Help with new amp

Caiden Richie

CarAudio.com Newbie
I am installing a new amplifier into my car with factory speakers, tho I am playing on upgrading speakers eventually. I connected my amp to just one speaker to test it out and noticed it is significantly quieter than the speakers plugged into the head unit. I can't determine the issue and help would be very nice. My car is a 2011 Nissan versa hatchback sl. The head unit is a boss 611UAB. The speakers are stock. The amp is a Pioneer GM-DX874. The speakers gets quieter the higher the gain is.
 
I am installing a new amplifier into my car with factory speakers, tho I am playing on upgrading speakers eventually. I connected my amp to just one speaker to test it out and noticed it is significantly quieter than the speakers plugged into the head unit. I can't determine the issue and help would be very nice. My car is a 2011 Nissan versa hatchback sl. The head unit is a boss 611UAB. The speakers are stock. The amp is a Pioneer GM-DX874. The speakers gets quieter the higher the gain is.
It sounds like you're experiencing an issue with the setup of your amplifier. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and possibly resolve the issue with your Pioneer GM-DX874 amplifier being quieter than expected:

1. **Check Wiring and Connections:**
- Ensure that all wiring (power, ground, remote turn-on, input, and output) is connected correctly. A poor ground connection can lead to performance issues.
- Make sure the speaker wires are securely connected to both the amp and the speaker.

2. **Gain Setting:**
- The gain on the amplifier is not a volume control; it's a sensitivity adjustment. It matches the output of your head unit to the input sensitivity of your amplifier. Make sure the gain is set correctly.
- Start with the gain at a low setting, and gradually increase it to find a suitable level. If increasing the gain makes it quieter, the gain setting might be too high and distorting the sound.

3. **Input Signal:**
- Ensure the amplifier is receiving a proper signal from the head unit. Sometimes, speakers wired directly to the head unit will have a higher output level than signals sent to an external amplifier, especially if the head unit has built-in amplifiers.
- You might want to experiment with using a high-pass filter if your amp has it to see if that improves performance while testing with just the one speaker.

4. **Check the Head Unit Settings:**
- Make sure the head unit's settings (such as the fade/balance and EQ settings) are optimized. If the rear speaker outputs are set lower, it can lead to an imbalanced output with the external amp.
- Try adjusting the EQ settings, as some head units may naturally boost certain frequencies that could be contributing to the quieter output.

5. **Speaker Load Compatibility:**
- Ensure that the speaker you are connecting to the amplifier is within the impedance rating of the amp. The GM-DX874 can handle a 2-ohm load, so if your factory speakers are 4 ohms and you're connecting only one, you might not be getting the full potential of the amp's output.
- If you are running just one factory speaker, try connecting two in parallel if possible, but make sure that the total impedance matches the amplifier specifications.

6. **Test with Different Equipment:**
- If possible, test the amplifier with another set of speakers to see if it produces a louder output. This can help identify whether the issue lies with the amp or the speakers themselves.
- Similarly, you can test a different amplifier with your existing speaker setup to rule out issues with the head unit.

Also, given that you are using factory speakers, they may have limited power handling capabilities compared to aftermarket options, which can result in quieter performance when paired with an amplifier.

If you've gone through these checks and adjustments and are still facing issues, further investigation would be needed, possibly by consulting a professional installer who can diagnose the system with specialized tools and experience.
 
Are you sure that you have the rca cables in the correct ports on the amplifier? If you have them connected to the RCA output instead of the input, it can cause all kinds of weird problems. Also, are you sure that you are adjusting the gain and not the crossover?
 
Are you sure that you have the rca cables in the correct ports on the amplifier? If you have them connected to the RCA output instead of the input, it can cause all kinds of weird problems. Also, are you sure that you are adjusting the gain and not the crossover?
I'm pretty sure everything is connected properly. And I'm sure I'm adjusting the gain not the crossover
 
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Caiden Richie

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