BOTTLEDZ28

iTrader: (9)

I am looking for some feedback on the Kicker 2 channel amps. mainly the KX 250.2 and the 350.2. I keep getting different ratings on these amps and I cant make up my mind if I want to get one to power my polk DB components or not. How well do these amps workin the 4 ohm mode? Kickers specs on them only shows ratings in stereo in a 2 ohm mode. How much is lost by running them in 4 ohm? Id like to get a 2 channel stereo amp that pumps out 85-100 RMS watts x2.

PhLaXuS

I've exclusively run Kicker amps for years and love 'em! There's a lot of good brand names and Kicker is just one of them. I don't know here you're looking, but I've always seen their amps spec'd @ 2 Ohms & 4 Ohms (when applicable). As far as amp longevity, if it's spec'd at 2 Ohms and you run it @ 4, that's perfectly OK. In fact, as long as you don't overdrive the gains trying to make up for lost power (ehen going up to 4 Ohms), the amp will probably never even get very hot. You can see the specs on this amp here:

http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/S...id/0/SFV/30046

It's for a refurbished unit, but should have the exact same ratings.

BOTTLEDZ28

iTrader: (9)

thanks for the reply. That site states that that amp is rated at 85W RMS at 4 ohms x2 so that should be pretty good for the polks.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

You'll never use a third of that power on components.

I've got a ZR240 on my components and I've never managed to even warm it up.

BOTTLEDZ28

iTrader: (9)

Jim, are you referring to the Kx250.2 amp? That is the amp that I am going to go with. It seems to match the components wattage pretty close. I dont know everything there is to know about this stufff so if something I say is wrong please let me know. With you saying that I wont use a third of the power from that amp, do you think the KX150.2 amp is better? I am also throwing around the idea of running a second set of components somewhere in the car. I just cant live with the fact that I will now have a spare set of channels not being used in the car when I go to kick panels. How bad is it to mount a second set of components in the sail panel area? Pretty bad? I am just afraid that if all I have is that one set of Polks sitting down at my feet, that I wont have any loud volume in the system for when I want to crank it while I am outside the car. Also will I get that empty feeling w/o speakers in the rear? How about if I put speakers there and ran them straight off the rear channels from the HU and put the fader all the way to the front when I am inside the car and if I want more out of them when I am outside the car, I can pull the fader to the back? I need to get all these options either eliminated or figured into my setup now before I go and buy amps and stuff. Right now I know I will be running polk componets in the kicks and a 12" Kicker in thespare tire well. The rest is up in the air still.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

No, I wasn't referring to the Kx250.2. I was referring to the ZR240. It's an older Kicker model, and it's an absolute powerhouse even though it's only rated for 60x2.

My comment is based on the fact that you're going to be running your components with a high pass, probably around 80hz, give or take. When you do that, you really take away the part of the music that's going to use 75% of the power. Once you high-pass your components, you don't need a tremendous amount of power to run them. That's not to say that you don't need any power, but your realistic power usage isn't as high as you might think.

That 250.2 is rated at 85x2, which is a higher power rating than my ZR240... but my gut feeling is that in reality, my ZR240 was quite a bit more robust. Hell, my SX650.4 is rated at 125x4 or something like that, and it doesn't have half the nut that my ZR240 has. Either way, I think the 250.2 would be a good amp for a set of components.

Now... what's with this unused set of amp channels you're talking about? What amp do you have with 2 channels freed up? Why not just use those 2 channels for your components and forget about the kicker? Buying more speakers just to take advantage of unused amp power is like buying a 2nd dinner just because you have more money in your pocket. If you don't need it, don't buy it. As soon as you stick a 2nd set of components in the back of the car, you immediately ruin your imaging and your soundstage. If you want that "all around you" smeared sound, then great, but if you want to preserve imaging, don't bother with more speakers.

1 set of component speakers will still be plenty loud enough outside of the car as long as you bought good quality components, or unless you're trying to make your neighbor's spleen burst from your stereo. It'll definately be enough to keep up with a single 12" sub.

BOTTLEDZ28

iTrader: (9)

The "spare" set of channels I was referring to are the rear channels on the HU. Oviously I will not be using them if I run the fronts to the Kicker amp and the sub pre outs to the sub amp. So, what I was saying was that since I had a spare set of channels, would it be a good idea to run some speakers to them. You answered my question to that though and I had kinda already knew what the correct answer was but I wanted to throw it out there. Also, I dont consider my Polk DB components to be top notch but I know they are not flea market quality so with that being said I feel confident that the combining them with that KX250.2 amp that they will perform very well......I hope. oh one other thing Jim, do you think it is worth it fo rme to buy the KX350.2 with a bit more power and leave the gain down just in case I pick up a better set of componets down the road that can take a bit more wattage to them. I just hate buying something and then wishing I bought the next size up.

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

I doubt you'll ever need more power than the 250.2 will provide. If you don't use all the power with the polks, using a different brand of speakers isn't going to change that.

Justin Horne

Here's my setup..
Though I'd still reccomend them, as the amps are powerful and clean, I should point this out...
This last little while has bean mean to my Kicker amps.. The 250.2(on the gith) just plain up and died for no reason. It wasn't blown, and the shop folks couldn't figure out what was wrong with it, so there's a new one in as of yesterday...
Next, the 350.4, I found out yesterday tweaking the new amp, also needs to be replaced.. I don't know for how long, but the driver sail panel speaker doesn't work.. I know it's the amp, because if I wiggle the RCA, the audio comes through the speaker. If I just push it in, it doesn't work...

So, yeah...
That said, the amps still sound good...

Jim85IROC

iTrader: (2)

If wiggling the RCA gets your sound back, then most likely there's just a crack in the solder joint where it's connected to the board. Pushing on it tightens it up so that you have contact. It's a 2 minute fix with a soldering iron.