4 Channel Marine Amplifiers

4 channel marine amplifiers offer the largest and deepest selecton among the different channel configurations. These 4 channel marine grade amps are perfect for powering 4-8 coaxial speakers. Most, if not all of them are 2 ohm stable, allowing you to wire 4 speakers to the front and 4 speakers to the rear. We offer several different sizes and power outputsin order to meet the physical, power, and budget requirements of all boat owners. The power output ranges from 280 watts all the way up to the Wet Sounds SDX4 with an insane, 1360 watts of RMS power. If you are looking to add high quality sound to your boat, we offer a solution from brands you can trust.

How many speakers can you power with a 4 channel marine amplifier?

Most 4 channel marine amplifiers can power between 2 and 8 speakers. If your 4 channel marine amplifier can be bridged it usualy means that it is also 2 ohm stable. You can bridge your amp to send more power to 2 speakers. You can wire your spekaers straightforward with positive to positive and negative to negative for each channel to power 4 speakers. You can power 6 speakers by doubling up and running 4 speakers in parallel off of 2 channels at a 2 ohm load and then powering the other 2 speakers off of the other two channels. Finally, you can power 8 speakers by running 2 speakers in parallel off of each channel.

Which 4 channel marine amplifier puts out the most power?

It depends on how you look at it. The Wet Sounds Sinister-SDX4 has the highest rated power at 4 ohms. However, music is dynamic and as the speaker cone changes, so does the impedance. The JL Audio MHD600/4 will put out 150 watts per channel across all impedances thanks to the RIPS power supply which creates a constant power circuit.

Which 4 channel marine amplifier is best for small spaces?

If you are tight on space, the Rockford Fosgate TM400x4ad amplifier is the best option. This amplifier is very compact and puts out 100 watts per channel at both 4 and 2 ohms. The TM400x4ad also has a constant power circuit so when comparing it to most amps at a 4 ohm load, it would be an 800 watt amp, not a 400 watt amp. You technically lose power at 2 ohms compared to most amplifiers, but you gain so much more at 4 ohms.

If you have 6 speakers, is the savings from a 4 channel marine amplifier at 2 ohms vs. a 6 channel amplifier at 4 ohms worth it?

It really depends on the amplifier. In general for boats, 4 ohms is just safer than 2 ohms. On that hot day in the summer when you have your music up load all day long, you don't want to worry about your amplifier over heating. We recommenda 6 channel if you are powering 6 speakers. Yes, you can get away with a 4 channel and some brands don't make 6 channel marine amps.

Can I power 4 speakers and a subwoofer of of a 4 channel marine amplifier?

Yes. You can 100% power 4 speakers and a subwoofer off of most 4 channel marine amplifiers. When you do this, you will run all four speakers off of the front channels and bridge the rear channel to power the subwoofer. This is going to run the amplifier at 2 ohms and draw twice the current that it would at 4 ohms, but if you don't hammer on your stereo all day long on a hot summer day, you shouldn't have any issues. We would not recommend doing this with some of the smaller amplifiers. If you do opt to save some money versus a 5 channel marine amplifier, be sure to go will a full size amplifier.

What size power cable do you need for a 4 channel marine amplifier?

When running power and ground cable for your 4 channel marine amplifier, we recommend using 4 AWG power cable at a minimum. If you are running multiple amplifiers, you may need to use larger cable from the battery to a distribution block, from from the distribution block to the amplifier, 4 AWG should be sufficient. We like the Stinger Marine amp wiring kits. The SEA4247 is a 4 AWG kit with 7m long power and ground wires. The SEA4283 is a 4 AWG kit with 3m long power and ground wires.

Can you use 4 channel marine amp to power 2 tower speakers?

Yes. Many people will bradge a 4 channel marine amplifier to power a pair of tower speakers. This is seen most often with 7.7", 8", 8.8", and 10" tower speakers. Usually, you will bridge the 4 channel amplifier to send 150-200 watts to a pair of coaxial tower speakers. The horn tweeter tower speakers typically require more power and you may be better off with a high power 2 channel amplifier like the Wet Sounds SYN-DX 2.3-HP or the Sinister SDX2. The most common example we see is bridging a 4 channel M400/4 amplifier to power a pair of JL Audio 7.7" or 8.8" ETXv3 tower speakers.