-
Step 1
Find out what kind of power your speakers need. You want to know the RMS rating, which is the constant power. You will also want to know the Peak rating, which is the max amount of power the speakers can receive at any one time. The ratings are measured in watts. The amplifier output is also measure in watts, so the comparison is fairly simple.
-
Step 2
Name your price. If you are hooking up subwoofers to the amp, it will require more power than a typical speaker. A subwoofer usually will handle anywhere between 200 to 1000 watts. Some subs will hold more. Just remember the more power your amplifier puts out, the more it's going to cost.
-
Step 3
Decide how many channels you need. Amplifiers have channels, which distribute the power to each speaker. If you are only using one subwoofer, then an amplifier that is bridgeable to one channel would be ideal. This lets you funnel all the power from 2 channels into 1 for more power. If you are hooking up 4 speakers to the amp, then you will want an amplifier with 4 channels.
-
Step 4
Options, options, options. Now that you have decided on how much power you need, how much you want to spend, and how many channels you need, you can think about options. Most amplifiers have a crossover. A crossover lets you control what kind of sound comes through the speakers. For example, if you are hooking up plain speakers, you may want to limit the lower bass coming through the speakers. If you are hooking up subwoofers, you would want to limit the high frequency sounds coming through the subs. The worst sound in the world is high frequency coming through subwoofers.
