Car & Truck Amplifiers
- Mono Amplifiers
- 2-Channel Amplifiers
- 4-Channel Amplifiers
- 5-Channel Amplifiers
- 6-Channel Amplifiers
- 8-Channel Amplifiers
- Bluetooth Amplifiers
- Mini Amplifiers
- Factory Amplifiers
- Amplifier Wiring Kits
- Amplifier Bass & Level Remotes
- Amplifier Line-Out Converters
- Amplifier Noise Filters
- Amplifier Installation
- Equalizers & Processors
- Audio Power Batteries
- Audio Capacitors
Featured Brands
- ACDelco®GM Original Equipment™ Audio AmplifierGM Original Equipment™ Audio Amplifier by ACDelco®. Designed utilizing the latest technology, this product by ACDelco features premium quality and will perform better than advertised. Perfect for your vehicle and lifestyle, it is...Designed to deliver trouble-free, consistent performanceRight for your vehicle and lifestyle$33.37 - $442.17
- DS18®PRO Series Full Range Class D Mono 3000 RMS 2 Ohm Amplifier (GFX-3K2)PRO Series Full Range Class D Mono 3000 RMS 2 Ohm Amplifier by DS18®. DS18 strives in getting DS18® customers the latest and greatest technology with every product DS18® produce. Now DS18® have developed out latest series of full...Full range Capable Class - D AmpCompact Size and wide Band Crossover for more applications$259.95
- DS18®PRO Series Full Range Class D Mono 5000 RMS 1 Ohm Amplifier (GFX-5K1)PRO Series Full Range Class D Mono 5000 RMS 1 Ohm Amplifier by DS18®. DS18 strives in getting DS18® customers the latest and greatest technology with every product DS18® produce. Now DS18® have developed out latest series of full...Full range Capable Class - D AmpCompact Size and wide Band Crossover for more applications$349.95
- DS18®PRO Series Full Range Class D Mono 5000 RMS 2 Ohm Amplifier (GFX-5K2)PRO Series Full Range Class D Mono 5000 RMS 2 Ohm Amplifier by DS18®. DS18 strives in getting DS18® customers the latest and greatest technology with every product DS18® produce. Now DS18® have developed out latest series of full...Full range Capable Class - D AmpCompact Size and wide Band Crossover for more applications$379.95
- DS18®PRO Series Full Range Class D Mono 8000 RMS 1 Ohm Amplifier (GFX-8K1)PRO Series Full Range Class D Mono 8000 RMS 1 Ohm Amplifier by DS18®. DS18 strives in getting DS18® customers the latest and greatest technology with every product DS18® produce. Now DS18® have developed out latest series of full...Full range Capable Class - D AmpCompact Size and wide Band Crossover for more applications$469.95
- DS18®PRO Series Full Range Class D Mono 8000 RMS 2 Ohm Amplifier (GFX-8K2)PRO Series Full Range Class D Mono 8000 RMS 2 Ohm Amplifier by DS18®. DS18 strives in getting DS18® customers the latest and greatest technology with every product DS18® produce. Now DS18® have developed out latest series of full...Full range Capable Class - D AmpCompact Size and wide Band Crossover for more applications$489.95
- DS18®PRO Series Mono Class D AmplifierPRO Series Mono Class D Amplifier by DS18®. DS18 strives in getting DS18® customers the latest and greatest technology with every product DS18® produce. Now DS18® have developed out latest series of full bridge high wattage amps, the...Full range Capable Class - D AmpCompact Size and wide Band Crossover for more applications$229.95 - $489.95
- DS18®ZR Series 3000W Mono Class D Amplifier (ZR1000.1D)ZR Series 3000W Mono Class D Amplifier by DS18®. The ZR Series amps are sure to power all your subwoofers with great sound acuity and massive bass frequency responses. They have been designed to efficiently pump out hard hitting bass...High in power, efficient in performance, reliable in serviceUser-friendly design, ergonomic handle, solid construction$199.95
- DS18®ZR Series 4500W Mono Class D Amplifier (ZR1500.1D)ZR Series 4500W Mono Class D Amplifier by DS18®. The ZR Series amps are sure to power all your subwoofers with great sound acuity and massive bass frequency responses. It have been designed to efficiently pump out hard hitting bass and...High in power, efficient in performance, reliable in serviceUser-friendly design, ergonomic handle, solid construction$269.95
