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How to measure voltage of RCA input?

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=16515
Printed Date: June 03, 2024 at 1:22 AM


Topic: How to measure voltage of RCA input?

Posted By: SiDogg
Subject: How to measure voltage of RCA input?
Date Posted: July 21, 2003 at 12:07 PM

I'm using the speaker output of my laptop running into an RCA Y splitter into an RCA cable (L and R). I guess that means L and R are both stereo, each.

Anyways, I'm interested to know what the output voltage is going into my amp. My amp has a feature called "Balanced" and it says it must be used for high-level inputs (speaker wire inputs) if using their high-level converter. Obviously I don't need this high-level converter as I'm already running RCAs, but I would like to know if I need to enable this feature.

I was wondering how to measure v(out) from my RCA cables. Do I just put the + on the tip and - on the part below the black grommet (grnd I think) ??

Thanks,
Kevin



Replies:

Posted By: sonicsound
Date Posted: July 21, 2003 at 3:44 PM
yeah go ahead and take a voltage meter and just put the + on the tip and the - on the base.  If that doesn't work reverse it.  A balanced signal is usually used in 110V applications using XLR cables.  But I know that you can get a converter for Zapco amps to convert 4V preouts to 16V into the amp so that the signal is unbelievable.  But otherwise test the RCA's with a meter and go from there.  Hope that helps

-------------
Sonic

Pioneer AVH-P4000DVD
Zapco 360.4
Zapco 500.1
Zapco SP-4SL Processor
Two JL 10 W3v3d2
Alumapro 15 Farad Cap




Posted By: SiDogg
Date Posted: July 21, 2003 at 3:53 PM
Ok, I will try that. The amp I am talking about is an Xtant and the PC just has a normal sound card (although plans to get a better one are in the works).





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