I have no idea how to set gains
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=53026
Printed Date: June 09, 2024 at 1:02 PM
Topic: I have no idea how to set gains
Posted By: Bmccoupe
Subject: I have no idea how to set gains
Date Posted: April 01, 2005 at 9:44 PM
After reading the posts here on how to set gains, i cannot get an AC readout on my speaker outputs... i get like 0.01-0.04
Should i have the speakers connected?
What setting on my multimeter do i set it at? like 200VAC?
What exactly do i measure? The pos/neg of the speaker terminals on the amp?
I tried a bunch of things, and can't come anywhere close to a double-digit number. Please help. Thanks!
Replies:
Posted By: NicP
Date Posted: April 02, 2005 at 3:01 AM
are you playing a sine wave through the amps?
the speakers should be disconnected
do you have anything lower than 200VAC opn the multimeter? what is your amp/speakers rated at?
Posted By: Bmccoupe
Date Posted: April 02, 2005 at 5:40 AM
i am playing a sine wave at 1000hz for the speakers/100hz for the sub.
I've tried both w/ speaker connected/disconnected
I don't have a lower setting than 200vac.
My speakers are rated at 50WRMS, and sub is 300RMS.
Amp is rated at 75RMS 4ohm stereo, and 300RMS 4Ohm mono.
Posted By: haemphyst
Date Posted: April 02, 2005 at 9:20 AM
First off, toss the meter...
Turn your amp gains all the way down...
Insert a CD, with fairly loud music you know well...
Turn up the CD player 'till you just start to hear distortion...
Back the volume off, 'till the distortion goes away... (Remember this setting, cause this is as high as you will ever turn your HU again.)
Turn your gains up, ONE AT A TIME, 'till either the distortion returns, or the speaker starts to bitch at you. It'll be obvious when that happens.
Your HU and amp sensitivity are now matched. You will NEVER go above that setting on your HU again... If you are trying to use a meter, all you are going to do is set your amplifier for max output, without regard to input level matching, power rating, or power compression of your speakers. I never have used a meter, I have always used an oscilloscope. A meter will not tell you soon enough when you are driving your amp or HU into cliping, and as far as I am concerned, not an EXACT enough way to adjust gains. Yes, they will put you in the ballpark, but this is not good enough for me.
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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."
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