Best Amplifiers For Car Audio in 2022 | Reviews and Buying Guide

Best amplifiers for car audio in 2022. Vehicle audio system audio amplifiers are essential to help your vehicle perform on the road. Specific performance criteria must be met to meet the needs of all other parts of the audio system.

With so many differences from system to system, it makes sense that the market would be flooded with manufacturers making their own car amps.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or upgrading; or looking for a speaker or kicker subwoofer with large power components, choosing the right amplifier is key to your success.

Of course, the most important are the specifications. However, knowing a car amplifier from a reputable brand will certainly help you choose the right amplifier for your vehicle.

While clearly subjective and prone to bias, I’ve done my best to list these brands based on the following metrics (in no particular order).

Top Rated Car Amplifiers Recommended For You

Next, we’ll take a look at some of the top car amp brands that offer quality amps and we’ll also go into detail on how to buy them. For more information on top rated car amplifiers for car audio, see the reviews below.

Alpine S-A60M S-Series Class D Mono Amplifier

alpine s-a60m s-series

The massive bass performance of Alpine’s small package makes it a little easier to get good bass in your vehicle, especially if you drive a small car.

The S-Series S-A60M mono subwoofer amplifier can deliver up to 600 watts RMS to your sub and guarantees powerful bass in your drive.

And Alpine makes this amp so small, it’s less than 8 inches by 8 inches and just over 2 inches tall-it fits almost anywhere.

Technology that keeps you in the air Enhanced Shutdown Performance technology slightly lowers the output power when the amp threatens to overheat from being pushed to the limit for too long.

Instead of turning it off completely, it keeps playing your music until it’s cooled enough to start operating at full power again.

Handy Features An adjustable low-pass filter and bass boost lets you control the frequencies reaching your kicker subwoofer.

This amp features preamp and speaker level inputs so you can install it in almost any vehicle, even those with factory radios.

When using the speaker input, the amplifier will detect the incoming signal and turn itself on, eliminating the need to run power-up wires back to your vehicle’s receiver or fuse box.

An optional wired remote lets you control bass levels from the driver’s seat. S-A60M control panel.

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Kicker CX1800.1 Car Audio 1800 Watt

KICKER’s CX-Series amplifier technology delivers clean, powerful music in almost any vehicle on the road today, without changing your radio or adding a line-out converter.

This powerful amplifier runs on as little as nine volts of power from your battery and as much as 40 volts (400 watts) of the speaker-level input signal.

With KICKER’s FIT+ (Fail-safe Integration Technology-PLUS), you get exceptional noise rejection – even with premium factory audio systems.

About this item:

  • The Kicker CX1800.1 is an Efficient Class-D amplifier for your car
  • Three seconds on/off delay helps eliminate unwanted distractions
  • Variable 12 dB crossover gives you control and lets you play the perfect sound
  • Features a KickEQ 6 dB variable bass boost when you experience those additional low frequencies
  • 24 dB subsonic filter to protect you from potentially damaging frequencies

Read also: Best Car Accessories and Gadgets: Recommendation for you

BOSS Audio Systems R1100M Riot Series Car Audio Subwoofer Amplifier

boss audio systems r1100m

Shift your audio experience with the Boss Audio Riot R1100M Class A/B best Monoblock Amplifier. This powerful 2 ohm stabilized amplifier has a maximum output of 1100 watts with the MOSFET power supply to rock your music.

Adjust audio sound with Variable Low Pass Crossover and Bass Boost. Tweak the bass and feel the vibrations with remote subwoofer control.

The Riot Series Amplifiers are perfect for first-time buyers of car audio systems looking to add a bass, enhanced sound, and power to their system at an affordable price. Step up the beat with the Boss Audio R1100M.

  • Power: 1100 max x 1 into 2 ohms, 550 max x 1 into 4 ohms
  • Class A/B Topology: Class ‘A’ amplifiers have a very large current flowing through their output transistors without an audio signal. Class B audio amplifier has no current flowing through its output without an audio signal.
  • Power Supply MOSFET: MOSFET is an electrical switch that allows the flow of electrical current. It precisely controls output voltage and current by eliminating output current sensing loss and eliminating all secondary feedback circuitry.
  • Low and High-Level Inputs: Low level (RCA) inputs are measured in voltage. The high-level input ( cable) is measured in watts. They both basically carry the signal from your receiver to your amplifier to your kicker speakers.
  • Variable Low-Pass Crossover: The kicker subwoofer reproduces sound based on a range of different low-end frequencies. You can set the exact sound specifications for bass frequency reproduction
  • Switchable Bass Boost: With Bass Boost you can adjust the deep bass in the boost area to your liking.
  • Variable input gain control: The gain control is not used to adjust the volume. It simply adjusts the signal strength coming from your receiver and going to your amplifier.

