

Without a car amplifier receiving official CEA-2006 compliance, the true quality and loudness of sound are unconfirmed and somewhat unknown for an amp. Due to this, CEA-2006’s fundamental ratings for car amplifiers are Output Power and Signal-To-Noise Ratio. The two most fundamental qualities of an amplifier are its loudness and how high a quality sound it produces. A CEA logo on the side of an amplifier’s packaging means it is CEA-2006 compliant. CEA-2006 is a rating standard created to help consumers compare different amplifiers. The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is an independent organization that tests electronic products against manufacturer assertions for common characteristics of a specific product. Passive crossovers can be broken down further into two more categories, component crossovers and in-line crossovers.
#CAR AMP INSTALL#
Passive crossovers offer less fine-tuning capabilities but are easier to install than active crossovers. Passive: This type of crossover means it doesn’t need to be connected to a power source to work.This crossover requires a more involved setup than its counterpart. Additionally, active crossovers tend to have their own level control.
#CAR AMP DRIVER#
Active: This type of crossover means each driver has its own channel of amplification.Active crossovers require power and ground connections, while passive crossovers don’t require power at all. There are two basic types of crossovers: active and passive.

We think these two characteristics of an amplifier should ultimately determine what amp you buy. In this buying guide to the best car amplifiers, we discuss the different types of crossover and what exactly CEA-2006 compliance means for amps. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here. When testing is not feasible, however, our aim is to make your life easier by doing all the online research for you and presenting that research in the form of easy-to-read product comparisons and buyers guides, rather than outright recommendations. We try to perform in-house testing on real vehicles whenever possible before making our recommendations. Our team of writers, editors, researchers, and product experts collaborates to thoroughly vet top products. Since 2020, we have published over 200 auto product reviews in an effort to make shopping for auto products easier. We looked at factors such as standout customer reviews, prices, meaningful superlatives, and discount shipping eligibility. We also factored in the quantity and quality of online retailer reviews from websites such as Amazon, RealTruck, Advance Auto Parts, and more. We pay particularly close attention to quality reviews and recommendations that highlight the quality of warranties, customer service support, build quality, materials, and overall reliability.
#CAR AMP MANUALS#
To select the five best car amplifiers featured in this buyers guide, our team first combed through dozens of resources such as DIY mechanic and auto enthusiast forums, manufacturer and car audio-specific websites, instruction manuals from manufacturers, and reviews from online retailers.
