Best CB Amplifier Reviews – Top 10 Selections for 2022

Do you have a radio and you want to “squeeze” out of it more potential than it is now? Do you dream to get a signal without interference?

In this case, you need only one thing – the best CB amplifier.

If you are a fan of radio, this will be your good investment in many years. A CB amplifier will allow you to enjoy a high-quality signal and not worry about how many people and how high the building are around.

How to make the right choice and get the perfect amplifier? Read this review (full of useful and comprehensive information) to the end.

What are the Best CB Amplifiers?

If you are tired of low radio signals, then you should get yourself a CB amplifier. With the high number of amplifiers available in the market, you will want to know which works best for you. Below we summarize the top 10 features that might be of use to you.

Best Overall: BTECH AMP-U25 Amplifier for UHF CB Radio
It is compact, lightweight, and works with multiple radio brands outputting between 2 to 6 watts.

Best Power Output: HYS HF Transceiver 3-30Mhz HF Power Amp
Despite being lightweight, it cannot output 70-100 watts from a 10 watt CB radio and up-to 150 watts and even 300 watts for a few minutes for an SSB 10-watt input.

Best Home Amplifier: Lepai LP-2020TI Digital Stereo Amplifier
It gives your home and office speakers superior and more powerful audio.

Most Durable: MFJ-260C Dummy Load, 300 Watt, I 0-650 MHz
This dummy load lasts long as it is housed in a metal casing with air perforations for cooling.

Most Versatile: Pyramid PS9KX Power Supply
It is challenging, powers various electrical equipment, and can be used to test 12V car systems.

Most Powerful: MegaWatt S-700-12 Ham CB Radio
Unlike most amplifiers, this can work 24 hours straight.

Best CB Amplifier – Reviews

1. BTECH AMP-U25 Amplifier for UHF CB Radio

 

If you want to boost the communication range of your handheld radio, then you may want to take a look at this. It’s been tested to work on a lot of radio brands, and not just BTECH. It works with Motorola and Kenwood radios, along with ICOM, Yaesu, and BaoFeng. If it outputs 2-6 watts, you’re good to go as long as you have the right RF cable.

This offers 3 main amplification modes, depending on what you want to use for controls. You may want to just use this directly with the radio, or you can connect a headset or a speaker microphone to the radio. You can also use the speaker microphone on the amplifier.

Since you’re probably going to use this on the field, it was designed to be compact and lightweight. It only measures 5.5 by 4.5 inches, and it’s just 1.4 inches thick. It also weighs less than 2 pounds.

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2. HYS HF Transceiver 3-30Mhz HF Power Amp for CB Radio

This will work on 10-meter, 12-meter, and 15-meter frequencies. This boosts your 10W input power to about 70 to 100 watts output power. For SSB, the 10W input can go to as high as 120 to 150 watts.

The maximum is actually 150W for AM/FM, and 300W for SSB. However, you can do this only for a short while, or else you’ll burn out the amp. Just go with the normal output power it can provide so you can use this for extended periods.

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3. Lepai LP-2020TI Digital Hi-Fi Audio Mini Class D Stereo Amplifier

 
If you have a set of stereo speakers on your radio, this will give you an extra 20 wats RMS of clean audio power. These are rated at 12V, so technically you can use them for your car. However, it’s best for home use instead. This uses RCA jacks which can get wonky with the electrical interference you normally find in cars these days.

Use this for office and bookshelf speakers if they don’t give you the audio power you want. With this, you’re able to improve those dinky speakers so they sound much nicer. The sound suddenly becomes comparable to more expensive receivers and speakers.

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4. MFJ Enterprises Original MFJ-260C Dummy Load, 300 Watt, 0-650 MHz, Dry

 
This is a dummy load, and it’s handy for testing or even repairing various types of 2-way radios. If your radio is having some issues, then you use this dummy load as your “perfect” antenna so it works as your reference point.

This can deal with up to 300 watts for 30 seconds. With a lower power, you get more time (up to 5 minutes). You get a convenient power to time curve listed for reference so you know how long you’re getting depending on the wattage. It’s right there on the unit so it’s quite handy.

All in all, this thing works as advertised. It should last for a long while too, as it’s encased in metal housing with perforations for air cooling.

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5. Pyramid PS9KX Universal Compact Bench Power Supply

 
With this, you’re able to test out various 12V car systems first before you install them (and find out that they’re defective. This works with CB and ham radios, scanners, and charge your cellphones as well.

