Alpine MRV-M500

Can I use a dual 2ohm sub with this amp if so how would I wire it?

If you are looking for clean power and moderate level bass this will be enjoyable.

[ Wayne Jun 03, 2019 ]

Depends on size of Sub Driver using!? ~ , Small Sub Woofers, Sure!, Or one Might even Consider Using One on Each Driver!... ( And Ohm Loads ) For INTENSE Bass Output!. and woofers Power Handling ( Each ) and Enclose!!?.... Geo-Star*

[ GEORGE Jun 03, 2019 ]

it can be depending on which comp r. the dual 4ohm 12" would be the best match at 2ohm. the dual 2ohm 8" would be a great match at 4ohm. running a pair of 8 or 10" dual 2 ohm subs wired back to 2ohm would keep the subs out of the danger zone and probably produce the best sound if you have the space. dont run it hard for long the first few days and dont run it at less than 2ohm's

[ JOSEPH Jun 02, 2019 ]

Depends on the rms. U want to try and match the rms power of ur subs to ur amp as close as you can.Out of the box this amp was rated for 517 watts rms. I have it running 2 jl audios rated at 600 rms combined. Its perfect for what i need it for and the price was great aswell. Hope this helps.

[ ZACHARIAH May 31, 2019 ]

[ Dylan May 09, 2019 ]

Can the mono preout on the M500 be used to drive a 3 Way Center Channel speaker mounted under dash in center front ?

Yes you can use a dual 2 ohm sub with that amp. You would wire it in series to achieve a 4 ohm impedance which would give you 300 watts RMS from the amp. You can find the wiring diagram here: https://bit.ly/2WgpJKz

[ CASEY May 31, 2019 ] Staff

[ PAUL Apr 25, 2019 ]

I have a 2017 chevy Colorado with the factory Bose system. Do I need a line out converter to run this amp? If not is the sound quality as good as an LOC if used?

Yes you can send a full-range signal from those preamp outputs to another amp. The output is not affected by the MRV-M500's internal crossover.

[ CASEY May 08, 2019 ] Staff

[ Clint Apr 05, 2019 ]

Does Remote Sensing Turn-On work with RCA input? Alpine's website says it does, but the manual (and your site) says otherwise.

Just hooked up an audio control LC2i converter to my Mrv-m500 amp. The sound quality is significantly better compared to using the speaker level inputs on the amp.

[ christopher Apr 15, 2019 ]

If there aren't any rca outputs on your stock head unit you will need a LOC. I think the sound quality is still good using a Line out converter.

[ Daniel Apr 15, 2019 ]

Yes you will

[ JERRY M Apr 15, 2019 ]

No, this amp takes speaker level input voltage. That's how I'm running it in my Nissan Xterra and the sound quality is great!

[ DAVID Apr 12, 2019 ]

[ Tom Mar 27, 2019 ]

I have a alpine mrv-m500 and a 12 inch alpine s-w12d4 sub will this amp and sub work together?

The amp turns on via remote wire.

[ JASON Apr 03, 2019 ]

I would say no you still need to run your remote an I'm using the rca inputs as well

[ Cody Apr 03, 2019 ]

Remote sensing does not turn on with RCA input. Only with remote signal wire or speaker level inputs. May have been confusion between speaker level inputs and rca inputs.

[ ZACHARY S. Apr 03, 2019 ]

I don't believe soEnter

[ Courtney Apr 03, 2019 ]

[ Nicolas Mar 13, 2019 ]

I have a Cadillac DTS so the battery is less than three feet from the amp and ground less than one. Could I get away with using the 8 guage I've previously ran, or must I use 4 guage?

I have the same set up. Works great.

[ SEAN PARSONS Mar 19, 2019 ]

They will work together! Just keep in mind to wire the sub (as per directions they even include fancy jumpers) to 2 ohms for max power. That setup would be nice HOWEVER if you want the most out of that sub you want something with 600 watts not 500, i reccomend the infinity kappa k600, it is the same price as that alipne and will deliver more power. Have a good day!

[ Alessandro Mar 19, 2019 ]

Absolutely and it will drive it very well.

