Clarion vs Kenwood 4-ch Amp
 

Hey all,

I have two amps I'm considering:

Clarion XH5410
Kenwood XR-4S

I see good reviews on the Kenwood, but is it worth the additional ~$150? 2 channels will be bridged to power my type r 1022D at 4-ohms, while the other 2 ch will power my front speakers. I know the sub can handle more but since this is my first setup, I just wanna start somewhere in the middle for now. Should I get crappy rears since they won't be amplified?

Should the sub be sealed or ported for these amps?

Anyone? My HU will be the KDC-X794.

Which one has a higher rms output and lower thd?

The clarion has 320wrms when bridged but 90wrms individually, while the kenwood has 300 and 120 respectively. THD for the clarion is < 0.05%, kenwood is at 1%. Seems like the Clarion is better but it is about 33% cheaper so there must be a catch here!

The Clarion is the better unit. It's cleaner and less distortion means longer speaker life (assuming correct installation). Don't be fooled by the cheaper price.

Thanks. Clarion it is!

Either one will do the job....you would be hard pressed to hear a difference in SQ or volume level between them.

Try pulling the rears completely and listening first before you spend any money on "crappy" speakers.....don't waste your $$ that way.....there are plenty of other really good ways to waste money.....:laugh:

Your enclosure type depends on the sub, not the amp.....having said that I would suggest a ported enclosure only because you need to squeeze as much as possible out of that setup....:thumbsup:

HTH

^Thanks. I wasn't sure about the enclosure because I thought I read somewhere that the amp sorta plays a role. I guess a weaker amp equates to a ported enclosure? But in this case the power of both are similar. I guess I'll go with decent speakers then too and choose the Clarion :).

Also, since the HU has it's own internal amp, is it possible to use that just for the rears since the fronts will be amplified by the external amp?

both are fine and inexpensive units, THD is pretty unimportant as one cannot hear the difference as THD increases till somewhere >5%... all the THD rating really does is imply how much negative feedback is being used. I think the only persuasive argument for an amp at this price range would be reliability

Every part plays a role....the idea is to get the most out of what you have.

The ported enclosure ensures that you are getting the most out of your woofer....everything I've read about type Rs says that they do much better in one of those. The amp power available is sufficient to drive your front stage to a fairly loud volume level and the other 2 channels will (with the right sub setup) produce enough bottom end to keep up. You may not be able to annoy someone 10 blocks away but it will sound good inside your car....which is the whole point of all the work, right?

Before you buy new rears, put the system in and try it without them first. It's the easiest way to let as much bass out of your trunk and into the passenger area as possible. Use the $$ you save to buy something in the way of deadener for the front doors and do a proper install. Once you hear a properly installed, amplified and tuned front stage you may decide you don't want the rears in there after all.....:dunno::D

HTH