SS Ball3r

ok, so im on a tight budget. I need a 4 channel amp to power my main speakers. I already have a working sub amp (rockford fosgate punch 45). And pretty much my choices for amps are legacy 4 channel amps or pyramid. Both of these are in the $40 range.

is the pyramid any good at all(im not looking for anytihng spectacular, just something o power my speakers).

Gallileo60

They are ok, have used many over the years...Wire it right, and enjoy...Dont get me wrong its not a High end amp, but 90 percent of the people wont know the difference if they dont know what it is...I used several of there x-overs on a big (8 Kicker 15's) system I had in a van...The Rep gave them to me so I used them...Never had a problem at all....

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

cheap low quality amps, probably better off just using the factory head unit to power the speakers.

Stevo

iTrader: (45)

Well i bought a cheap pyramid amp and installed in my my gf's car. Sound was great OTHER then the excessive interference. It was terrible with the car on. With it off itd still hum. So i gave her my old sony amp that goes in my car and no more interference.

SS Ball3r

i would use the head unit except
a) no amp outs(i hvae a sub)
b) im using my ipod
c) no cd player

i wouldnt need a new amp if the concord amp i hvae currently would work properly, oh well.

i think i might as well try a legacy amp. If i get interference, ill put a ground loop eliminator on it. I did an install on my parents suburban and it had massive alternator whine. Put the gle on it and the sound is gone now.

Gallileo60

Wiring is everything with these amps, that is where the "cheapness" comes to play, they have very little in the way of filtering, BUT once again I stand by what I said, if wired properly, with good ground you will have no problem...Do not beleive the stock head unit sounding better....For 40 bucks, or so you cant go wrong...WIRE IT CORRECTLY....It is really nice when you can afford top of the line products, but it aint always that way....I have used lesser peices before, and have had good results...Do not get me wrong you are buying a 40 dollar amp, not a 500 dollar amp, you can still have fun with it, dont let anyone tell you other wise...I have hooked up cheap amps to some pretty impressive systems, just to see what the results would be, and I shocked a good number of so called Stereo heads when they saw what was making all the DB's..... My favorite of all was when this dude heard my van 8 kicker fifteens 4 Coustic 380's (subs) pioneer gm 1000, (mid's)and 2coustic 100's.(hi's).He said he had never heard anything so awesome before, but when I opened up the back to show the amps the first words out of his mouth were why are you using those crappy Pyramid X-overs???? I just laughed, cuz he just said it was the best he had ever heard....Funny huh????I said well they must not be that crappy cuz before you saw them your tounge was hanging out...Dont worry about what anyone else says if it works good for you...Tom

Stevo

iTrader: (45)

Then i must have got a bad amp from them, like i said switched amps and no noise at all. Yes i tried tons of different techniques...different grounds and I know how to wire correctly. It must have just been a bad amp. Im gonna plug it into my camaro for the hell of it and see if i still get interference.

1991CamaroRslow

iTrader: (3)

The ground to your head unit is usually the culprit for amplifier noise. Pyramid Super blue amplifiers aren't bad at all. Don't go thinking you're getting the rated 1000 watts but you can probably wring out a good 200rms out of it and that will do alot if used properly. If you try the amp in your Camaro and it still hums unhook the RCA's. If it still hums then yes you got a bad unit (not all that uncommon with something so cheap). Pyramid amps are basically a gamble but a much safer gamble than many of the cheaper knock offs out there, at least Pyramid has been around for a while.

xlwhellraiser

iTrader: (1)

People want a decent sound. Most of us are not looking for "Competition" sound.
I will have to back up wiring something correctly. One thing I feel strongly about is, DO NOT SKIMP ON THE WIRING. Thats the only thing you should worry about. Get the best wires, pay 40-60 bucks for a good wring kit.
Pyramid amps are pretty good. They usually have "max Power" ratings on the box, and no RMS. I have to agree that you will be getting around 200-300 wats RMS out of a 1000watt max power amp (pyramid).
Explodes are even worse. For the life of me I havent been able to find what their RMS rating. They just don't put it on the box (at walmart at least).

There is a less known company called Scoche (sumtin like that). You can see their wiring kits at Walmart. I used their amps and they are just amazing. Their 500watt amp gets 300wats RMS. Really good quality, and they all come with certificates that they were tested and in working condition. Awsome stuff! I would recomend those over pyramid. I got it for 100 bucks.! I think they also have 4chanel amps. I would check that out.

Good luck.

SS Ball3r

thanks a lot for everyones comments

Gallileo60

Scoche (sumtin like that). You can see their wiring kits at Walmart. I

They are good, that is what is in my ride right now........I am old, and I have had so many systems..........

aaron7

iTrader: (7)

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/car-...rst-brand.html

82TransAM_45

wow, there are a lot of biased people here when it comes to car audio!? cant we all just get along......

xlwhellraiser

iTrader: (1)

They are snoby as hell. There are people who want to spend thousands to weigh their car down and brake db records. Others just want something that has really decent sound (where 90% of us fall) and does not weigh down the car much.
Thats why we have the Plate vs. Box debate. All the snobs are for boxes without thinking of the weight. Sadly they all hang here. Most of the threads are full of bashing other people who don't want to spend more than 100 bucks for an amp. Its insipid.

