I just bought a Pioneer Premier 880prs tonight to run processing for the DIY active front stage I planned on installing.
the Peerless Exclusive and Seas Neo textile tweet
Now can I just get one 2-channel amp for the Exclusives and run the Seas Neo of the HU amp power and still go active? Should I just get a 4-channel amp like a Alpine PDX-4.150 instead and turn the gains down A LOT for the tweets?
Yes a smaller quality amp will run the tweeters fine or get a 4ch if you don't want a bunch of amps. IMHO-- I don't recommend HU power for anything, I'd rather not have any in the HU its a waste of space and money in better HUs. I could have a better EQ or something instead of that worthless hot amp in there.
Yes the mids need some power; you don't want any distortion and if you try to pump some midbass out of them you will need the power to stay clean. I was running an old 30wrms x 2 alpine (but at 2 ohms) and it worked great for mild SQ, until I tried to pull some midbass out of the comps in front...then it would break up when I had it louder. Going to a larger amp now. All depends on how loud you play it and what power your amps are really putting out.
I swapped a bridged 150x1wrms to a 300wrms on a single 12 and that overpowered my little high side amp.
I have bought most of my amps off ebay or at pawn shops...I like older amps mostly. There were piles of them on there this spring. I did get a refurb off ubid lately, a kicker. I have many other irons in the fire so whatever works is good enough for me. The ones I don't like for my application get passed on...some amps work better than others. This kicker will be the first near 'new' amp I have bought or owned in a long time. Ones I have are all at least 10yr old some 20+. Are you looking new or a certain brand?
I don't even know what to recommend you aside from the obvious good brands, I'm sure someone else here can. You could get a stout 4 channel and run that, then it could be useful in other ways in the future. All I have to dump is a Dual 2ch 100wrms x 2/150x2at2ohms/300x1rms. Don't know how good they are it was too big to fit well in my little car, and real heavy. They are $98+ship on the net new. I have a blown explode, would not get one of those. I bought the kicker because guys on amp repair sites said they were well built for the price.