Help with setting new amp setting? Please help!

[OldFartAudio]

still not an accurate way to see if the signal is clipping....every amps rms rating is different even from same make and model....thats the dumbest **** i have seen haha....only way to know if your clipping is with an o-scope or lighted indicator (and even those arent accurate) your just pretty much guessing with your method

I agree with this, the object of setting the gain is to maximize the performance of the amp without going over. Watch some videos and you can see one amplifier having different maximum levels between channels. Setting gain based on ratings is only gonna get you in the ballpark and it is only gonna do that if the amp is rated accurately. If the amp is underrated you are giving up potential and if is overrated you are gonna send out a clipped signal. I have seen a guy set a subwoofer’s gain using a full range speaker with a capacitor inline. He stated that the distortion would create noise above the subwoofer crossover frequency so turn the gain up until the full range speaker makes noise. Then slowly back it down until it stops. It only works for speakers playing frequencies lower than the distortion tones though. As for the best method an Ō scope is the most accurate way. I would even say setting by ear would be better than using the ratings, especially if you are running a “more affordable” amp.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

I agree with this, the object of setting the gain is to maximize the performance of the amp without going over. Watch some videos and you can see one amplifier having different maximum levels between channels. Setting gain based on ratings is only gonna get you in the ballpark and it is only gonna do that if the amp is rated accurately. If the amp is underrated you are giving up potential and if is overrated you are gonna send out a clipped signal. I have seen a guy set a subwoofer’s gain using a full range speaker with a capacitor inline. He stated that the distortion would create noise above the subwoofer crossover frequency so turn the gain up until the full range speaker makes noise. Then slowly back it down until it stops. It only works for speakers playing frequencies lower than the distortion tones though. As for the best method an Ō scope is the most accurate way. I would even say setting by ear would be better than using the ratings, especially if you are running a “more affordable” amp.

this video is similar to the way you talk about but better, you just connect this piezo in line with everything, its a really high impedance so it doesnt affect the load but you can definitely pick up distortion with it. Its better because your sub will present the same load on the amp as it would be by itself. When you use the mid, its a different load on the amp even if the impedance is stated the same due to many factors not taken into account. However you need to analyze your music and see how strong the bass in the recording is. Generally rock and pop etc is around -10ish db, modern bass heavy rap is -5db to -3db, you use a free program called audacity and use its spectrum analyzer to see the strength in the musical recording which has a direct impact on your amp's power output and how you should set your gains. People will never get max clean power all the times because each song is different so you'll be fiddling with the controls for each song... Most people just give up a little max output for a general safe level all around which is why stuff like Oscope and DD-1 are popular, they are supposedly idiot proof but for people that dont understand why there's a -10 db test tone, a -5 db test tone and a 0 db test tone on the disk, its gonna spell trouble for the install.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

which is why I prefer to set gains via feeling heat on the equipment. Clipping doesn't directly kill amps or subs. It does directly affect how fast your gear builds up heat and heat is actual killer of most audio equipment most of the time. If either the sub's cone/coil or amp gets too hot, i'll lower the gain until its slightly warm. If its ice cold all around after a few minutes of pounding i know i have a bit left in it. This gain setting method is a lot longer than the others due to having 5-10 minutes of stress tests each time I adjust the gain to fully know the limits of my system.

on a side note, Keep in mind you can definitely push your gear a bit harder during winter vs summer and summer is coming up, watch those heat levels.

Setting gains for mids and highs are a bit more delicate since you can fry the mid or tweeter before any real heat shows and no Test tones are not the answer at all.

 

[Lasherž]

which is why I prefer to set gains via feeling heat on the equipment. Clipping doesn't directly kill amps or subs. It does directly affect how fast your gear builds up heat and heat is actual killer of most audio equipment most of the time. If either the sub's cone/coil or amp gets too hot, i'll lower the gain until its slightly warm. If its ice cold all around after a few minutes of pounding i know i have a bit left in it. This gain setting method is a lot longer than the others due to having 5-10 minutes of stress tests each time I adjust the gain to fully know the limits of my system.

on a side note, Keep in mind you can definitely push your gear a bit harder during winter vs summer and summer is coming up, watch those heat levels.

Setting gains for mids and highs are a bit more delicate since you can fry the mid or tweeter before any real heat shows and no Test tones are not the answer at all.

When you do the stress tests for heat buildup on your amps do you use worst case scenario hz sinewaves or music? Just curious if you feel they're relatable enough to the performance during actual use to dial back for their sake.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

When you do the stress tests for heat buildup on your amps do you use worst case scenario hz sinewaves or music? Just curious if you feel they're relatable enough to the performance during actual use to dial back for their sake.

I use my hardest hitting music. You need to set gains for what you mean to play 100% of the times. Which is not test tones. I usually leave a little room on the sub level so i can find the sweet spot for music with weaker bass levels

 

[OldFartAudio]

this video is similar to the way you talk about but better, you just connect this piezo in line with everything, its a really high impedance so it doesnt affect the load but you can definitely pick up distortion with it. Its better because your sub will present the same load on the amp as it would be by itself. When you use the mid, its a different load on the amp even if the impedance is stated the same due to many factors not taken into account. However you need to analyze your music and see how strong the bass in the recording is. Generally rock and pop etc is around -10ish db, modern bass heavy rap is -5db to -3db, you use a free program called audacity and use its spectrum analyzer to see the strength in the musical recording which has a direct impact on your amp's power output and how you should set your gains. People will never get max clean power all the times because each song is different so you'll be fiddling with the controls for each song... Most people just give up a little max output for a general safe level all around which is why stuff like Oscope and DD-1 are popular, they are supposedly idiot proof but for people that dont understand why there's a -10 db test tone, a -5 db test tone and a 0 db test tone on the disk, its gonna spell trouble for the install.

Cool, I think the one I saw used a 4” or 3.5” with a capacitor in-line. I like the way he showed the SMD light up. If you notice the first time he does it I hear the piezo before I see the light. I had never seen this before and it is really cool in my mind.