How should I set the Gain, LP Filter, Subsonic, on my Alpine MRX-M100 with 1 SWR12D4?

[mixer4x]

I think you should just do what ddtc just said. Lower your bass boost to less than 1/3 if you really want it and set gain to about 1/2 for temp usage. 75%-100% gain is just asking for trouble. Your subsonic filter should be off or lowest setting if you are using a sealed box, otherwise, set it to your best guess at you box tuning if it is a ported box. This is still just approximating till you get it done properly.

 

[bbeljefe]

Someone touched on this but it needs to be reiterated... gain setting has nothing whatever to do with the subwoofer you're using. It is there to match the preamp signal of your head unit to the input sensitivity of your amplifier. At 2 volts of preamp signal your gain should probably be at about 12 o'clock but there is no way to say that for sure without a scope or distortion detector.

And you're right, setting gains properly is complicated to some degree but what you have to decide is whether or not proper gain setting is more complicated than earning the money to buy a new subwoofer and then going through the trouble of removing the blown subwoofer and replacing it. For my money and time, proper gain setting is a breeze relative to that alternative. ;-)

As for the other settings, you should never use bass boost unless you listen to music that has very little bass. Where you have it set now is just adding to the clipping you've caused with the gain being set too high. Your other settings are fine where you have them.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Realm of Excursion

download the 50 hz test tone by right clicking it and choose "save target as" and put it on your phone or w/e you use to play music with. Disconnecting the sub is easy... For speakers, turn high pass filter on the highest it can go on your head unit and you wont have to disconnect it since its cutting out frequencies under 125 hz. The rest is just doing basic math. Its not that hard and your not in over your head. Just get it done and protect yourself and your equipment by doing it right.