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Rockville dB13 3000 Watt Peak

rockville db13 3000 watt peak

Rockville dB13 is a mono amp with 3,000 watts of peak power and 750 watts of dyno-certified power. At Rockville, we offer in-car audio at the best price.

That’s why we want to make it easy for you to compare our products with all brands on the market.

Top ratings can be used to compare against brands using top ratings like Boss and Power Acoustik while Dyno certified RMS ratings can be used to compare against top brands like Kicker, Rockford, Alpine, etc.

A trick to determine the actual power of a car amp is to multiply the fuse rating by 10 to determine the actual RMS power. This formula almost always works within 20%. Rockville dB13 features a maxi fuse rated at 80 amps.

While we conservatively rate this as 750 watts Dyno Certified @ 2 ohms, this amp puts out a lot more power! This amp features a fully adjustable 12dB/octave crossover with differential circuitry.

Other features include a subsonic filter, fully adjustable bass equalizer, soft-start mute and delay technology, phase control switch, and in-dash subwoofer controls for added convenience.

Protected by full IC-controlled circuitry, Rockville dB13 features professional peak-limiting circuitry to ensure distortion-free music reproduction at all levels.

The RCA input accepts both balanced and unbalanced inputs. If there is potential for interference in the car, the symmetrical input signal is less susceptible to interference.

Rockville dB13 Booster uses top parts and components recommended by Rockville’s own engineers. This amp is the best of any series we’ve ever made.

They work more efficiently, resulting in dB sound. We make it 2 ohm stable like the most famous amps in the world from Rockford Fosgate, Kicker, etc.

If you compare our amps to the most popular amps you will find that our amps can keep up and in my opinion outperform all others in their class.

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BOSS Audio Systems AR1500M Car Amplifier

boss audio systems

Boost your audio performance with the BOSS Audio Armor AR1500M Class A/B monoblock amplifier. This powerful 2 ohm stabilized amplifier has 1500 watts max with a MOSFET power supply to crank up your music.

Customize the sound with variable low-pass crossover and bass boost. Maximize the bass range and rocking of your vehicle with the subwoofer remote control.

Armor Series amps pack incredible power and performance into a sleek, feature-rich design for convenience anywhere. Boost the bass in your music with the BOSS Audio ar1500m.

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MOSFETs and Class A/B

Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors quickly switch from full to non-conducting for high-efficiency output.

Our Class-A/B amplifiers feature a special linear circuit that improves sound quality and power output while reducing distortion and increasing efficiency.

2 Ohms Stable and High and Low-Level Input

Stable 2-Ohm comfortably powers a speaker or subwoofer when used at 2-Ohm, delivering more power and volume.

The high-level input accepts the speaker output signal and the low-level input receives the pre-amp output signal to allow adding amps and processors to standard factory or aftermarket source units.

Variable Low Pass Filter

A variable low-pass filter gives you control over the frequency that passes through the subwoofer.

Switchable Bass Boost

Switchable Bass Boost allows you to boost low bass+18db.

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Planet Audio AC4000

planet audio ac4000

Take control of your car audio experience with Planet Audio Anarchy AC4000. This powerful 1 ohm stabilized amplifier has 4000 watts of max power with a MOSFET power supply for a full sound.

Customize your amplifier with a low-pass switch, bass boost, subsonic filter, and switchable phase control. Optimize the bass with the subwoofer’s remote control. To double the power, connect another AC4000.1D for a total output of 8000 watts @2-ohms.

Designed to break the rules, the Anarchy Amplifier Series allows you to customize and control your sound so you can live loud and clear like a mobile anarchist. Rock your music with Planet Audio AC4000.1D.

Get your music out

Push your music to the limit with the Planet Audio Anarchy AC4000.1D Class D Monoblock Amplifier. With 4000 watts of maximum power and a MOSFET power supply, this amplifier increases the bass in your music.

Customize the sound with variable low-pass crossover, bass boost, subsonic filter, switchable phase control, and subwoofer remote control. Connect this amplifier to another AC4000.1D to double the power.

