Understand I know little about car audio, but I don't understand why all the amps out there are so damn big. Is it because the manufacturers have no incentive to make them smaller or it is something physical that cannot be overcome, like heat dissipation. Is there a need for new amplification technology that can make these items smaller?

I have also noticed the "bling" factor. Most of the amps try to look good, that can only add size. I want to hide my amp, it could look like chopped liver for all I care.

I want to install new 6 1/2" in the front, S-PODS in the back, and an 8" sub. I noticed some smaller amps that should fit over the spare or next to the tire, but they are all 4 channels. How should amp this to keep all my truck space except the 8" WLaurent encloser?

 

check out memphis amplifiers. they sound great and offer big power in a small package compared to most.

heres the one i use in my S2k.

memphis 4 channel

 

It is a combination of several factors you listed.

Manufacturers have no incentive to use the smallest parts available as the product cost would price them out of the market. Heat is also an issue... the more powerful the amplifier, the more heat that's going to need dissapation, which means more surface area is required.

There are new amplification techniques being used compared to 50 years ago, but few want to give up sound quality for amplification efficiency... they'd rather the system be big and hot rather than sound like a squirrel nibbling at your nuts. It's always a game of trade-offs. For example, Class-D amps are perfect for subs as they're pretty damn efficient and give off less heat one a per-Watt basis, but suck royally for high range due to their inability to accurately reproduce high-frequency sounds.

 

Shhhhh. Don't tell the Bel Canto lovers that

 

Thanks spider2k, I will check them out.

Thanks for the info MacGyver, pretty much what I thought. I guess I can try to find a Class-D amp for my sub.