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solacedagony wrote:To really set your gains, use an oscilloscope so you can see the sine wave and know when you're clipping it :)

Now for example, once I start clipping is my max gain right under that or how does that work?

u dont want to clip so you want the gain to be lower than it was when it clipped now remember if you do this at 3/4 volume anytime you turn the volume past that you are clipping. because the gain is set for 3/4 not full volume.

Bwcad1 wrote:u dont want to clip so you want the gain to be lower than it was when it clipped now remember if you do this at 3/4 volume anytime you turn the volume past that you are clipping. because the gain is set for 3/4 not full volume.

Well I listen to my music at full volume around 90% of the time (strictly because I have t-tops which are always off, road noise, and my car is very loud. Oh and because I just like loud music :) ) so would it be better if I set the gain with the HU at full volume?

got to be careful doing that because you can actually clip the signal before it gets to the amp

you usually listen at full volume with stock hu, or with aftermarket hu?

ENVYMYZ wrote:Know where I could pick one up cheap?

Harbor Freight is even cheaper, if there is a store by you.

As a general rule of thumb, at full or near full volume, a HU is going to send a clipped signal to your amps, so you set your gains at 3/4 volume so that you don't get to full volume on your HU.
If you're turning up your system to full volume all the time, you either need new equipment that can handle the output levels that you want, or you should get your ears checked because you're goign deaf lol.
I measured volume on my computer speakers with the RTA on my computer and I thought 105db or so was pretty damn loud. Obviously that's not in a car with road noise, but still.

Any hardware store carries a decent dmm, but yeah I LOVE harbor freight.

And if your going full volume there is definately something wrong, I had a Blazer with 33inch BFG Mud terrains (some loud tires) and drove with the windows down and never had to go past half to hit real hard with only 1- 12" Audiopipe 600w rms

Adam's Gain Setting Tutorial

This covers using an O'scope, or a DMM, or your ears. Haven't heard anybody say it's wrong, yet.

I'm going to do the O'scope this weekend. Was given a very old (ancient) tektronix 310A scope, last weekend. Want to see what happens with it. :)

I had a '77 Blazer with 33" MTRs on it and I was running a pair of stock speakers from out of my dad's old truck (no sub) and I didn't need it at full volume :)

Edit: Excellent tutorial TechSys