Dumb question but read this anyway...

[4:20_all_day 10+ year member]

The only way to have a amp reach it's Max RMS (not Max/Peak) wattage is to run gains at full. But running gains at full is not recommended... so basically u don't really even get the full RMS rating going to your subs... (if u don't run gains at full)???

Click to read more...

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

You do not max the gains to get max power out of an amp. In fact if you have a sufficiently high input level voltage, you can get max power out of an amp with the gains at their absolute lowest.

 

[4:20_all_day 10+ year member]

are you talking about the voltage from the alternator? or from the headunit's preouts...

 

[nweibley 10+ year member]

http://www.bcae1.com/gaincon2.htm

http://www.bcae1.com/amplfier.htm

 

[4:20_all_day 10+ year member]

wicked site...

thanx, peace

 

[4:20_all_day 10+ year member]

So if ur deck is 4 volts and ur amp has output of 9volts... u want to keep gains approximately a little under half...

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Chances are the 4V is max not rms. Also, the volume on your HU and the gain on your amp are not linear controls(ie half of 4 volts is not 2, sound weird but thats the way it works). The only way to accurately set the gain is with a multimeter at least and an occilloscope (sp?) at best.