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Alright! I know there is a thread about this… but I cant seem to find it anywhere.

I REALLY need help setting my gain and bass boost. I tried to turn my gain up till it distorted… but it didn’t seem to distort at all even when it was all the way up…. Obviously I didn’t do something right. The bass boost seems just about pointless unless I want to make the most obnoxiously loud sound possible. So, could someone tell me how to do this correctly.

You just want all EQ settings/bass boosts off. When you go to set the gain, make sure you are playing something that was recorded close to 0dB

ohhhh thats right i also have to pick from “Low”, “high”, or “full range”. I also need to set the frequency… not sure what to set them to. stupid me forgot to ask them

For a sub, low (low pass/LPF) and really no more than 100Hz.

For mains, high (high pass/HPF) and, depending on what speakers, usually not lower than 60 Hz. (for most coaxials, 100 Hz).

You shouldn't ever really need to use full range except in minor incidents.

Usually, When I set up a new amp I almost always have the bass boost all the way up. I set my receiver to where I'll usually have the radio set.

Like with Pioneers. I'll have the sub control at 125/6 (the highest it will go, Plus you miss beats if it's not set to 125.). I'll have the loud on "high." Make it so the inside speakers sounds the best, yano?

Then turn the radio up until the inside speakers start to distort. The Gain and everything should be at zero when you do this so you don't cause any extra damage to anything while turning it up. Once the inside speakers are distorting just a little bit; It's time to make the subs distort.

Your frequency should be where it will hit the notes that you want. If it's too high the subs will seem like they never stop (listen to some metal or something with drums, so you can tell the difference). If it is set too low you actually miss beats. Like, you'll be sitting there wondering why you can't hear the bass at certain points of a song.

Once you have the frequency in the right place, the reciever set to it's maximum, and bass boost all the way up. Slowly turn the Gain on the amplifier up until the subs start to distort.

If you did it right the subs should hit their hardest when the reciever is turned up to where the rest of the speakers distort. If they seem to hit harder when the reciever is about half way, then the gain is too high.

If you want better results then take a class that'll teach you how to use a scilloscope. This stuff gets annoying. If you subs are brand new they probably won't clip very clearly. Give it a weak after playing with them and you'll be able to notice an EXTREME difference between good and bad.

If hearing bad bass makes your toes curl like mine then I think you'll be fine.