Head unit preamp voltage question

[Sir Smoke A Lot 10+ year member]

I've had my heart set on the new Alpine iDA-X001 for a few months. That is until I saw that it only had 2 volt preamp outputs. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif My last 2 systems both had Eclipse head units with 8 volt preamp outputs. I have always been told the higher the voltage on the HU the better but I don't know exactly what the benefits are. In the end does it really make a difference? What are the benefits of higher voltage on the outputs? Thanks.

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[Blunt 10+ year member]

higher voltage means lower gains. but some amps don't like the higher voltage they produce more clean power on less input voltage.

 

[Sir Smoke A Lot 10+ year member]

higher voltage means lower gains. but some amps don't like the higher voltage they produce more clean power on less input voltage.

Any tips on how I can tell which amps will do well with lower voltage?

 

[Hyperlite 10+ year member]

look up the maximum input voltage for your amp

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

I have always been told the higher the voltage on the HU the better

Not inherently true.

but I don't know exactly what the benefits are.

Potentially a lower noise floor with the higher preamp voltage due to the lower gain setting.

But if you have no audible noise with a lower voltage headunit, increasing the voltage is going to result in zero benefit.

Likewise, if you go to a lower preamp voltage unit and experience no increase in noise floor then you didn't lose a thing.

Remember that the amplifier gain will need to be readjusted for the different headunit in both instances.

In the end does it really make a difference? What are the benefits of higher voltage on the outputs?

See above.