-3db or 0db when setting gain?

[ForceEdge 10+ year member]

I'm tuning with a DMM.

Now I'm using a 60hz sine wave to tune my subs.

Just a question though. Should I make the 60hz sine wave 0db or -3db

I mostly listen to rock and rap.

What would you suggest and why?

Also, would it apply to mids and highs too? Or should I just keep that at 1khz 0db test tone?

Thanks!

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[splwj47 10+ year member]

1khz for mids highs 0 db, and i would go with a 50hz 0db for subs.

 

[ForceEdge 10+ year member]

Why a 50hz over 60? And are you sure? Only reason I ask is because I heard most rap songs never reach that level to make your amps clip, so you can actually use a -3db 60hz sine wave. I don't know if its true. Thats why im asking the professionals here lol.

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

Who told you most rap songs dont cause clipping...u should find them and kick them in the balls...and never listen to then again...yes do 50htz

 

[ForceEdge 10+ year member]

Well I knew myself that rap songs can clip, if you dont tune right and set your volume to high, but what I'm figuring is it would be quite difficult to clip if you never go past the volume you tuned your amp to no? And Since I'm tuning with just a steady sine wave at 50hz Cant i use a -3db cause Songs jump all around and don't just stay at that set hz right?

Just wanna clarify this.

Does anyone get what I'm saying?

And why do you all suggest 50 over 60?

 

[ForceEdge 10+ year member]

Anybody?

 

[dragnix 5,000+ posts]

he already gave you the answer. Do -3db and you'll end up blowing your stuff. Stick with 0db

 

[zako 10+ year member]

The answer depends on what you listen on daily basis. If you listen 0dB sine waves during the daily commute, I see no problem with tuning using 0dB tones.

However, personally, I would use a test tone that's not louder than -5dB. Look at normal music, such as something instrumental or without too much synthetic bass. The peaks of bass SPL on such records are short lived and they reach about -10dB or less on well recorded CDs and perhaps -5dB on "loud tracks". In fact, for such music, -10dB test tone should be safe. After all, if the recording is "loud", you will not be listening it with the head unit volume knob position where it was normally for playing older CDs records that are not so loud. Moreover, even if peaks are at -5dB, they're short lived (in fact, this is why it's perfectly fine not to use DMM if you don't listen rap, dubstep, etc just level match sub with front speakers, and that's that). Now, rap or any music with much synthetic bass is different as the bass content can have long lasting peaks that can also be quite high. I don't have much rap in my collection. For the songs that I checked in foober2000 spectrum graph, the peaks of bass reach something like -5dB. So I really see why I should use a test tone louder than -5dB at all.

 

[nu2spl 10+ year member]

go 0db on everything man and im going to tell you to use 60HZ i know there are people on here that are going to argue and say im wrong,but im not,the output of an amplifier is A/C voltage and A/C current,60HZ is the natural frequency of A/C voltage here in america.( its 50HZ in Europe) thats why home electronics always say 50-60HZ. its better to use 60hz for that reason.i mean its really much more complicated than that but thats it in a nutshell.and the reason you want to set everything at 0db is because if you set it at -3db and you want to crank it up you will more than likely reach 0db,well at 0db you will be clipping very much bad,so if you set it at 0db and you want to crank it up it wont be as hard on your equipment

BTW im graduating with a degree in Residential and commercial electric,so i know how A/C behaves in a given scenario.

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

The answer depends on what you listen on daily basis. If you listen 0dB sine waves during the daily commute, I see no problem with tuning using 0dB tones.
However, personally, I would use a test tone that's not louder than -5dB. Look at normal music, such as something instrumental or without too much synthetic bass. The peaks of bass SPL on such records are short lived and they reach about -10dB or less on well recorded CDs and perhaps -5dB on "loud tracks". In fact, for such music, -10dB test tone should be safe. After all, if the recording is "loud", you will not be listening it with the head unit volume knob position where it was normally for playing older CDs records that are not so loud. Moreover, even if peaks are at -5dB, they're short lived (in fact, this is why it's perfectly fine not to use DMM if you don't listen rap, dubstep, etc just level match sub with front speakers, and that's that). Now, rap or any music with much synthetic bass is different as the bass content can have long lasting peaks that can also be quite high. I don't have much rap in my collection. For the songs that I checked in foober2000 spectrum graph, the peaks of bass reach something like -5dB. So I really see why I should use a test tone louder than -5dB at all.

