Best amp for kicker 6500.2 tower speakers

[adamsjstt]

OK i looked into the IX500.4. I like the idea but what amp would add to the IX500.4 if I decided to upgrade to the 6 pack. If I bridge the IX500.4 to each "pod" it will send 250watts to each "pod". That means the mid and the horn each will see 125watts? Is that correct?

[chpthril]

To have the flexibility to upgrade to the Kicker KM6500.2 "6-Pack" without having to swap amps, your best bet is a 2 chnl. The ZXM-450.2 will deliver 150 watts to each side @ 4 Ohm for the basic KM6500.2 set up, and 225 to each side with a 2 Ohm load when the extra KM6500 mids are added.

[philwsailz]

OK i looked into the IX500.4. I like the idea but what amp would add to the IX500.4 if I decided to upgrade to the 6 pack. If I bridge the IX500.4 to each "pod" it will send 250watts to each "pod". That means the mid and the horn each will see 125watts? Is that correct?

Hey adamsjstt-

Sorry for popping in here late, but my Christmas travels precluded much computer time.

With the KM6500.2 you have a mid, a horn AND a crossover per side for each driver. The horn wires in parallel to the mid, so it is easy to assume that each driver gets half the power per channel, but that is not the case. Let me try to explain. The mid driver is 4-ohms. The horn driver is 4-ohms. If they were wired in parallel WITHOUT THE CROSSOVERS you would show a 2-ohm load to the amp. The crossovers are the key. A crossover works by changing impedances above and below the crossover frequency. The midrange shows a 4-ohm impedance from its lowest frequency response up to near the attached crossover frequency, at which point the crossover takes over and drives the impedance to near infinity, (really high); basically an open circuit. Similarly, the horn shows a 4-ohm load from way up at 20KHz down to near the crossover frequency of its attached crossover. Below that crossover frequency the impedance shown by the horn and its crossover is basically infinity.

In summary, the mid shows 4-ohms below the crossover and the horn shows 4-ohms above crossover so the horn and mid do not share the power. Both get the full power of the amplifier channel; it is not halved as one normally thinks with parallel wiring, due to the crossovers.


On your amplifier choices, I think the key to your decision lies with these considerations:
* Are you going to upgrade to the KM6500 later? Are you really going to?
*What is your budget?

The most affordable and flexible option is to go with the KM6500.2's and the ZXM-450.2. You can add the M6500's later without swapping amps.


If you want more power, are only going to go with the KM6500.2's, your budget is tight, and you never intend to add the KM6500's I really like the IX500.4 in bridge mode. It is a full class D amp and is darned efficient with a small size and very little heat. That is what I am running on my boat. 250 watts each side for a combined 500 watt tower system.

If you have a big budget, with a 6-pack, (Km6500.2's and the extra KM6500's) want to go crazy, and with big power there are two options for power:
BIG POWER OPTION 1. Get two ZX300.1 full-range monoblocks with a KX-2 electronic crossover. You want to use the KX-2 in hi-pass mode, (the ZX300.1 does not have a hi-pass crossover built in) to drive the amps. USe a 300.1 on each side, running two mids and one horn on each side. This will get you 300 watts per side of Class A/B power.
BIG POWER OPTION 2. The other option is to get the KM6500.2's, the KM6500's and TWO of the IX500.4 amps. Wire one amp to the KM6500.2's in bridge mode, and wire the other IX500.4 amp to the extra KM6500 mids, also bridged. This setup will give you 1,000 watts of power on the tower, and I can pretty much guarantee you will be the loudest guy in party cove.





For this kind of power, know that it is EXTREMELY important to make sure the hi-pass crossovers are engaged and you will likely find that the crossover frequency needs to be about 70 - 80 Hz. This is approaching true concert PA power and settings where we usually set a crossover at 150 - 200 Hz between the big subwoofer bass bins and the full range cabinets. Talking of pro PA equipment, I finally got the home speakers I built finished; had to install the ports for the enclosures. They are equipped with the KM6500.2's and the KM6500's. I am driving them with 400 watts IN MY LIVING ROOM. Yeah, they do get loud...