[ Jeff Mar 19, 2019 ]

Yes! I run this combo in a sound ordinance sealed box. Great output and quality

[ Josh Mar 19, 2019 ]

[ RODNEY Mar 10, 2019 ]

Does this amplifier require 5 volt rca or 4 volt rca voltage?

I would highly recommend 4 or heavyer 8 is to light . Minimum 4 gauge or heavyer

[ Jeff Mar 19, 2019 ]

[ Haley Brezeale Mar 06, 2019 ]

Will this kill my battery? I have a kicker 300 Watt RMS subwoofer. I just bought the MRV 500 Amp. I don't have the amp up a full capacity. Possibly 1/3 to 1/2. I don't know if this will kill my battery? Please Advise.

2-5 volt is sufficient.

[ CHARLES Mar 06, 2019 ]

[ M Feb 20, 2019 ]

I have a MRV M500 when the power is on the blue led lights. When you turn off your power, how long will the blue led stay lit? or should it go off at once?

As mentioned before, don't use it without the engine on for too long. Last night I tested it out with a 10" sub without the engine running for about that 10 minute time and battery was completely dead in the morning. Other than that, it's running great!

[ JASON Apr 29, 2019 ]

I has not killed mine, I have a 2002 Trans Am and I have not upgraded the alternator, I also still have the factory Monsoon amp still running.

[ ROLAND Feb 21, 2019 ]

No not if your alternator is working properly it shouldn't be a problem it will if motor isn't running if your trying to listen to stereo with key in on position out ikn accessory without motor running then yes it will run battery dead I wouldnt go longer then 10 min without motor running

[ Bannon Feb 21, 2019 ]

More than likely not but all systems do take an enventual toll on batteries and alternators. I run completion quality systems and have to replace batteries and alternators within a year if I don't use a capacitor. If you use it a lot and have it pounding all the time, your battery should last around 2 years with what you described but that all depends on size and quality of battery too.

[ BRANDON Feb 21, 2019 ]

[ lance Dec 28, 2018 ]

Can I use the two wires (+ and - line level) that WAS going to my single factory sub as my input source? I notice the 500 has dual inputs, will that cause issues or do I just input into one side (Left or Right) and the amp will "understand" and not require a 2nd input? I will only be powering one aftermarket sub. ie - can I use the 500 without using/pulling from a Left/ Right speaker config, just use the single lead from my removed factory sub? (2003 Infiniti M45). Thanks

I really don't know, since it is in the back of my car. I have not had any problems with mine in 2 years.

[ ROLAND Dec 28, 2018 ]

If blue lights on and your head unit is powered down your remote wire is wired to 12 volt constant! The blue remote wire should be wired to accessory wire. But if key turns off but head unit is still on but then goes off after a few minutes like most vehicles these days do and amp turns off when head unit turns off your good to go.

[ Bannon Dec 28, 2018 ]

It should go right off

[ Trevieontay Dec 28, 2018 ]

The light should go off right away.

[ Corey Dec 28, 2018 ]

[ John Oct 14, 2018 ]

What does everyone suggest setting the "Bass EQ" setting to?

I've had 4 different Ram1500s and the way I've always hooked this amp up was to cut the speaker wire going to the factory sub, then splice in a RCA and hook it up to the amp. Never had a problem doing it that way so I think you should be fine.

[ MATTHEW F Oct 22, 2018 ]

[ Josh Jul 21, 2018 ]

Can this run at 1 ohms? If so, what would the output wattage be?

I matched mine w the Alpine Type S sub so I have the gain at max to get my 500 watts plus which is what that subs rated RMS is. I leave the bass eq at 0. Don't need it if you can pair the amp w the right sun, like in my case, they are made for one another.

[ NOE Jul 27, 2018 ]

[ Justin Jun 30, 2018 ]

Can someone purchase the thermal covers and screws for the m500?

Not sure very nice amp though contact Cosmo at crutchfield he'll be able to help

[ Mike Jul 04, 2018 ]

[ Jody May 17, 2018 ]

Will the mrv m500 push a pair of alpine type R 12wd2 subwoofers with one amp per sub??

Call alpine with the model number and ask.

