of experience with car audio
It's not too different. One thing that may surprise you is the lower "power ratings"... like, why can one buy a "400-Watt" Pyle car audio amp for $37 but a reputable home theater amp costs more has has "less watts?"
Short answer there is that power ratings for Class D amps, which I believe 100% of car audio uses at this point, are always really inflated.
There is nothing wrong with Class D amps and a lot of home audio amps are Class D as well, just know that there's no real standard for those power output numbers and manufacturer's claims are particularly wacky for Class D amps.
Or I could get a well known (vintage?) stereo receiver from the 1970s for example a Yamaha CR-420
I wouldn't buy an amp this old unless it was cheap and you just wanted to experiment. Electronics from the 1970s are pretty hit or miss. After a few decades capacitors dry out or otherwise fail. This either changes the sound of the amp or makes it stop working entirely.
I can buy a new Sony STR-DH130, or a 7-15 year old Denon (or other) surround receiver with 90 w per channel that was originally $900 for $50-100 on Craigslist
Either one should get the job done but I'd probably go with the Denon. CL is a goldmine for home theater receivers, since people sell perfectly good ones all the time when they need newer HDMI features.
The Denon will also have a proper crossover feature, if you add a subwoofer at some point. That lets you send the low freqs to the sub, and the mids and highs to your main speakers. Adding a sub to the Sony is possible but more of a pain and the results won't be quite as nice.
Thanks so much!!! Would you be able to recommend an amp? I really have no clue what a good one is.
Edit: Something like this? https://www.amazon.ca/Pyle-PLMRA400-4-Channel-400W-Amplifier/dp/B000N5T0T4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480227641&sr=8-1&keywords=4+channel+amp
Right that's the speaker rating and it's the max. They probably only push 15W or less RMS.
What I'm saying is the head unit amplifier is only pushing 15W to your new speakers. A new amplifier would really bring out the sound quality by giving them the extra wattage the need to sound excellent!
If you're on a budget something LIKE THIS BOSS would add extra wattage (not a lot).
If you want better quality something LIKE THIS KENWOOD.
---power supply:
I just ordered one of these 1100/1400 watt (depends if you give it 120v or 240v) Supermicro PWS-1K41P-1R power supplies for $25, hoping I will be able to turn it on when it gets here! What I currently have, and am super happy with, is a 460 watt HP DPS-460EB. Second one down on this page is where I found out how to power it up. These server power supplies have one giant 12v output (there may be -12v or other voltages but at tiny amounts), perfect for car amps.
I had to solder a wire between the first and fourth pads - as shown in the photos and schematic above - so that it would turn on when plugged in. I might put a switch in there, so I left the wire long. Also soldered some 10 guage power wires to it. That's plenty for 500 watts over a few feet or less, according to a voltage drop calculator. It's nearly silent at low power, pulls six watts when idle, and gracefully handles overloads: I didn't try waiting to see if it would come back up on it's own, but when I overloaded mine with a battery tester it simply turned off. I let it cool and it came back up like normal afterward. Super happy with it; I've powered a kenwood amp wired up to make 350 watts, which worked great, and I'm currently running a smaller infinity with better controls as it's plenty for my room. The only hard part is soldering to the big bare copper pads, I think you need a high power soldering iron. Also some of them have loud fans, apparently. This video is where I got started, and including mention of a current-sharing pin which I sadly don't think most of them have, but would let you run multiple PSUs in parallel.
There are lots of people doing this sort of thing to run high power RC battery chargers, as well as amps, fwiw.
---Amp:
The Rockville RXM-T2 apparently does 1200 real RMS watts bridged at 4 ohms. Dynomometer tested here. I spent some time looking through cheap amps that have test resuts, and nothing else I could find is even close at 4ohm, for under $150. The crossover in it may be BS, or low-order, according to reviews, and it doesn't actually handle 2 ohm bridged like its supposed to, which doesn't inspire confidence.
All E36s have the same sheet metal, so replacing the speakers should not be hard. Buy a 4 channel amplifier, a set of 5 1/4" component speakers for the front and a set of 6x9 speakers for the rear.
I have these adapters. They work perfectly with the stock screws and mounting holes in all E36s- regardless of factory speakers. 6x9s are the way to go for the rear. More surface area on the speaker cone means the capability for a bit more bass output on the highway and so on. Also, 4" drivers are hard to find and not worth the trouble. Link to adapters:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AZOZRLM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zrzCybCMQ31D1
This amplifier will fit on an 1/8" sheet of ABS plastic where the stock amplifier location is (you may or may not have a factory amp):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S7G1TPO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_tHzCybJXA9DDS
You will need a line output converter if you want to keep the stock head unit- which it sounds like you do. This goes in between the head unit line level/speaker outputs and the amplifier inputs:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I4EF1BC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XLzCybRKTEWY2
Speakers are a matter of personal preference. I'd recommend you go to your local big box or car audio shop and listen to the board. Pick the 5 1/4 and 6x9 speakers you like best- any mainstream set should fit with little effort. If you don't feel like looking, here are some would-please-everyone suggestions.
