Stupid/Basics question
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,085
Likes: 1
From: N. Falmouth MA
Stupid/Basics question I've been messing with stereos for a long time now, but never got this one bit of basic info.
If a head unit says "50x4" is that RMS? And if I have a 50x4 HU and add a 50x4 amp, wouldn't that now be a realistic 100x4? Or are the RCA outputs a different rating than the regular speaker outputs?
If a head unit says "50x4" is that RMS? And if I have a 50x4 HU and add a 50x4 amp, wouldn't that now be a realistic 100x4? Or are the RCA outputs a different rating than the regular speaker outputs?
Teching In
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
Pretty sure the head unit is 50w max and if you run though an amp through rca's you would only get the 50w from the amp. Not both since one is though and and the other is wired straight to the head unit.
50x4 is max, there typically about 20x4 RMS, as a general rule any power rating written on amps or headunits are max outputs. the 50x4 of the headunit is with its built in "amp" which is put out thru the speaker wires on the headunit, RCA carry a voltage signal to an external amp so a 50x4 amp is just that, you DO NOT combine those 2 numbers ever.
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,085
Likes: 1
From: N. Falmouth MA
Ok. I bought my 4ch alpine amp because it was advertised 50x4 RMS and the sub was 500x1 @ 2ohm RMS. Im becoming a big fan of alpine stuff. Didn't know there was so many features to their amps.
I had an alpine amp years ago, it looked great and sounded good, so long as I kept it far enough away from the sub, for some reason (magnetic field is my guess) its sound would be like reversed polarities when it was to close to the sub, can't remember what I ended up doing with that amp.
