When you’re shopping for a new car amplifier,the very first questions that you should ask yourself are,how am I going to use it ? Am I going to power a whole sound system which comprise of multiple speakers and subs ? Or just one sub ? One pair of speakers or a couple pairs of speakers? maybe both speakers and a sub ?
Asking these question will help your narrow down your choices and help you select the right amplifier for your vehicle based on the number of output channels and how much power your components can support.Car amplifiers come in different models with different number of channels.
General Thoughts on Car Amps
Some amps only have one channel and they’re referred to as mono-channel amps.They’re designed specifically for subwoofers, and depending on the amp and sub’s impedance load you can connect one or multiple subs to one single mono amp.
2-channel amps offer more versatility.They can be use to drive your front door speakers.They can also be bridged to (Combining the 2 channels into a single channel) power a subwoofer.
4-channel amps offer a wide variety of options.They are the perfect type for powering a couple pairs of speakers.They can also be used to power a pair of door speakers using two channels while bridging the output of the other 2-channels to drive a subwoofer,enjoying clean highs and powerful,full lows out of one package.
Amps don’t stop only at 4 channels though.5 channel amps let you power a whole sound system.And they offer a rich blend of capabilities for the buck.They have 4 channels to power both front and rear deck speakers and a fifth dedicated powerful channel for powering your subs.The best thing about this type of amps is that they’re versatile,and easier to install.A 5-channel amp is a great investment for those who want to give their sound systems the flexibility and room to grow down the road.
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Why Use a Multichannel Car Amplifier?
Our reviews of the best 5 channel amps
This is not by any means a comprehensive list. There’ are tons and tons of great amps out there. However, we did want to give you a few good options. These amps represent different price points, designs and styles. With any luck, you’ll find something that meets your needs and satisfies your craving for soul-shaking music.
1.Kenwood KAC-7005PS
RMS Power Rating :
4 ohms : 40 watts x 4 chan. + 300 watts x 1 chan.
2 ohms : 50 watts x 4 chan. + 500 watts x 1 chan.
Bridged, 4 ohms: 100 watts x 2 chan.
Number of channels : 5-Channel
Load impedance capability : 4 ohms
Amp class : AB class
Max RMS power output : 500 W
Total max power : 1200 W
Bass boost on sub channel : 0-18 dB @ 40 Hz
Warranty : 1 Year
First up is the Kenwood KAC-7005PS, which is a pretty solid car amplifier on its own – it’s probably considered to be the best of Kenwood’s 5 channel amps, bar none.It can drive your entire car audio system giving it the boost it needs.
Kenwood, a brand we are rather enamored with, makes some of the best car stereos in addition to the best car amplifiers. If you happen to pick up one of their impressive stereos,you might want to get this amp to accompany it (though if you like, any other stereo will work with this amp).
The Kenwood KAC-7005PS can deliver up to 40 Watts of output power to each of your front and rear speakers on a continuous basis,and up to 300 watts RMS to your subs – this will result in crystal, clear, and rocking sound in your car.Another positive to the KAC-7005PS is the flexibility it offers – for example , if you’ve only got a set of speakers that you want to drive,you can simply bridge the amp into 3-channel mode and send 100 watts of RMS power to each of your speakers.As we’ve already mentioned,the more channels your amp has , the more flexibility it offers.
To keep this amp working at optimal temperatures even under extreme loads,Kenwood incorporated a cooling option which comprises of a cooling fan – sometimes up to 2 fans on some models, as well as a rugged cast-aluminum heatsink for extreme heat dissipation.In addition,this versatile amp also features separate adjustable crossover filters on all of its channels, not to mention a built-in variable bass boost on sub channel for up to 18 dB of low-frequency thump.
The only downside, conceivably, is the relatively low RMS power rating makes it a bit lacking especially if you have high-performance speakers that require more power than what this amp can put out.Other than that,this is a great amp to add to your sound system.
2.Rockford Fosgate R600X5 Prime
RMS Power Rating :
4 ohms : 50 watts RMS x 4 at 4 ohms + 200 watts RMS x 1
2 ohms : 75 watts RMS x 4 at 2 ohms + 300 watts RMS x 1
Bridged, 4 ohms : 150 watts RMS x 2
Bridged, 2 ohms : 300 watts RMS x 1
Number of channels : 5-Channel
Load impedance capability : 4 ohms
Amp class : AB/D
Max RMS power output : 600 Watts RMS
Bass boost : 0/6/12 dB @ 45 Hz
Frequency response : 20-20K Hz
Warranty : 1 Year
The R600X5 by Rockford Fosgate is one of the most expensive car amplifiers out there ,and the most expensive that we’re going to review.However,despite that you’ll have to shell out some serious dough if you wanna get this, it definitely earns its keep when it comes to performance and reliability.