For anyone who read this and ignored it, please take this advice. The DMM method is not some godly tuning method that will make your system bulletproof. There are too many variables(the big ones being your selections of music and where you set the volume) to merely dial in one frequency at a fixed level and call it a day. If you insist on using the DMM method you're only hurting your output by tuning with 0 dB tones. If you use this method on tweeters you're going to have a bad time.

 

[ForceEdge 10+ year member]

Oh boy. I got two logical reasonings from two different people who seem to know what their talking about lol.

One saying 0db and one saying -3db.. great.

Only thing im agreeing with is that a sine wave is just that one frequency (60hz) at a constant. Bassy music going through your sub isn't a constant sine wave.. so that's why i figure -3db at 60hz

Does it not sound logical to think like that? I mean, does a normal bass song even hit 60hz??

 

[DaveVT 10+ year member]

for subs ZERO db 50hz!. Set my stuff that way for the last 16 years ive been in audio and never had issues.

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

The answer depends on what you listen on daily basis. If you listen 0dB sine waves during the daily commute, I see no problem with tuning using 0dB tones.
However, personally, I would use a test tone that's not louder than -5dB. Look at normal music, such as something instrumental or without too much synthetic bass. The peaks of bass SPL on such records are short lived and they reach about -10dB or less on well recorded CDs and perhaps -5dB on "loud tracks". In fact, for such music, -10dB test tone should be safe. After all, if the recording is "loud", you will not be listening it with the head unit volume knob position where it was normally for playing older CDs records that are not so loud. Moreover, even if peaks are at -5dB, they're short lived (in fact, this is why it's perfectly fine not to use DMM if you don't listen rap, dubstep, etc just level match sub with front speakers, and that's that). Now, rap or any music with much synthetic bass is different as the bass content can have long lasting peaks that can also be quite high. I don't have much rap in my collection. For the songs that I checked in foober2000 spectrum graph, the peaks of bass reach something like -5dB. So I really see why I should use a test tone louder than -5dB at all.

For anyone who read this and ignored it, please take this advice. The DMM method is not some godly tuning method that will make your system bulletproof. There are too many variables(the big ones being your selections of music and where you set the volume) to merely dial in one frequency at a fixed level and call it a day. If you insist on using the DMM method you're only hurting your output by tuning with 0 dB tones. If you use this method on tweeters you're going to have a bad time.

This.

It would also be helpful to know what clipping sounds like. There are some youtube videos on it. Use your brain, as the final say in any system is the volume knob you turn up and down every day.

 

[BrownVanMan 10+ year member]

I use 60hz at -6 for me and the very few friends that know what their doing. With average people I use -3.

 

[ForceEdge 10+ year member]

For anyone who read this and ignored it, please take this advice. The DMM method is not some godly tuning method that will make your system bulletproof. There are too many variables(the big ones being your selections of music and where you set the volume) to merely dial in one frequency at a fixed level and call it a day. If you insist on using the DMM method you're only hurting your output by tuning with 0 dB tones. If you use this method on tweeters you're going to have a bad time.

Okay. I never go passed the volume I tuned my sub to

This is the method I used:

Right now I have a 1000rms sub tuned with a 60hz sine wave at 0db. According to the voltage chart it says my voltage should be 63 volts at the highest i'd put my volume which is 28 (highest it goes is 35)

So i turned up the gain until i reached 63volts at volume 28 (tested it with a DMM)

So what youre saying is i should go back and use a -3db 60hz sine wave and tune it the same way?