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Need a new 4 channel amp what do your recomend?

robert843

Jetboaters Admiral
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Location
Myrtle Beach, SC
Boat Make
Yamaha
Year
2017
Boat Model
AR
Boat Length
24
My Polk PAD4000.4 ate it looking for a new four channel amp. I'm looking hard at the Wetsounds HTX-4 or possibly the JL MX500/4 unless someone else has a solid recommendation trying to stay under $500.
 
I’m running the mx500/4 and have no complaints.
 
Given what I know about your use case with regards to heat and salt/brackish water the only proven choice is JL audio. As to m vs mx that will depend on the speakers you will be pushing. I have two m400/4. They will push polk or jl 6.5s just fine with rather low draw for the output. I am pushing 2 10 inch polk mm subs with 4 channels (two each bridged) good power and hits hard but the subs could handle more if I wanted bass heavy. If you like it real loud step up the the MX.
 
I’ll see you a Rockville -m4

Twice the rated Watts of that little Kenwood for the same price, lol.


The voltage is high and it is tested at an unrealistic 1 ohm. Makes me question the validity of the test.
 
The voltage is high and it is tested at an unrealistic 1 ohm. Makes me question the validity of the test.

Watch the dyno test of the t2. It was getting close to rated output 4ohms/13.2 volts. And slightly above at 14.3.
 
Though can't go with JL.
Pretty sure you mean..."can't go wrong with JL", and although I don't own one, I've heard plenty of them and agree. That said, I have a Wetsounds HT4 and it works fine...no issues thus far. My polks on the other hand simply couldn't handle the draw on them with the speakers in series from the factory, and would go into protection mode when cranking the tunes. Now that I added the Wetsounds they don't do this anymore.
 
I would recommend the Rockfoed Fosgate TM400x4AD, very compact, very efficient, and does over 100Wx4....
 
Also, not sure if you would consider used or not, but I have a Westsounds SYN-DX4 I am about to sell.
 
Also, not sure if you would consider used or not, but I have a Westsounds SYN-DX4 I am about to sell.
PM me a price please. Not for me but a buddy also on this board.
 
I went with the JL MX500/4 the IPX6 waterproof thing gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. I think I might have enjoyed the HTX4 more but we shall see. This less power then I had before will have to see if I can go this low and still be happy
 
So Just a quick review I did go with the JL mx500/4 just because the waterproof rating made me feel better after my Polk PAD 4000.4 fried. So I was nervous as the polk was rated higher rms watts then the JL amp that I would not be satisfied well I was wrong. I have the JL amp installed the gain is a little less then half way up and it sounds louder then the old Polk amp which I had probably set about the same on the gain. One thing I noticed for sure is the JL amp really comes to life in 2 ohm I currently have 4 speakers running on 2 ohm and 2 speakers on 4 OHM and the 2 ohm speakers were pushing way harder the the 4 ohm I had to go back on compensate on gain on the front to even it out.
 
I still like the Polk amps and in a 14.4 V world I think they would be comparable. In the 12.7 V world that we live in ( because ours boats usually are not running all the time when listening to the stereo ) the JL has MUCH less wattage drop due to the voltage drop. If my polk amps ever give up I will be switching those to JL as well.
 
I have 4 jl amps, a Kenwood from 1994, and a rockville i just got. I'll be buying more rockville amps for sure. Huge bang for the buck. The $600+jl amp in my rv hums like a mother. Probably not the amp, but frustrating and i don't have time to look at rewiring grounds.
 
I have 4 jl amps, a Kenwood from 1994, and a rockville i just got. I'll be buying more rockville amps for sure. Huge bang for the buck. The $600+jl amp in my rv hums like a mother. Probably not the amp, but frustrating and i don't have time to look at rewiring grounds.

I keep seeing everyone post about the Rockville amps I'm curious to hear one now.
 
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