Gain knob = Volume knob?

[boyzindahood978 10+ year member]

Gain Setting Article

I found this article that pretty much goes against the gain setting tuturial in the sticky. Some of the stuff said are:

"Gain controls on an amplifier are basically just small potentiometers (variable resistors) or volume controls"

"To do this its easiest to do it by ear. No need to drag out the TEST TONES and OSCILLOSCOPES! They will do you absolutely no good. "

"One MYTH is how the gain controls will help to prevent amplifier distortion and amplifier clipping"

"Well anyway, this crazy installer had heard that the amplifier gain control was to prevent amplifier clipping.. (still widely heard today).."

"All the VOODOO about watching an oscilloscope and looking for a clipped signal is a waste of time"

Are there any valid points made by the author or is he just a crappy installer?

Click to read more...

 

[ANeonRider 10+ year member]

Gain Setting Article I found this article that pretty much goes against the gain setting tuturial in the sticky. Some of the stuff said are:

"Gain controls on an amplifier are basically just small potentiometers (variable resistors) or volume controls"

"To do this its easiest to do it by ear. No need to drag out the TEST TONES and OSCILLOSCOPES! They will do you absolutely no good. "

"One MYTH is how the gain controls will help to prevent amplifier distortion and amplifier clipping"

"Well anyway, this crazy installer had heard that the amplifier gain control was to prevent amplifier clipping.. (still widely heard today).."

"All the VOODOO about watching an oscilloscope and looking for a clipped signal is a waste of time"

Are there any valid points made by the author or is he just a crappy installer?

I need some toilet paper, I think I will print that off and use it to wipe my ***.

 

[ANeonRider 10+ year member]

Bah, just read the whole article, that guy has no more knowledge than my left nut.

 

[Acidburn 5,000+ posts]

once you have watched a signal distort on an o-scope as you turn up the gain, you realize that that guy is fu cking moron

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

a gain is a volume knob in a way. not a true volume knob as in turn it up to make it loud turn it down to make it quieter but actually turn it up and your volume will rise faster off your HU than if you turned the gain down and then adjusted volume from your HU. thats the only half way right thing he said in that article. that guys a jackass.

edit: and even know my post doesnt sound right. just refer to the last sentence of it, thats the main point im getting at.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Gains are like little volume controls, (I don't know why so many installers are taught that gains are NOT volume controls, when in fact that is EXACTLY what they are!)

Well, I will agree with that. The gain control is essentially the exact same thing as an analog volume control (potentiometers). However, I think he is getting into semantics here. When people say that the gain is not a volume control, what they are "really" saying is that generally the gain should not be used as a volume control. Yes, someone very experienced can use them in such a capacity....but it's not something I would want to recommend to everyone.

However, the entire article is nothing but a bunch of bullshit. One thing is for sure....I'd never let him touch my stereo.

As he said, setting a gain isn't rocket science. All the gain does is attenuate the signal prior to being amplified. Higher preout voltages don't need to be "amplified as much", so you turn the gain down and attenuate the signal. With lower preout voltages, the signal needs attenuated less. Don't attenuate the signal enough and crank the volume, the amp will clip the signal.

 

[Raven 10+ year member]

1 out of every 32 people on this forum are self proclaimed experts. I'm one of them. He would be, too. The difference is, once in a great while, I'm right.

Also, there were a few older amps where the gain *was* a volume control. There's always an exception to everything.

 

[ss3079 5,000+ posts]

Is that the same Eddie Runner who is big into off roading?

- Steve

 

[saosin 10+ year member]

lol, i wanna know how many subs this guy has blown using his theory, i've been always told that gain knob is the control knob for how much power is goin into your woofer, to set gains i've been told to turn it up all the way to the highest point i'll be listenin to my music and set the gains from there, slowly turn till i hear distortion and then turn back a hair, works for me haven't blown a sub yet

 

[alti98 10+ year member]

"One MYTH is how the gain controls will help to prevent amplifier distortion and amplifier clipping"

Wow. this is funny because I just proved this wrong about 3 weeks ago.

I was getting mad distortion in my speakers because I had the gain full. now its a little below the 1/2 mark and the speakers sound awsome.

This article you linked us to is another example of how you should not believe everything on the internet.

 

[saosin 10+ year member]

awwww man, i was reading this one website where it said jumping of a bridge would bring you eternal happiness, dang it!

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

awwww man, i was reading this one website where it said jumping of a bridge would bring you eternal happiness, dang it!

No no.....that website wasn't lying. Go ahead and try it; report back with your findings //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[ANeonRider 10+ year member]

I've jumped off a bridge before, mind you it was only a 40 ft fall into a river, and we were drinking on top of it, but I still did it. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif It was fun.

 

[boyzindahood978 10+ year member]

This article you linked us to is another example of how you should not believe everything on the internet.

I just thought //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/idea.gif.5acb6a39a9b92425414c316dda202bad.gif it was funny and I wanted you guys to see it and comment on it.