Which amplifier suits my car audio speaker board?
Choose an amplifier suited to the speaker board’s impedance, power handling and speakers. To drive both midbass drivers and tweeters, it must reproduce their full frequency range and have suitable filters.
Here are amplifier examples for common speaker boards (raggarplankor), plus guidance for a custom build.
Which amplifiers suit common speaker boards?
The following examples are for different models. The power figures apply to stereo operation with a 2-ohm load per channel.
Always check the board’s wiring instructions and the actual impedance the amplifier will drive.
GAS MAD PB1-46 and PB1-48
Amplifier |
RMS output at 2 ohms |
|---|---|
GAS MAD A1-70.2 |
2 × 105 W |
GAS MAD A2-85.2 |
2 × 125 W |
GAS MAX A2-100.2 |
2 × 160 W |
Bass Habit SPL64 and SPL84
Amplifier |
RMS output at 2 ohms |
|---|---|
Bass Habit Rebel RA500W |
2 × 125 W |
GAS MAD A1-70.2 |
2 × 105 W |
GAS MAD A2-85.2 |
2 × 125 W |
GAS MAD PB2-64 and PB2-84
Amplifier |
RMS output at 2 ohms |
|---|---|
GAS MAD A2-85.2 |
2 × 125 W |
GAS MAX A2-100.2 |
2 × 160 W |
Bass Habit SPL PLAY 550.2DF |
2 × 310 W |
How do I choose an amplifier for another speaker board?
Start with its specifications and wiring instructions.
For a custom build, check:
The speakers’ RMS power handling.
Each speaker’s impedance in ohms.
The number of speakers per channel and their wiring.
The crossover filters for midbass drivers and tweeters.
Use RMS figures when comparing speaker power handling with amplifier output. Also check that the output rating applies at the impedance produced by your wiring.
How do I calculate RMS power handling and impedance per side?
We use GAS MAX PM2-84 as an example. Each midbass driver has a stated power handling of 300 W RMS and a nominal impedance of 4 ohms.
With two identical midbass drivers per side, wired in parallel to one amplifier channel, the result is:
Property |
Result per side |
|---|---|
Combined RMS power handling of the midbass drivers |
300 + 300 = 600 W RMS |
Nominal impedance of two parallel 4-ohm midbass drivers |
2 ohms |
The left midbass pair connects to one channel and the right pair to the other.
The diagram shows only the midbass drivers. If tweeters share these channels, also check their filters and the complete board’s load.
Must the amplifier deliver exactly 600 W per channel in this example?
No. 600 W RMS is the midbass pair’s combined stated power handling, not a minimum requirement for the speakers to work.
It is a reference when comparing amplifiers. A lower-power amplifier can also be used, but the achievable volume will differ. Correct filters and gain are needed regardless of amplifier power.
Which amplifier is an example for this wiring?
Bass Habit SPL ELITE 850.2DF has a stated output of 2 × 610 W RMS at 2 ohms.
This means 610 W per channel, close to the midbass pair’s combined power handling in the example.
Also check that the power supply, wiring, filtering and connections suit the equipment.
Must it be a full-range amplifier?
Yes, if the same amplifier drives both midbass drivers and tweeters, it must reproduce their frequency range. An amplifier that only reproduces bass frequencies is not suitable for the entire board.
Full-range describes the amplifier’s frequency response. Suitable speaker filters are still needed. Tweeters must have their intended crossovers, and a high-pass filter for the whole board does not replace the tweeter’s own filter.
Can BRL help me choose?
Yes! Tell us the board model or which speakers it contains, how they are wired and which amplifier you have or are considering.
Please send photos of speaker labels and board terminals. We can then help choose an amplifier that suits your installation.