set gains and tune active system?

I need to set the gains and tune my entire system.This is normally a pretty basic thing to do for me in a standard passive setup.My new system is fully active with an eq and a crossover.I want to know what would be the best way to set the gains on all pieces of equipment and in what order,also initial settings on the eq and crossover ,and how to set the gains on those pieces as well.I'll list all my equipment .Thank you

HU:KENWOOD KDCX993

EQ/CROSSOVER: ARC AUDIO EQX/IDX COMBO SET UP

MIDS AMP:RE AUDIO 1600.4V2XT THIS WILL POWER 4" XTANT XSC MIDRANGES AND MPYRE 6.5"S @100WATTSRMS X 4@ 4OHMS

SUB AMP:RE AUDIO 1600.2V2XT THIS WILL POWER (2) 12" RE AUDIO SR'S IN A SEALED 1CU.FT PER CHAMBER BOX. 800X1 @4OHMS

TWEETS AMP:PPI PC250 THIS WILL POWER XTANT .75" SOFT DOMES @ 50 WATTS RMS@ 4OHMS.

I know they are alot of factors in tuning a system to your own personal liking ,I am just really looking for the order in wich to set the gains on each piece and a general starting point for tuning.I have been doing alot of research on the subject and think i have an idea but would like some advice.


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-A vision without a plan is just a hallucination-

Do you have an RTA? There's where I'd start.

Start with a driver. Go till it "complains". I recommend a midrange first, easiest to hear. Using your RTA, set all the other drivers (if they'll go as loud) to the mid-range's output.

Then EQ.

Done.

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

Thanks haem...I dont have an rta im trying to find a local shop that does.Could I use the same method by ear and get good results.This is how i had planned to tune system:Set h/u volume to just below clipping point,set gain on midrange and phase speakers,blend tweeter input into midrange and phase tweeter,Then blend the mid-bass to both the tweeter and the mid and phase the mids.Then blend the subs into everything.By blend i mean using the gains on the amps as a beginning tuning point.Of course I will be using the method used in the setting gains properly sticky on this forum for this.Next I will adjust my crossover points to my liking, im thinking 20-80hz subs,80-300hz midbass, 300-3000hz midrange and 3000hz on up for the tweeter.Then like you were saying eq to my liking and done.does this sound like a good method.All the settings on my h/u will be off or on 0.Let me know if i should adjust this in any way.

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-A vision without a plan is just a hallucination-

That sounds pretty solid. The RTA is definitely going to make life easier. The only change I would make would be set the crossover points first.

When tweaking your driver gains, be very careful, the tweeters will easily go away, if you have enough amplifier vs. tweeter.

Setting by ear will likely be frustrating, it's going to seem like you're never gonna get it right, going from listening position to trunk to listening to trunk, ad infinitum...

Crossover points seem OK, are those actual numbers written somewhere ON your gear, or are they a "somewhere on the scale" type of dealie-o? That's going to be another monkey wrench in the works and where the RTA is going to be ever so helpful. If you can, and the woofers'll take it, go a little deeper on the woofer to sub crossover; I like somewhere around 50Hz better.

Otherwise, I think you've got a solid grip on the concept! :) Let us know how everything works for you!

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It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."

The crossover points are just a reference point dealie-o .I will lower the crossover point of the mid to sub and see how that sounds.I am going to call around to some shops and see about an rta as I think this will be a better way to get the best sound out of my system ,i will let you know how it goes either way .Thanks again for the knowledge.

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-A vision without a plan is just a hallucination-

Sup sp, I like the 50Hz sub idea too! If you dont find a RTA, just dedicate the next few months listening and tweeking adjustments here and there. Try music stores for a RTA too. Like a shop that sells instruments. Without the RTA, you are best off using sight and sound to make adjustments, meaning: Adjust your volume midrange volume levels first, my level is usually as loud as possible:), then watch the speaker like Haem was saying and lower the frequency until she starts flexin a bit. The tweeter gain is low as possible,:': turn that up until it blends in. Oh you got a 4" mid too huh? Watch that thing, its job is very specific. Out of all the pairs of speakers, these should have the lower of the volume levels. If you do get a RTA, and you can get that think to "0" out pretty well, think about entering a sound competition:). The last one I saw, no one even got close! Just a idea.....Good Luck!

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This is what I do for FUN!

ianarian wrote:

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Sup sp, I like the 50Hz sub idea too! If you dont find a RTA, just dedicate the next few months listening and tweeking adjustments here and there. Try music stores for a RTA too. Like a shop that sells instruments. Without the RTA, you are best off using sight and sound to make adjustments, meaning: Adjust your volume midrange volume levels first, my level is usually as loud as possible:), then watch the speaker like Haem was saying and lower the frequency until she starts flexin a bit. The tweeter gain is low as possible,:': turn that up until it blends in. Oh you got a 4" mid too huh? Watch that thing, its job is very specific. Out of all the pairs of speakers, these should have the lower of the volume levels. If you do get a RTA, and you can get that think to "0" out pretty well, think about entering a sound competition:). The last one I saw, no one even got close! Just a idea.....Good Luck!

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Sup,ian .I did find a shop with an rta ,they charge 60 an hour for tuning with it and thought they could do it in about an hour.I have been thinking about competing but there are no comps close to where i live except in portland 2-3 times a year and the local shops have a sound off once a year .I took second place 2 years ago with a 2way passive mb quart set and a pair of 12's.The shop owner was really impressed with my set up and installation skills, I told him about this site and diyma.com.He too said i should compete and invited me to his soundoff to show my truck!!! Finally the hard work pays off!!!Thanks again for the info...

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-A vision without a plan is just a hallucination-