It’s this versatility that makes it so popular. You can power a radio for hours and you won’t have to rig a battery or an external power source anymore. You can just place this on a tabletop and desk as well.

What sets this apart is how tough this is. Place this in a ventilated area and you can leave it on indefinitely (24/7). This comes with a fuse, and it offers protection against over-temperature and short circuit. At the back, you have a handy heatsink made of aluminum along with a built-in cooling fan.

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6. HYS TC-300N HF Transceiver HF Power Amplifier for CB Radio

An excellent time-tested brand HYS offers us its powerful linear amplifier. As my experience with this amplifier has shown, it has a standard (and fairly complete) set of all the “gadgets” and necessary functions. And yes, it does its job 100%.

The black color amplifier has a compact size and can work with any CB radio in the frequency range from 20 to 30 MHz. The CB radio amplifier has a solid construction and you can easily put the radio on it before installation.

I should also note that this amplifier has radiators and a ventilator, which is very good because it is protected from overheating and poor performance.

The creator company assures us that the maximum power (for example, for SSB) is 300 W, but this does not come more than 150 W (although this is more than enough).

Highlighted Features

7. BaoJie BJ-200 HF Power Amplifier

And one more compact, lightweight, an aluminum amplifier for your radio: BaoJie brand released a version of the BJ-200 HF linear amplifier. And as we can see, both versions turned out great.

Outwardly, that is similar: we see a power indicator and a few buttons in the front, various connectors, and a power cable in the back.

You can safely use BaoJie BJ-200 HF for AM, FM, CW and SSB CB radio. This version of the amplifier also has built-in reverse polarity protection, an integrated ventilator.

Completion of this amplifier shows that you will use this amplifier for a long time because it will easily withstand the test of time.

I recommend using this amplifier in frequencies from 20 to 30, and preferably 25-27 MHz and then you will be surprised at the high quality of this portable miracle.

Highlighted Features

8. BaoJie BJ-300 HF Two Way Radio Power Amplifier

BaoJie BJ-300 HF amplifier is a very good thing that shows perfect performance and is worth the money. Yes, you may suffer a little so that the switch is placed upside down, but this is only a matter of habit and does not affect the quality of work. The booster works great on 10, 11 and 12 m.

As for the design, the CB radio linear amplifier has an aluminum frame, a front panel with 3 buttons and a power indicator. Connectors (for the antenna, CB radio), power cable are located on the rear panel and it is very convenient to install the amplifier.

A good compact amplifier that does not overheat, has built-in protection against polarity and can work for a long time (of course, if you do not torture it).

Highlighted Features

9. MegaWatt S-700-12 50 Amp Continuous 10.5 to 14 Volt Ham CB Radio

I have noticed that MegaWatt S-700-12 50 Amp can work in parallel with other power supplies and it requires simple installation.

It also has a ventilator, which, according to the manufacturer, is capable of cooling the work of the amplifier 60,000 hours. MegaWatt Amp perfectly eliminates interference in signal transmission not only in CB radio, but it can also be useful in audio equipment as well.

As practice has shown, the amplifier has the greatest compatibility with equipment that operates at 13 volts (approximately). This amplifier has a more interesting “filling” than the above mentioned. For example, it has automatic short circuit protection, and this feature is quite rare. Generally, it is a compact amplifier that has a complete set of satisfied parts and is easy to install.

Highlighted Features

10. NAGOYA NA-300N HF Transceiver HF Power Amplifier

NAGOYA is also a great brand that has done such a powerful thing as the NA-300N HF Transceiver.The amplifier is not equipped with something supernatural, there is everything you need.

First, it is a compact size — 4.5 inches wide, 3.25 inches tall. Plus, it is quite lightweight and there is space for a ventilator, placing the connectors on the rear panel.

Secondly, this amplifier is made specifically for CB radio (+ FM/AM and SSB CB), so it works great in the range of 20-30 MHz. And yes, the best power of this amplifier is 5 or even 10 W (it can reach 250 W, as well).

In my opinion, the NA-300N HF Transceiver is a great thing for amateur radio.

Highlighted Features

 Why need CB Amplifiers?

You need a CB amplifier if you have a CB radio and would like it to be more powerful.

