Car Stereos: subs, rockford fosgate, mono amplifier

Question
hi, i want to buy 2 12's but im not sure what kind of brand i should buy from. what are good bass subs? and also what kind of power and brand amp should i buy

Answer
Hi Conner,

Sorry about the delay in answering your question.

There are many, many very good subwoofer systems and amplifiers on the market, and I certainly haven't had the chance to sample them all.  That's why I try to avoid making specific brand and model recommendations.  

In general, I think your best bet is to choose a subwoofer system that comes packaged with an enclosure; ie, look for a sub/box combo, rather than choosing two 12" subs and buying a generic box to go with them.  With a subwoofer and box combination, the manufacturer has designed and built the box specifically for the sub.  Proper sub and enclosure matching can make a big difference in the performance of a subwoofer system, so it's nice when the manufacturer has done this for you.  Kicker, JL Audio, and Rockford Fosgate are respected brands that offer sub and box combinations, but there are many others.

Once you've picked out the subwoofers, you can purchase an amplifier to match.  Be sure to pay attention to the impedance rating and RMS power specs of the subwoofer, and look for an amplifier that has the same RMS rating, or a bit lower.  You'll probably want to look for a mono amplifier.  Most mono amps have different power output depending on whether you're using them with a 4-ohm sub system, or a 2-ohm system, so be sure you're looking at the right power spec.  Always look at the RMS power ratings, and ignore "peak" or "max" ratings.

Hope this helps!

Brian