I went to the funk flex car show this past summer and I was talking to one of the cats from JL AUdio. They had two of there demo vehicles there and I was telling him about the car I have and what I want to install in it. He told me that for cars it's not really wise to go no more than 800watts total when running a system. For trucks you can go alittle more but he advised me to stay within the 800 watts range. What do you guys think about that advise?

 

I guess that could be a pretty general statement. Question is, 800 watts on what. 800 on the components, 800 on subs, 800 total. 800 on subs seems pretty good but, what about the components. 800 on components seems a bit high. Combined you could go like 200 on components and 600 for subs. Lots of combinations with that power. I know, I am just rambling but, then again, that is a pretty vague statement.

 

I think i know what he (the rep) is saying. if you are looking for a generally loud, but not competiton stle loud, then 800watts is the magical number. look at it like this 4 channels at 75 watts per, and a single 12 at 500 would, or even 4 channels at 100 per, and a single 12 at 400, would yeild a system that would produce in the neighborhood of 125+dB. I have never used more than 600 total watts and I maxed the system in my legend at 141dB's. You can do a lot of things to compensate for using lesser amounts of power.

 

he probably based his comment on what he generalized as the type of alternator cars have? ie, trucks having stronger ones.