I only tell people what I've used and "ACTUALLY" had experience with.

The Project

iTrader: (6)

I am an ex IASCA competitor and judge. Spent $ 20,000 on a system and added hundreds of pounds on boxes, 3/4" MDF wood, granite, fibreglass and dynamat (10 rolls), so....I guess that makes me a snob....Oh well, so be it.

I have found that Futureshop sells some good everyday stuff. I have all Pioneer in my daily driver bought from Futureshop (less amp). Sounds ok to me. Buy the best you can afford and build from there. Listen to the speakers and amp first and then decide.

I have no opinion on Pyramid. Never heard a Pyramid amp but is does not have a good name. Take it for what it's worth. Have a look at the stuff at Future shop. Even the Pioneer and Rockford they sell is good to start out with.

xlwhellraiser

iTrader: (1)

Just read the two posts. It proves my point. 90% of us people are just trying to build something decent. Nothing thats for competition. Billsblue89, form what you write, it does not sound like you are a snob. It just looks like, a lot of guys who know a lot about stereos and sound equipment always forget that people are building and asking questions about things on a Budget. Now, Pioneer is probably the most decent set up for low budget. I agree with you.

cdoyle

It's not that we forget people are on a Budget, it's that we know the quality of the units that are being asked about.

I wish back when I first started in this hobby we had the internet, and people would have steered me clear of the low end/low quality equipment. I spent so much money on pyramid like equipment.

If I would have saved up and bought good equipment from the start. Then I wouldn't have had to buy all new stuff a year later, because subs were blown or amps quit working etc.

I don't think I'm a snob when I say Pyramid is junk, it's that I know the quality of the materials inside and the reputation this company has. So instead of telling people, sure go ahead and buy it. I'll let them know that if you buy that, there is a good chance you'll be buying new stuff in a year. So save up a little more now, and get better equipment that will last. You'll save money in the long run.

TheBandit

agreed cdoyle.. guess i am a snob also.. exactly what cdoyle said.. why not wait the extra couple months or whatever to save the money? pyramid is garbage.. but for the $100 your gonna spend.. save up another $100 and actually get a decent amp..chances are that pyramid is going to burn up anyway, so if you keep buying low end junk why not just save up in that time and buy something thats good quality and is gonna last?

xlwhellraiser

iTrader: (1)

Cool, did not mean to insult anybody. Sorry for that.

ALl I got to say is, Not all cheap things are bad.

Thats the mentality that us budget guys have. And thats why some coments come out very snoby. Thats all.

xlwhellraiser

iTrader: (1)

Oh, and just because its cheap it does not mean its bad.

Gallileo60

i know what inside also, and alot of it is the same as whats in amps costing twice the price..most of the amps are made oveseas in sweat shops (Not all) Anyway its your dime, do what ya want..As far as longevity, if hooked up properly they all will last quite a few miles......Good luck, and enjoy no matter what you get.

freestylzz

I had my share of low-end amps in the past and a few included Pyramids. They are not bad for a cheap amp and never had one burn out. Not a clean sound, but if ya don't care then I'd say go for it.

No stereo equipment in my vehicle nowadays, so I can't say or have any opinion on new pyramid amps.

(btw, I'm sure we all have or had buddies looking to unload used amps for cheap. Don't you know anyone?)

JJAdair

I have a Pyramid pb799x and i got it hooked up to 2 12" Pioneer subs. I think it sounds alright it would sound alot better if i put dynomat in my trunk but its lastin longer then my rockford amp did.

Gallileo60

Heat is one of the main enemys of any amp, also the impedence matching is very important....Mis match, and you can fry any amp...I have a freind with a ragidy old trunk, and he had had the same amp in it for several (6) years now, it is a pyramid....Let me be the first to say, a 1000 watt amp will not blow a 10 watt speaker....YOU WILL....If you dont turn it up to the point of distortion your 10 watt speaker will be just fine...Most (not all) of the time it is user error that causes problems with electronics....This is only added to by cheap equiptment....I would tend to beleive one reason cheaper stuff gets a bad rap is the fact that it is just thrown in, and hooked up like crap, and then abused.....I do not mean everyone....I have seen dozens, and dozens of crap install jobs, and that goes for hi end as well as low end stuff.....BTW, do not get me wrong, I am not saying cheap stuff even for even will sound as good as audiophille equiptment, im just saying you dont alway have to have, or even need top of the line ....I have had several Pyramid amps that were sold with the vehicle when it went....Sometimes they outlasted some of my older HiFonics stuff.....Tom

dimented24x7

iTrader: (2)

I had a pyramid arctic that was rated at a 1000VA way back when. Ok for driving 6x9s, but it couldnt really power a good set of subs. I bought a JBL two channel rated for 220 watts @ .05% THD to replace it and it ran circles around the pyramid amp. My brother still has the JBL in his delivery car. Its beat to hell from having crates tossed on top of it, but it still works fine even after all these years.

TheBandit

also a 1000 watt pyramid amp.. prbably puts out about 700watts.. better companies underrate their amps..