Does a low gain setting under powers your amp?

[MAkahveli 10+ year member]

Well I wanted to know if you can have a lower RMS rating if you set your gains really low!!! I recently got a pair of Eclipse 88150 DVC 15's and was wondering if I can use a MMATS D2000.2 Class D AMP Amplifier 1500 rms at 2 ohm? The subs suppose to be 500RMS and 1000watts max each, so would this theory work? I'm not a wiz like most of you on here seem to be but I did hear that eclipse subs are underated and the manual says they are 6 ohms a coil. I wanted to try with this amp cause a local gey is selling it for $250 much cheaper that any 1000rms amp I can easily find.

Click to read more...

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

If you set the gains "low", meaning it required a higher level of voltage input to reach full power output, and then drove the amplifier with less than that voltage level....yes, you would "reduce" the amount of power output from the amplifier.

If you turned the gain all the way down, then drove the amplifier with that level of voltage input the amplifier would still output full power.

Use your head when setting the gain and other settings (bass boost, bass level, etc) and you'll be fine.

 

[RAM_Designs 5,000+ posts]

The amount of power your amp produces corresponds with three things.

1) How the gain is set

2) Capable RCA voltage of your HU

3) How high or low your volume is set

The gain on your amp is merely a voltage sensitivity knob. Turn the gain all the way down makes it less sensitive to input voltage(ie: you need more input voltage to get RMS power), and as you turn the gain up it becomes more sensitive(ie: you need less input voltage to get RMS power). Your HU functions in an opposite manner. Lower volume = lower voltage from the RCA's, and turning the volume up raises the voltage coming from the HU.

With that being said, and to finally answer your question, yes, you can less than RMS power from an amp with the gain turned all the way down, so long as you have the gain/volume set so that you're not reaching full power from the amp. Most amps will have an input voltage range(ie: 6V-.2V) This tells you that with the gain turned all the way down, you'd need a 6V signal from your HU in order to get full power from the amp...as you turn the gain up you need less and less voltage to get the same power.

 

[MAkahveli 10+ year member]

any idea on what the rms would possibly be?

 

[MAkahveli 10+ year member]

And thank you for making me feel smarter

 

[MikeyB 5,000+ posts]

Does a low gain setting under powers your amp?

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif
Sry.

Im surprised you got the info you did instead of massive flameage. Dont see that everyday on here.

 

[IDSkoT 5,000+ posts]

The amount of power your amp produces corresponds with three things.
1) How the gain is set

2) Capable RCA voltage of your HU

3) How high or low your volume is set

4) The current flowing to your amps (AKA how many volts are running to your amp.)

The gain on your amp is merely a voltage sensitivity knob. Turn the gain all the way down makes it less sensitive to input voltage(ie: you need more input voltage to get RMS power), and as you turn the gain up it becomes more sensitive(ie: you need less input voltage to get RMS power). Your HU functions in an opposite manner. Lower volume = lower voltage from the RCA's, and turning the volume up raises the voltage coming from the HU.

With that being said, and to finally answer your question, yes, you can less than RMS power from an amp with the gain turned all the way down, so long as you have the gain/volume set so that you're not reaching full power from the amp. Most amps will have an input voltage range(ie: 6V-.2V) This tells you that with the gain turned all the way down, you'd need a 6V signal from your HU in order to get full power from the amp...as you turn the gain up you need less and less voltage to get the same power.

Added #4. While it being a variable, and can technically be covered by any of the three, I think it's important to note that an amp @ 12 volts will create considerably less than the same amp @ 16 volts.

 

[IDSkoT 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif
Sry.

Im surprised you got the info you did instead of massive flameage. Dont see that everyday on here.

Yes you do. CA.com members are really fickle. They arbitrarily decide to help some, while they flame others of the same caliber of intelligence / knowledge.