Feeling Very Frustrated! Need Advice Guys

[FadedSpy 10+ year member]

I swear I have the worst luck when it comes to car audio. I purchased a Brutus BRZ2400.1D amp and a 15" Power Acoustic Mofo a year ago. It was a dual 4 ohm sub and my Brutus was rated at 1750@2ohm @ 14.4. Well I thought I blew the sub so I threw it away. When I saved money for new subs I ordered the subs to find out that the amp didn't work //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/mad.gif.c18f003ab0ef8a0d9c27ca78d77a6392.gif So I sent the amp to Steve @ AmpMedics and paid $120 to have it fixed and shipped back to me. I'n the mean time I relocated the ground wire to a much more solid spot, did the Big 3 Upgrade and got a digital volt meter to hook up to the amp to monitor voltage.

I got a pair of Dual 4Ohm American Bass XFL 12's from Jim (myLows) and I was doing great! I kept an eye on the volt meter and never saw it dip below 12.5 so I thought it was all good.

This morning I went out to go somewhere and I got no sound from the amp. I double checked to make sure the RCA's didn't come loose but they were just fine. I tried another sub I had in the garage and nothing. I opened up the amp and I've got a bulging Capacitor but it doesn't look like a burnt power supply like it had last time I got it fixed. Anyway, I'm done with Brutus Amp for good. This is the 3rd one I've owned and the 3rd one I've thrown away. I can't blame the amp tho, I didn't give it the power it needed to perform.

So, I'm at a crossroads...I'm going to sell on of the subs to buy a new amp. I just built a box for a Single XFL 12. Box is done, now I need an amp. I need an amp that isn't power hungry, that can give me about 1200-1500 rms @ 2ohms @ 12v. Am I asking too much here? I have a Kinetik 1400 that I need to install but I was told not to until I could afford a Deep Cycle battery for under the hood, otherwise the wet cell will destroy the dry cell in back.

I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to spend $500-$600 on an awesome amp only to have the same issues again due to under powering it. I need an amp that's a bit more "forgiving"

Let the flaming begin =)

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[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

I swear I have the worst luck when it comes to car audio. I purchased a Brutus BRZ2400.1D amp and a 15" Power Acoustic Mofo a year ago. It was a dual 4 ohm sub and my Brutus was rated at 1750@2ohm @ 14.4. Well I thought I blew the sub so I threw it away. When I saved money for new subs I ordered the subs to find out that the amp didn't work //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/mad.gif.c18f003ab0ef8a0d9c27ca78d77a6392.gif So I sent the amp to Steve @ AmpMedics and paid $120 to have it fixed and shipped back to me. I'n the mean time I relocated the ground wire to a much more solid spot, did the Big 3 Upgrade and got a digital volt meter to hook up to the amp to monitor voltage.
I got a pair of Dual 4Ohm American Bass XFL 12's from Jim (myLows) and I was doing great! I kept an eye on the volt meter and never saw it dip below 12.5 so I thought it was all good.

This morning I went out to go somewhere and I got no sound from the amp. I double checked to make sure the RCA's didn't come loose but they were just fine. I tried another sub I had in the garage and nothing. I opened up the amp and I've got a bulging Capacitor but it doesn't look like a burnt power supply like it had last time I got it fixed. Anyway, I'm done with Brutus Amp for good. This is the 3rd one I've owned and the 3rd one I've thrown away. I can't blame the amp tho, I didn't give it the power it needed to perform.

So, I'm at a crossroads...I'm going to sell on of the subs to buy a new amp. I just built a box for a Single XFL 12. Box is done, now I need an amp. I need an amp that isn't power hungry, that can give me about 1200-1500 rms @ 2ohms @ 12v. Am I asking too much here? I have a Kinetik 1400 that I need to install but I was told not to until I could afford a Deep Cycle battery for under the hood, otherwise the wet cell will destroy the dry cell in back.

I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to spend $500-$600 on an awesome amp only to have the same issues again due to under powering it. I need an amp that's a bit more "forgiving"

Let the flaming begin =)

Regular lead acid batteries and agm batteries have different cycles and its not good to mix for long. However it wont destroy anything it just lowers your battery's lifespan. Keeping your amp fed with proper power is much more important then battery lifespan. I used a regular battery and a kinetik hc1800 in my old car for a few years, no problems. You really should have been more careful with your system if you knew you did not have the electricals to back it up.

For your purpose s id recommend getting a used kicker zx1500.