- DS18®ZR Series 6000W Mono Class D Amplifier (ZR2000.1D)ZR Series 6000W Mono Class D Amplifier by DS18®. The ZR Series amps are sure to power all your subwoofers with great sound acuity and massive bass frequency responses. It have been designed to efficiently pump out hard hitting bass and...High in power, efficient in performance, reliable in serviceUser-friendly design, ergonomic handle, solid construction$329.95
- Axxess®75W 2-Channel Line-Out Converter with Amplifier Turn-On (AXLOCM-150)75W 2-Channel Line-Out Converter with Amplifier Turn-On by Axxess®. The LOC is designed to convert 2 channels of speaker level audio into 2 channels of line level audio. This allows for the installation of line level products such as...World's smallest L.O.C.Adjustable gain for each channel$26.00
- Install Bay®1/0 AWG Amplifier Wiring Kit with Standard Fuse Holder for 2000W Power Systems (AK02)1/0 AWG Amplifier Wiring Kit with Standard Fuse Holder for 2000W Power Systems by Install Bay®. This product is made of high-quality materials to serve you for years to come. Designed using state-of-the-art technology and with customers...Designed to get your audio/video equipment up and runningManufactured from premium materials for immense quality$52.53
- Install Bay®2-Channel Line-Out Converter (IBR67)2-Channel Line-Out Converter by Install Bay®. This top-grade product is expertly made in compliance with stringent industry standards to offer a fusion of a well-balanced design and high level of craftsmanship. Manufactured from...Low Output ImpedanceHigh Input Impedance$25.69
- Stinger®4000 Series 1/0 AWG Amplifier Wiring Kit (SK4201)4000 Series 1/0 AWG Amplifier Wiring Kit by Stinger®. This top-grade product is expertly made in compliance with stringent industry standards to offer a fusion of a well-balanced design and high level of craftsmanship. Manufactured from...Designed specifically for car audio systems up to 3400 Watts or 250 AmpsMade from 100% oxygen-free Copper for a pure uninterrupted transfer of power$214.99
- T-Spec®V6 Series 4 AWG 1000W Rated Amplifier Wiring Kit (V6-RAK4)V6 Series 4 AWG 1000W Rated Amplifier Wiring Kit by T-Spec®. In a "one size fits all" world it is rare to see a company provide a wide range of options. The team at T-Spec understands how difficult it can be to find just the right...High strand count for maximum flexibilityBC-5W2 marine compliant RCA, speaker, power and ground wire$42.00
- DS18®0 AWG Complete Installation Kit with Super Flex Wire (AMPKIT0)0 AWG Complete Installation Kit with Super Flex Wire by DS18®. The DS18 kits and accessories have brought the best value to the industry. They deliver the best quality, connectivity, and power without breaking the bank. These are the...Designed to take your audio experience to a whole new levelProven to deliver outstanding sound quality and clarity$74.95
- DS18®4 AWG Complete Installation Kit with Super Flex Wire (AMPKIT4)4 AWG Complete Installation Kit with Super Flex Wire by DS18®. The DS18 kits and accessories have brought the best value to the industry. They deliver the best quality, connectivity, and power without breaking the bank. These are the...Designed to take your audio experience to a whole new levelProven to deliver outstanding sound quality and clarity$39.95
- DS18®8 AWG Complete Installation Kit with Super Flex Wire (AMPKIT8)8 AWG Complete Installation Kit with Super Flex Wire by DS18®. The DS18 kits and accessories have brought the best value to the industry. They deliver the best quality, connectivity, and power without breaking the bank. These are the...Designed to take your audio experience to a whole new levelProven to deliver outstanding sound quality and clarity$27.95
- DS18®Gen-X Series 1800W Mono Class D Amplifier (G1800.1D)Gen-X Series 1800W Mono Class D Amplifier by DS18®. The Gen-X series has always been a DS18 staple with the public and been in countless system builds over the many years it was released. DS18 have completely redesigned the Gen-X series...Small and powerful design so you can power your subs with great efficiency and power without taking up much spaceIntegrated low pass filter and bass boost to help you get the perfect bass response you are looking for$199.95
