Changing my levels/settings on my head unit vs the amp

[xenobreak 10+ year member]

I recently got a new car and had to transfer my system over to it and didn't feel like doing it myself. I had hooked it up myself in my last car but it was pretty ghetto rigged together. I felt like having someone who knows what they are doing install it this time so i went to Best Buy. They did a great job and its very clean looking. When i picked it up they mentioned if i change any settings that i should do it on the head unit.

Previous to even getting my system i did a lot of research online and read that it was best to leave all the settings on the head unit at 0 or flat and only make adjustments to the amp, primarily the gain. I read that pumping the settings on the head unit could potentially damage the amp/subs the lower their lifespan.

In my previous car the bass was a lot louder and more powerful. It is definitely a ton cleaner sounding this time but the only way to make it match my previous car is to turn up the settings on the head unit. When i leave everything at flat/0 on the head unit the bass is barely there. I have to turn the volume really high and the treble from the speakers gets obnoxiously loud before the bass does. This all could have to do with the fact that i got a new head unit with my new car though...

Heres what i have:

HU: DEH-3200UB - CD Receiver with iPod® Direct Control and USB input | Pioneer Electronics USA

Subs: 2x Rockford Fosgate P3D412 Punch Stage 3 12" subwoofer with dual 4-ohm voice coils at Crutchfield Signature

Amp: Kenwood KAC-9104D Mono subwoofer amplifier 900 watts RMS x 1 at 2 ohms at Crutchfield.com

Now i'm thinking (besides the new HU) that the Best Buy people set the gain lower than i had it in my previous car. So should i maybe turn the gain up myself? I don't have the equipment to make sure i'm not going to high (doing it by ear) or should i leave the gain and just turn on/up some of the features on the head unit like i was told by Best Buy?

The head unit settings in question:

Bass Boost: 0 to +6

SLA: -4 to +4. Makes everything louder, not just the bass

Loudness: Off, Low, Mid, and High. This setting seems to have the largest effect on the bass of the other settings

S.Rtrv: Off, 1, and 2. This function has it's own button on the head unit and seems to also just make everything a little louder/more clear.

Having the Bass Boost at +3 and Loudness on Low keep me pretty happy but i only tend to do that when i'm trying to show off. I have never tried to max everything and see how loud it will go in fear of breaking something. I'm sure my subs have more potential than what i have them set at usually but i'm too paranoid to try haha.

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[xenobreak 10+ year member]

Hey i'm just checking in here. Maybe i posted this in the wrong section? Just curious as no one has given any advice yet haha

 

[dragnix 5,000+ posts]

i think it's because it's too long for anyone to want to read, myself included

 

[xenobreak 10+ year member]

The short version is the topic title. I just added all the other info just in case it was useful.

Turn the gain up and leave the head unit settings all flat/0 or leave the gain where the installation people set it and raise all the head unit settings? I read it was best to leave the head unit on all flat and just raise the gain but i just want to be positive since the installation people told me to only adjust the head unit as needed. I don't want to damage anything

 

[skitzafit 10+ year member]

Do you have the subwoofer output turned on?

If not it is covered in the manual

 

[xenobreak 10+ year member]

I'm assuming it's turned on since it was installed by professionals. They said it sounded "mint" when they were finished with the installation. If it was off there wouldn't be any bass right? The subs are definitely working, they just don't hit very hard when everything is set to 0 on the head unit.