Name: Kenwood Excelon X801-5
Brand: Kenwood
SKU: 113X8015
Rating: 4.5 (18 reviews)

Power your whole system with this amp

The 5-channel Kenwood Excelon X801-5 amplifier can deal out 50 watts RMS each to four speakers and up to 500 watts RMS to a sub, so you can power your entire system with an amp that's the size of a book. You can also configure the X801-5 in 3-channel mode and drive a pair of components with 150 watts each while sending 500 watts to a sub. Best of all, Kenwood protects this amp with a 2-year warranty.

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Power your whole system with this amp

Fine-tuning included

You can adjust the high-pass filters on the front and rear channels to maximize the performance of your speakers. A steep low-pass filter on the sub channel controls the quality of your bass, while a bass boost lets you dial in just the right amount of thump.

Convenient technology

This amplifier's Class-D design allows Kenwood to pack maximum power into its compact chassis, and to ensure that it will run cool and perform reliably. The X801-5 accepts input signals from the preamp outputs on an aftermarket receiver or from your vehicle's speaker wires, so it will work with almost any mobile audio system. If you use the speaker-level inputs, the amp can sense the signal and turn itself on, so you won't need to run a separate remote turn-on lead to the receiver.

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Product highlights:

5-channel car amplifier
50 watts RMS x 4 + 300 watts x 1 at 4 ohms
75 watts RMS x 4 + 500 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms
150 watts RMS x 2 bridged at 4 ohms + 500 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms
CEA-2006 compliant
Class D amp technology
variable low-pass filter on subwoofer channel (50-200 Hz at 24 dB per octave)
separate variable high-pass filters on front and rear channels (50-200 Hz at 12 dB/octave)
variable bass boost on sub channel (0-18 dB at 40 Hz)
preamp and speaker-level inputs
fuse rating: 30A x 3
4-gauge power and ground leads recommended — wiring and hardware not included with amplifier
9-1/16"W x 2-3/16"H x 7-3/8"D
warranty: 2 years
MFR # X801-5

What's in the box:

Kenwood Excelon X801-5 owner's manual

5-Channel amplifier
Three 30A ATO fuses (installed)
2.5mm Allen wrench
4 Self-tapping screws (M4 x 16mm)
Instruction Manual
Warranty Card

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Features & specs

Performance
RMS Power Output (Watts x Channels)	50 x 4 300 x 1
Peak Power Output (Watts x Channels)	---
Power at 2 Ohms (Watts x Channels)	75 x 4
Power at 1 Ohm (Watts x Channels)	---
Bridged Power (Watts x Channels)	150 x 2
Minimum Impedance Bridged	4
Minimum Impedance Unbridged	2
Minimum Impedance	2
Best Frequency Response	20-50k Hz
THD at Rated RMS Power	1%
Signal to Noise Ratio	80 dB
Input Voltage	14.4v
Features
Amplifier Class	D
Low-Pass Crossover Frequency	50-200 Hz
Low-Pass Slope (dB/octave)	24 dB/octave
High-Pass Crossover Frequency	50-200 Hz
High-Pass Slope (dB/octave)	12 dB/octave
Bass Boost	0-18 dB
Bass Boost Frequency	40 Hz
Fan Cooled	No
Fuse Rating	90
Speaker Level Inputs	---
Preamp Outputs	No
Width (inches)	9-1/16
Height (inches)	2-1/4
Depth (inches)	7-3/8
Parts Warranty	2 Years
Labor Warranty	2 Years

Product Research

Features

CEA-2006 Compliant: CEA-2006 is a system of testing and measurement methods for mobile audio amplifiers. This voluntary standard advocates a uniform method for determining an amplifier's RMS power output and signal-to-noise ratio. The criteria for measuring power uses a DC input voltage of 14.4 volts and the RMS power output is measured into a 4-ohm load, with 1% or less Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) plus noise, and over a frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, when applicable. Signal-to-Noise ratio is measured in weighted absolute decibels (dBA) at a reference of 1 watt into 4 ohms. CEA-2006 allows consumers to compare car amplifiers and receivers on an equal basis. Using CEA-2006 criteria, the Kenwood X801-5 is rated at 50 Watts RMS x 4 channels + 300 watts RMS x 1, with an 80 dBA signal to noise ratio.

