i was looking at this one. Kicker 10DX500.1 Mono subwoofer amplifier — 500 watts RMS x 1 at 1 ohm at Crutchfield.com

I thought it would be a good amp for him. It's all dependent how much you want to spend. The more you spend the more wiring options you will have. Some amps are limited on the Ohm range they can handle safely.

and if the guy that installed it already wired the subs do i have to check the wiring over? or can i just unplug the old one and plug in the new amp?

This is a perfect example how looking into the details explains a lot. From the surface they both look like a 500/1 amp right?

Kicker Amp
140 watts RMS x 1 at 4 ohms (275 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms)
500 watts RMS x 1 at 1 ohm


JL Amp
300 watts RMS x 1 at 4 ohms (500 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms)

Personally I am a bit of a brand snob, and nothing at all wrong with Kicker but I have been a JL fan for far to long with amazing results to start trying a different brand now.



I would 100% check his wiring. No clue how he has it configured and if you just un hook and hook up you could fry a new amp in not time if something is wired for to low of Ohm load. Doubtful but better safe than sorry

The JL amp would leave you room to grow if you ever upgraded the subs. Plus I always like putting more power than what the subs are rated at. As long as it's clean power and you are not sending TONS more than they can handle you know you will never be starving them. Plus can always turn the gain down so you are not taxing your amp to hard

ok, thanks alot, ak2007r6 you've probably saved me from making more mistakes on this. lol, i LOVE my bass and this is deff going to be one of my next buys cuz having a good system is a must for me. this setup is sufficient for now and gives good bass but i want something alot more cleaner down the road so the JL will probably be what i go with. thanks!

I usually chime in on these threads and get all detailed, but lately, some people end up getting a bit ignorant. So, as someone who has done audio for quite a while, I'll leave it at this. Don't be offended. I'm just being straight-forward.

1.) PA = JUNK.
2.) 1250 RMS@ 14.4V is unrealistic on the volts and watts. You're doing about 300 RMS at 12.4V.
3.) 2-channel amp is a horrible idea for a subwoofer. The LPF is way too high, and that renders a sub pointless w/ no external crossover.
4.) The subs handle 300 RMS. 300 RMS will not get loud, no matter the enclosure.
5.) Try smaller, better quality brands. Sundown, FI, RE, Focal, Image Dynamics, DLS, etc. The mainstream brands get you attention in high school, but you learn that a "1500 watt amp and two 15's" can easily be outdone by an 8" and an 800 watt amp.
6.) Most shops are full of shit, and their prices are doubled. Sonicelectronix.com or Woofersetc.com, and you're good.

Best of luck to you. :usa:

This is sad but true. Learn to do your own work and learn to shop online for good deals and you can save a lot of time and money.

no offense taken, im fairly new at learning all the audio and electrical stuff so straight forward is alot better for me. thanks for your input!

While I do agree with you on some points, There are MANY shops out there who know their shit (Mine being one). We can't compete with internet prices because we have bills to pay being that we're brick and mortar stores. That sad part is, for what most people pay to buy their product on line and have me install it, they could have bought the same product or better from me and had it installed for roughly the same price. I would suggest checking with your websites to make sure you will get a warranty on any product you buy as most will tell you you're out of luck on that front.

As for 2 15's and 1500 watt amp being out done by a single 8 and 800 watts...I understand what you're trying to say, but that statement is too extreme to be true. trying a 10" and 1000 watts and the 8 with 800 watts next time. :shrug:

This will save you money, but it still never hurts to make friends with a reputable local shop.


I think the downfall of your substage is more the subs than the amps. Those subs are only 150WRMS, with the fusing and efficiency of a Class D amp, it should still be producing more than enough power to push those subs past their limits. Either way, no matter how much you paid, you were given entry level equipment and unfortunately that usually = lackluster performance.