[ JUAN May 17, 2018 ]

[ ALLEN Mar 21, 2018 ]

3 answers

Wired in parallel you could probably use a single amp...depends on your expectations and the enclosure. I prefer tight base, currently using a single 12" in a bass reflex box...very happy with this amp.

[ Jeff Apr 04, 2018 ]

Yes it is capable of pushing the subwoofer.

[ JUAN Apr 04, 2018 ]

I had problems with this amp. I went through two amps, and eventually returned it for s full refund

[ MICHAEL D Apr 04, 2018 ]

Iâ??m not very knowledgeable in car audio but I have a 12 inch type r subwoofer with this amp and Iâ??m not that impressed I feel like this subwoofer needs more at louder volume my bass seems to disappear anyone help me with this? I like my music loud but I feel like this sub and amp canâ??t keep up and perform

[ Vincent Mar 07, 2018 ]

How do I go about wiring two Kicker comp 10"s with this MRV-M500 ? I thought I knew more about this then I do. I'm not getting nearly as much bass as I should be. Right now I have the positives and negatives from each sub going into the input. Doesn't seem to be working correctly.

Most Type R subwoofers are rated to handle a lot more wattage than this amplifier is capable of providing. Depending on your specific model and it's specifications, you can likely upgrade to a much more powerful amp. For additional assistance and personalized recommendations, feel free to contact us directly by phone or through our online chat service: https://www.crutchfield.com/support/ContactUs.aspx

[ Ryan Mar 16, 2018 ] Staff

[ Baldy Jul 19, 2017 ]

I have a 2016 Ram 1500 crew cab and it's hard to find a good custom made enclousure and sub to go in it but I found the 12" Alpine Type S handles tight spaces well (0.71cu.ft.-1.06cu.ft. sealed) and decided to get it and place it in a sealed Fox Acoustics custom box (.95cu.ft.) and an Alpine MRV-M500 to wire it to. The sub is rated at 500W RMS @ 2OHMs and the amplifier pumps out 500W RMS @ 2 OHMs, so anyone think this is a good setup or any other recomendations? Sidenote: the truck is equipped with the stock factory Alpine system and I want to keep it all Alpine

Also, you may want to try disconnecting one of the speakers. See if an individual speaker sounds better.

[ MICHAEL Jul 19, 2017 ]

You may want to check with Crutchfield tech support, but it sounds like what you are doing should work fine. You are wiring the speakers in parallel which would result in a 2 ohm load to the amplifier, which it is spec'd to handle. Did you try the adjustment knobs in the back of the amp?

[ MICHAEL Jul 19, 2017 ]

[ CRIS Jan 11, 2017 ]

I just aquired an Alpine MRV-M500. I have 6 speakers in my 98 Camero. 5.25's 100W RMS in front, 6.5's 160w in the middle and 6×9's 400w in the rear hatch area. Do I wire the 6.5's and 6×9's to the amp in series or just the 6×9's in series or just the 6×9's in parallel? (all watts RMS/all speakers 4 ohm) Can't seem to get a straight answer to this. Since I purchased my dbl din bezzel kit from you guys, I thought you could help me.

This sounds like a very well matched subwoofer/amplifier system, and I would expect it to produce very good bass output in your truck. If you would like to discuss other system options, feel free to contact an Advisor directly by phone (1-800-324-9695) or online chat. I hope that helps!

[ DAVID Jan 20, 2017 ] Staff

[ Douglas Nov 11, 2016 ]

Can this be used with a factory subwoofer input or does it have to be from the speakers?

The Alpine MRV-M500 is a mono subwoofer amplifier, which is not designed to drive full-range speakers. Even if wired properly, any/all of the speakers you connect to the MRV-M500 amp would only produce bass frequencies between 7-400Hz. You'd be much better off using a 4-channel amp to drive your speakers instead. I would recommend reaching out to an Advisor by phone (1-800-324-9695) or online chat for further information and help selecting the appropriate amplifier for your system. I hope that helps!

[ DAVID Nov 14, 2016 ] Staff

[ Austin Aug 22, 2016 ]

Well this MRV-M500 Mono push my two 12" Polk Audio MM 1240D????

You could wire this to a factory sub easy, just look up the wiring diagram, might have to do a lot of splicing. What vehicle is this for?

