# alpine or JL 4 channel? (setup inside)



## medistar (Jun 20, 2003)

Hey whats up guys, got a quick question. Got a pioneer headunit, dunno number but it wasnt bad got off ebay for like 200. I got Focal 165a's in the back and infinity refrences in the front. I want a 4 channel amp, and I dunno if I should go the JL 4x300 or the Alpine MRV-F340 which is the 55wx4. I know enough about speakers but not real sure on amps so any help would be much obliged. thanks again

Evan


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## ImportCarTuner (Jun 9, 2002)

I'd go with the JL Audio amp. Just make sure the front and rear speakers can handle the RMS power from the JL Audio amp which is rated at 75x4 RMS.


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## Mini_GTR (Nov 10, 2003)

I would also go with the JL amp. I think they dish out better amounts of power than the Alpine. Only speaking from experience. Others i'm sure disagree.


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## NiS[sX]mO (Mar 1, 2003)

medistar said:


> Hey whats up guys, got a quick question. Got a pioneer headunit, dunno number but it wasnt bad got off ebay for like 200. I got Focal 165a's in the back and infinity refrences in the front. I want a 4 channel amp, and I dunno if I should go the JL 4x300 or the Alpine MRV-F340 which is the 55wx4. I know enough about speakers but not real sure on amps so any help would be much obliged. thanks again
> 
> Evan


Go with the MRV-F540, it's a 4 chan amp which is 75w RMS x 4. Very good amp I have it 
Yann


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

That JL 300/4 amp is awesome. I'm eventually getting a 500/1 to power the sub.


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## Sethticlees (May 30, 2002)

NiS[sX]mO said:


> Go with the MRV-F540, it's a 4 chan amp which is 75w RMS x 4. Very good amp I have it
> Yann



Dude! That's a 300+ dollar amp!!!

I'm sorry, but if I'm gunna drop 300+bux on an amp it's gunna be XTANT or McIntosh or something high end. Not ALPINE :lame: 

Just my 2 cents


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## Punkrocka436 (Jul 8, 2003)

I agree with sethticlees.....300+ dollars on an amp that is only putting out 75x4 RMS? I dont think so, unless the manufacturer boasts low THD, Many features(extensive x-overs, precise gains etc), and AMAZING efficiency...all of which the alpine does not.

go with the JL, you will be much happier


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## SentraStyleEMW (Aug 15, 2002)

Punkrocka436 said:


> I agree with sethticlees.....300+ dollars on an amp that is only putting out 75x4 RMS? I dont think so, unless the manufacturer boasts low THD, Many features(extensive x-overs, precise gains etc), and AMAZING efficiency...all of which the alpine does not.
> 
> go with the JL, you will be much happier


The JL is a 300+ dollar amp...and is only 75x4. What are you trying to say? I'm willing to bet that none of you would be able to tell a sonic difference between say an Alpine, Xtant, and some higher end amps (with all things being equal that is). 75 watts is 75 watts. And the differences in THD is inaudible to the human ear between (on mid to highend amps...not counting the pyramid types which often lie about specs).


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

yes a watt is a watt, but that doesn't mean the signal coming out of the amp looks like it did coming in


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

definately, the JL 300/4 is like $300 and let me tell you, it's worth every penny. JL is really up there when it comes to consumer amps. Also, JL amps are under rated, you're getting more than 300 watts out of this amp.


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## chimmike (Oct 17, 2002)

I got the MRV-F340 for like 260 shipped brand new, and I LOVE it. running the same focal 165a's in the rear and some alpine type r components in the front and it sounds AWESOME. I even left the gain on nominal, lol


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## SentraStyleEMW (Aug 15, 2002)

sr20dem0n said:


> yes a watt is a watt, but that doesn't mean the signal coming out of the amp looks like it did coming in


I know what you are saying sr20dem0n...but all I am saying is that 9 out 10 people probably wouldn't be able to tell any difference between a 75x4 alpine vs. a 75x4 JL vs. a 75x4 Xtant...etc with all settings being equal...it is very, very, very difficult to tell just by listening.


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## sr20dem0n (Mar 19, 2003)

SentraStyleEMW said:


> I know what you are saying sr20dem0n...but all I am saying is that 9 out 10 people probably wouldn't be able to tell any difference between a 75x4 alpine vs. a 75x4 JL vs. a 75x4 Xtant...etc with all settings being equal...it is very, very, very difficult to tell just by listening.