These speakers could perform nicely in the back:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BF6HWFY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_bJzCybAXEKGZV
These will fit in the front (hot glue the tweeter into the factory tweeter basket on the door panel):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002X786XQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_MKzCyb1CT1SCX
If you want a direct aux input, you can modify the stock cassette head unit to accept an aux input with nothing more than a butchered aux cable and a soldering iron.
Agreed with Fiasco. The power supply in the amp is shot. The 12 volt power connection is in direct contact with the the chassis ground of the amplifier. To fix it would prob be costlier than purchasing a new one.
This should be the same part without the speakers.
There is such a thing as a 12-volt amplifier - check Amazon. It isn't fancy - it just has inputs and outputs, and sometimes a volume dial. You would plug your audio in into it, and it would pump the sound out to the vehicle speakers.
The factory CD/Radio would still work, but if you turned both of them on at once you'd hear both. It's not ideal to plug two sources into the same speaker, but it will work - you might have to check polarity (get the + and - the same for both inputs). You might also use an audio "mixer" to switch between the two sources. Find a smart stereo installer and they should be able to figure it out.
Putting another stereo in the glove box would also work.
If you want bluetooth, of course, you can add a bluetooth adapter.
Here is a simple 4-channel amp.
http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-PLMRA400-4-Channel-Waterproof-Amplifier/dp/B000N5T0T4
I saw this picture somewhere awhile ago, and it always stuck with me. Yeah, that is what I want. So I removed my whole head unit and replaced it with just an amp and a bluetooth receiver.
Now my car is a giant gadget -- basically a big bluetooth speaker. I run all of my music off my phone, and what used to be my stereo is a blank panel on the dash.
So this is kind of a tech question to go along with potential purchase advice. I have a Modi 2 Uber, and I want to send its audio output to multiple inputs. Two is fine, three would be ideal. Now, I've tried RCA splitters and piggyback cables, and they don't work when one of the cables is a 22AWG RCA to 3.5mm cable that I've gotten. They've worked fine with different cabling, but is it that:
Now, I could just buy a Schiit Sys, I suppose, and be done with it, but I've been also thinking about picking up an audio distribution amplifier (http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Electronics-AV-400-Distribution/dp/B000BLJE8W), as then I could run cables to my desktop amp, an amp on my couch, and a cable to my 5.1 receiver, but it's not a hassle to use the couch cable into the receiver's front 3.5mm input.
Any thoughts on a solution?
--
Also, I have some Sennheiser HD 580 headphones coming in soon, and I'm probably gonna want new ear pads. Now, the official ear pads are...rather expensive. There are some unofficial options, are there any that y'all personally recommend? Was thinking about these: http://www.amazon.com/Replacement-Sennheiser-Headphone-Cushion-Earpads/dp/B00TGCDG90/ – Brainwavz pads should work with some cutting, too, velour angled earpads possibly work without affecting the sound too much?
Here's a different way of doing it... you could get a powered A/V splitter. Have one output going to your CRT and have the other output going to your DVC100. The powered A/V splitter would give you zero signal degradation and zero lag. Here's the one I use. This is assuming you have a separate TV to play on and unfortunately does require a separate purchase.
As others have said, there really isn't a way to do what you're asking to do through software only on that particular piece of hardware, free or paid. Sorry.
You should be able to use most usb dacs, heres an article to help you pick. If you are planning on taking out the old head unit you will also need an amp to drive the speakers, any auto amp that matches your speakers should be fine. If you are going for 4 speakers this one should be ok.
edit: after looking at the reviews of that amp, this one might be a better choice. Neither of these have enough power to drive a woofer, if you were going to add one.
No the Bose Miata runs a stock amp to power the speakers. I was reading some people like to run this amp.
http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-PLMRMP1A-2-Channel-Waterproof-Amplifier/dp/B003HH9FIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422056768&sr=8-1&keywords=pyle+2+channel+amplifier
This is exactly what PA loudspeakers are designed for.
Here's a model with 4 speakers and a bluetooth amp with a mic input. Pyle stuff is kind of shitty, but for this type of product, it's all kind of shitty so Pyle is in the running.
Ice cream trucks generally have Nippon horns with some sort of amp that plays off an SD/USB card. They still have a mic input, no BT tho.