  • Class D Monoblock, MOSFET Power Supply
  • 4000 Watts @1-Ohm Max Power
  • 3000 Watts RMS @1-Ohm
  • Low-Level Inputs, Pre Amp Outputs
  • Variable Low Pass Crossover, Bass Boost, Subsonic Filter, Switchable Phase Control
  • Remote Subwoofer Control
  • Strapping Capable

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Audiobank Monoblock 8000 WATTS

audiobank monoblock 8000 watts

Audiobank amplifier is considered the best car audio amplifier in the world. They are famous for being very good with bass and sound.

The Audiobank amplifier has excellent power and reliability compared to anything else on the market in its class.

Designing the most efficient, well-built, and high-quality amplifiers is where we started at Audiobank. This amplifier also serves to improve the sound of car audio and improve the quality of music with very clear sound.

About this item:

  • 1 Ohm Stable Operation & Soft Turn-On Circuit
  • Thermal and Speaker Short Protection Circuitry
  • Heavy-Duty Aluminum Alloy Heatsink | Class A-B Operation
  • LED Power and Protection Indicators

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NVX VAD10004 1000W RMS

nvx vad10004 1000w rms

The VAD Series amplifiers are available in a number of different sizes and are intended for a number of different applications. The VADM line is extremely compact and can be placed almost anywhere in your vehicle.

The larger VAD amplifiers are more powerful and have an RMS power rating of up to 2700 Watts RMS for the most powerful subwoofers.

If you’re looking for a powerful amp,  NVX VAD10004 1000W RMS is the best amplifier for you. Delivers up to 250W of true RMS power to four channels and fits everything in a more compact chassis.

About this item:

  • PEAK POWER: 2000 Watt
  • RMS POWER: (4 ohms: 150W x 4 channels.) (2 ohms: 250W x 4 channels.) (4 ohms bridged: 500W x 2 chan.)
  • MARINE CERTIFIED: This 4-Channel VAD Amplifier includes a marine-grade circuit board that is suitably coated. This allows this amplifier to be installed in almost any application.
  • FEATURES: LED indicator light | 3-way protection circuit | Heavy-duty aluminum alloy heat-sink | Platinum-plated RCA level input | Platinum-plated screw terminals | RCA preamp output to multiple daisy chain amps | Selectable crossover mode.

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TORO TECH Audio Monoblock Car Amplifier

toro tech audio monoblock car amplifier

Just one glance and you know this TORO Amplifier means business. Just listening to the musicality that’s missing from other Amplifiers in their category and then seeing the attention to detail belies that price point.

TORO has the best solution for designing systems in the competition, with very clear sound quality, which accompanies you on the journey.

Our Micro Rage Series D Class Amplifiers have all the “Right Stuff” and then some. Our compact Micro Rage Amplifier features a MOSFET power supply to ensure uninterrupted voltage flow under all conditions.

This amplifier uses a Class D design which allows high efficiency and cooling to run under general conditions.

The MR3 Toro Audio Micro-Sized Mono Block Amplifier has a power of 800 Watts RMS and a Maximum Power of 2000 Watts.

Stable at 1 Ohm with a high-quality Class D Digital PCB layout that includes a built-in auto-sensing to enable the function for vehicles lacking RCA output capability, selective Bass Boost EQ for fine-tuning, a soft delay remote enable/disable circuit that eliminates pop and click.

The MR3 amplifier uses a MOSFET power supply for high output and increased stability, variable gain control, and a remote level control port for optional controllers.

With a small footprint of just 6.46″ x 1.69″ x 3.07″, this powerful amplifier is suitable for installation in tight spaces and is the perfect choice for motorcycles and high-performance sports vehicles.

The MR3 amplifier uses a MOSFET power supply for high output. and increased stability, variable gain control, and remote level control port for optional controllers.

