Audiopipe APSM-1500 help, seems quiet?

[av83 10+ year member]

Nope, ported.

oh, ok. nv. either way. you are ok.

 

[SuperSaeYoung]

Ok so 40.2 can't damage my subs at all? And not having heard enough systems to judge if it's tight and smooth I don't know if it sounds right or not... .

Clean and accurate low-frequency reproduction. If you turn it up and it begins to sound, in any way, unlike how it sounded as it did at lower volumes.

It shouldn't. You have a sealed box, too, right? If so, you are definitely fine.

That's why I asked.

 

[zorphon 10+ year member]

oh, ok. nv. either way. you are ok.

I'm going to check for distortion tomorrow. It's too late now to turn it up in my neighborhood, haha. So if I start turning the volume up and the bass starts sounding bad I know it's clipping? I'm fairly sure it didn't sound bad a bit ago when I reset the gain using the -5dB tone.

And if it was clipping, it definitely isn't clipping it very much. It does sound a LOT cleaner than the Sony amp, perhaps I was clipping my subs with that amp without even knowing. I know with the AP amp it definitely sounds a lot more boomy.

 

[av83 10+ year member]

I'm going to check for distortion tomorrow. It's too late now to turn it up in my neighborhood, haha. So if I start turning the volume up and the bass starts sounding bad I know it's clipping? I'm fairly sure it didn't sound bad a bit ago when I reset the gain using the -5dB tone.
And if it was clipping, it definitely isn't clipping it very much. It does sound a LOT cleaner than the Sony amp, perhaps I was clipping my subs with that amp without even knowing. I know with the AP amp it definitely sounds a lot more boomy.

I'm positive whomever installed your last amp had the gains set wrong. It should never have reached it's max volume at 50 percent of your hu's volume, lol.

 

[plantinseeds]

Where can I get a -5 DB 50 hz test tone? I also set my gains with the MP3 from realm of excursion, but if I can get louder by using a -5 DB test tone instead of 0 DB, ill try it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[quackhead 10+ year member]

I'm going to check for distortion tomorrow. It's too late now to turn it up in my neighborhood, haha. So if I start turning the volume up and the bass starts sounding bad I know it's clipping? I'm fairly sure it didn't sound bad a bit ago when I reset the gain using the -5dB tone.
And if it was clipping, it definitely isn't clipping it very much. It does sound a LOT cleaner than the Sony amp, perhaps I was clipping my subs with that amp without even knowing. I know with the AP amp it definitely sounds a lot more boomy.

distortion is not the killer...it can be distorting well before you detect it in the lower octaves...Clipping is what will do u in..a distorted wave (signal) has imperfections....a clip chops the wave top and bottom...more clip -more chop= mechanical failure..

 

[zorphon 10+ year member]

[quote name='plantinseeds']Where can I get a -5 DB 50 hz test tone? I also set my gains with the MP3 from realm of excursion, but if I can get louder by using a -5 DB test tone instead of 0 DB, ill try it [/QUOTE]

50-59 -5dB.zip

@quackhead how would I know if it's clipping though? If I was supposed to do 40v AC for 400w RMS and I have it set at 40.2v with a -5db 50hz tone, should I be good?

 

[quackhead 10+ year member]

[quote name='zorphon']50-59 -5dB.zip

@quackhead how would I know if it's clipping though? If I was supposed to do 40v AC for 400w RMS and I have it set at 40.2v with a -5db 50hz tone, should I be good?[/QUOTE]
you will be just fine. Does the Ap have any clip light or bass knob with a clip light?..I seriously doubt you will distinguish distortion or clipping as it occurs..a light clip (seldom blink) at transient peaks is acceptable, but just glancing at a chart, 40v out should have you well below the amps rated output on a dmm. knowing your head unit's max output voltage can help you visually verify the gain setting is close to where it should be....where is the sweet spot on your HU set?..75% vol is common practice. look, as long as you set your gain on a dmm at 40-41v @ 75% HU volume u should be fine.

 

[zorphon 10+ year member]

you will be just fine. Does the Ap have any clip light or bass knob with a clip light?..I seriously doubt you will distinguish distortion or clipping as it occurs..a light clip (seldom blink) at transient peaks is acceptable, but just glancing at a chart, 40v out should have you well below the amps rated output on a dmm. knowing your head unit's max output voltage can help you visually verify the gain setting is close to where it should be....where is the sweet spot on your HU set?..75% vol is common practice. look, as long as you set your gain on a dmm at 40-41v @ 75% HU volume u should be fine.

I set it at 80% of the HU's volume, 40.2v and it says for the RMS rating of my subs to have 40.0v, at 75% of my HU volume. I also used a -5dB track. Should I redo it at 75%?

 

[av83 10+ year member]

You're fine. Relax, and enjoy your system. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

 

[quackhead 10+ year member]

I set it at 80% of the HU's volume, 40.2v and it says for the RMS rating of my subs to have 40.0v, at 75% of my HU volume. I also used a -5dB track. Should I redo it at 75%?

You have already fine tuned your system better than probably 75% of the avg install shops would have done...like av83 said..relax and enjoy it.

 

[zorphon 10+ year member]

[quote name='quackhead']You have already fine tuned your system better than probably 75% of the avg install shops would have done...like av83 said..relax and enjoy it.[/QUOTE]
@av83

Haha sorry guys I'll relax and enjoy it. I know it's entry-level but I don't have a ton of money and it's my budget system for a little bump in the trunk. Still have more bass than 99% of the other cars on the road .

Eventually (when I get a car worth more than a grand) I'll have a really nice system, but for now on my part-time job income and saving for tuition, I'm making the best of what I got haha.

Thanks for your help guys, I'm glad I got a bit more output out of this amp than I originally got, it's just a shame my subs can't let the amp go unchained to its full potential. Someday.

Thanks again everyone that helped in this thread, I really appreciate it!

 

[trumpet 5,000+ posts]

No need to be snarky with me. I took the advice completely seriously. I don't have access to my vehicle right now because a family member is using it as he just arrived in town and I don't want him to waste his money on a rental. Tonight I'll get my car back and reset the gain with a -5 dB tone, I already have it ready to go to test it. I was just making conversation and asking questions in the meantime, for how do you learn if you do not seek the knowledge?
Again, I don't know where you got the impression that I didn't take the advice seriously. Just because suggestions were made doesn't mean the knowledge seeking stops there. I will be redoing the Gain later tonight, thanks? I will try out your suggestions, and post back with results.

There was no snarkiness in my reply. If you took offense to some straightforward advice then I don't know what to tell you.