i'm looking for an amp to efficiently power 1 12w7 and hopefully not pass the $500 mark. recommendations?

 

thats fairly easy. Id just contact Don (Pearl96Max) and see what he's got in stock..

He'll probably reccomend an Arc of some sort..

 

When i had my first 12w7 i powered it with a JBL GTO1201.1 and it powered it pretty nicely and was way under $500.

 

where can you find it for well under 500?

 

on ebay it is 325 shipped max.

 

the gto is good

 

i am currently powering it with a memphis mcd-1000, which i believe is only good for about 450 watts at 3 ohms and i believe this amp can handle up to 750 rms

 

What do you mean the amp can "handle" up to 750?

I would consider something big since you only have a 3 ohm vc to work with you're going to need to use all the headroom you may have normally been able to find with another sub.

 

if he's willing to spend close to 500 on an amp, Id go with something a little better than a JBL.

 

IMO the JBL GTO isnt a bad amp and would save him some money.

If he really wants to spend $500, i would still recommend another JBL amp (JBL/Crown BPx1100.1) the BPx is a much better amp and i ran a 13w7 and triple 12w3's for a while with that amp and its around 1000 watts at 1-4 ohms which is prefect for a W7.

There are other options, i was just giving my opinion to his question.

 

Usamps.......

 

sorry, i meant the sub can handle 750

 

i haven't really messed with jbl in quite some time...are they quality stuff? the jbl amp i had 8 years ago was pretty solid

 

holy hell, the bpx is 1000 watts at any impedance

 

So is the JL Audio 1000/1 (But that amp will cost at least 500 used and even more brand new)

There is a Phoenix Gold amp that does 1200x1 at any impedance also but i don't remember the model number.


And as far as JBL's quality... i havent had any issues with them and i owned 3 of them in the past and i really really liked the BPx and wanted to get the bigger BPx2200.1 but i went with a rockford fosgate T20001bd instead.

 

i had the pg xenon 1200.1. It's not nearly as good as there older stuff, so i sold it and bought the Jl 1000/1. I am very happy with the jl amp, if only i had waited a few more months i couldve gotteh the jl 1000/1 slash v2 amps there newer models. But one of the main reasons i chose the jl amp is because of its ability to do any ohmload @ full power, so basically if you decide to sell your w7 and get two 12's this amp will still work with your new configuration. Not only that but i personally am a jl audio fan, and unforunatley theres alot of JL haters on this forum i won't name on names but..pearl96max. lol j/k Seriously though, that sub needs ATLEAST 1000rms to be powerd accuratley, don't cheap out on an amp with a sub like that, if you don't have money save up and buy either a jl amp or something don (pearl96max) reccomends. I would stay away from the cheaper model amps with that sub.

 

http://www.arcaudio.com/arc-05/amplifiers/kar_10002.htm

This amp is pretty versitile, as it does 1000w @ 1 and 2 ohm, and should be less than 500, i would think

 

the 12w7 is 3 ohms(more around 2.5sh on multimeter) and like the poster above you said and i agree is that the 12w7 needs at least 1000 watts to get the full potential out of it. I think that this amp will underpower it slightly, but will still work if he wants to do it.

 

as with most arc amps, the KAR series are probably underrated.. half an ohm you aren't going to lose much power. It will probably be right around 1000w.

 

IF you can find one for less than retail, the Alpine PDX 1000.1 puts out 1000 watts @ 2-4 ohm. and it can fit under your seat, its so tiny!

 

I used jl audio in all my vehicles from subs and amps not a fan of there two way speakers. The cool thing about the JL audio 10001 is the fact it was tested with a 12 w7 to show max output. When I worked at TWEETER that was favorite combination for our customers. It had great response with little or no distortion. Keep in mind if you under power the W& you will eventually blow the speaker. At the end of the day you spend a ton of money of the Subwoofer and go cheap on the amp. Not a good combination. Good luck with it!

 

I really dont understand the obssesion with the JL 1000/1. Its like near $600 USED, and theres a bunch of other amps that are just as reliable, clean, powerful (usually more powerful), etc for less money.

