Alpine PDX-5 gain setting question ...

[drpeeb 10+ year member]

Just installed a PDX-5 amp (75Wx4 RMS + 300Wx1 RMS), one SWS-1043D sub (4 ohm DVC, 300W RMS/ 900W max), and a pair of Alpine SPS-600 coaxes.

I'm running an iPod Nano straight into the amp via a mini-to-RCA cable with a splitter at the end of each of the L and R channels in order to feed both the front and sub channels.

With the amp's gain at zero, I can't even get close to the speakers' distortion level ... They have plenty more power handling capability left in them.

Cranking it nearly all the way, say 85%-90% on both the fronts and the sub, seems to be a good match between the iPod's volume range and the speakers, i.e. With the iPod's volume nearly all the way up, the speakers will be just approaching distortion.

I'm guessing this means the iPod's output is under driving the amp?

Will I hurt the amp with its gains set at 85-90%??

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[drpeeb 10+ year member]

Anybody?

I'd like to assume no responses means no problems ... but then I'm a little afraid to make that assumption, too.

 

[Alpine50 10+ year member]

Your sps-600's are rated at 80 watts rms and 240 watts peak power.If you are not having problems..GREAT !!I have 2 PDX amps in my car.They do the job well.I have the I-pod hook-up,I don't care much for the SQ from the I-pod..I prefer CD's or my satellite radio.The storage ability cannot be beat.Are you running 4 600 co-ax's? If you are,with that 5 channel and the "S" sub,you should not be able to distort it.Your power is perfectly matched.You might consider the Alpine I-Pod in-dash units if you want some mind blowing sound. Alpine50....

 

[drpeeb 10+ year member]

Your sps-600's are rated at 80 watts rms and 240 watts peak power.If you are not having problems..GREAT !!I have 2 PDX amps in my car.They do the job well.I have the I-pod hook-up,I don't care much for the SQ from the I-pod..I prefer CD's or my satellite radio.The storage ability cannot be beat.Are you running 4 600 co-ax's? If you are,with that 5 channel and the "S" sub,you should not be able to distort it.Your power is perfectly matched.You might consider the Alpine I-Pod in-dash units if you want some mind blowing sound. Alpine50....

Yeah, I'm not having problems that I know of!! Just installed yesterday (Sun 5/10).

The SQ from my iPod is absolutely great! (as long as the songs are compressed at 160 kbps or better, that is)

Right now, I'm only running two 600 coaxes, two more soon.

I guess I should figure that if operating the PDX-5 with the gain up at 85-90% would damage it, Alpine wouldn't have made it be able to do that? (as long as the speakers aren't distorting)

 

[nineball 10+ year member]

You might consider the Alpine I-Pod in-dash units if you want some mind blowing sound. Alpine50....

i had the ida-x001 and the x100 w/ imprint and hated the sq from it. my kd-sh1000 and x993 blow away both of those.

 

[Fiercetimbo17 10+ year member]

i had the ida-x001 and the x100 w/ imprint and hated the sq from it. my kd-sh1000 and x993 blow away both of those.

Well it was probably the imprint, i do not like it etiher

 

[pjhabit 10+ year member]

85-90% seems high, mine never went past 1/3rd of the way w/ 4 volt preouts. It might be appropriated for the ipod though, use a DMM & a test tone to see if you're in the ballpark.

 

[nineball 10+ year member]

Well it was probably the imprint, i do not like it etiher

x001 can't use the imprint.