Before I had (2) 10" MTX subwoofers hooked up to my first amp... a 200 Watt MTX (meaning around 30 watts/channel).
Realized my error and took one speaker out... bridged the remaining so.. 130 watts to the sub.
Now for the new toy of mine.... The Kenwood KAC-7202. A 920 Watt masterpiece!
This thing is awesome... runs for around $200 (less if you go shopzilla) and puts out 150W RMS x 2 @ 4ohms!
More than double the power I had before! This thing is awesome! I've read the reviews on it, made my decision, and decided that it is well worth the cash. Hell of a lot less money than a similar wattage Rockford Fosgate or MTX or (insert brand here).
I drove 6 hours back to my place from my parents with that thing cranked and I love it... no smoke, no problems.
The only thing I didn't like was that I needed to match the frequency range to my subs (good thing I did) and same with the input voltage to the head unit's (also done).
#11790, "RE: Finally... New amp!!!" In response to Reply # 2 Dec-29-05 11:09 AM by EclipseSix
Don't steal his fire, jeeze. Making a big jump in power like that probably feels amazing. I have a Kenwood 900 watt, and it drives the subs very nicely. However I just switched out the kenwood headunit for a JVC unit with pre-outs for the sub.... WOW, i had to turn the power down, thought my hatch window was gonna shatter. Now I have to buy dampening crap... oh well!
#11791, "RE: Finally... New amp!!!" In response to Reply # 3 Dec-29-05 12:55 PM by 95_ESi_Person
Originally posted by EclipseSix
Don't steal his fire, jeeze.
Thanks... I know it's not big to some, but I'm happy.
Originally posted by EclipseSix Making a big jump in power like that probably feels amazing. I have a Kenwood 900 watt, and it drives the subs very nicely. However I just switched out the kenwood headunit for a JVC unit with pre-outs for the sub....
yeah, I also got a new head unit over the summer.. a new Alpine. the pre-outs were going out on my old Kenwood head unit (what else can your expect from a 4 year old cd player?)
I love it. I put my back seat in today (the back rest portion) and it seemed to have made it louder. I had to turn down the bass.
#11792, "RE: Finally... New amp!!!" In response to Reply # 4
I gotta ask, noticed your sig.. hows the car holding up with all that mileage?? I'm coming up on 90k and I've had the HG and fuel pump and a rebuit tranny already, what about you? I'd love to keep this car until 200k, but I never thought I could afford the repairs that I'll inevitably have to do. Whats your experience been with it?
#11793, "RE: Finally... New amp!!!" In response to Reply # 5 Dec-29-05 06:11 PM by 95_ESi_Person
Originally posted by EclipseSix I gotta ask, noticed your sig.. hows the car holding up with all that mileage?? I'm coming up on 90k and I've had the HG and fuel pump and a rebuit tranny already, what about you? I'd love to keep this car until 200k, but I never thought I could afford the repairs that I'll inevitably have to do. Whats your experience been with it?
I'll be crossing into 200k this weekend!!!
Since my father who owned the car before I did never really did any maintenance it's kind of "iffy".
134k Whole timing assembly (belt/pulleys/tensioner, and even the water pump were replaced)
156k Trans rebuild (leaked fluid and I thought it was engine oil = my bad)
170k Replaced front left wheel bearing (trans shop fucked up and didn't torque the axle nut correctly)
196k Radiator hit something or something hit radiator = Replaced
Other than that stuff it's decent, sure I go through 3-5 quarts of oil between my 3000 mile oil changes and need to replace spark plugs every 3-6 months. But I finally got a new upstream O2 sensor which might have solved that problem.
Never had the HG replaced!!! Probably why I lose so much oil.
EDIT: Oh yeah, and sometimes when I'm on the highway oil and stuff gets on my exhaust pipe and the catalytic converter starts smoking.
It still runs, needs to warm up for about 15-20 minutes before it's driveable. But it can still go to redline, which it does almost every day.
#11794, "RE: Finally... New amp!!!" In response to Reply # 6
nice purchase on the amp! to be honest...ive had several SPL systems in several cars and in my eclipse i only ran 600 watts to 2 crappy 15"s and hit over 150dBs. our cars are very condusive to great bass with only a little power.
as for the query on the longevity of the eclipse, i had mine for 4.5 years and went from 80k miles to 160k with only the following (excludes oil/plug/air filter/plug wire changes):
1) new tcu (fried mine on accident, it was my fault) 2) preventative timing belt change at 120k 3) p/s belt slipping problems. fixed by changing my harmonic damper bolt. 4) dead alternator (again, my fault due to my system). i got a new high-amp unit from www.4alterstart.com for $225 and replaced it myself in an afternoon.
if i wasnt t-boned, im confident that she would have made it over 200k miles with no other problems.
#11796, "RE: Finally... New amp!!!" In response to Reply # 8
i dont mean to steal his fire, sorry if it came out that way. what i meant was, wattage shouldnt be your primary concern. claryity should be. seeing as how its a gift, you dont really get to pick out, its good then. dont worry about your windows, they wont shatte youre feeling the difference now, but give it about 2 months or so and youll be itching for more power.
I just wish my car was as fast as it was loud. people tell me i should use my sub to push it, it might go faster.
#11816, "RE: Finally... New amp!!!" In response to Reply # 12
Originally posted by Star Turbo Talon Congrats Ryan, nice to have a cleaner and higher quality amp running things isnt it? Terry
Thanks! Oh yes!!!
My fiance won't let me turn it up with her in the car even though she likes the bass. My roommate and one of my friends absolutely love it! They were in the car (seperate times of course, lack of back seat) and were trying to yell over the bass, I turned it down and they were still yelling "I LIKE IT!!!".
youre feeling the difference now, but give it about 2 months or so and youll be itching for more power.
