Line Drivers?

[Winter_C 10+ year member]

Can someone explain what a Line Driver actully does? I know this is probably a noob question...but I have never used one, and my buddy has one, just wondering if it'd actully help my system at all if I hooked it up...whats the benefit of them? And are they worth using?

Thanks.

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[Sir Swish 10+ year member]

Can someone explain what a Line Driver actully does? I know this is probably a noob question...but I have never used one, and my buddy has one, just wondering if it'd actully help my system at all if I hooked it up...whats the benefit of them? And are they worth using?
Thanks.

They increase the voltage on your preamp. Lets say your head unit has 2 volt preamp. Well a line driver will boost your signal to 6 volts or more. It allows you to run your gains lower.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Which really gets you nothing if you don't have a noise issue to begin with.

 

[Sir Swish 10+ year member]

Some say it cleans up their signal but I dunno about that.

 

[Winter_C 10+ year member]

If it allows you to run your gains lower, wouldn't that mean it's louder at higher gains?

 

[Sir Swish 10+ year member]

If it allows you to run your gains lower, wouldn't that mean it's louder at higher gains?

ahh.....

 

[QuikSilverRS91 10+ year member]

If it allows you to run your gains lower, wouldn't that mean it's louder at higher gains?

Right but now you're amplifying the amplified pre-amplifier. The louder you're going to get at higher gains is going to have some noise and potential clipping.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

If it allows you to run your gains lower, wouldn't that mean it's louder at higher gains?

gain =/= volume

It means you can set the gain lower and still get the same amount of output, go above that (in either case) and you'll clip the signal