True, and even then it would require a VERY clean set of speakers, headunit, and a very nice installation to be able to tell a difference between the amps you just listed. I think at this point the main difference between those two amps is features and reliability, and I would go with the JL in both of those aspects.


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## Sethticlees (May 30, 2002)

SentraStyleEMW said:


> all I am saying is that 9 out 10 people probably wouldn't be able to tell any difference between a 75x4 alpine vs. a 75x4 JL vs. a 75x4 Xtant...etc with all settings being equal...it is very, very, very difficult to tell just by listening.


O contrare! I beg to differ...

Sure as shit the average human being may not be capable of detecting a difference audibly, BUT where high-end amps really shine is up top where it counts. So when you play your rotten music LOUD AS HELL you know where the money went. 
Sure Alpine & JL make decent amps, no ones debating that, but the god forsaken truth is power... good clean power! Amps that produce awesome amounts of power with low low distortion are nothing but high-end equipment. So don’t think for 1 second that $300 is justified on an Alpine or JL amp when for the same money you could have XTANT, Nakamichi, ZAPCO, PPI, ADS, or McIntosh.
Don't go confusing the subject here!
When talking amps it's not always about what’s gunna produce music clarity, it’s about what’s gunna produce music clearly at HIGH VOLUME!
Those signal frequencies that sound so great in your component speakers take power to produce. So go ahead… crank up your Alpine and take DISTORTION out on a perfectly good set of Focals. 
Hell, you may or may not even notice it, but it's there!
Only way you'd realize the mistake would be to upgrade to some high-end amp later on and then wonder why you put up with that crap for all those years.

My point is... for the money you could do better.
Do with that what you will.:fluffy:


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## SentraStyleEMW (Aug 15, 2002)

I am not debating that Zapco, Xtant, (the list goes on and on) make great amps. I am simply saying that to "human ears", a 75 watt Alpine amp drivin w/in it's limits and a 75 watt Xtant amp (also drivin w/in it's limits)...sound pretty much the same (with all other variable being equal). It would take an RTA to differenciate between the two, because I can just about guarantee you the differences cannot be heard with human ears...especially in a noisy environment such as a car.


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## Sethticlees (May 30, 2002)

SentraStyleEMW said:


> I am not debating that Zapco, Xtant, (the list goes on and on) make great amps. I am simply saying that to "human ears", a 75 watt Alpine amp drivin w/in it's limits and a 75 watt Xtant amp (also drivin w/in it's limits)...sound pretty much the same (with all other variable being equal). It would take an RTA to differenciate between the two, because I can just about guarantee you the differences cannot be heard with human ears...especially in a noisy environment such as a car.


A 75 watt Alpine is nothing compared to a 75 watt Xtant and that... in a nutshell... is my point.

Perhaps I'm not explaining myself as so you'd understand. Try this... go build a system and listen to that 75 watt Alpine then 1 month/week later exchange the Alpine for a 75 watt Xtant. 
I guarantee even the most novas car audio enthusiast would agree, there is a huge improvement overall!
So back to my original statement, I would never blow $300 on an Alpine or JL if for the same money I could have... Xtant or McIntosh.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

Sethticlees said:


> A 75 watt Alpine is nothing compared to a 75 watt Xtant and that... in a nutshell... is my point.
> 
> Perhaps I'm not explaining myself as so you'd understand. Try this... go build a system and listen to that 75 watt Alpine then 1 month/week later exchange the Alpine for a 75 watt Xtant.
> I guarantee even the most novas car audio enthusiast would agree, there is a huge improvement overall!
> So back to my original statement, I would never blow $300 on an Alpine or JL if for the same money I could have... Xtant or McIntosh.


I thought JL was MUCH better than you are making it out to be. From what I heard, JL and Xtant are about the same due to the fact that they both use the same research company (or something like that).


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## SentraStyleEMW (Aug 15, 2002)

Sethticlees said:


> A 75 watt Alpine is nothing compared to a 75 watt Xtant and that... in a nutshell... is my point.
> 
> Perhaps I'm not explaining myself as so you'd understand. Try this... go build a system and listen to that 75 watt Alpine then 1 month/week later exchange the Alpine for a 75 watt Xtant.
> I guarantee even the most novas car audio enthusiast would agree, there is a huge improvement overall!
> So back to my original statement, I would never blow $300 on an Alpine or JL if for the same money I could have... Xtant or McIntosh.



Hmmm...in that case, you should go contact Richard Clark. He's got a $10,000 amplifier challenge that says you can't tell the difference...should be an easy $10,000 in your pocket.


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