The R600X5 can drive 4 speakers with 50 watts RMS each,while sending 200 watts to the subwoofer on a continuous-flow basis.If you’ve got a powerful set of speakers,you can bridge the amp to 2 channel mode to power these speakers with 150 watts RMS each,while sending 300 watts to your sub.This model includes variable high and low pass filters to take full advantage of both your speakers and subwoofer.It also comes with speaker level inputs – these inputs allow you to hook this amplifier up to almost any headunit including a factory headunit.
The R600X5 offers long-term reliability and provides superior sound quality.Its heavy cast-aluminum chassis incredibly contributes to heat dissipation by drawing heat away from the internal components making the amp running at its peak performance at optimal temperatures.Long story short , this is one of the best 5 channel amps out there.
3.Rockford Fosgate P1000X5 Punch
RMS Power Rating :
4 ohms : 75 watts RMS x 4 + 150 watts RMS x 1
2 ohms : 125 watts RMS x 4 + 300 watts RMS x 1
Bridged, 4 ohms : 250 watts RMS x 2
Bridged, 1 ohms : 500 watts RMS x 1
Number of channels : 5-Channel
Load impedance capability : 4 ohms
Amp class : AB/D
Max RMS power output : 500 Watts RMS
Total Power : 1000 Watts
Bass boost : 0 – 18dB @ 45Hz
Frequency response : 20-20K Hz
Warranty : 1 Year
The brother of the R600X5 , the main difference between that amp and this is its performance.That’s identified by Its RMS coming in at 75 watts RMS per channel along with up to 150 watts RMS on sub’s channel with the amplifier output impedance being set at 4 ohms.The advantage of this is that you can drive a couple pairs of high-performance speakers as well as a powerful subwoofer.
Additionally,the sub’s low and high pass filters are powerful features that come in handy for getting the right sound from your sub(s).The amp’s high-pass filters can be used to trim off low frequencies from your full-range speakers so they’ll play more efficiently.The low pass filters do the opposite – they filter high frequencies.
If you happen to have a very powerful pair of speakers and a subwoofer;you can switch this amp into 3 channel mode to drive your speakers with 250 watts RMS while sending 500 watts to your subwoofer.Rockford Fosgate incorporated a patented dynamic thermal management system that uses channeled air through its large heatsinks to dissipate heat and lessen the internal parts temperature,so the amp stays cooler and works better.
4.Planet Audio AC1800.5 MOSFET
RMS Power Rating :
210W RMS x 4 + 420W x 1 @ 4 Ohms
420W RMS x 4 + 500W x 1 @ 2 Ohms
Number of channels : 5-Channel
Load impedance capability : 4 ohms
Amp class : A/B
Total max power : 1800 W
Max RMS power output : 600 Watts RMS
Bass boost : 0 – 18 dB
Warranty : 1 Year
The Planet Audio AC1800.5 is one of the best multiple channel amps out there. It’s slightly less expensive,but it’s a solid amplifier that’s worth every penny.
So what makes this a solid amp? Basically, its power handling coming in at 210 watts for all of its four channels when the amp is configured for 4 ohm impedance load.That’s a huge amount of power.The price also makes it perfect for budget-conscious audio enthusiasts looking for a good amp to drive their entire sound system.
It can be a bit of a challenge to find a decent amp that won’t totally break the bank. While most 5 channel amps are priced at over $190 easily,the AC1800.5 gets the job done for around $130.However, it does not forfeit quality for price. It’s one of the best amps at this price point.
For some people, music is the driving force of their lives.Planet Audio built this AC1800.5 5-channel amp to send 210 watts RMS to both your rear and front speakers, plus up to 420W RMS to a sub , so you can hear and feel the musical joy.You can also bridge the amp.If you’ve got a pair of speakers and very powerful subwoofer that requires tons of power,you can switch the amp into Tri-Mode and increase the power output to the subwoofer.
The built-in high- and low-pass filters come in handy to let you adjust your amp’s output , so your speakers and sub(s) deliver the music you’ve been missing.The built-in Variable Bass Boost is also a great feature.It gives you control over the amount of bass you want to pump out to your sub(s).
5.MB Quart OA1100.5
RMS Power Rating :
75W RMS x 4 + 350W x 1 @ 4 Ohms
150W RMS x 4 + 500W x 1 @ 2 Ohms
300W RMS x 2 + 500W x 1 @ 4 Ohms
Number of channels : 5-Channel
Load impedance capability : 4 ohms
Amp class : D
Total max power : 1100 W
Max RMS power output : 600 Watts RMS
Bass boost : 0 – 12 dB @ 45 Hz
Warranty : 1 Year
The OA1100.5 by MB Quart is another great multiple channel amp.MB Quart is a brand we haven’t come across very much at all, but we were quite impressed when we did,and we think you will be pleasantly surprised with it as well.I admit that although this amp’s price is fairly steep,it provides an excellent damping factor,and if you’re here, then that is important to you.
MB Quart has been in the business since 1962 until acquired by Maxxsonics in 2005. They are known for providing high-end products for people who don’t mind shelling out a few extra dollars for added benefits.