Setting gains

Again me.

Yesterday I read the clipping and gains article at BCAE.

So, in order to not confuse myself anymore, please,  tell me what could be the better gain set to my amp. (0.3, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6 V)

I have a VERY little system. BUT, it sounds great for my needs , I do not want more.

I know perfectly that you think that Sony is crappy, but try to avoid those comments and instead try to help me.

Thanks a bunch!!

The amp gain travels from a low response of 6 volts input up to a highly sensitive response of a few tenths of a volt.  With the system completely set up, and playing a well-recorded CD, turn up the volume on your deck to the maximum level that it sounds good.  You have speakers connected to it, so it should be pretty clear to your ears when the sound starts getting bad.  That way you find the max volume your deck will produce cleanly, and that is also the point where the deck is producing maximum voltage out to the amp.

Then turn the gain up from 6 v and the sub will start to come alive.  The gain might end up being set anywhere from 4 v to 1.5 v...it depends on how much voltage the deck is sending.  If the RCA's are hooked up to a sub-out, the voltage might be low, about 2 v.  If they're hooked up to a full-range output, the voltage might be as high as 4 volts.

Either/or, you should listen carefully to the subwoofer sound and stop turning the gain when the sound changes for the worse.

Stay clear of the speakers too, this is a good way to go deaf.

I don't want to sound like your mom, but car audio is a noisy industry and this should be taken more seriously. You might not have so much power there, but I see installers all the time sticking thier heads in high SPL vehicles, tweaking the amps. This can't be good for your long term hearing.

I'm only mentioning this because I know I need it loud to hear the music as clearly as possible while I'm tuning it. Maybee I'm going a little deaf myself.

As stevdart mentioned, this is how to get the maximum volume from your HU without clipping the sound at the speakers.