Having issues with tunning gains and 0db and -3db test tones

[SomeguyinPDX 10+ year member]

I am running 2- AB XFL 1544 subs wired down to a 1ohm load. For power I have a RF T1500-1bdcp with a birthsheet stating (1890rms @ 1ohm running at 14.4vdc). My electrical is delivering a solid 14vdc under load. If my math is correct my speaker output is 1890wx1ohm=1890 and the sq. rt. of 1890 is 43.47v A/C.

Using a 0db 45hz tone and all eq, bass, and loudness setting to flat, I set my gains to 43.47 when I plugged my speakers back in and played the tone it was loud and clean. The problem is when I play music it does not get loud at all. While playing around with different setttings on my HU (Alpine 9887) I could only get it to sound good by turning my sub level to 13 out of 15 and turning the "Media Expander" to its highest setting. At this point it sounded loud and clean with no audible distortion. When I got back home I put the test tone back in with the HU still having the sub and media expander turned up and was reading 77v A/C !!!! I know if I played the tone with everything turned up I would be clipping the hell out of the amp and It would be very audible. I'm not sure what to do now. I tried resetting the gains using a -3db tone but it still isn't putting out on music!!!

I got my tones from ROE and am wondering if it's just recorded extra loud? or is music recorded quieter? I know my system should be able to get louder than it is right now but I don't want to damage my gear by just turing up the gains all willy nilly and "F" something up. Any help is appreciated.

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[frogcase2002 10+ year member]

Did you play your tone with hour subs unhooked or hooked up? Do it with them hooked up

 

[SomeguyinPDX 10+ year member]

Did you play your tone with hour subs unhooked or hooked up? Do it with them hooked up

No Sir, I did not have the subs connected. There was no load on the amp when I was setting the gains. I will reset the gains with the same tone and subs connected this time and get back to you with the results.

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

It's probably because the music you play is not 0dB. Set the sub amp gain with -5 dB

 

[SomeguyinPDX 10+ year member]

Where can I find some -5db tones (30,35,40,45, and 50Hz tones). ROE has lots of 0db and just a couple that are -3db but none at -5 that I saw.

 

[neo_styles 10+ year member]

Google. Found a few good sites on there. Just search for test tones. Found one where you can type in the frequency and spl and it'll generate one for you. Free version gives you 10 second tracks.

 

[neo_styles 10+ year member]

Meh here you go:

Sound Tests and Audio Test Tones

 

[plugger 10+ year member]

i thought you werent supposed to have subs hooked up when setting the gain

 

[itsblown 10+ year member]

hmm I dont know if this would effect it but when I downloaded test tones from ROE they had noise in them

 

[Better-Action 10+ year member]

You should be able to get a decent tone generator on your smartphone.