Sometimes, you just can’t get the quality of sound you desire out of your car stereo. If you’ve been disappointed, you might just need a little amplification. The best 2 channel amp should fit your needs if you are looking for something basic. Many of them even offer some advanced features and configurations for maximum control. If you want a more versatile option, then we recommend the best 4 channel amp instead.
How to Pick the Best 2 Channel Amp – Buyer’s Guide
There are numerous factors involved in finding the best 2 channel amp for your car audio. Here are some of the criteria you want to evaluate the options on.
Your Budget
Thankfully, 2 channel amplifiers aren’t pricey. Of course, there are some that cost far more than others, but most people won’t need to go that high. You’ll be able to find a nice selection for around $100 or less. Considering what you might have paid for the speakers and stereo, this is probably pocket change. Determine how much cash you have to spend before looking through the reviews. Then, you’ll know which ones are in your budget.
Impedance
Impedance is the resistance of a component or electric circuit in relation to an alternating circuit. It arises from the effects of ohmic reactance and resistance. You must pay attention to this when trying to match your amp to your speakers or subwoofer. If you’re upgrading the car’s factory system, then you want to find a subwoofer that offers speaker-level inputs.
Ease of Installation
Installing car amplifiers is tricky business. That’s why many people prefer to have a professional installer handle the task. If you plan to connect your amp, subwoofer, or speakers, you’ll want to carefully choose your products.
Some 2 channel amps are easier to install than others. Normally, a quick scan through the user reviews reveals how hard they were to get hooked up. If you prefer to have them professionally installed, don’t forget to factor in that additional cost as well when planning out your purchase.
What’s the Difference Between 2 Channel Amps and 4 Channel Amps?
There are other options besides a 2 channel or 4 channel amp. Let’s take a look at the differences between them all.
- Mono Channel Amplifier Amp – means one amp. These are ideal for powering up a subwoofer. The speakers still work, but don’t receive the extra amp power.
- 2 Channel Amp – contains two amps. These are best for powering speakers and a sub, as long as you don’t want to power the rear pair. 2 Channel 1000 watt amps are some of the most popular
- 4 Channel Amp – contains four amps. This set is best for powering two sets of speakers and a sub. You could also bridge it to power a pair of speakers and a sub and then upgrade later.
Keep in mind that the number of channels an amp has doesn’t limit the amount of speaker you can connect. Rather, it limits the frequency and impedance being sent to the speakers.
You can install as many speakers on a channel as you want as long as your impedance doesn’t fall below what your amp handles. You also can’t exceed the power handling of the sub and speaker by over 10%. Since most subs are designed for higher frequencies, they are driven by a separate amp. That’s why it’s best to use a higher-powered amp for your sub than for your speakers.
Choosing the best 2 channel amp for your car requires knowing what you plan to power up. You must evaluate your setup before anything else.
How to Bridge a 2 Channel Amp
Bridging a two channel amp refers to combining the two channels into one. This offers twice the voltage and increases your power output. Most people bridge a 2 channel amp to connect the two channels to supply power to one sub. Obviously, you can’t bridge a monoblock amp.
Amps that are bridgeable come with an inverted channel for these purposes. This inverted channel produces voltage at an opposite polarity of the unbridged channel.
Before you try to bridge an amplifier yourself, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind. Don’t bridge an amp that can’t handle the increased load of power. You also don’t want to bridge your amp if it will become unstable or if the speakers won’t handle the additional pressure. Check all your product paperwork to ensure you have what you need to bridge the amplifier.
All multi-channel amps provide a minimum bridged stability that is higher than the minimum impedance of one channel. For example, if you want to bridge your 2 channel amp that offers 1 ohm per channel, you would end up with a minimum impedance of 2 ohms after bridging.
Here’s how to bridge your 2 channel amp:
1 – Locate the amp’s terminals. You should see four (both a positive and negative for each channel).
2 – To bridge into a subwoofer, you must connect one piece of your speaker wire from the amp’s positive terminal of channel 1 to the speaker’s positive terminal.
3 – Now, connect another piece of speaker wire to the negative terminal of your channel 2 to your speaker’s negative terminal.
That’s the basic way to bridge a 2 channel amp, but we always recommend seeking the help of a professional if you aren’t sure what to do.
Why Should You Add an Amplifier?
If you’re still wondering what the benefits are to adding the best 2 channel amp for your car, we’ve got the answers. There’s really no way to get a high-quality, loud sound from your car stereo without an amp. Even if you don’t want your music to be loud, amplifiers should still be a part of the equation if you want quality sound.
Here are the main benefits to owning the best 2 channel amp.
Better Sound Quality
Adding a 2 channel amp to your system gives you the power you need to drive the car speakers without straining the system. Unlike your in-dash car stereo amplifier, an external amp isn’t limited by space. That allows the manufacturer to produce it without making any compromises. As a result, your sound comes across cleaner and highly defined, no matter what volume you play it at.
Additional Power for Speakers
Your factory system and in-dash receiver won’t help your upgraded speakers at all. If you plan to add high-quality speakers to your vehicle, you want more power. This offers peak performance, far superior to anything the existing system can provide.
Power Your Subwoofer
If you add a subwoofer to the mix, you’ll need more power to run it properly. A separate amp is a necessity for this type of setup.
Best 2 Channel Amp for Your Car Reviews
Here are our top ten choices as the best 2 channel amp you could purchase. There’s a wide variety of options in our list, from the budget-friendly to all-out sound blasting machines. You are sure to find something that suits your needs from this list.
