Now that everyone has strolled down memory lane hopefully here are some
answers to your question. I have been scouring eBay and craigslist picking
up small (and some not so small) old school car audio amps like Zapco,
Orion, Hifonics, Soundstream, Linear Power, Xtant and even Alphasonik. You
can find 50W/CH (true RMS watts @ 12V) versions of these amps usually for
$50 or less. Maybe a little more for the Zapco Z100! It's a sweet amp
though. Used amps can be a crap shoot on condition but so far I've been
lucky. Except for Zapco and Xtant the current amps from these mfrs are
marginal in build and sound quality. I guess technically Linear Power
doesn't really exist anymore though you can get NOS and refurbished ones
through TIPS (www.linearpower.com).
As far as new stuff, JL Audio, Arc Audio, Elemental Designs, Alpine, Kenwood
all make good quality amps. There are others that don't come readily to mind
right now.
It sounds like you already have the line level input worked out but if not
check out www.davidnavone.com . Check out the AMP-100. This is what I plan
to use to connect my iPod to an amp.
Hope that helps some.
Herby
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark" <mark@nashvilletn.org>
To: "Spridgets" <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Sunday, November 05, 2006 5:55 PM
Subject: Car Audio Amps.
> Even though I have spent the last 40 years in the electronics business I
> know little about the current car audio systems. I am thinking about
> putting a small outboard audio amp in the Bugeye and connecting my XM
> radio
> head directly to it, I see no need for a conventional receiver. I need
> about 50 watts RMS per channel to drive my speakers. I went looking for
> an
> amp and found names like "Butkicker" and 'Xplod" which makes me think I am
> looking in the wrong places. I see amps that are rated 2500 watts which
> would take about 400 amps the way I figure it so I am thinking I don't
> understand the new math. I guess what I am looking for are suggestions on
> nice little solid clean audio amps with a line level input and enough
> power
> to drive a couple of decent speakers and still hear it at 4000 rpm. I am
> old enough to remember HiFi and building my second Eico amp when stereo
> came
> out so not totally clueless but nothing I see looks familiar !
>
> Mark
> Nashville
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