New to all this ice stuff so want a reasonble 'starter' amp to go with Panasonic head unit and Inifinity speakers. Would prefer 4 channel, but maybe interested in 2.
cheers,

greg

also posted in wanted!

 

Be careful what you pay. A nice Kenwood 4 channel (4x50WRMS) can be had for only £160 if you shop around.

 

Cheers John,

 

I got the 848 for £160 - replaced by 849. The 6 and 7 series are a bit weedy - see the Kenwood catalogue. Try and get the 849.

 

cheers, 849 is £172, is that the best amp for that money then?

cheers,

greg

(still hoping for a decent 2nd hand one around £100)

 

Hey I have a amp for sale

ALPINE MRV-F300s 2/3/4 channel (V12)

Never Used - Boxed
4 channel mode @ 12V = 4x35RMS

3 channel mode @ 12V = 2x30RMS + 1x80RMS

4 channel mode @14.4V = 4x50RMS

3 channel mode @14.4V = 2x50RMS + 1x120RMS

NB: The 14.4V output is when the engine is running.

PRICE = £150 ONO

 

I would say the V12 is on a par with the Kenwood - would be a nice amp.

 

I would still say, go on to ebay.com either states or in uk, and get yourself a second hand phoenix gold or soundstream.

If you are starting out, you might as well get the good stuff, because it will be able to compete with all the otherstuff you buy as you upgrade, and you will upgrade.

 

Adam, of course you are right in terms of BEST quality, but it really depends on what level you want to play this at and how seriously you take your ICE... For most folk, £500-1000 is all they ever want to spend on ICE - now this obviously won't buy you top notch kit, but stuff in that price range is the popular area of the market and the results are quite good. I've spent £800 on Impreza ICE and lots of people think I'm mad. Some would call that very cheap, but as a worthwhile upgrade over factory I think it is incredibly good, and I am not planning to upgrade - I'm very happy with it. Whilst some would spend just the above amount on a set of components, most people want a bit more kit for their cash and at this price expect an amp and reasonable speakers. ebay means you have to pay shipping, sort out the money transfer, and have less comeback than under the Sale of Goods Act if you buy from within the UK with the benefit of a one year warranty. The guy wants to spend £100 - importing from the States is not an option for him. Maybe he'll get a middle of the road mainstream amp for a bit more new or 2nd hand and he'll probably be delighted. Adam, for a very nice car like yours (22b - right?) and with your knowlegde/expertise then you need to spend several times more than some other folk to get stuff you're happy with. No offence - I know you know a tremendous amount about ICE, but the stuff you're into is on a different planet quality and budget wise to most folk More power to you, but a lot of people are looking for something a bit more mundane, but with good VFM. I have done a £300 install in our second car with a 2 channel amp and four speakers. Now that is about as cheap as I would go and have kept the factory headunit which many would consider almost verging on blasphemy. However, it does what I want and is a MASSIVE improvement on the factory stuff. I think it is reasonable to say that mid-budget stuff is often the best VFM whatever you are buying - IMHO UK spec Impreza is better VALUE than P1/EVO/M3 etc. It's the old thing of diminishing returns with hi-fi separates where you can get huge improvement from a £60 CD player to a £300 one, buy to my ears a £1000 CD player sounds little better than the £300 one. To me a £300 pair of floorstanders for the lounge sounds ace.

If Rockin'Ru is a "knuckle dragger" and Adam is a quality King, then I must be a cheapskate

 

You kept the....the factory head unit!!

 

Nice to hear from you "Fist install" boy, otherwise known as a respectable surgeon in one of Her Majesty's finest hospitals - still scaring small children with your exhaust?
Factory HU - I know - best stick one limb in each of my BANDPASS (aarrrgghh - but it kicks *** in South Park phraseology) subwoofer ports and crank it up loud until I die for such blasphemy. Although Philips, it is better than the Subaru effort! I did offer to buy your Denon amp for this install, but maybe your email wasn't working?

[This message has been edited by john banks (edited 04 July 2001).]

 

Now found a well priced new one Philips DAP 6040 for £139.99 from

 

Hi John

Need to use the e mail address in your address book as I never chech the other. More than welcome to have the Denon, feel the need for an upgrade to the front components - watching e bay closley at the mo

Martin