Line Drivers? worth it?

[Virindok 10+ year member]

Hey all just wondering if buying a line driver is going to give me any real difference?

I've heard good things about AudioControl Epicenter but don't know much about it. What exactly does it do? Increases the output voltage going to amp, but also it changes or boosts the bass frequencies?

thanks

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[spoonraker 10+ year member]

A line driver isn't something you buy unless you need one.

99.999999999% of car audio setups will not see any benefit from a line driver.

Do you have really low preout voltage? If not...then you don't need one.

And a line drive does have any EQ functionality, i.e. it will not boost certain frequencies.

 

[tez4life Premium Member]

A line driver isn't something you buy unless you need one.
99.999999999% of car audio setups will not see any benefit from a line driver.

Do you have really low preout voltage? If not...then you don't need one.

And a line drive does have any EQ functionality, i.e. it will not boost certain frequencies.

x2, unless your preout voltage from your HU is low, you wont see a huge difference from it.

The Epicenter is not a line driver, but it will send the same signal down the path that it gets (4v in, 4v out etc) Its not a bass booster in a since, but a bass restorer, it brings back the low notes that was lost or rolled off in the recording process of music to CD. It works differently with different songs, things that are already bass heavy it just makes them sound weird, and other stuff that may not have any bass normally it adds a lot. Only problem, is that the bass is usually distorted that it adds, so alot of people dont care for it too much.

 

[SocMunky 10+ year member]

REally the only time you'll get any usability out of a line driver is if its an older radio. Say, old alpines....not sure what the voltage out on my 7914 was, but it was minimal. Most of todays radios come with at LEAST 2 volts out, minimum. There are probably exceptions to the rule, but for the most part, they put out enough to get the job done.

So, to summarize:

Old radio - Get a line driver

New radio - use the money for a line driver on a ham sammich instead.

That is all.

 

[M3@Apex 10+ year member]

Sorry to bump an old thread,

But what do you guys think of this? I want to use a line driver to increase the voltage of the RCA's so this way I can turn the gain down on my amps, and HENCE, try to hide some alternator whine that I can not seem to hide even after playing with the grounding of my HU. I don't want to use an isolater.

 

[spoonraker 10+ year member]

All a line driver does is take an input signal, step up the voltage a bit, and send it on it's way. If you have noise in your lines a line driver isn't going to do anything other than make it louder.

 

[XanderMoser 10+ year member]

All a line driver does is take an input signal, step up the voltage a bit, and send it on it's way. If you have noise in your lines a line driver isn't going to do anything other than make it louder.

A line driver will increase noise that is already present in the RCAs. However, if the amp is introducing noise, then a line driver will help keep the noise to a minimum because you don't have to raise the gain as high to get the same output.

Try turning your HU way down and cranking your gains. You'll more than likely get more noise.

 

[spoonraker 10+ year member]

That's true, if the noise isn't present in your RCAs than a line driver will have no effect.

However, adjusting setting on the amp, and playing with preamp voltage isn't the proper way to reduce noise.

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

A line driver will decrease the noise because you are turning the gains on your amp lower so therefore you are not amplifying the noise as much. It will still be there, however not as audible. This is assuming you readjust your gains for the new voltage. With that said, I'd look into your install and fix the whine. Much cheaper to fix it then buy a bandaid to make it less audible.

 

[spoonraker 10+ year member]

yeah that's what I said, it isn't a fix, it's just a coverup.

 

[M3@Apex 10+ year member]

Yah, I understand it's a cover up, I just can't figure out how to get rid / mask my ground loop. I've tried everything in the book. If I turn the gain on my amp down, the noise decreases.

 

[spoonraker 10+ year member]

When you say everything in the book, what exactly do you mean?

There are TONS of things you can do, and I highly doubt you've really tried them all

 

[trunks9_us 10+ year member]

I highly disagree because on my zapco dc reference 360.4 it has a max of 10 volts input and my hu is 2v so i use a line driver to it to boost it up to 8 volts then its louder gain is down like u said less distortion but i recently hook up my c2k 4.0 and there is a setting on there where you can choose btw 1-4v 4-16v and since i am running 8v right now, when i have the 4-16v setting up it is lower then my 360.4 but when i turn it down to the 1-4v it is way louder even with the gains down and the line driver turned down to 4 volts it does make a difference i think it is just different for every amp.

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

I highly disagree because on my zapco dc reference 360.4 it has a max of 10 volts input and my hu is 2v so i use a line driver to it to boost it up to 8 volts then its louder gain is down like u said less distortion but i recently hook up my c2k 4.0 and there is a setting on there where you can choose btw 1-4v 4-16v and since i am running 8v right now, when i have the 4-16v setting up it is lower then my 360.4 but when i turn it down to the 1-4v it is way louder even with the gains down and the line driver turned down to 4 volts it does make a difference i think it is just different for every amp.

I have no clue what the hell you just said.

 

[trunks9_us 10+ year member]

i am trying to figure it out myself.