CB radio can produce poor quality sound, especially if you use a radio in a big city. High buildings, a large number of people, and even open windows in a car can spoil the sound quality.

If a high-quality sound is important to you, the CB amplifier will be a great device that will make the sound professional.

Types of CB Amplifiers

Before buying a CB amplifier you need to know about types.

The matter is that there are several types of amplifiers and each of them has its own classification.

For example, one type will be useful for amplifying the sound, while the other will amplify the signal.

Depending on what you lack when you use CB radio, you need to choose an amplifier type.

According to one (the most common classification) CB amplifiers are divided as follows:

• CB linear amplifier
• Valve RF amplifiers
• Common-emitter amplifiers

A CB linear amplifier is the most popular thing to amplify an outgoing signal.

The second type of amplifier is good for powerful signal transmission. And I would recommend the third type of amplifier for a signal that is poorly picked up by the antenna.

In most cases, people who want to get better performance from an amplifier, opt for a CB linear amplifier.

The fact is that this amplifier is the most powerful of all the above mentioned. For example, using a linear amplifier, you cannot worry about the distance between you and the person who receives your signal.

But besides this classification, there is another one. According to the second classification, all amplifiers are divided into several classes, namely:

• Class A
• Class B
• Class AB1
• Class AB2
• Class C

At first glance, it seems that everything is as difficult as remember all different types of gas masks, but this is not so.

Class A amplifiers are weak amplifiers and make only 50% of what other amplifiers do. But amplifiers of this class can reproduce the signal very well.

Class B amplifiers are more efficient than Class A amplifiers and require high power because that only hold half of the input signal.

Class AB1 is characterized by a grid offset. In this case, it is shifted negatively to class A.

In the case of class AB2, it is opposite to class AB1 because the grid is displaced negatively than AB1 and because the current will increase if the grid is made positive. Accordingly, the power of this class is also higher.

Both AB1 and AB2 work better than the A and B classes but transmit a signal worse.

And finally, the most powerful and effective amplifiers belong to class C. As a rule, these are non-personal amplifiers and are not suitable for all radios. You can use it for FM, CW, RTTY modes.

Such a class has disadvantages as high distortion due to amplification of the output signal (higher than the input signal), and this reproduces the signal worse than class A’s amplifiers.

The best amplifiers for linearity and reproducibility of sound are class A’s amplifiers. But amplifiers of other classes will be more efficient.

So, there is a paradox. You get more efficiency and a distorted signal, or you get low efficiency and a great signal. What to do?

You have two choices: a) come to terms with life and continue to live on, b) use feedback or direct connection or DPD and some other additional circuits along with amplifiers of classes A and B.

What Does A Linear Amplifier Do?

CB radio transmits low-frequency signals. And the situation may worsen if you live in a larger city because a big city can make big interference in the radio operation.

A linear amplifier improves the signal quality and also increases the distance at which you will catch the signal.

Experts claim that the correct tuning of the antenna can give a good connection for 8000 miles. This is quite a lot.

Are CB Linear Amplifiers Illegal?

It may seem strange or even funny, but the CB linear amplifier is indeed illegal.

Firstly, it is illegal not everywhere, but in some states of America and in some countries of the world. Before buying a CB linear amplifier, it will be logical to know whether it is legal to use an amplifier in your state or country.

As you probably already know, many people live in places where the CB amplifier is illegal and this does not prevent them from being interested in the radio and using stuff to improve the signal. Why?

There are several options: a) they are not afraid to pay a fine or even become imprisoned, b) they know that few people have problems with the FCC because of this.

If you use the CB linear amplifier wisely, you will have no problems. And if you are going to listen to music and exceed the allowable power (for example, 1000 W), someone from the FCC will come to you for a “pleasant conversation” and a fine.

Interpol will not search for you immediately after you buy an amplifier. And it will continue as long as you create problems.

It is important to remember: the permissible power when using AM is 4 W and when using SSB it is 12 W.

Best CB Amplifier Buying Guide: Features To Look For During Purchase

If you decide that you are a daredevil and are ready to “cross” the law, your “illegal activity” must begin with a very high-quality product. How to get a quality CB amplifier? For example, this is a CB linear amplifier which has the qualities listed below.

Compatibility with CB radio

Compatibility with CB radio is the most important choice. If the amplifier cannot be combined with the radio, you do not need such an amplifier at all.