 

[FadedSpy 10+ year member]

Any thought on a Planet Audio ac5000.1d ? I think I could get at least 1200rms out of one at 2 ohms.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

If you run cheap amps on stock electrical you're bound to have bad results. I've found more robust (and expense) amps to be more adept to take abuse however the root of your problem is that you were not supplying enough power. I don't suggest trying to run much more than 1000w on a stock alternator. Good batteries will protect your amplifier from extreme low voltages but will strain your alternator and shorten its life.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Any thought on a Planet Audio ac5000.1d ? I think I could get at least 1200rms out of one at 2 ohms.

you just jumped from barely mediocre(Hifonics) to horrible(PA) in amp quality lol.

You are just gonna keep getting useless doorstop bricks with this habit.

If you really want to do things right either Spend the money on a proper efficient and reliable amp OR hook up that kinetik, do the big 3 and work on your electricals then you can go cheap with the amps. Amps on the cheap thats looking decent right now is a ppi BA 7000.1D/BA5000.1D. Still would require electrical upgrades man.

 

[fatboytyler]

you just jumped from barely mediocre(Hifonics) to horrible(PA) in amp quality lol.
You are just gonna keep getting useless doorstop bricks with this habit.

If you really want to do things right either Spend the money on a proper efficient and reliable amp OR hook up that kinetik, do the big 3 and work on your electricals then you can go cheap with the amps. Amps on the cheap thats looking decent right now is a ppi BA 7000.1D/BA5000.1D. Still would require electrical upgrades man.

PA's Big Bang series is a really solid model, but no one gives it any love.

But yes OP, you're going to be straining you electrical at 1200-1500 even at 2 ohm. Get the Big 3 installed with quality 0 gauge wire (Sky High or Knu Konceptz). What vehicle are you in?

 

[FadedSpy 10+ year member]

I've got a Dodge Intrepid R/T with the 3.5L and a 120 Amp Alternator. I never even saw my headlights dim with my Brutus, that's why I was so confused when I blew it again after doing the Big 3. I'll pick up another battery for under the hood and put my Kinetik 1400 in the trunk. There's a Kinetik 1800 for sale an hour from me, I might go get that for under my hood.

Let's say I get this done this weekend, would I be safe enough to run a VFL 150.1? I'm asking because that's the amp I really want, I just don't want to buy it and turn it into a door stop like my Brutus =)

 

[FadedSpy 10+ year member]

you just jumped from barely mediocre(Hifonics) to horrible(PA) in amp quality lol.
You are just gonna keep getting useless doorstop bricks with this habit.

If you really want to do things right either Spend the money on a proper efficient and reliable amp OR hook up that kinetik, do the big 3 and work on your electricals then you can go cheap with the amps. Amps on the cheap thats looking decent right now is a ppi BA 7000.1D/BA5000.1D. Still would require electrical upgrades man.

Out of curiosity, that PPI 7000.1D looks pretty nice. I can't find a price for it anywhere online though. Any idea what the 5000/1 or the 7000/1 cost?

 

[MrFoca]

Out of curiosity, that PPI 7000.1D looks pretty nice. I can't find a price for it anywhere online though. Any idea what the 5000/1 or the 7000/1 cost?

eBay I found the 7000.1 for 299 & down.

 

[CSCStang]

Out of curiosity, that PPI 7000.1D looks pretty nice. I can't find a price for it anywhere online though. Any idea what the 5000/1 or the 7000/1 cost?

@trumpet.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Out of curiosity, that PPI 7000.1D looks pretty nice. I can't find a price for it anywhere online though. Any idea what the 5000/1 or the 7000/1 cost?

I remember seeing it for 215 at a site listed on car audio classified. Org.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Precision Power Class D Amplifier 7000W Max 1/2 Ohm Stable - Join the Pricefalls family - Pricefalls.com Online Marketplace & Stores

Its 192 today for this site

 

[FadedSpy 10+ year member]

How do you think this amp compares to the VFL 150.1? I can probably get a USED VLF 150.1 for $325-$375 on CACO. But if this PPI Amp is only $200 that's extremely tempting! I'm installing the Kinetik 1400 in my trunk tonight and then I'll get an AGM for my starting battery as soon as I can afford one or find one somewhere around here.

Will this PPI amp be safe with my 120 amp Alternator and a Kinetik 1400 in the trunk? I thought my Brutus was safe with my voltage meter attached to it, it hung around 13.2-13.5 all of the time, and apparently that's too low a voltage for the Brutus. Again, I don't want to buy another door stop =)