I have an optima and it does a MUCH better job starting my car in the winter than a conventional battery. It squeezes more CCA into the same battery size which is nice.
Optimas are AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries and will not leak acid because the acid is soaked into a fiberglass mat and rolled into a lead grid.
There are other companies as well that make AGM batteries such as oddesey but they are arranged in a panel arrangement instead of rolled cells. Orbital batteries are the same concept as optimas.
I would shop for somthing that has the reserve capacity you need as well as adequate CCA.
Theres nothing really special about Optimas, Orbitals, or Oddesey’s. The AGM design just allows you to have more engergy density in a smaller package. A smaller optima will perform as well as a larger traditional battery and vice versa.
To answer your question a optima yellow top has thicker lead grids for deep cycle use. They are designed for running trolling motors, campers, or anything else that will discharge the battery to almost completely empty.
The advantage is that the lead grids are designed and are durable enough for multiple deep discharge cycles. The disadvanatage is that since the lead grids are thicker the surface area is decreased and will not provide as much burst power as a red top.
The red top is a starting battery it has a finer lead grid for higher initial power output. The lead grid has more surface area and thus is designed to provide burst power such as starting a car.
The advantage is higher inital power output. The disadvantage is that if you deep cycle the battery alot you will reduce the life of the battery.
For your application, unless you plan on listening to your stereo with the car off with the volume all the way up a red top would be more appropriate.