Pre Amp voltage?
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=63553
Printed Date: July 19, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Topic: Pre Amp voltage?
Posted By: ice8168
Subject: Pre Amp voltage?
Date Posted: September 30, 2005 at 3:34 PM
The amp I have is rated for .5-4v input sensitivity. The Clarion EQ has 7v Pre out. Is there a possibility that this will hurt the amp? Or should I just hook everthing up and keep the gain all the way doun?
Replies:
Posted By: fingaz22
Date Posted: September 30, 2005 at 3:57 PM
depending on the unit that is rated at 7 volt is that rms or peak. but anyway no matter what you should always adjust accordingly at the amp so you dont experence clipping. you will need a test tone cd and a proper meter to pick up the test tones if you never done this befor you will need to do this by ear without the proper equipment. turn your gain on you amp all the way down and start from there you wont get it perfect but if you have a good ear you will get it close. what kind of amp are you running,what deck do you have,and what series clarion eq do you have .these all will have an effect on the total out come. just keep asking questions lol
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JUST ONE MORE AMP!!!
hu,alpine cva 1005/dva 5205
sound processor,symmetry(first one).
sub amp,power 1000 the terminator.(1992).
subs,spl comp dual 1 ohms.
punch 150hd on a 10" ev.
alotofhighs
Posted By: ice8168
Date Posted: September 30, 2005 at 4:29 PM
THe head unit is a Clarion DXZ945MP. The EQ is Calorion EQS7744 There are two amps, both Soundstream Picasso a PCA2000D and PCA4.520.
Posted By: ice8168
Date Posted: October 01, 2005 at 12:50 PM
Posted By: stevdart
Date Posted: October 01, 2005 at 1:34 PM
fingaz22 gave you the right advice. Do a search on this forum for threads with test tones. You'll find programs you can use to make your own test CD. Listen for a clipped signal. Chances are very slim that the source puts out 7 volts, and if it gets close to that it would probably be in a very limited area of the frequency spectrum. Using the test tones to set gain, if you can move the amp's gain control even a slight bit before you hear the clipping noise, you will have set the gain correctly...and the amp will not be receiving excessive voltage.
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Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.
Posted By: ice8168
Date Posted: October 01, 2005 at 5:30 PM
Its not the source unit that is rated at 7v, its the EQ. I will search for the test tones, but I am not sure what I should be listening for as far as clipping goes.
Posted By: Blowntweeters
Date Posted: October 01, 2005 at 5:34 PM
Nice Amps. whats subs and front stage are running ? ------------- 1974 ford pinto 4 15" punch Z power punch bd 1001 pioneer DEH-6700
Posted By: ice8168
Date Posted: October 01, 2005 at 6:36 PM
It all Soundstream equipment. The sub are 2 Van Gough 12's. The mids/highs are Picasso PCS6.5 in the factory location, PCS4.0 installed in the lower portion of the door panel (just below factory loc.) and angled for better stage, and a TWS1.1 tweeter in the a-piller. The 6.5" and 4" are powered by the PCA4.520, the tweeters by the HU, and the subs by the PCA200D. All this is in a single cab silverado. Enerything should be finished in about 2 weeks. I know a lot of people are on the fence about the newer soundstream stuff, but I took the chance and I will report with my findings. The mids/highs sounded great when I heard them, but I havent heard the subs. As far as testing the SQ and clipping what frequencies should be used and what freq. sweeps? 
Posted By: boulderguy
Date Posted: October 01, 2005 at 7:46 PM
Why put a clarion EQ, or any EQ for that matter, into a system like this? I have a theory that if a system needs an EQ then there's a problem to begin with. Back to reality, if your'e competing that's one thing, but otherwise I'd nix the EQ altogether. Nontheless, the SS inputs are notoriously un-sensitive. A lot of users, including me, have to keep them maxed. That's with a 13v output from an Audiocontrol processor.
Posted By: ice8168
Date Posted: October 01, 2005 at 9:07 PM
I already have the EQ so why not? You say SS are not very input sensitive, are they so unsensitive that it is a problem?
Posted By: boulderguy
Date Posted: October 01, 2005 at 10:16 PM
Only with a low voltage source, I imagine. Never been trouble for me. Granted I have the gains on the AC unit kept fairly low, so the amps are probably seeing something like only a few volts input. Any system is only as strong as it's weak link, I'd argue that the EQ is the weak link here by far. Besides, you have aux-in and a parametric EQ on the HU, plus sub control & x-over, so you're not gaining anything with the second EQ.
Posted By: fingaz22
Date Posted: October 02, 2005 at 7:58 AM
i need to agree with boulder guy . eq's have always caused problems in any of my installs mostly customer request. .but i had a clarion 9577 eq from the drx, days and it caused my subs to clip so why over due it when you have a great setup there without it . just a thought. lol
-------------
JUST ONE MORE AMP!!!
hu,alpine cva 1005/dva 5205
sound processor,symmetry(first one).
sub amp,power 1000 the terminator.(1992).
subs,spl comp dual 1 ohms.
punch 150hd on a 10" ev.
alotofhighs
Posted By: Blowntweeters
Date Posted: October 02, 2005 at 10:55 AM
i agree as well return the EQ. you have far to much control between your H/U and amps. i see it being a problem
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1974 ford pinto 4 15" punch Z power punch bd 1001 pioneer DEH-6700
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