I've got a 3D printed mount for my phone so it goes flush where the 1.5 din stereo used to go. Would I be able to use this
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JEC0YFQ/ref=pd_aw_sbs_107_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HM6KBN8VTJMBG9Z2BVQ1
With an RCA-3.5mm adapter? The Pyle 2 channel you showed me is a little bit weak, but I'm kinda understanding what I need now
This project for my 2006 TJ may have been easy for someone who had a lot of experience with it, but I hadn't wired an Amp since high school so it was certainly interesting and at times challenging.
I wanted to keep the OEM Head Unit because it looks cool and it doesn't advertise the fact that there's now $450 of aftermarket audio parts in the soft top TJ. Plus I think it looks cool.
Problem 1 - There's no Aux Audio In, so we fixed that with a kit designed to use the port for a multi-CD changer (I bet a lot of kids don't even know what the heck that is but it would have been a fun addition back before MP3 players):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007CK30I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007TXP6A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I stashed the input into one of the two cigarette lights - the little bulb actually sort of fit as if it was designed for it.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071R4H85Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Problem 2 - I hated the look of the sound bar so I'd ripped it out, leaving only the 2 OEM speakers in the dash. I wanted a lot more power and a lot better sound, but I was worried about space, moisture/water, and getting speakers in without a sound bar.
The solution:
1 - Jam 2 4x4 inch Rockford Fosgates into the rear corners, zipping them down and then zipping their covers over them. This turned out to look really cool (they're not pictured) but I will need to figure out a solution to cover them up in case it rains.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BF6HWF4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
2 - Replace the OEM Dash 4x6 inch speakers with some great 4x6's from Rockford Fosgate that can really handle a lot of power:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002G9DO8S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
These went in pretty clean with zip ties because they ship with this cool perforated plastic oval thing that you can chop bits and pieces out until you get a good shape. This was helpful because the OEM drilled holes were in a funny spot and definitely didn't line up (every other speaker I've ever installed lined up so it's good that RF thought of this).
3 - Now the tricky part - Kenwood makes this killer little 4x100 Amp that's designed for motorcycles, boats and 4-wheelers... I thought it would be perfect for the TJ and I was definitely right. It fit perfectly into the back of the Glove Compartment with absolutely no drama.
What was dramatic was the whole wiring job. Obviously everything had to be cut and spliced because the OEM Head Unit on the 2006 TJ does not come with Audio Red/White Outputs. That meant cutting/stripping each output wire from the TJ and cutting the Red/White inputs for the Amp and splicing those, then stripping the wires outbound to the speakers and patching them into the output of the Amp.
Hopefully it won't be too much of a problem that I jammed the power into the fuse for the Radio - that's a 10 amp mini-fuse so actually I think it will be perfect to complement the 15 amp mini-fuse that's already in the Amp wiring harness.
I have a bit of an issue with grounding - I grounded off on the same location that the Head Unit does, on the right hand side of the dash. At peak power, this is causing the Amp to come un-grounded and turn off. What I did was throttle the fader off the rear speakers by 30% and this seemed to resolve the problem with the downside being I'm getting 30% less sound from the 4x4's, but... luckily the 4x6's sound amazing so this isn't really a big deal.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JEC0YFQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The best part about this setup is that really you cannot tell when looking at the Dashboard that all this audio horsepower is in the TJ, and even the rear speakers remain pretty hidden behind the rollcage.
I realize I should have taken pictures throughout the install but oh well.
I'm working with pretty limited space, but what if I installed something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JEC0YFQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A5ZRC4DPYV13E&psc=1
Along with this for the front speakers:
https://www.amazon.com/Crutchfield-150Hz-Bass-Blocker-pair/dp/B0761TYTVR/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1520125840&sr=1-1&keywords=150+hz+bass+blocker&dpID=51PSof3jEuL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
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On a side note, I do have two of these sitting around that I could swap out in the front, if it'd be any better....
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001P86SQG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Also just looked for a better amp for the speakers, will [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Kenwood-KAC-M1804-Compact-4-channel-Amplifier/dp/B00JEC0YFQ) work?
I wouldn't bother doing speakers without an amp. Buying nice speakers and not amping them would be like buying excellent football boots, but playing with a ball of tape.
That first amp looks rather large. Size doesn't indicate power, so I would go smaller if you can. The thing I'd look for when amp shopping would be the CEA rating for power. The CEA-2006 rating is important. If we look at an excellent amp like the Focal FPS 4160, the power on the marketing sheet is 4x160W, but CEA power is only 4x120W. If we look at a cheaper amp like the Pioneer GM-A5602, it's marketed power is 2x450W, but the CEA numbers are half, sitting at 2x225W.
