Gain settings.. with low output voltage?

[LinxuS 10+ year member]

I just recently got the Pioneer AVIC-N3, and i love just about everything on it. The only problem is that it has really low out-put voltage. Before I had this head unit, I slapped on a LOC converter, and had my gains on my amp at about 1/4. The speakers were just about ear defening, and didn't even distort at those types of volumes.

Now with my new head unit, I put my RCAs into the pre outs, and there's just not enough power it seems like. To get any type of decent output I have to put my gains at about 3/4 when the headunit is on 52/61 volume. I know this is a HUGE risk for clipping but I don't know what else to do?

My set-up

Pioneer AVIC-N3

Phoenix Gold R8.0:4 (75 x 2 RMS at 1 OHM to front, 125 x 2 RMS at 2 ohm to back)

Front Speakers: Alpine Type-R components 5x7

Rear Speakers: Infinnity Kappas 5x7 coaxial.

Any ideas?

Click to read more...

 

[xluben 10+ year member]

why is it a huge risk for clipping?

if the input voltage is lower the gain should be set higher (more sensitive). that's what it's there for, not for volume control.

as long as the pre-outs don't clip at 52/61, and you set the gains with a dmm it shouldn't matter where the gain ends up (1/4 vs 3/4, etc) as long your output voltage is correct.

 

[saywhat? 5,000+ posts]

^^^what he said 2x.

 

[LinxuS 10+ year member]

Oh ok lol thats a relief. I thought it just meant a higher risk for clipping.. musta read it wrong. People are always saying leave your gains low etc..

What exactly does a clipped signal sound like? Does it sound like basically.. you can still hear the song but its distorted?

Or is it like stat on a radio?

 

[xluben 10+ year member]

it'll sound more like distortion, but low levels of clipping will be pretty much undetctable to most people, but could still damage speakers. if you can hear the clipping you're probably clipping a LOT.

just get a DMM and set them to a safe level.

should output 8.66V for the front speakers and 15.8V for the rear.

 

[LinxuS 10+ year member]

Well the speakers are rated at 70 RMS (4ohm) for front, and 100 RMS for back (2 ohm)

So thats 7.75 volts for front

and 10 volts for back?

Do I have to change anything so it reads 2 ohm?

Just purchased a 17 function / 7 range $20 dmm from lowes... that should work right?

 

[LinxuS 10+ year member]

Just making sure I did this right...

Went to Lowes and bought one of these..

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.topdollardeals.com/ecommerce/osc2.2ms2/catalog/images/1344138-4.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cgi.ebay.com/MULTIMETER-SPERRY-DIGITAL-DM-350A_W0QQitemZ7608908142QQcategoryZ25412QQcmdZViewItem&h=480&w=640&sz=158&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=rgVWxhOfXCu0dM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3DSperry%2BDM-350A%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN

I tested only my front speakers since rear are just rear fill and at low volume most of the time...

Phoenix Gold R8.0:4 Amp (75 RMS @ 4 ohm)

Alpine Type-R comps (60 RMS rated)

So does that mean that I want to voltage to be..

sqrt ( 60 ) ? = 7.75

Put the head unit on at 48 / 62.

1000 hz sine wave at 0 db.

Plugged the DMM in, and I played with the settings a bit.

I found that when it put it to 200 (under the Red V~) it came to..

7.70 (after turning the gain about 1/2 the way up)

Is that it?

I then dropped the frequency to about 85 ish, and they seemed to be punchy, but I couldn't tell any distortion.

On the head unit, should I turn HPF on? (50 / 70 / 120)

Its a Pioneer AVIC-N3.

I also threw the bass to +1 on the head unit. (is this a no-no?)

 

[xluben 10+ year member]

voltage = sqrt( watts * ohms )

sqrt( 60 * 4 ) = 15.5V

so it should read 15.5V you'll probably have to up the gain to around 2/3 (guessing).

other than that i really didn't understand anything you said.