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What Makes a Good Car Amp?

What Makes a Good Car Amp? thumbnail
A car amplifier provides power and quality to music in a car

A car amplifier takes a low-level signal from a source unit (CD, MP3, radio) and converts it into a high-level signal to power speakers. Serious listeners deem them to be essential for all car journeys.

  1. Power

    • Power is essential to deliver high noise levels. Use the RMS (root mean square) rating, which measures an amplifier's average power output, to make comparisons between different models.

    Quality

    • Higher quality amplifiers normally have a heavier and larger heat sink compared to a lower quality amplifier which has the same RMS rating. Also look at the THD (total harmonic distortion) rating to see how much it will distort the sent input signal. A good amplifier's rating will be below 0.1 percent. The stability of the sound is measured in ohms, with a good amplifier being stable at 2 ohms.

    Features

    • Different amplifiers offer various features so you need to think about what you need from it. There is no point in paying extra for something with equalizers and speaker-level input if you're not going to use them.

    Power Consumption

    • Amplifiers will provide a rating of how much power they use. Make sure you select one that your car can power without having problems.

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References

  • Photo Credit speaker image by Christopher Hall from Fotolia.com

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