About this item:

  • POWERFUL MICRO AMPLIFIER: This tiny amplifier delivers 800 Watts x 1 RMS @ 1 Ohm – MAX 2000w of power. This 1-ohm stable amplifier and CTA Compliant guarantee true rated power. It uses a high-quality MOSFET power supply and SMD parts for high output and increased stability.
  • AMPLIFIER FOR VEHICLES WITH LIMITED SPACE: This powerful car audio amplifier is useful for installations limited in space and is the perfect choice for powered motorcycle and sports vehicle speakers.
  • FEATURES: The MR3 features a variety of Low Pass Crossovers for system flexibility. Variable gain control and remote level control port for the optional controller. Excellent Sound Quality Class-D Design Micro Car Mono Amplifier.
  • SPECS: With incredibly small dimensions (6.46” x 1.69” x 3.07” the MR3 packs a punch with value-added features such as Selective Bass Boost EQ for fine-tuning, MOLEX Speaker Harness and Self Diagnostic Protection Circuit with Status Indicator LEDs for; Impedance Over-load, Stereo Speaker Short Circuit, Thermal Overheat, and Variable DC Output Frequency Response 10Hz – 220Hz, RCA Voltage 200mV ~ 10V, Bass EQ 0dB ~ 12dB.
  • TORO TECH’s sole aim is to offer the best combination of performance, quality, style at factory-direct prices. Every TORO product is designed and engineered in the US to exacting standards by audio enthusiasts with decades of combined experience.

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KENWOOD KAC-9106D DYNO 2000W

kenwood kac-9106d dyno
KENWOOD KAC-9106D DYNO

Kenwood kac-9106d dyno Amplifiers are extremely powerful and rugged amplifiers that can deliver superior sound quality and extremely reliable performance.

When you power your subwoofer with Kenwood’s Performance Series KAC-9106D amplifier, you’ll hear clear sound with all the great tone, impact, and detail in your musical bass, from the thumping beats of the rhythm to the soft thumping of the kick drum.

Connection:

Power Connection: The power and ground connections are 0.55″ wide screw terminals. The remote actuator screw terminals are 0.335″ wide. A Phillips head screwdriver or flat blade (not supplied) is required to tighten/lose the terminals.

A Spade connector is recommended. The manual lists a minimum of 10 gauge wires for power and ground, but given the 120 amp fuse rating and 65 amp current consumption specifications, we recommend a 4 gauge wire kit.

Speaker Outputs: There are two pairs of 0.335″ wide screw-terminal speaker outputs; both are connected internally in parallel, making it easy to connect two subwoofers. A Phillips-head or flat screwdriver (not included) is required to tighten/lose the terminals. Spade connectors are also recommended for the speaker cable.

Control:

Gain: To accommodate the varying signal levels of today’s factory and aftermarket radios, the KAC-9106D is equipped with adjustable gain control, 0.2-5.0 volt line level (RCA), and 4.0-12.0 speaker-level volt.

Crossover: The built-in 24 dB/octave low-pass filter has a continuously adjustable switching point from 50 Hz to 200 Hz. As this is a subwoofer amplifier, the switch is always on.

Bass Boost: Bass boost can be adjusted from 0-18dB at 40Hz.

About this item:

  • Mono subwoofer amplifier
  • 500 watts RMS x 1 at 4 ohms (1,000 watts x 1 at 2 ohms)
  • Class D amp design
  • Speaker level input with Sensing turn-on signal
  • Variable low-pass filter (50-200 Hz at 24 dB per octave)

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FAQs Top Best Amplifiers for Car Audio

Who makes the most efficient car amplifier?

Alpine makes some of the best car audio amplifiers on the market. The PDX series is one of the most efficient amps on the market, and Alpine makes so much money on its massive sales (the number 1 seller of in-car audio in the US) that they can sell stuff there for less money than most products.

How many watts is a good subwoofer?

Amplified speakers around 50 watts RMS per channel – 250 to 500 watts RMS is a good starting point. A 100 watts RMS per channel system that has at least 1,000 watts RMS, or more for a sub, is not uncommon.

Does a car amplifier affect sound quality?

The car amplifier can overcome the noise when driving on the highway. Even high-quality after-market speakers will sound weak in a loud vehicle unless they have enough power to deliver optimal output. Good aftermarket speakers with greater sensitivity can deliver enough volume and clarity to stand out despite the street noise.

Do more expensive amps sound better?

When the two amplifiers sound different, at least one of them adds distortion to the signal. So, if the two amplifiers sound different, there’s absolutely no reason to assume that the more expensive one is the lower distortion one.

How do you match amps to speakers?

In general, you should choose an amplifier that can deliver the equivalent of twice the programmable/continuous power of the kicker speakers.

This means that speakers with a “nominal” impedance of 8 ohms and a program power of 350 watts will require an amplifier capable of delivering 700 watts into an 8-ohm load.

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