Bass boost - Hate it or Love it?

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Quick question guys, is Bass Eq the same as Bass Boost? I have a Hifonics amp.

Typically yes.

Bass Boost is essentially nothing more than a single band EQ....

 

[seg_representin 10+ year member]

That is your gain

I thought that was for my preamp outputs on my head unit. Like what level they put out. Mine put out 2 volts each preamp output so i set mine at about 2. I went out to my car turned off all my bass boost and then went to my deck and turned my sub all the way up and its loud and sounds better. I think when i turned the bass boost all the way down i had my sub at leve 3/15 and then i turned all the bass boost off and put my sub level at 15/15 and it sounds good now. Thanks and sorry for being a dumbass about the whole bass thing.

 

[xluben 10+ year member]

i think you figured it out.

on an alpine head unit the sub out should be 15/15

input level should be around the 2V setting (but should still be set with a DMM)

and bass boost (on amp and HU) should be off

 

[luvinthebass 5,000+ posts]

i don't think +3 of bass boost would hurt if ya set it before your gain, that's what i used to do with settin up my amps but now ij ust like the sound of it with it flat and not boost. to each their own i guess

 

[seg_representin 10+ year member]

i think you figured it out.
on an alpine head unit the sub out should be 15/15

input level should be around the 2V setting (but should still be set with a DMM)

and bass boost (on amp and HU) should be off

Yea i would set it with a dmm but i dont have one. I can prolly ask a friend to borrow one. I just did it mathematically and then set it where about 2v would be at. My subs actually sound a little cleaner then they did before. So i think everything is set. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

I thought that was for my preamp outputs on my head unit. Like what level they put out. Mine put out 2 volts each preamp output so i set mine at about 2.

That's what a gain is.

 

[Telegon80 10+ year member]

I do not like Bass Boost.

 

[seg_representin 10+ year member]

O alright thanks so the level on it goes from .2v to 6v, so 6v would be for head units with bigger preamp outs and .2v for ones with small preamp outs right?

 

[apzoutes 10+ year member]

yes, but remember a h/u may say it pusts out 2 volts but may be overrated and by the time the signal travels down the interconnects it will be lower at the amp

 

[seg_representin 10+ year member]

yea well if its a lil too low then ill be fine. When i get the time i'll set it with a dmm so then it won't be too high or too low.

 

[xluben 10+ year member]

yeah, if you have it set to about 2V on the input level knob i would have to guess the gains could be slightly low, but don't just go turning it up.

what is the max level you get the volume one the HU up to?

is have an alpine and set the gains to max out at 25/35 and i usually have the gains fairly high before i get to the correct voltage ouput (but is is a log taper, so that last bit of the turn jumps up a lot).

 

[seg_representin 10+ year member]

The max volume i get my head unit to is 20/35 for my cd's and 25/35 for my ipod and thats just cuz i don't turn my ipod all the way up cuz it sounds better with the head unit up and the ipod at about 3/4's volume. Does that mean i should set the gains higher cuz i don't turn my head unit all the way up?

 

[flakko 5,000+ posts]

when i had my no-gain amp, i used it

 

[SPL140.2 5,000+ posts]

If everything is setup correctly, bass boost included, and you double check everything with an oscilloscope, then can you use bass boost to your advantage?

I totally agree //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif You dont HAVE to set your gains all the way to the vac where you need it, using bassboost is helpful especially on fart machines. Personally i like to boost my burp tone first with about 3-6 vac before setting the gains, than set the gains untill i dont gain anymore on the TL. No clipping yet //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif I did test both ways 1) with out using it 2) with using it and its louder using it. As far as daily applications it may very, but my application is a fart machine or a daily driver with lower volume levels //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

egg

 

[xluben 10+ year member]

The max volume i get my head unit to is 20/35 for my cd's and 25/35 for my ipod and thats just cuz i don't turn my ipod all the way up cuz it sounds better with the head unit up and the ipod at about 3/4's volume. Does that mean i should set the gains higher cuz i don't turn my head unit all the way up?

no, you should buy a DMM or o-scope and do it right. just turning it up will probably end badly. as i mentioned before, a very small movement of the gain knob can change your output voltage a lot (especially once you get towards the higher sensitivety range).

also you should at least get a line-out adapter for you ipod. running it out of the headphone jack just gives you another place to introduce distortion into the signal.