Anyone install this small amp?

[pt91]

http://alpine-usa.com/product/view/ktp-445u/

Wondering if it will fit in the area where the stock amp in located? If not, any other ideas for placement?
Thinking about this and a new dbl din dvd head unit for my 06 xp.

[murso74]

strange unit. is it really just a small amp?

[Audiophyle]

Its not a bad amp, but there are better options for the same price.

That amp is nothing more than a slightly more powerful version of the OEM amp, and doesnt sound as powerful as you'd expect for 45w.
They sound good (clear, uncolored sound) just dont quite offer the output boost someone would expect from such an item.

The Fosgate PBR300.4 can be found for around the same price & is almost twice the power with all of the controls you'd expect from an aftermarket amp, and is pretty close in size. (its a little larger, but the same size as the OEM amp)

Dont let it fool you, just because the Alpine is easy to setup & install it will be hard to ignore but the sacrifice you make for that simplicity will be enjoying your system. That little extra effort to get a traditional amp installed (like RF PBR300.4) will be a drop in the bucket compared to the years of enjoyment you will get from it. You will most likely end up ditching the Alpine unit to get a real amp shortly after anyway, they tend to be nothing more than a stepping stone. Trust me, Ive installed several
(& customers who all came back for just a little more power)

[pt91]

Audiophyle,
I do understand your point as I have gone extreme in other cars. This is just my daily driver that I want to upgrade and do the work myself. Once I get to the point of installing a better amp under the seat, I am out of my money and self-install range.
I have lived with the stock system for 7 years and just want an easy, affordable step up. I forgot to add I upgraded the four door speakers a few years ago.
Anyone think it will fit where the little stock amp sits? I haven't taken off the console to look yet.

[the_fourth]

One problem I see with using that (or any)amp in the stock location would be cramming all of those wires back behind the kick panel. Also, if your intention is to use all of the factory wiring, you will be doing a lot of cutting/soldering in that tight space, unless there is an adapter that fits the factory harness.

In the end, you will have a ton of wires and an amp that if it runs hot will likely overheat due to the poor air circulation in that space.

[Audiophyle]

Lol, no I understand EXACTLY where you are coming from. Ive been an installer for 15 years now, I dont do many extreme systems. 100% of every client Ive had that wanted that amp was in the exact same situation you are in right now. And all of the ones I couldnt talk out of getting it, wanted something else within days of getting it installed.
The amp is marketed specifically around your mentality, Alpine did a great job because its an easy add-on sale. Its designed to sell easily to make shops money, not be cutting edge in tiny amp design.
The fact is you will buy the amp and spend a lot of time wiring it into the car, and once its all said & done you will be disappointed with the performance right from the beginning. On top of that you will also be out $150+ bucks and a days worth of your time. You will not have great luck selling it, and you cannot return it because the wiring will be hacked up.

Our ears hear logarithmically, and decibels (the measure of sound intensity) is an exponential scale. It takes a 200% increase in power to reach a 3db increase in volume, which our ears would perceive as around a 25% bump in volume.
A 150% increase would be barely a 1.5db increase, which is the border line along the threshold of human ear sensitivity. Does that not seem like a gamble to you? A lot of money & effort for an improvement you may not be able to hear.

The RF PBR300.4 is 75w x4, a 250% increase in power if using the same scale as the Alpine's claim. (basic algebra)
That means it should get you just over a 3db boost in output, or approx 25% more volume. Does that sound extreme to you? Sure doesnt to me, sounds a lot more like what you are after to me. lol
Now, this amp is available online for around $150. You do not need anything more than a 10ga power wire for this amp, and wire this small is very cheap. The price difference between this setup and the Alpine will be very little. The install is the only difference, and even that will not be much harder. We can also help walk you through it too, remember that.


And if that doesnt sell you off this amp, consider our hearing sensitivity. It is not equal, our ears are more sensitive to higher freq than lower freq. That means to get a noticeable improvement in mid bass (guitars, kick drum, male vocals) you need to increase them by more than a few db in relation to the upper freq spectrum. Look at an EQ adjustment, typically they boost by a db each click. You bump the mids up 3db and you have just increased the amount of power you need. There is a reason why speakers distort if the bass and mids are too high, and why you can crank the volume with the bass next to zero. A bigger amp doesnt just make the overall sound louder, in reality it can bring up all of the lower tones the speakers previously struggled with and balance out the volume across the entire spectrum. (often with the same peak volume level, but significantly fuller sound)

[pt91]

Appreciate your detail reply. Assuming this amp fits easily under the passenger seat without any cutting. Not sure I have the ability to install it but I will look into the details.

[murso74]

Audiophyle.. what is the minimum gauge power cable you would use for that fosgate amp?

[Audiophyle]

Originally Posted by pt91

Appreciate your detail reply. Assuming this amp fits easily under the passenger seat without any cutting. Not sure I have the ability to install it but I will look into the details.

It will very easily fit under the pass seat, and wont require any cutting.

Originally Posted by murso74

Audiophyle.. what is the minimum gauge power cable you would use for that fosgate amp?

10awg would be the minimum & recommended size for that amp, and 8awg is the largest that will fit into the amp terminals.