[ Isaiah Aug 24, 2016 ]

Yes it can I.have a Subaru forester with a factory sub and I used the factory signal wire to work the new sub.

[ Randy Aug 24, 2016 ]

[ Frizbee Jun 29, 2016 ]

Can this amp be use for voice speakers????

Yes, it should. This will give you 300 W RMS at 4 Ohm, and the Polk MM 1240D is a 4 Ohm woofer with a RMS range of 100 - 425 W. I have had good audio with the low-pass filter around 300 Hz, however with a 12" woofer you might consider seeing how it sounds at a lower cutoff.

[ gareth Jun 29, 2016 ]

[ Joseph Jan 16, 2016 ]

can this amp be used with other brand's bass knob? The rux knob doesnt seem to be full range. (0%, 25%, 50%, 100%). It reaches that 100% mark when turned halfway! if so, what knob brands work for alpine's mrv-m500?

This would not be a good choice for voice speakers. This amp works best in the 7-400 Hz range - so it is really designed for subwoofers. I would recommend contacting an Advisor by phone (1-800-324-9695) or online chat. They will be able to help you track down an amp that will work for you system and your budget.

[ Jeff Jan 20, 2016 ] Staff

I do not believe so since this is only a mono block you would not be able to send the sound to multiple speakers.

[ Larry Jan 17, 2016 ]

[ Bernard Jan 16, 2016 ]

Can I Daisy chain/strap these amps together?

Maybe you have the amp level too high. I set my amp level so that it hits the highest level I want when I have knob turned all the way up.

[ CHRIS Jan 23, 2016 ]

Bernard, Been using the RUX knob for about 2 1/2 years, with Alpine M500 driving a 10" MB Quart woofer in a 2013 F150. Have not had any issues with the interface. I never use the knob past 50% anyway. I'm sure other variable resistors would work, just not plug and play. Good luck.

[ Ken Jan 18, 2016 ]

[ Rubin Jan 11, 2016 ]

does this amp come with the alpine bass knob?

it does have preouts for running outputs to another amp, these outputs are not affected by this amp so yes but you wont be able to control the amps seperately from the head unit as they will be running off the same channel.

[ JOSEPH Jun 02, 2019 ]

Specs say pre amp non fading outputs. I had front, rear and sub outs on my headunit but i suspect you could feed the high pass out to other amps

[ BRAD Jan 11, 2016 ]

[ ALYSSA Sep 14, 2015 ]

6 answers

Yes

[ Lisa Sep 21, 2015 ]

[ DEBORAH Sep 16, 2015 ]

No, the knob is a separate purchase.

[ MICHAEL Sep 15, 2015 ]

NO it doesn't. You will have to purchase it separately.

[ ROBERT Sep 15, 2015 ]

[ Jarrod Sep 15, 2015 ]

NO purchase separately but we'll worth it

[ VINCENT Sep 15, 2015 ]

When using the speaker level input harness, do I have to use all 4 channels (8 wires)? Or will it work with just using 2 channels (4 wires)? I planned on only tapping into 2 speakers.

[ Chris M Feb 17, 2015 ]

3 answers

Hey Chris awesome choice in amplifier, if you are installing one amp then tapping into one rear deck (6x9) speaker is good enough. it all depends on your stereo system, if your car has a built in amplifier from factory and you want to use the high input harness for your amp all you need is to tap into one speaker (2 wires). if you connect both (6x9) speakers to one amp you will minimize the power to the amp. I have 2 MRV-M500 installed in my Buick Verano 2012,and that particular car comes with a built in factory stereo amp. when I first installed both amps I had one amp per speaker and I tapped in to the (6x9)'s 2 speaker wires for the left amp and 2 speaker wires for the right amp. what happened is the amps sounded very distorted. what I did to straighten the power out was, I tapped into one (6x9) speaker 2 wires using the high input wires of one amp then with RCA plugs I connected the other amp to the first amp. distortion was gone and now you can here me coming 5 blocks away. I have 2 MRV-M500 connected to 2 SWS-15D4 alpine speakers one amp per speaker. I hope this helps.

