I will not be doing much booming with the engine off. I want lots of cold cranking amps. Light weight is always a good idea (Optima?). Price is not important. I will be getting an under-drive pulley later this month so I may tax the recharge system periodically. My lights currently do not dim at all at any volume.

Personally I really like the Hawker Odyssey batteries.. one of the best IMO..

If your main priority is CCA stay away from deep cycle type battery's as they will have a lower rating than a standard type.

Well that’s all the recommendations?
:confused:
If that is the best and only solution then hot darn.

The last 4 batteries I have bought (all different cars) were Evereadys from WalMart. I've bought a lot of batts in the past and I am tickled with these guys.

If you want a 'more exotic' battery then the Hawker is a good choice - IIRC they are the batteries behind the Streetwires, Rockford, and Stinger batteries [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

Not to discount an Optima, if that's what you're into.

OK I got off my dead butt and did some research all prices in US dollars (MSRP):

Interstate model MTP-78 40 lbs 1000 CA, 800 CCA, 85 month warranty $91

Interstate model MT-34 40 lbs 700 CCA, 75 month warranty $75

Optima Red Top (std size 34) 38.8 lbs 980 CA, 750 CCA, 50 deep cycles 55 AH $135 ($118 at a local auto parts store, $150 at auto stereo shop)

Hawker Odyssey PC1700MJT (NON STD SIZE 13"x 6.6" x 7.8") 58 lbs, 1700 CA, 930 CCA, 156 min reserve, 70 AH for 10 hours $230 3 yr warranty, 12 year design life

Hawker Odyssey PC1200MJ (NON STD SIZE 6.6" x 7.9" x 7.5") 35.5 lbs, 800 CA, 630 CCA, 42 AH, 1220 Amp @5 sec, 91 min reserve. $149 3 yr warranty, 12 year design life

Die Hard Gold (Northern design) 42 lbs, 900 CCA, 150 min reserve, 3 yr full replacement 100 month pro rated $80

Conclusions:
1. They are all very good
2. They are all heavy no real weight savings, except by going to fewer CCA
3. The Hawker batteries are not standard size so be warned being too big or too small can make standard mounting a pain
4. Die Hard still has he best warranty in the biz
5. Standard wet cells have a price advantage over gel/ starved electrolyte.
6. ALL BATTERIES OUT-GASS don’t be fooled
7. The BIG Hawker is he best for car audio in general, and it should be it is expensive and big
8. The best deal is the Die Hard
9. The only advantage of the Optima is the 50 deep cycles, and a bling bling look (this does matter in competitions or shows)
10. The ratings battery folks publish is a little random to suit their product (dang MBA’s)
11. I really don’t have a clue about wet cells and deep cycles since it isn’t readily released info. I have deep cycled my wet cell numerous times and killed it 3 times and she is still firing up in the current cold weather but the time to deep cycle the battery has gotten pretty short.

I just installed an Optima Yellow Top in my acura. I was a little worried about its performance as a starting battery, but it actually starts better than my OEM (which was not exhibiting any signs of trouble, or old age). I got the 51RD which was a direct drop in battery. Couldn't be happier. I do tend to listen to music with my engine off, as I don't like idling unnecessarily. Bad for the environment, plus it always sounds better with the engine off [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'll be the first to admit that they are on the pricy side, but I'm looking forward to seeing how well it holds up once I get the bulk of my system re-installed for the spring.

can someone tell me what cca and ca stands for? i need a battery or two for my system and just need a little help choosing them, thanks.

CA= Cranking amps

CCA= Cold Cranking Amps (measured at 0 degrees)

Cold-Cranking Amperage (CCA) of an automotive battery is the amount of current a given battery can deliver for 30 seconds at zero (0) degrees F without dropping below a specified cutoff voltage (manufacturer-specific, but usually 10.5 volts). The value of CCA will change with battery temperature, CCA increasing with higher temperatures.

Amp Hour Rating
An Amp hour is defined as the number of hours a new, fully charged battery can be discharged to a battery voltage of 10.5 volts. Which means how much useful energy can the battery provide.

Cranking Amp: CA
CA is the discharge load in amps, a new fully charged battery can deliver continuously at 32° F for 30 seconds and maintain terminal voltage equal to or higher of 7.2 volts.

CCA is the standard every starting battery uses and shoud be a good relative measure of starting performance. This is akin to a good SPL sweep (how loud and how long can you go). CA is kind of like an SPL burp, it is a lot of amps but does it really have value in the real world.