3 JL 12W0's - no amp

[Naughtaclue]

Hi everyone,
My name's Garrett and I have been reading this forum since I got my explorer a year ago at Manheim - in fact - this forum alone provoked me to get an explorer because if I had a problem, I knew where to look. This is an awesome forum, I've never had to post before because I have always found answers to my questions by searching. This one has me stumped though.
I used to have an 8" self powered bazooka sub, but that wasn't enough bass for me, so I got 3 JL 12W0's. Now I need to get an amp, and I'm so confused I don't know where to begin. I know that the subs are rated 125 watts rms each at 4 ohms, and there are three of them (they are single voice coil too). They are wired in parallel so I guess that's a 1.33 ohm load (ohms confuse me). From what I understand, I need an amp that's stable down to 1 ohm. I have searched around and a lot of amps don't specifically say they are stable down to 1 ohm - should I just assume they are? What do I need to look for in an amp to power my subs? I'm just a kid and I have gotten this far without having to spend too much on my explorer by doing things myself, and I want to continue to do so. My budget for an amp is around $200, and it doesn't have to be new (ebay?). My Explorer is already wired for an amp from the bazooka's set-up, so it's pretty much plug and play. I just need some recommendations on an amp (I heard MTX is good). Any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[carlover]

www.crutchfield.com they have decent prices but alot of knowledge and great custmoer service.

 

[DOZIER]

your gonna want at least a 500 watt true wattage amplifier.umm..........mtx 801d would do you good for about the price range you are looking for on ebay. also if you want to stay loyal to the brand sub, you can buy a jl 500.1 amp for like 250 or 300 on ebay and it should do great. search around.

 

[Naughtaclue]

I was thinking Hifonics bx1000d. Anyone have experience with hifonics amps?

 

[DOZIER]

also from my experience hifonics produces an awesome amp too.

 

[Rage1973]

www.crutchfield.com = RIP OFF!!

 

[DDEBEXP]

i have a rockford fosgate 901M. It is only 4 ohm stable x 1, but i have a dual 2 ohm voice coil sub wired into 1 ohm. I just put a big fan on the amp and "knock on wood" i haven't had any problems. I should be just around the ball park of 900 watts. The point is, is that is a safe rating for reliability. If you get a good quality amp that is stable at 2 ohms, you should be just fine @ 1.33 ohms. Just make sure that you have some kind of fan or added heat sink on or in the amp and don't play it too loud too long. Even a 1 ohm stable amp, if you go down that low, the thing will heat up quick. Also, when you get the amp, make sure it has some kind of sheet inside the box that tells you what the amp is Actually rated at. Another option is to just run your subs in a series. If i do the calculations correct, you would have 12 ohms that way, meaning better quality sound, more subs, but less power. Keep in mind that the lower the ohm rating, the more "muddy" the bass will sound due to THD (distortion) ratings. The lower the ohms, the more distortion you get and the higher the ohms, the less distortion. Hope that helps. If i am incorrect, someone jump in.

 

[FexplorerV8]

http://jbl.com/car/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=GTO1201.1 II&ser=GTS&cat=AMP

http://cgi.ebay.com/JBL-GTO1201-1-I...ryZ18797QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

this is the best amp for the money look it up on ebay u might be able to pick it up for 275-350, i have one!! look at my cardomain pics so u get an idea, this thing really rocks mine its running at 1 ohm and it just PUMPS!

AND U WONT NEED ANY FANS!!!!! ^^^LoL^^^

 

[FexplorerV8]

http://cgi.ebay.com/JBL-GTO1201-1-1...802101913QQcategoryZ18797QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/JBL-GTO-1201-1I...800657095QQcategoryZ18797QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Naughtaclue]

DDEBEXP and FexplorerV8 thank-you for your input. I purchased a hifonics bx1000d for $190 shipped. I think it should do well for now, but that sweet JBL amp will definitely be my next step, and by the time I make that next step it will probably go down in price anyway. My only question now is that i noticed the power wire running from my battery to the bazooka is 8 gauge. Will that be enough for the hifonics amp? probably not right? I think I need at least 4

 

[FexplorerV8]

8 wont be enough get 4 gauge or bigger the thicker the better LoL
btw Hifonics its great, good buy!!

 

[DDEBEXP]

good amp, and i agree with FexplorerV8, 4 gauge is definately better. Even better if you use a stiffening cap.

 

[cgmiller83]

Whats the total power that you need? A company call BLITZ has an amp that I think would work for what you need. Its 1 Ohm stable (AKA 1.3) with a very high RMS. Can you say 1200w RMS power at 1.3 Ohms with a max total power of 2400w. Here is a link to the companies specs sheet on it. BLITZ BZA3000D. The amp is a Class-D that won't break your wallet. The price range from $129 to $169 plus shipping cost. Heres a link to a guy selling new ones on Ebay. Ebay

 

[oldschool4life]

www.crutchfield.com = RIP OFF!!

Kinda...

...why pay shipping on retail when you can go down the street and pay retail?

Good customer service; free install crap (like with a radio).

 

[oldschool4life]

Whats the total power that you need? A company call BLITZ has an amp that I think would work for what you need. Its 1 Ohm stable (AKA 1.3) with a very high RMS. Can you say 1200w RMS power at 1.3 Ohms with a max total power of 2400w. Here is a link to the companies specs sheet on it. BLITZ BZA3000D. The amp is a Class-D that won't break your wallet. The price range from $129 to $169 plus shipping cost. Heres a link to a guy selling new ones on Ebay. Ebay

Sorry to say...

...crap.

 

[Naughtaclue]

Got the amp hooked up and its more than enough power to give me tinnitus , and it looks cool too. For $190 I can't complain except now I have to figure out how to stop the rear hatch from rattling. Very happy with Hifonics for anyone out there looking for assurance like I was.

 

[TTG]

My rear hatch rattles too, as does the rear wiper. Thinking of spraying some undercoating on something. Or just stuffing it with Dynamat.

 

[DirtMcGirt]

i used foam tape and wedged in to stop the moving parts from rattling. Also, seal any places where air can get through. And finally, no excuse for license plate rattles