I have already said that the FCC expects from you that you will not exceed the maximum output power of the radio, namely 4 W and 12 W.

Therefore, the input power CB of the linear amplifier should be in the region of these values. Plus, the frequency, which can be in the range from 20 MHz to 30 MHz, is also important.

If the CB amplifier that you choose has all this, then everything is OK
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Amplification

This item is very important because you buy an amplifier only for this.

Amplification is how the CB amplifier makes the sound better. Therefore, the higher the gain the better.

Quality

I advise you to check this item through careful study of the brand and its characteristics, as well as through the study of reviews.

The quality can be badly damaged if you install it incorrectly and you will hardly use it.

Design

Paying attention to the design, I would highlight the following points:

• Availability of radiators and ventilators
• Antenna cable and button connectors
• Reverse polarity protection (but let’s talk about it later)

Why do we need radiators and ventilators? They are needed to make the cooling function if the amplifier has it.

And connectors and buttons are needed to connect the amplifier to the radio. If not, why do you need a brick?

Portability

Almost all CB linear amplifiers are miniature in size and do not interfere with use. You can put it on the floor or under the radio.As for weight, it is also easy to carry.

Cooling Feature

CB linear amplifiers heat up when you use it. And if the device is hot, its performance is not good.If the heating is very strong, some parts may even melt.

Therefore, the linear amplifier that you are going to buy should be equipped with a ventilator (at high speed) or some other cooling feature.

Modes

Here the rule works: the more modes, the better. However, I doubt that you will be able to find a CB linear amplifier with a small number of modes. The fact is that almost all existing amplifiers are “stuffed” with all possible modes.

Reverse Polarity Protection

We said a little about this.

It would be better if the amplifier you buy will have protection against polarity reversal. Fortunately, most devices have this feature.

These could be some kind of diode or DC-powered circuit, a wire that protects the circuit, and so on.

Noise Cancelling

I know that we are not considering headphones. So why do you need a noise canceling in it?

This feature allows the amplifier to suppress background radio noise, which usually occurs when there is no signal.

To get rid of background radio noise, all you have to do is turn on the noise cancellation and keep it on until the noise goes away.

Generally, this function will keep your receiver quiet and nothing will annoy you.

Output Power

This is another mandatory feature for which you buy an amplifier – an increase in output power during signal transmission.

Output power should be more than 150 watts and this will be the case in most cases (although sellers talk about 250 watts or even 300 watts).

Brand

There are several best-known brands that are always popular and people buy them more often than products of other brands. What are these brands? More I will tell below.

Price

The price may be completely different. It depends on the quality, a number of functions, and power.

I do not advise to pay attention to a price when choosing the best CB amplifier. First of all, pay attention to the functions, and then to the price.

How to Build a Linear Amplifier for a CB Radio?

Linear amplifiers are a cool thing that improves the quality of the incoming and outgoing signal, and more. But if you build a linear amplifier, you will get even more options.

In addition, if the amplifier breaks once, you can fix it by yourself, since you already know everything.

So, you can build a linear amplifier as follows:

Required Parts

You will need a chassis, a frequency meter, a power supply, and connectors. Fortunately, all the necessary parts are sold in the kit, so be attentive in the store.

It is better to buy the parts in the kit because that is the same size. It will deprive you of unnecessary moving.

Check This Out

If the parts are not new, then make sure that there is nothing oxidized and cracked. If there is something with a defect, then replace it.

Be Sure About The Chassis

At this stage, you need to calculate the area of the frequency meter and IEC power supply.

Then cut out the rectangular holes that will be used for the frequency meter, the IEC socket. Plus, with an electric drill, you need to make a mounting hole on all sides (choose a 4 mm drill bit).

And remember that the meter should be located at the front and the power connector at the back.

Before Connecting The Circuit

Clean the tip of the soldering iron. Use a damp sponge for this, and then coat with a cotton cloth.

Measure Scheme

Remember that resistors, transistors, capacitors, potentiometers, relays must be considered. Each of this is inserted into the appropriate connector and do not abuse the pressure, because it must be optimal.

Flip The Circuit Board

So that the front side looked down.

After that, press the connector pins to its flat state on the metal strip. Then solder all the connectors on the strip and screw the circuit board into the base of the case.

It Is Time For The Power Wire

Solder it to the output connector of the frequency meter. Then proceed to the wire at the output terminal of the IEC power supply.