- DS18®Gen-X Series 3600W Mono Class D Amplifier (G3600.1D)Gen-X Series 3600W Mono Class D Amplifier by DS18®. The Gen-X series has always been a DS18 staple with the public and been in countless system builds over the many years it was released. DS18 have completely redesigned the GEN-X series...Small and powerful design so you can power your subs with great efficiency and power without taking up much spaceIntegrated low pass filter and bass boost to help you get the perfect bass response you are looking for$269.95
- DS18®5-Channel Hi/Lo Converter with 12 Volt Trigger Output (V5HL)5-Channel Hi/Lo Converter with 12 Volt Trigger Output by DS18®. Having the perfect tools to make your sound system the ultimate music machine is what DS18 has for you. DS18 crossovers are designed to provide the perfect frequency...Perfect blend of leading innovations and superior workmanshipManufactured to offer high value and everlasting reliability$66.95
- DS18®6-Channel Hi/Lo Converter with 12 Volt Trigger Output (V6HLPRO)6-Channel Hi/Lo Converter with 12 Volt Trigger Output by DS18®. Having the perfect tools to make your sound system the ultimate music machine is what DS18 has for you. DS18 crossovers are designed to provide the perfect frequency...Perfect blend of leading innovations and superior workmanshipManufactured to offer high value and everlasting reliability$179.95
- Axxess®12V to 5V Step Down Converter (AXFD-5V)12V to 5V Step Down Converter by Axxess®. The AFDI-5V will take a 12V input from aftermarket radios remote turn on and drop the voltage down to 5V this is used in some vehicles that have an amplified sound system the OEM amplifier can...For use in vehicles with OEM amplifier and aftermarket radiosFixes audible "Pop" when Aftermarket Radio turns on OEM amp$22.00
- Axxess®30W 2-Channel Fixed Line-Out Converter (AXLOC-30F)30W 2-Channel Fixed Line-Out Converter by Axxess®. This is designed to convert speaker level audio to line level audio. This allows for the installation of line level products such as amplifiers, EQs and crossovers on systems that do...Molded channels so zip ties will not slip control between ampsHigh in power, efficient in performance, reliable in service$16.00
- Axxess®40W 2-Channel Line-Out Converter (AXLOCM-80)40W 2-Channel Line-Out Converter by Axxess®. The LOC is designed to convert 2 channels of speaker level audio into 2 channels of line level audio that can be used by OEM amplifiers. It can also be used with OEM radios to add aftermarket...World's smallest L.O.C.Adjustable gain for each channel$25.00
- Axxess®80W 2-Channel Line-Out Converter (AXLOC-80A)80W 2-Channel Line-Out Converter by Axxess®. This is designed to convert speaker level audio to line level audio. This allows for the installation of line level products such as amplifiers, EQs and crossovers on systems that do not have...New, smaller easy to mount designMolded channels so zip ties will not slip$26.00
- Install Bay®1/0 AWG Amplifier Wiring Kit with Standard Fuse Holder for 3600W Power Systems (AK01)1/0 AWG Amplifier Wiring Kit with Standard Fuse Holder for 3600W Power Systems by Install Bay®. This product is made of high-quality materials to serve you for years to come. Designed using state-of-the-art technology and with customers...Designed to get your audio/video equipment up and runningManufactured from premium materials for immense quality$77.45
- Install Bay®4 AWG Amplifier Wiring Kit with ANL Fuse Holder (AK4ANL)4 AWG Amplifier Wiring Kit with ANL Fuse Holder by Install Bay®. This product is made of high-quality materials to serve you for years to come. Designed using state-of-the-art technology and with customers in mind, this product by...Designed to get your audio/video equipment up and runningManufactured from premium materials for immense quality$31.70
- Install Bay®4 AWG Amplifier Wiring Kit with Mini-ANL Fuse Holder (AK4)4 AWG Amplifier Wiring Kit with Mini-ANL Fuse Holder by Install Bay®. This product is made of high-quality materials to serve you for years to come. Designed using state-of-the-art technology and with customers in mind, this product by...Designed to get your audio/video equipment up and runningManufactured from premium materials for immense quality$28.52
