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<blockquote data-quote="helotaxi" data-source="post: 1731414" data-attributes="member: 550915">How would you suggest setting them then?&nbsp; Totally by using the least precise instument available: your ear?&nbsp; What recording should you use?&nbsp; What if you put in something that is recorded at a higher level later?The point of using a scope (DMM is only any good if you know for a fact that the amp will produce its rated power) to set gains is to make sure that no matter what source material you feed the amp, it won&#039;t clip the signal.&nbsp; If you absolutely must have the extra dB or two between the test tone and the music recording, get a bigger amp.&nbsp; Fact is that with music, you probably won&#039;t see but about a quarter of the power from an amp and close to RMS power during transient spikes.&nbsp; If you tune the gain using music by ear until you hear distortion, you have it set well past the point of clipping and every transient will be fully clipped.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="helotaxi, post: 1731414, member: 550915"] How would you suggest setting them then? Totally by using the least precise instument available: your ear? What recording should you use? What if you put in something that is recorded at a higher level later? The point of using a scope (DMM is only any good if you know for a fact that the amp will produce its rated power) to set gains is to make sure that no matter what source material you feed the amp, it won't clip the signal. If you absolutely must have the extra dB or two between the test tone and the music recording, get a bigger amp. Fact is that with music, you probably won't see but about a quarter of the power from an amp and close to RMS power during transient spikes. If you tune the gain using music by ear until you hear distortion, you have it set well past the point of clipping and every transient will be fully clipped. [/QUOTE]

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