sound difference between amps
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Joined: Jan 2008
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From: SoCal
sound difference between amps
just like the title states what are the sound/power differences between an alpine pdx and an audiobahn amp rated at the same rms power...i currently have an audiobahn running my focal k2p components....
will switching over to an alpine amp improve my sound quality significantly...i am running off one of the pioneer bt units with an 8-gauge kit...thanks
will switching over to an alpine amp improve my sound quality significantly...i am running off one of the pioneer bt units with an 8-gauge kit...thanks
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Harvest, AL
Depends on your SNR and THD. Some of these guys are probably better at explaining it than I could be. The cleaner your amp, the better SQ you will get. IMO neither of those amps are clean enough to run high end speakers like Focals.
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Joined: Apr 2008
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The Alpine PDX series are supposedly really high quality, but they're still a digital amp I think. You want a Class AB amp driving your components. Save the digital (Class D) amp for your subs, they tend to roll off or do something funky with the high end. JL, Image Dynamics, Xtant, Diamond Audio, Eclipse etc. all make good Class AB amps with a low noise floor from what I remember.
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Harvest, AL
My favorite currently are US Amps. I have run Orion and Soundstream in the past with good results. I had old school Rockford Punch 45 that rocked, then a newer Punch 500 and it sucked so I stay clear. I heard they are better now but I won't buy anything else with their name on it.
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From: None
Amp power rating is like ordering medium rare steak in Dennys vs. Ruth Chris'. It's almost never truely medium rare at Dennys but they call it so. Think of good brands like Zapco, Sinfoni, Alpine, as Ruth Chris'.
Among the two you stated, I'd pick the Alpine PDX anyday. It a very small and VERY efficient Class D amp with Class A/B quality output that won't strain the S's alternator as much. Think of it as a class of it's own. Alpine calls it the "ICE" amps. JL Audio is also coming out with a new line to compete with them since these amps are so popular. It may not be the best amp in the world, but I consider it one of the top amp for the S.
I did quite a bit of research before I bought a PDX recently. You can see a close up in my "audio upgrade" thread. I am also running another Alpine's normal Class D amp (for my sub) and is very happy with the result. Bottomline is that I think Alpine product is solid.
This a good review of the PDX from caraudiomag: http://www.caraudiomag.com/0607_cae_alpine...fier/index.html
Among the two you stated, I'd pick the Alpine PDX anyday. It a very small and VERY efficient Class D amp with Class A/B quality output that won't strain the S's alternator as much. Think of it as a class of it's own. Alpine calls it the "ICE" amps. JL Audio is also coming out with a new line to compete with them since these amps are so popular. It may not be the best amp in the world, but I consider it one of the top amp for the S.
I did quite a bit of research before I bought a PDX recently. You can see a close up in my "audio upgrade" thread. I am also running another Alpine's normal Class D amp (for my sub) and is very happy with the result. Bottomline is that I think Alpine product is solid.
This a good review of the PDX from caraudiomag: http://www.caraudiomag.com/0607_cae_alpine...fier/index.html
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