I'm in the process of building out my new stereo in my JK Rubi and I'm shopping for amps. Along the way I've gotten into the whole Class A/B vs Class D amp conundrum. I'm planning to use some mid grade drivers (Hertz) and am starting to wonder if I'm really going to notice a diffrence in sound between a Class A amp and a Class D "chip amp".

My installer is wanting to use Zapco Class A amps to drive the system as he's from the Sound Quality installation school and if this were a dynamatted car I'd entirely agree with him.

But this is a Jeep. It's got a plastic top, no after market sound proofing, and will be driven with the T-Tops out in the summer. In that noisey of an enviroment I'm thinking a Class D amp would be just as good.

What do you guys think?

 

I voted it will make a "noticeable difference" in your jeep.
BUT, while that is true, that noticeable difference will be when you are sitting, either in a parking lot, or at stop lights. Once you're driving, I don't think you'll notice a difference. Especially not if you go after market with a lift and tires.

 

Presuming you're only adding the one amp for your subs I'd go with a class D. For most people, and especially you in the Jeep, the sound difference you would hear in the bass would be minor. The class D will draw less current and stay cooler under a high workload.

Go with an A/B if you're running a multi-channel amp that is powering your subs as well as your components.

 

The Class A amp I'm looking at is a Zapco i-Force I-4100 amp.

I'm planning to use 2 channel's to drive a set of Hertz Hi-Energy components in the stock dash locations and use the other two channels to power a single 10" sub.