Sonic Electronix has a good video on the benefits of CEA rating.
If you could stretch the budget, or find a good deal on it, Focal's itty bitty Impulse 4.320 puts out 4x55W clean, CEA rated power. You can bridge it to 2x110W if you get a slightly better front speaker. The Focal unit is awesome, but pricier than the ones you list. You'll likely find it for about £160. It's like the size of a pen. I love the piece for stealthy installs.
If you are set on the £100 limit, then I would look at the Kenwood KAC-M1804 if you want smaller and better, or the Pioneer GM-A3602 if you want to save some, and are OK with larger.
I wouldn't remove the rear speakers, I would just get them unplugged. Unless you regularly have backseat passengers. You're way better off spending what you would spend on the rear speakers on better fronts. If it is any help, I drive a 5 meter long SUV, and I only have front speakers, albeit really good ones.
this would match damn near perfect: http://www.jlaudio.com/hd900-5-car-audio-hd-amplifiers-98223
this is the best rockford has, its a bit low on the sub port: http://www.rockfordfosgate.com/products/details/p1000x5
here is another option: http://www.amazon.com/Kicker-40KXM800-5-5-Channel-Marine-Amplifier/dp/B00D0SXWY0
I have a Pyle Hydra 2 channel amp to my speakers. It has an integral aux input. If you could find a non-battery Bluetooth-aux adapter you may be able to go that route. I haven't looked into it much myself
Amp: https://smile.amazon.com/Pyle-Hydra-Marine-Amplifier-Waterproof/dp/B000N5T0T4
Extender: https://www.amazon.com/J-Tech-Digital-Extender-Single-Through/dp/B00G5RBX2Q/
​
Switcher: https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-VS221HDQ-Automatic-Priority-Switching/dp/B00IUCVUB8/
We have one of that switcher, and one from the same company that's HDMI or VGA in instead of 2 HDMI.
I'm just using a marine amplifier behind the Pi. That does all the fun stuff you would need a head unit for, even has a volume knob but it's pretty ugly so I left it alone and just use the gpio volume control.
I went with a marine amplifier because it's about as small as you can get so I am able to stick it behind the dash, it's more powerful than most headunits too so it's not a bad choice. Here's the one I use Pyle Hydra Marine Amplifier - Upgraded Elite Series 400 Watt 2 Channel Micro Amplifier - Waterproof, GAIN Level Controls, RCA Stereo Input, 3.5mm Jack & Volume Control (PLMRMP1A) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003HH9FIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_teiSBbGEQT236
I'm looking to put together a festival setup that doesn't have to get crazy loud, but just decent loudness to play up a small campsite with some good tunes. I've been searching around a lot lately, and so far, my ideas look like this.
Get 4x Visaton BG 20
Get a Pyle PMRA400
Run it all off a car battery, at least 60Ah, like this one (In Danish).
Make up my own custom box, plug in a phone, and have some nice portable audio.
Again, this doesn't have to be a top-of-the-line audio system, but being able to play somewhat loudly, preferably enough to also bring to an inside house party and get some good quality audio, would be amazing.
My question being, how well suited would you say my current choice of amp and speakers are? Should I get something else? Of course this is all about maximising output-to-power ratio, as it'll be driven off a battery and not an always-on power source.
My preferred places of buying will be Thomann as they have lots of gear for relatively good prices, and of course Amazon (UK version as .com doesn't ship to Denmark)
Okay. So from what you told me I have put together this so far:
I envision a 4-way speaker system with two speakers aiming at about 45 degrees to the front and sides. And then two speakers aiming to the rear.
If I got 4 of these speakers: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BZFSYA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
This amp: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000N5T0T4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ADCZTTE1BO460
This power supply: http://www.batteryspace.com/LiFePO4-Prismatic-Battery-12.8V-40Ah-512Wh-10C-Rate-without-Balancing.aspx
Then what else would I need? The most convient way to source music is from our phones, so we have been usin a male 3.5mm to 2 RCA cable. What would be the best option for a mixer or receiver to control volume etc.?
Thanks a lot for your help. I really appreciate it.
speakers
amp
Not sure about the ohm of the speakers, but what would I gain by using all 4 channels 1 speaker per channel as opposed to my current set up which is outputting 2 speakers on the first 2 channels, I does work and sounds great, but I was just wanting to make sure I get the most out of it.
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Acoustik-CPT1-1500-Selectable-Terminals/dp/B003CYL7K8/ref=sr_1_26?s=car&ie=UTF8&qid=1372875364&sr=1-26
For those speakers I would get something like this and find a good 12v power adapter...