Actually I understand the principle behind gain, how it works, best and worst methods to set it, etc... just curious about what Ive noticed when working with my amps.
Eclipse EA4200 4 channel: When I ran it at 60 watts x4 going to my front Eclipse SC 8362 2 ways and my rear Infinity Reference coaxes, I set the proper way using test tones, one channel at a time, without ever even looking at the dial markings. When I was done I noticed it ended up exactly at the 2 volt mark, which my Alpine 9883 head unit was rated for, indicating to me that Alpine head units are pretty accurately rated for max voltage, and the dial markings on that amp are VERY accurate.
Tried the 2 volt marking on my Aline MRP M500, rated at 300 watts rms and connected to a Pioneer PRemier 10 which can take 250, and the sub was only barely starting to move when the rest of the system was VERY loud and VERY clear, as in close to max undistorted volume. Didn't seem like the sub increased in volume in the same linnear fashion and began to distort at the same spot until the gain dial was somewhere around the .5 volt marking, verified with a DMM as the right place.
Now have a 4 volt Alpine HU and have the EA4200 bridged to HERTZ HSK 165s. Same thing: The Eclipse amp sounds perfect with gain at almost exactly on the 4 volt mark, to be verified later with a DMM. The Alpine MRP M500, the max input sensitivity level is 4 volts. I tried it there with the dial all the way counter clockwise and once again the sub is only barely perceptible when the rest of the system is getting very loud at 23-24. Notched it down so the notch is just a tad to the left of dead center of the middle point and it now sounds right.
I know amplifier markings and HU ratings are not always exact but the fact that the Eclipse seems to always be perfect at the notch that matches the HU's voltage rating indicates to me these Alpines are pretty dead on with their ratings, but I can't figure this Alpine mono amp at all. I know the markings are exact but I thought they'd at least be somewhat logical.
Just wondering for those who have a similar Alpine mono amp, how far off is your gain dial from your HU's voltage rating when you set using proper techniques. OR if anyone else could chime in regardless of the amp, what is your HU rated for and how close to that is the amp's gain dial when you set using proper techniques. I could be completely screwing up with the DMM but the Eclipse matches up perfect every time. Could it have to do with power delivery or over the Alpine being way over-rated or something???
