Clarion XC1410 Compact Car Amplifier
Clarion's XC1410 4-channel amp delivers 50 watts RMS per channel from a chassis that's about as long and wide as a dollar bill. This micro-sized amp can fit almost anywhere, even behind many dashboards. And Clarion managed to pack more watts per square inch inside the XC1410 than almost any other 4-channel amp made.
What can AudioControl Gear Do For My Car Audio System?
Crutchfield car A/V editor and longtime musician Charlie put a new system in his convertible a little while back, and while his sound vastly improved it was missing something at first. After tuning his system with AudioControl, he could turn it up without any distortion.
How to Install a Car Amplifier
Adding an amplifier to your car audio system doesn't just make it louder - it makes every instrument sound clearer, it makes subs hit harder, and helps raise your soundstage to head level. Check out this overview of a typical installation to see the steps involved when you install an amplifier in your vehicle.
Kicker Front Row Digital Signal Processor
Kicker's Front Row digital signal processor puts your music where it should be: right up in front of you, instead of down around your knees. A wired remote control panel lets you center the music to your listening position, add bass, and engage a simulated 5.1 Surround Sound that makes it seem like you're sitting in the front row.
Kicker Soundgate Powerstage System
The Soundgate Powerstage system upgrade by Kicker will transform your compatible vehicle's stock radio and speakers into a high-fidelity sound system capable of giving you full, accurate, and richly-textured musical pleasure. And it does it without changing the look of your interior or dash.
Kenwood Excelon Reference Fit Amplifiers
The Reference Fit line of amplifiers from Kenwood Excelon packs a ton of power into a small chassis. These amps hit hard and can fit into tight spaces, if needed. And with mono, 4-channel, and 5-channel versions available, you're sure to find one that fits into your car audio upgrade plans.
Pioneer's versatile 2013 car amplifiers help you get needed power to your speakers and subs. They're compact, powerful, and even 1-ohm stable so it's easy to match subs. Check out the new line from the Pioneer booth at CES 2013.
Alpine made their V-Power amps 40% smaller for 2013, so they'll fit in more places than ever. Plus they employ some smart technology called Enhanced Shutdown Performance, which rolls back the output a bit when the amp threatens to overheat from playing at its limits too long.
A Minivan Audio System the Whole Family Loves
Lynn wanted better sound in her minivan, but didn't want to lose some factory features. So she installed a digital signal processor from Rockford Fosgate to take over the tunes, and added new speakers, an amp, and a sub for a complete overhaul.
Sony's efficient GS car amplifiers give you clean, effective power to make your car audio system sing. There are two GS models: a 4-channel, and a mono subwoofer amp. Both feature RCA and speaker-level inputs and are backed by a 3-year Sony warranty.
A few details about the Alpine KTP-445U Power Pack
The popular Alpine KTP-445U Power Pack is a universal amplifier that connects directly to almost any factory and aftermarket stereo. This tiny amplifier pumps up your system power to 45 watts per channel, and it's easier to install than normal external amps.
One of our employees shares the excitement of having an amplifier in her car for the first time. We installed the Rockford Fosgate Punch P400-4 amplifier in her car, and she's more excited than ever to listen to her favorite tunes on the way home!
Alpine KTP-445U Universal Power Pack Amplifier
Alpine's KTP-445U Power Pack is the easiest way to pump up the power of your in-dash receiver. It gives you a robust 45 watts RMS x 4 channels, so you can give your aftermarket speakers the power they need to sound your best. This amp installs inline with your receiver's wiring harness, so there's no need to run a wire to your battery. It's compact and fits behind many dashes.
We got the chance to check out Alpine's X-Power amplifiers at the Alpine booth at CES 2012. The new sleek design masks the amount muscle under the hood and Alpine has added new models so that there's an X-Power amp for nearly every need.
2012 Kenwood Excelon Amplifiers
While at CES 2012, we got the inside scoop on the new Kenwood Excelon line of amplifiers - three models featuring a small footprint, clean design, and covered by a reassuring 2-year warranty.
Alpine PDX-V9 5-channel Amplifier
The Alpine PDX-V9 is the "do it all" version of Alpine's popular digital PDX amps. It's small, stackable with other PDX amps, and gives you 100 watts RMS x 4 for your speakers, plus 500 watts RMS x 1 to drive a sub. Serious power, with a tiny footprint.
Zak got a chance to check out the new JBL GTO car amps at CES 2012. Chris from JBL takes us through the line and shows us that no matter what you've got planned, JBL has a GTO amp for you.
The JBL MS-2 is a portable digital signal processor that improves the sound in your car when you use a portable player like an iPod. It does not require permanent installation, so you can take it from car to car. It'll clean up your factory sound, even "premium" amplified systems. And it also works with aftermarket systems, including those with subs.
Setting Your Amp's Gain Control
Check out our quick and easy method for properly setting the gain on your car amplifier. This simple adjustment will have you on the road to stellar sound.
Alpine's IMPRINT signal processing in action
Another informal video shot by Matt sitting in the back seat with the Canon XSi camera. Gotta say, the content of the video aside, that the camera does an awesome job capturing HD...
Crutchfield Advisor Mac takes a look at Kicker's IX amplifiers — powerful but small amplifiers perfect for tight spots.
Make your music sound lively and vital with a Sound Ordnance amplifier. Watch this Crutchfield video for a quick overview of what these amplifiers have to offer.
For the best amplified sound in your car, turn to Focal. This brief video introduces the Focal FPS series of amplifiers.
This in-depth video walks through the major points to consider when choosing a new amplifier. It answers the questions: How many channels do you need? How much power should you get? What are the important features to look for? And why do some amplifier brands cost more than others?
One of the first steps in choosing an amplifier for your car audio system is to decide how you intend to use the amplifier, and thus how many channels it should have. This short video gives you a quick overview to help answer that question.
Good amplifier wiring is an essential part in making your amplifier - and your music - sound its best. In this video, we describe what you can expect in a wiring kit and what else you'll need for a basic amplifier installation. We'll also tell you about how Crutchfield helps you budget your system.
This short video describes some of the common features you should look for when you're shopping for an amplifier for your car audio system. Not every amplifier will have all of these features, so make sure the amp that you get has the ones you need.
We describe the basics of deciding how much power an amplifier should have when you're trying to match it to your speakers or subwoofers.
If you can get the same amount of power from two different amplifiers, is there any reason to buy the higher-priced amp? What are you getting for that extra money? We'll discuss the differences in build quality and performance between lower-priced amplifiers and more-expensive options.
Installing the Alpine KTP-445 Power Pack
This video demonstrates how easy it is to install the Alpine KTP-445 Power Pack amplifier module. The Power Pack gives you the power and improved sound of an external amplifier at a fraction of the cost and with a much easier installation.
High-quality Sound in a Convertible
In this video, a Crutchfield Web Editor tells us about the high-end audio system he designed for his Chrysler Sebring. As a professional musician, the car stereo system of his dreams included gear from Boston Acoustics, Eclipse, and a digital equalizer from AudioControl.
Tuning a High-end Car Stereo System
In this video, a Crutchfield Web Editor tells how he got his high-caliber sound system sounding just right. Not everyone goes to the extremes that he did, but then, not everyone chooses to fine-tune their sound with the DQXS digital equalizer from AudioControl.
Learn about some of the features that make Alpine V-Power amplifiers a strong choice for great-sounding car audio.
Upgrading Your Factory Stereo, part 2
Just because you can't replace your vehicle's factory stereo doesn't mean you have to live with a poor sound system. In this short video, Crutchfield experts take a look at how a fellow employee created a high-performance car audio system.