Hope that helps.

Phil
Kicker

[wakeboarderfil]

I upgraded from an old school rockford 4channel(750w).......JL M600/6 powering 2 kicker tower cans, & 6 MB quart component speakers, a monoblock rockford Fosgate P7001BD pushin 2 JL 10" W3s. Sounds great

[adamsjstt]

Hey adamsjstt-

Sorry for popping in here late, but my Christmas travels precluded much computer time.

With the KM6500.2 you have a mid, a horn AND a crossover per side for each driver. The horn wires in parallel to the mid, so it is easy to assume that each driver gets half the power per channel, but that is not the case. Let me try to explain. The mid driver is 4-ohms. The horn driver is 4-ohms. If they were wired in parallel WITHOUT THE CROSSOVERS you would show a 2-ohm load to the amp. The crossovers are the key. A crossover works by changing impedances above and below the crossover frequency. The midrange shows a 4-ohm impedance from its lowest frequency response up to near the attached crossover frequency, at which point the crossover takes over and drives the impedance to near infinity, (really high); basically an open circuit. Similarly, the horn shows a 4-ohm load from way up at 20KHz down to near the crossover frequency of its attached crossover. Below that crossover frequency the impedance shown by the horn and its crossover is basically infinity.

In summary, the mid shows 4-ohms below the crossover and the horn shows 4-ohms above crossover so the horn and mid do not share the power. Both get the full power of the amplifier channel; it is not halved as one normally thinks with parallel wiring, due to the crossovers.


On your amplifier choices, I think the key to your decision lies with these considerations:
* Are you going to upgrade to the KM6500 later? Are you really going to?
*What is your budget?

The most affordable and flexible option is to go with the KM6500.2's and the ZXM-450.2. You can add the M6500's later without swapping amps.


If you want more power, are only going to go with the KM6500.2's, your budget is tight, and you never intend to add the KM6500's I really like the IX500.4 in bridge mode. It is a full class D amp and is darned efficient with a small size and very little heat. That is what I am running on my boat. 250 watts each side for a combined 500 watt tower system.

If you have a big budget, with a 6-pack, (Km6500.2's and the extra KM6500's) want to go crazy, and with big power there are two options for power:
BIG POWER OPTION 1. Get two ZX300.1 full-range monoblocks with a KX-2 electronic crossover. You want to use the KX-2 in hi-pass mode, (the ZX300.1 does not have a hi-pass crossover built in) to drive the amps. USe a 300.1 on each side, running two mids and one horn on each side. This will get you 300 watts per side of Class A/B power.
BIG POWER OPTION 2. The other option is to get the KM6500.2's, the KM6500's and TWO of the IX500.4 amps. Wire one amp to the KM6500.2's in bridge mode, and wire the other IX500.4 amp to the extra KM6500 mids, also bridged. This setup will give you 1,000 watts of power on the tower, and I can pretty much guarantee you will be the loudest guy in party cove.





For this kind of power, know that it is EXTREMELY important to make sure the hi-pass crossovers are engaged and you will likely find that the crossover frequency needs to be about 70 - 80 Hz. This is approaching true concert PA power and settings where we usually set a crossover at 150 - 200 Hz between the big subwoofer bass bins and the full range cabinets. Talking of pro PA equipment, I finally got the home speakers I built finished; had to install the ports for the enclosures. They are equipped with the KM6500.2's and the KM6500's. I am driving them with 400 watts IN MY LIVING ROOM. Yeah, they do get loud...



Hope that helps.

Phil
Kicker

You guys never disapoint.
I am sold on the IX.500.4. I will run 1 to the 6500.2 and if I decide to go 6 pack I will add another IX500.4. Now I gotta sell it to the wife.