Damn JL and their marketing.

 

I agree that there are as reliable, clean, more powerful and less current hungry than the 1000/1 but its still a good amp and if you have the money, why not especially if you are pairing it with the W7s becasue of the odd impedance.

And just as you dont understand the obsession with the JL amps, i dont understand the obsession on this board with eclipse, arc and rainbow. They are good products, but there are other alternatives that rarely get mentioned here.

 

well, arc and eclipse i can slightly understand where you'er coming from, but rainbow really is the 'cat's meow' when it comes to their SLC component line, which is whats most talked about on here. I've heard MANY many many amped component setups, from MB Quart to Type Rs to Botons, Eclipse, tons and tons more mainstream lines' components, and nothing compares to my amped rainbows fed by a basic Eclipse amp, even with my tuning-less (for lack of a better word) Alpine head unit. And from Don, they're cheaper than most of those brands. Ive even hooked up a few of my friends with rainbows and they couldnt be happier.

The only other brand that Ive heard that is right along line with the SLC265s are the OLDER Diamond HEX series comps - they were fantastic as well. However, they cost at least 50 bucks more iirc..

 

Those Rainbows are nice, real nice but the seem to drop off on the low end side. If balanced with a good sub setup they will sound awesome. But as far as being the best. I dont know about all that . I competed in some serious audio competitions and I won many of them because of my front stage I had with my DynAudio 3way compnents. I actually use all JL AMPs and a JL SUB. I also had a kick *** Eclipse Head unit CD8443. Awesome Head unit. The RTA we used showed our drop in bass response at 46hz, so at that point I upgraded to the dyns and there was no more dropoffs. So in my personnel opinion, take it for what it is, I believe the DYNS AUDIO Three ways cannot be touched by any other speaker on the market, even the FOCAL Utopias, I had those before the DYNS. JL AUdio AMps for the money are great amps, with low distoration and by no means are over rated. But the key to great sound is going to start at the head unit! My two cents. I hopefully will have picks of my old system on here as well as my new one going into my 06 Max

 

Noone said they were best, but in terms of quality they hold their own. Dyns are not the best either. In fact Nothing is. The term is way to broad and subjective for any one or even numerous brands collectively to be referred to as 'best'.

Also .. the JLs are not that low in the distortion arena. A few of them have been benched to show a loss in claimed power to boot.

 

Very true, indeed there is no best out there for speakers because everyone will have their own opinion. And the Jls didnt have the lowest THD. But for the money it is pretty low. Also keep in mind I am only comparing speakers by a machine ( RTA) Not by a Human ear wich would be much less in depth but we decide what sounds good not a machine! But pearl MAx you are indeed correct the DYNS may not be the BEST, but to me they are!

 

I do the same with an AC SA-3055.

I run/sell/rep the Dyns myself so no complaints from me, just pointing out the inevitable.

 

so recommend me an amp, son!

 

That is why you are the man!

Pearlmax I actually am looking at the dyns for this new system I am putting in, Can you get the three ways with the 8" driver along with an additional 9" drivers? TY

 

I was talking about the price vs what you're getting ratio.

for around the mid 250s, i havent heard better than the SLCs, they certainly aren't the 'end all'.

 

I have heard the SLC's installed in some NYCMaximas members cars and i wasnt all that impressed to be honest.... to each his own

 

Did you hear them off the radio or an auxillary input..or a legit CD? just curious...

 

so you like your CDTs better? Ive heard cdt comps and wasnt that impressed either, so I guess we agree to disagree. TEHO..

could have also been the setup/tuning/install.

 

Everything won't sound good to everyone also the implementation of the particular product COULD determine how they sound.

 

just as i said to each his own.... and im not praising cdt as being the best

 

CDT's got some interesting stuff, might be trying a couple of'em soon

 

oh no doubt. CDTs I think sound better than a good amount of other mainstream crap.

 

i was able to get a jl audio 1000/1 for 415 (slightly used)

good deal or no?

 

yeah decent deal. might as well.