Updated! Mini amps that fit into cramped spaces in cars and trucks or on motorcycles have become the rage, if you judge by the number of suppliers entering the segment at the recent CES show.
MTX, Phoenix Gold, Kicker and Lightning Audio showed their first mini amps in Las Vegas last week, while Massive Audio showed new models.
Rockford said the mini amp market is approaching 10 percent of its amp sales, but claims it is all plus-business. “It opens up the power sports market…it’s incremental business,” said Rockford’s Theresa Hephner.
Massive Audio says mini amps account for about 80 percent of its car audio amplifier sales. Massive’s Jeremy Larsson noted, “I expect 100% of sales to be mini amps in the future. I think about it like the difference between having huge desktop computer when you can have an iPad… although the mini amps are even more desirable since the features and SQ are no different than older big amps. Heat dissipation was the only issue and that’s been solved without needing excessive aluminum or fins.”
MTX’s new mini lineup includes three car audio amplifiers. A TD500.1D is about the size of a small paperback book and delivers 500 watts, while a slightly larger TD100.1D, rated at 1,000 watts mono carries a price tag of about $399. A 4-channel AB amp is the TD75.4. Rated at 400 watts with 4-channels, it ships in February along with the other new models. It measures roughly 10 by 5 by 2 inches and is expected to carry a street price of $249. All the amps are one-ohm stable and they replace the company’s RT series.
Source: CEoutlook