[ Clyde Feb 19, 2015 ]

I only used 4. Tapping into only my 2 rear speakers to pick up the bass and everything worked fine. I had it that way for a year then got a new head unit and connected normal RCA's. Biggest thing is connecting the remote turn on wire from the amp to a circuit that actually turns off when the car is off if you are not going to tap into the back of the head unit. Hope that helps. Good luck.

[ BRENT J Feb 18, 2015 ]

Chris, Just to confirm you are asking about the MRV-M500 amp which is Mono. The MRV-F300 is the 4/3/2 channel amp. If you are asking about the MRV-M500, I used pre amp inputs but since this is a mono amp you should only need 1 channel input. With that said I would recommend using L&R speaker inputs in case the source material has bass in only one channel. This is rare but can happen.

[ BRAD Feb 18, 2015 ]

When using speaker-level inputs, the amp is supposed to turn on and off automatically when the stereo is turned on. I am using speaker-level inputs, but the amp stays on whether the stereo is on or off. Could the amp be defective, or are there some other reason this may be happening?

[ ROBERT Feb 04, 2015 ]

I'm thinking about getting this amp and I have an old bass knob. Can I just plug that into this amp? Or do I really need to spend 30$ to get alpine's knob?

but don't forget about the remote power wire coming from the stereo

[ ROBERT L Feb 05, 2015 ]

You have to have the "remote" wire going from the head unit to the amp telling it to turn on and off whenever the head unit is powered on or off. It is basically a 12v power supply. I just have a switched 12v running from the battery to the amp completely bypassing the head unit.

[ TODD B Feb 05, 2015 ]

it sounds like you may not have your remote wire to your amp ran to the right place. How do you currently have it ran?

[ BRANDON Feb 05, 2015 ]

If you purchased the product from Crutchfield, feel free to contact our Tech Support team. They can walk you through the settings on the product and see if there may be a fix. Our toll-free Tech Support number is printed on your invoice, and is also available under the "My Orders" tab in the "My Account" section of our website. If you did not purchase the unit from Crutchfield, then you may want to contact the manufacturer. You can also post your question in our forums: http://community.crutchfield.com. Or try our online support center: http://crutchfield.custhelp.com/app/answers/list/kw/.

[ Greg Feb 05, 2015 ] Staff

[ KELLY Jan 26, 2015 ]

hello... I have 2 Kenwood Excelon XR-W12F subs in a "truck box"... will this amp run them? I only aak because I already have this amp running one 12" jl audio in a stealth box in my '01 ram quad cab.

You can use the old bass know with the telephone cable connection.

[ justin Jan 30, 2015 ]

this amp looks like it has aremote bass controll that can be dash mounted .

[ WALTER Jan 27, 2015 ]

[ Rebel Dec 19, 2014 ]

I just bought this amp and I've bridged two 10" Alpine Bassline subs so that it sets the impedance at 2 ohms and 500w RMS which is exactly what this sun is rated for. All connections are okay but this amp gets extremely hot and I saw that this amp is supposed to handle the heat pretty well which is why I was very surprised once I noticed how hot it gets. Are the subs just too much to handle? Alpine even suggests using this amp for the their Basslines so I don't see what the problem is.

Thanks for your question. For information on selecting the best amp for your subs I would recommend reaching out to an Advisor by phone (1-800-324-9695) or online chat. They will be able to help determine the differences between the amp models and help you make the best choice for your system.

[ KRISTINA Dec 21, 2014 ] Staff

[ Joseph Jul 30, 2014 ]

Can I connect the MRV-M500 to dual subwoofers? or do I need 1 amp per subwoofer? I have dual 12" subwoofers in a box.

2Ohm loads are difficult loads and will cause some heat. I think if it were an issue either the temp or impedance safeties would kick in

[ BRAD Jan 11, 2016 ]

My amp is connected to a JL W3V3 in the HO box, so it gets run hard too. I have noticed mine gets hot also, but it has never shut off or had any issues.

[ JASON A Jul 31, 2014 ]

[ Clyde Mar 30, 2014 ]

I have noticed that since i have owned this amp that it gets VERY warm at times, i dont even keep the gain all the way up yet i have had time where it gets very hot, alot more so than the version of this amp that this replaced. Anyone else have this?

[ KRISTINA Mar 30, 2014 ] Staff

[ Rexx Jan 07, 2014 ]