When you guys purchase amps for your stereos, what are the top qualities you look for in the amp?

• Name brand?
  
• Class D versus AB?
  
• Healthy wattage?
  
• Number of channels?
  
• Ohm stability?
  

 

First determine what you need. 2x50 or 2x100 for just door front speakers, or 4x200 + 1x 600 for all four sets of speakers and a sub? After you find what channels and powers you need for the system you want, everything else is less important. Low impedance stability doesn't mean anything if you aren't running low impedance. Class A, B, A/B, or various kinds of D - these make no difference unless you are sitting in a sound quality competition. The car is a terrible environment for sound quality - so long as you don't buy absolute rubbish any amplifier technology is going to sound the same driving down the road. Name brand, get something that has been around for a few years with a good reputation. Once you pick the channels and watts, the next consideration should maybe be location. Find an amp that fits where you want to put it.

 

Buy the one with the best warranty. If they're willing to stand behind their quality, it probably won't fail. I also tend to buy amps that weigh a lot. They have larger power supplies and more heat sink mass.

 

Name brand and wattage are my 2 biggest thing. I dont want to buy something that is crap and I dont want to buy something that will either underpower or overpower my stuff. Has to be just right.

 

i8acobra be careful judging by weight. I've seen electronics of various kinds with steel plates fitted for no reason but to add weight.

 

I am. I usually look for internal pics before I buy.