Installation Time

At this point, start setting the frequency meter, IEC power source, and jacks that you soldered in the previous step.

Now you need to connect the frequency to the potentiometer, and the power source must be connected to the positive eyelet of the board.

The ground wire should be attached to the negative eye on the board, and the input connector to the eye in front of the first resistor.

Finally, the output connector should be soldered to the eye after the last resistor.

The final step will be – tightening the chassis cover.

Also Read: CB External Speaker Reviews by Expert

How to Install CB Amplifiers?

It was difficult to build an amplifier. Believe me, with the installation of a CB linear amplifier everything is much simpler.

Step 1 – Check Antenna Position

Until you check the SWR meter, you do not have to connect the amplifier to the radio. If the SWR is bad, it will break your CB radio.

Step 2 – Place The Amplifier

This is important. You can put it next to the radio, put it under it or on the floor. If you are going to put the radio nearby, please be sure that there are 3 or 4 inches of free space (for adequate ventilation).

Often, amplifiers can be installed with radio mounting hardware, but this is the case with mobile use.

Step 3 – The Connection Preparation

Now you need to disconnect the antenna that was connected to the CB radio up to this point. By the way, what you just unplugged is called a coaxial antenna cable. Now connect this cable to the antenna jack on the amplifier.

What to do with the free CB antenna jack? You need to insert an amp jumper in there.

The fact is that this jumper has two ends. The other end should be connected to the input jack on the CB linear amplifier.

Step 4 – How About The SWR Again?

You need to check the standing wave ratio again. It is important that this indicator does not change.

It is good if nothing changes. And it is bad if something changes, then you have to fix the problem. Connect the SWR need as it is stated on the amplifier.

Step 5 – Direct Connection

Now just take the power cord from the amplifier and plug it into the wall outlet. Then turn on the power and the amplifier should start its work.

If you have a mobile device, the red power cord should be connected to the red cable and the black one to the black power cable on the CB radio.

Top 4 CB Amplifier Brand

Everyone asks, “WHAT BRAND IS BETTER?”

This is difficult to answer because functions are primary things, and the name of the product is only of secondary importance.

But I will allow myself to recommend several brands to you:

HYS

This brand makes amps for portable CB radio. Usually, the products of this brand are compact and light.

In the amplifiers of this brand, there is almost everything: it can withstand up to 30 MHz frequency, has a solid construction with a ventilator for cooling, conveniently placed buttons, and automatic switches.

Additionally, this brand can be used with any CB radio, the signal of which can be improved up to 300 watts.

Baojie

The amplifier from this brand has a durable aluminum body, power indicator, a few buttons, and antenna connectors. But you can use this brand for AM / FM and SSB.

And this brand incorporates reverse polarity protection, a ventilator in amplifiers.

Nagoya

Firstly, this brand makes a very compact and lightweight amplifiers. It is suitable for CB radio, FM/AM and SSB.

And then everything is standard – the ventilator, radiator, range up to 30 MHz. If you use the amplifier of this brand, you can get power up to 250 watts.

MegaWatt

These are the same lightweight and compact amplifiers, the voltage of which you can easily adjust. You can also use the amplifiers of this brand in parallel with other power supplies and get a current from 50 to 200 amps.

Care and Safety of CB Amplifier

• Install a CB amplifier in the room that is ventilated, because the amplifier, as an electron device, can be hot and interfered with.
• Since the CB amplifier is an electronic device, it is important to install it in a dry place so that no water gets on it.
• Always be confident that the antenna can withstand maximum output power. If everything is OK, then the new amplifier will work for a long time.
• It is cool if you have an amplifier or radio with a microphone in the kit because this will allow you to tune the radio with an amplifier.
• If you choose a microphone, it must be with a noise reduction function.
• If you want to set up a CB radio with an amplifier, send it to an open area where there are not a lot of people and skyscrapers.
• When setting up a CB radio with an amplifier in the car, the windows, doors, a trunk is closed, because all this can knock the signal off.

FAQ’s

Wrapping up

Actually a high-quality amplifier with “iron nerves” is a good investment, especially if you are a fan of the radio.

It seems to me that it is much more convenient to use the amplifier than to suffer from a long antenna or change the radio circuit. Setting up the best cb amplifier takes a few minutes and leaves you satisfied with the signal quality. I wish you that!

Recommended Resources:

1. The best short antenna reviews for your car.

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