controlling your bass

[HoboBen 10+ year member]

This might be a dumb question, but what is the best way to change the volume of the subs only, I know the bass boost feature shouldnt be used, so should i use the little remote knob that comes with an amp, or should i use the head unit but just never go to + bass, only - bass

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[07ramjam 10+ year member]

For me if my HU has a sub output with full sub controls thats what I would use.Right now I have a sub hooked up to my stock HU so I use the remote volume control.

Im sure either way you'll be fine.

 

[Captain Kev 10+ year member]

Turn the HU about 3/4 of the way up while playing a song/tone with a constant bass line. Keep the bass control on the HU at 0. Set the gain on the amp with a DMM if possible. If not turn the gain until the sub begins to distort, then turn it down just a little (shouldn't be more than 3/4 of the way up on the gain). The gains are set good enough if you can control your urge to keep turning up the volume on the HU.

If you listen to a variety of music, such as country or classic rock songs with little bass, then you can use the HU controls to adjust up if need be. But not too much. Just listen to the sub, when it starts to distort turn it down. That should give you general idea.

I personally wouldn't use a bass control knob. It is pretty much just an extension of the bass boost control.

 

[HoboBen 10+ year member]

ok, thanks

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Actually, most bass knobs are a gain controller, and work quite well. The bass knob's maximum setting is whatever gain position you have set on the amp, and turning the knob down is the same as adjusting your gain down from where it is set.

In other words, the gain type bass knobs will only allow the bass to be turned up to where you have the gain(s) set, giving you control over bass output without 'boosting' the signal and adding distortion. This works well for systems that have overpowering subbass, it can be adjusted down to blend with the front stage of SQ listening, and it can be adjusted up for a good street beater session. While never allowing the amp's gains to go beyond where you have them set.

If your amp's bass knob is a gain adjustment type like I describe (good), or a bass 'booster' type (bad) depends on the actual amp being used.

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

Actually, most bass knobs are a gain controller, and work quite well. The bass knob's maximum setting is whatever gain position you have set on the amp, and turning the knob down is the same as adjusting your gain down from where it is set.
In other words, the gain type bass knobs will only allow the bass to be turned up to where you have the gain(s) set, giving you control over bass output without 'boosting' the signal and adding distortion. This works well for systems that have overpowering subbass, it can be adjusted down to blend with the front stage of SQ listening, and it can be adjusted up for a good street beater session. While never allowing the amp's gains to go beyond where you have them set.

If your amp's bass knob is a gain adjustment type like I describe (good), or a bass 'booster' type (bad) depends on the actual amp being used.

****! i didnt know that. reason i never used gain knobs was because i thought "well how the **** are you suppose to know where to stop?"

i guess thats what happens when you buy used equipment with no product manuals 99% of the time //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

 

[Captain Kev 10+ year member]

****! i didnt know that. reason i never used gain knobs was because i thought "well how the **** are you suppose to know where to stop?"
i guess thats what happens when you buy used equipment with no product manuals 99% of the time //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

Same here. Thanks for setting me straight audioholic.

 

[HoboBen 10+ year member]

thanks audioholic, i thought the knob would be a bass boost controller, but idk now because i bought it used with no manual, its a US Amps MD3D though, which is a pretty nice amp, so i think it might have the gain control type instead, let me know if anyone can confirm this

 

[luvinthebass 5,000+ posts]

i knew that

 

[gobraves00]

what is bass boost used for anyways

 

[wong05tsx 10+ year member]

i'm on stock HU with custom amp bypass. I just fade forward if i want less bass

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

what is bass boost used for anyways

To sell amps. It's another "feature." Doesn't matter that it's a less than worthless one.

 

[Safe_Cracker 10+ year member]

Actually, most bass knobs are a gain controller, and work quite well. The bass knob's maximum setting is whatever gain position you have set on the amp, and turning the knob down is the same as adjusting your gain down from where it is set.
In other words, the gain type bass knobs will only allow the bass to be turned up to where you have the gain(s) set, giving you control over bass output without 'boosting' the signal and adding distortion. This works well for systems that have overpowering subbass, it can be adjusted down to blend with the front stage of SQ listening, and it can be adjusted up for a good street beater session. While never allowing the amp's gains to go beyond where you have them set.

If your amp's bass knob is a gain adjustment type like I describe (good), or a bass 'booster' type (bad) depends on the actual amp being used.

Exactly right! I am glad to hear people learning, now every one say with me, REMOTE GAIN ATTENUATOR this is what that little knob is really... Not all amps are the same and to find out you need to turn the BB all the way down, plug the remote in and turn it down while playing music. If you hear a difference in output level then that is what it is. If there is only a difference when you turn the BB dial on the amp up then it is a remote Bass knob. The knob isn't bad, just the amount of BB turned up on the amp that is, same goes for boosting music before putting it on your Ipod, same thing! Polo..//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Some amps do have a remote for the bass boost not the gain though. Make sure you know what yours does before you go jacking with it.

 

[BassAddictJ 5,000+ posts]

i listen to all kinds of music from heavy bass line stuff to low signal stregth mp3's of random other shit....so i have a large range to know when to adjust to every time.

here's the trick. you'll notice as you turn the gain up (HU at 75%-80%) the sub will get louder until it starts reaching it's mechanical limits. if you turn up the gain any more, it'll seem like it's only getting only very slightly louder (which is clipping territory).you have to train your ears to recognize the sound intensity of where that plateau starts at. if you turn up the gain and notice the amount of output your getting isnt increasing very much, vs. the amount you're continuing turn the gain up....then you know to you have found that plateau, and bring back the gain just a hair.

when you get comfortable enough with the sound of your woofer, you can have the remote knob act as your full gain range, and tune specific per song. that being said, be careful when the track changes and the new song has a more intense bass line or you might piss off your subs...