Amp gains question

[comp2007 10+ year member]

I have an alpine MRP M 650 amp with a jl 12w3v3. I had the amp installed professionally, and I checked the gains and they seemed kind of high. The Bass EQ and the Gain were set to 1 line above the max. Does this sound like it might be too high for 1 12w3v3??

Is it normal for the Bass EQ and the Gain to be set the exact same?

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[dipitydoo 10+ year member]

Your gain settings are going to depend on the output of your source. Your goal is to maximize usable power up to audible distortion, which minimizes noise, as noise increases with gain. That being said, its best to set up gains on your front stage amp first, then match the output level of the sub amp to allow for smooth transition between your mids and subs. As for the Bass EQ being so high, that might make your sub sound 'boomy' and might clip the amp, but hey, if it sounds good to you, then its should be fine. Play around with it to see if you can improve the sound.