Best Pioneer Amps (2022 Reviews Updated)
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Pioneer make great amps for your car. Whether you are looking for a 4-channel, 2-channel, or monoblock amp, they have you covered. Today, we are going to take you through the best Pioneer have to offer in each category.
Whilst the type of amp you need for your vehicle depends on what kind of system you are building, we think that for most purposes the Pioneer GM-D8604 offers the best all-round performance. With four channels, you can easily extend your system as you decide to upgrade each part, whilst being assured that you amp has the flexibility and power to keep up.
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Comparison Chart
| Model | Type | Size | Weight | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer GM-D8604 | Four channel | 13.3 x 4.9 x 11 inches | 6.5 pounds | 100W x 4 @ 4 ohms |
| Pioneer GM-A3702 | Two channel | 9.7 x 7.1 x 2.4 inches | 3.1 pounds | 500W x 2 @ 4 ohms |
| Pioneer GM-D8601 | Monoblock | 13 x 11 x 5 in | 7 pounds | 1,600W x 1 @ 4 ohms |
Pioneer are something of a legend amongst car amp enthusiasts. They’ve been building amps for car stereo setups for quite some years now, and bring years of experience to every product they make.Pioneer Amps
Any of the amps we are reviewing today make an excellent choice for your car audio, depending on your requirements. There are a few things to remember, however, when you are buying an kind of amp.
First, make sure the amp you choose fits your car, something Pioneer can help you with. Second, think about whether you need a 2-channel, 4-channel, or 5-channel amplifier, as the setup that each type of amplifier enables is quite different. If you want huge powerful bass, go for a monoblock, or for a more flexible arrangement go for a four-channel amp.
It is also important to understand the way that power works in car audio. Whilst it is tempting to go for extremely powerful amps, in practice you may not need a 1000 watt monster for your vehicle.
Lastly, think carefully about which speakers you will pair your amp with. An incorrect pairing can really effect the sound quality you are able to achieve.
Reviews
What kind of Pioneer amp you need, and the features you want it to have, depend on how you’re going to use it. Having reviewed loads of Pioneer amps in the past, though, today we will take you through the best amp on offer for three different setups – four-channel, two-channel, and monoblock.
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Best Four-Channel Pioneer Amp: Pioneer GM-D8604
Wow. In addition to great sound and all the features you would expect from a modern 4 channel amp, what really makes this amp stand out is its size. It is tiny in comparison to many of its competitors. This may seem like a strange feature to mention, given that once installed the amp will just sit in your vehicle, but the compact design of this amp makes it really versatile.
Even if you have quite a small vehicle, this amp will easily fit. And in larger vehicles, it is nice to know that your trunk space will not be taken up with a huge amplifier, because you can easily attach this one in an out of the way spot!
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In addition, of course, this Pioneer amp comes with a variety of other advantages:
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- The amp has some great and innovative safety features. Pioneer have included a system which automatically senses the amp’s temperature, and then modulates the input level accordingly. This ensures that you don’t have to worry about frying your amp, even when pushing the volume to the maximum!
- Sometimes, high-powered amps like this can be really inefficient. Not here – the class FD amplification used in this amp is incredibly efficient, meaning that even when pumping out loads of power the amp is not a huge drain on your electrical system.
- Last but not least, the amp sounds great. We are not sure how Pioneer have managed to achieve such great quality sound in a class FD amplifier, but this amp really gives class A amps a run for their money.
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- In truth, none. If you are looking for a powerful Pioneer amp that is small enough to fit in even the tiniest vehicle, this is the one to get. Highly recommended for those who are starting a serious vehicle audio set up!
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Best Two-Channel Pioneer Amp: Pioneer GM-A3702
This is a great two-channel amp, delivering a huge amount of power for a two-channel amp. This is the feature that really makes this amp stand out amongst the competition – too often, manufacturers think that just because a car audio enthusiast wants a two-channel amp, they do not need power. As we’re sure you’ll agree, this is definitely not the case.
With 500 watts spread across two channels, this amp is more than powerful enough to drive even the biggest car audio setup.
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In addition, this Pioneer amp offers a range of features:
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- It is really easy to set up. The inputs and outputs are clearly labeled, and the documentation that comes with the amp gives you more information than you could possibly desire on setting the amp up properly.
- This amp is also fully bridgeable, meaning that even if you don’t have a dedicated two-speaker setup, you can still make use of this amp to power your subwoofer, or even a four speaker arrangement.
- This amp has the really useful feature that when connected to a Pioneer head unit, it automatically turns on when the unit itself activates. This saves a lot of time turning the amp on and off separately.
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- Very few, in truth. This is a great option if you are looking for a two-channel amp.
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Best Monoblock Pioneer Amp: Pioneer GM-D8601
Lastly, a great monoblock amp. Pioneer made their name producing subwoofer amps with huge power, and this one is no exception. Delivering a huge 1,600 W over a single channel, when paired with a killer subwoofer it has to be heard to be believed.
And even running at maximum output, the bass response stays crisp and clean. There is nothing worse than a subwoofer that goes to pieces at high volumes, and with this one you can be sure that even when you are blasting out the bass you will still be able to distinguish the track.
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In addition, of course, this amp comes with a number of advantages:
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- One huge advantage that this monoblock amp shares with all of the amps in its class is that having a monoblock amp powering your subwoofer significantly improves sound quality.
- Especially when you are pushing a huge 1,600 W through your amp, the bleed between channels can produce a significant amount of electronic noise. This amp is impressively shielded, meaning that even turned up there is no discernible hiss.
- The electronic protection on this Pioneer amp is great, consisting of two 40 amp fuses, designed to protect the circuitry of the amp should something go amiss in your vehicle’s electrics.
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- In truth, none that we can see. If you are looking for an monoblock amp powerful enough to drive even the largest subwoofers, this is the one.
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Conclusion
So which to choose?
Well, it depends on whether you are looking for a Pioneer amp for four-channel, two-channel, or a monoblock setup. All the amps we have reviewed above are great examples of their class.
In our opinion, though,
In our opinion, though, for most purposes the Pioneer GM-D8604 offers the best all-round performance. With four channels, you can easily extend your system as you decide to upgrade each part, whilst being assured that you amp has the flexibility and power to keep up.