Specifications: The manual also lists these non CEA-2006 compliant specifications:

Stereo (2Ω) + Sub Power: 75 watts x 4 channel (into 2Ω, at 1 kHz, no more than 1.0% THD) + 500 watts x 1 (into 2Ω, at 100 Hz, 0.5% THD)
Bridged (4Ω) + Sub Power: 150 x 2 (1 kHz, 1% THD) + 300 watts x 1 (20-200Hz, 0.5% THD)
Frequency Response: 20Hz - 50kHz (+0, -3dB); 20Hz - 200Hz (Sub)(+0, -3dB)
Signal to Noise Ratio: 100 dB (at rated power)

Class D Amplifier Design: The amplifier design is Class D, which uses digital switching power supplies. The result is the amplifier runs more efficiently, generating less heat than Class AB amps. The Class D design also allows the amplifier to be built on a small chassis, and installed where space is limited.

Signal Sensing: The amplifier has a signal-sensing turn-on circuit. When a signal (up to 50 watts) is detected on the inputs, the amplifier will automatically power on. When the signal is no longer detected, the amp will shut off. This allows you to install the amplifier without a remote turn-on lead.

Controls: The X801-5 features independent controls for the front channels (1+2), rear channels (3+4), and Sub (5). The following controls can be found on the end of the amp:

Input Sensitivity: The Input Sensitivity controls let you match the amplifier to the preamp output level of the source unit. The rotary controls let you adjust the sensitivity between 200mV (0.2V) and 5V, with markings at 0.2V, 0.3V, 0.5V, 1V, 2V, 3V, 4V, and 5V. (The input will also accept a speaker-level input signal between 4V and 12V.)
Selectable Crossovers: The amp has 2-way switches to let you configure the front and rear channel pairs to high-pass or full range (crossover off). The rotary controls adjust the crossover frequency between 50Hz and 200Hz, with a slope of 12dB per octave. The Sub Channel has a non-defeatable low-pass crossover, variable from 50Hz to 200Hz, with a 24dB per octave slope.
Bass Boost: The Bass Boost increases the bass signal of the Sub channel, centered at 40Hz. The rotary control lets you adjust the boost between 0dB and 18 dB.
Input Selector: The Input Selector switch lets you set the input for the sub channel. You can choose "SUB" if there is a dedicated input for the sub channel, or "A/B" if there is no input for the sub channel. In this case, the sub channel will be fed the signal from the rear channels.

Connections:

Line In: The X801-5 has three pairs of RCA inputs for connecting the amp to the source unit via RCA cables. The amp will accept a low-level signal between 200mV and 5V. It will also accept a speaker level input between 4V and 12V. For a speaker level input, the source unit's speaker wires will need to be spliced onto RCA plugs, or use a third-party speaker-to-RCA adapter.
Power/Ground/Remote Turn-on: The amplifier has screw-down terminals for the power, ground, and remote turn-on, and will accommodate spade connectors. The power and ground terminals are 0.55" wide, while the remote turn-on terminal is 0.33" wide.
Speaker Output: Five pairs of screw terminals are provided for connecting the speakers. The terminals are 0.33" wide, and accommodate spade connectors. The amplifier is designed for a 4Ω load on the A and B channels, but can can handle a load impedance of 2Ω to 8Ω. The A and B channels can be bridged to a 4Ω-8Ω load. The Sub channel is designed for a 2Ω load or higher.
Fuses: Three 30A ATO fuses are installed in the amplifier. With the 90A fuse rating, a 4-gauge amplifier wiring kit is recommended with a 90A fuse installed within 18" of the battery.