The 10 Best Competition Amps
Special Honors
Brutal Sounds Custom Amplifiers This Louisiana-based company produces custom enclosures, subwoofers, and amplifiers that excel at every level. Their amps are tuned to suit competition-grade systems, and are produced in limited numbers. This top-of-the-line model features a 5,100watt RMS output, 14-decibel variable crossover for low-pass and subsonic filters, and comes with a one-year warranty. brutalsounds.net
Editor's Notes
March 19, 2021:
Subwoofers that produce the kind of sound pressure levels that are worthy of competition require equally hefty amplifiers to drive them, and in this latest update, we have included some of the most bone-rattling powerhouses to suit this very purpose. Not only do they have a much higher output than your average model, but they also usually use higher quality components, resulting in all-around better performance.
When selecting your ideal amp, be sure that it is compatible with your speaker configuration. For example, dual-sub setups require 1-ohm of power, and bridging of several outputs may be necessary in order to achieve the desired results.
Another factor to consider is its size and placement. If you want your amplifier to produce the best, distortion-free results when being driven hard, it is essential that it is exposed to sufficient airflow, and that it is not covered, to prevent overheating.
Of the new additions to our ranking, we liked the Rockville dB16 for overall build-quality versus value for money, and its excellent clarity when it is put through its paces. The Hifonics BRX1516.1D Brutus is a great mid-range model with comprehensive filtering abilities for achieving the perfect frequency range for your vehicle. Finally, with 8,100 watts of power at 1-ohm, the Sundown Audio SFB-8000D deserved a mention, if only by virtue of the masses of headroom that it affords most setups. There's even a clipping indicator, to prevent possible overloads before they occur.
January 10, 2019:
Finding true competition level amps can be difficult for novices as there is no true specifications or classifications that make something competition level or not. The internal components, overall build quality, ability to create clean sound, power output, connectivity options, and more must all be factored into the buying decision. We have taken all that into consideration for all of the models we included on this list.