- Install Bay®40W 2-Channel Adjustable Line-Out Converter (IBLOC01)40W 2-Channel Adjustable Line-Out Converter by Install Bay®. This top-grade product is expertly made in compliance with stringent industry standards to offer a fusion of a well-balanced design and high level of craftsmanship....Fully adjustable dual output level controlsTransformer design isolates ground loops$8.84
You know that you need an amplifier in your car’s audio system if you want thumping, window-rattling, trunk-vibrating bass, but adding such a device will provide so much more than you expect. With a high quality unit, you’ll get much better overall sound quality. And if you’ve upgraded your speakers or added a new subwoofer, a separate amplifier will provide the power needed to get the most out of them. It will do the job a dash-mounted receiver just can’t handle. In this article, we will discuss some of the matters influencing the resulting sound quality in your vehicle, including:
- amp classification
- speaker setup
- power rating
- frequency filters
- bass boost
Big Bang for Your Buck
Amplifiers are categorized according to their classification, number of channels, and power rating in watts. The class of the device refers to its circuit design. There are Class A, B, A/B, and Class D amplifiers, with the last two being the ones most commonly used in car stereo applications. Class A units feature a simple design, the highest linearity over other types, and produce the best sound quality. However, they are inefficient because current flows through their output transistors all the time.
Energy Savings = Distortion
Class B amplifiers are the most efficient because the output transistors pass current only when there is an audio signal, but they produce a lot of distortion. The A/B type is a combination of the Class A and B amps, with a small amount of current flowing all the time, even when there is no audio signal, which results in greater efficiency with almost no distortion. Such devices are one of the most commonly used types of automotive audio amplifier design. In Class D units, the transistors are switched on and off. These amps are more efficient than their A/B counterparts but produce more distortion. However, this distortion can be removed with a filter.
Understanding Channels
Before choosing an amplifier for your audio system, you need to decide how you intend to use it and how many channels it should have. Usually, the number of channels should match the number of speakers in your system. As the name suggests, a mono amp is designed for one speaker, usually a subwoofer, however, two subwoofers can be connected to such a device. 2-channel units are for two speaker systems, and so on. For example, 5-channel amplifiers are for 4 speakers and a subwoofer. Some equipment can have a “bridged” structure, meaning that 2 channels can be combined into one for more power. A 4-channel amp could power two speakers and then have the remaining channels bridged to hook up a subwoofer.
Root Mean Square
The amplifier’s power rating should coincide with your speakers’ RMS or continuous power rating. If this rating is given in a range, go with the higher number. This is especially important to get maximum performance from aftermarket speakers. For best sound quality the amplifier should deliver at least 75% of the speaker’s RMS rating, and the average setup can handle up to 150% of this rating without any problems. It’s always better to overpower speakers rather than under power them. The distortion caused when you make the most of a weak amp is more likely to harm a speaker than too much power. If you’re building a system from scratch, a small car won’t need as much oomph as a larger vehicle.
It’s All About the Bass
In addition to the mentioned above, there are other features that you’ll commonly see in amplifier listings, like filters and bass boost. There are high pass and low pass filters. A high pass filter removes low frequencies so the amp is only boosting the high frequencies sent to small speakers for high notes, while the low pass filter takes out the high frequencies, such as would be common when powering a subwoofer. Variable filters allow you to select the frequency to be filtered. Variable bass boost control allows you to increase the bass level to tailor the sound quality. Whatever amplifier you need, on our website you'll surely find the right product for your audio system.