[QUOTE=Will,Mar 4 2006, 09:11 PM] I am in the process of installing a setup almost identical to yours.

 

are there reports of problems with this line of alpine subs? do you know of others who had the same problems with this specific amp or is there a chance you had a lemon? i ran three alpine amps in my prior car stereo system and they worked like swiss watches for years...

 

A lot of things have changed in the past 15 years with car audio. In the early 1990s Alpine was the top brand IMO for car stereos. I had so many brands and in the early 90s Alpine was it. Now 15 years later I put in a DVD player in my S2000 and the cost alone for that unit was $1500. So prices have gone way up. I used to have the top of the line Alpine CD player but I gave that away a couple weeks ago. Now I have the top of the line Kenwood double din DVD player with Navi. I love this touch screen unit but its so damn expensive now.

I have also upgrade some tweeters and mids to BA. Back in the 1990s I really liked the Fosgate and Alpine amps and I always ran Cerwin Vega and Polk Audio speakers and loved them. Now if I had to do it all over again I would still go with Alpine and now Kenwood. Speakers I would stick to PA.

Anyway $1500 wont get you much these days. A headunit and thats about it. $3000 and then you can really start.

Good luck.

 

This is a pretty general statement. I think you are in the minority. If there was not a problem with the shop's wiring, then maybe you had a bad amp... but honestly I have not heard of much Alpine gear failing. Other brands, sure.

 

After discussing the issue with a few others, as well as the installer who will be putting the system together, I think I'm back to the dedicated amp setup--

6.5" Type R components =
Alpine MRP-F250
Per channel into 4 ohms: 40W x 4 (0.08% THD)
Per channel into 2 ohms: 75W x 4

10" Type R Sub =
Alpine MRP-M450
Per channel into 4 ohms: 220W x 1 (1% THD)
Per channel into 2 ohms: 400W x 1

 

i personally prefer a separate amp for a sub. i think speakers and amps need clean, dedicated power. good call

 

Now, with the latter mono amp pushing the sub, does one go with the 4 ohm (SWR-1042D) or 2 ohm (SWR-1022D) sub?

Not sure how these two would differ in terms of sound quality and capacity, given the same amp (MRP-M450)...