We realize, talking to customers every day, there are a lot of misconceptions about amplifiers, or amps for short. Simply put, amps increase music signals so they’re clearer at higher volumes. Amp speakers and stereos go hand in hand. All stereos have an amplifier with most of them having an internal amplifier. The sound goes from the stereo into the amplifier and into your speakers. One way to improve the sound coming from your stereo is to add a more powerful, higher quality, external amplifier.
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Amplifiers are rated in watts. Watts, or wattage, is a measurement of electricity that tells you how much power is available from an amplifier. RMS wattage refers to the amount of electricity an amplifier can continuously produce. If you want to properly power a speaker that requires 500 watts of power, you would want to purchase an amplifier that would supply 500 watts continuously. Simply put, try to match up the amount of RMS wattage the amplifier produces with the amount of RMS wattage the speaker requires.
Amplifiers are available in many different strengths and sizes and can be broken down into three main categories: the monoblock, the 4 channel, and the 5 channel. Monoblock amps are designed to work with subwoofers that are played at high volumes for long periods of time. A 4 channel amp would power the four interior speakers in the car. Unlike the monoblock amp, the 4 channel amplifier specializes in playing the interior speakers accurately without any distortion.
Finally, the 5 channel amp powers the subwoofer along with the four interior speakers all in one. They are most ideal for cars with limited space and can be the most cost-effective way to use only one amp to power an entire audio system.