PLEASE tell me hes wrong

[l_spade 10+ year member]

the gain is a direct link to how much wattage u push out, its really voltage at the terminals, but it calculates into wattage. the more u crank your gains, the more power you are pushing in a sense, hence clipping your signal. why do ut hink the gain setting tutorial u have to use what power u want out of ur amp, and it gives u a VOLTAGE level, and u set your gains with that information.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/thankyou.gif.5451126d09e870f796f50c3a4dd5acd7.gif Finally! Lol, I have been trying to figure out why everyone says the gain doesn't work like a volume nob and what clipping actually is. What you said made soo much sense and although I am still a little sketchy on how I would set the gain and what voltage level I am supposed to be matching I thank you a bunch for that post. Lol.

...anyways, continue on with proving the guy stupid. I have only been into car audio for less than a year and even I believe that the dude from the other forum sounds plain retarded. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/banghead.gif.8606515f668c74f6de0281deb475b6fd.gif

 

[xmax-1 10+ year member]

An amplifier gain control (input sensitivity) is simply an level-matching device allowing you to match an amplifier's input circuit to a source unit's (or signal processor) output. Ideally gains are set so an amplifier's output "clips" at the same time the source unit "clips".

Gain Controls Are Not Volume Knobs

Contrary to popular belief, the relative position of an amplifier's gain control has absolutely no affect on how much power the amplifier produces. Rather, a gain control determines how far you must turn-up the source unit for the amplifier to make full power.

For High Voltage Sources (2.5 volts or higher)

Higher gain settings allow an amplifier to reach full power at lower volume control settings. This allows the amplifier to be driven into clipping easily and will increase the noise floor of the system, effectively decreasing the dynamic range of the system. This is undesirable.

Lower gain settings require higher volume control settings for the amplifier to reach full power. This will minimize amplifier clipping and decrease the noise floor of the system which will increase the dynamic range of the system. This is an optimum scenario.

For Low Voltage Sources (less than 2.5 volts & typical OEM interfaces)

Higher gain settings will be necessary for the amplifier to reach full power even at higher settings on the volume knob. However, this can increase the noise floor of the system at the expense of dynamic range. This is the best setting, considering the scenario.

Lower gain settings will not allow the amplifier to reach full power and will limit the dynamic range of the system. This may allow the source unit to clip before the amplifier which will be amplified and passed on to the speakers. This is an undesirable scenario.

 

[saywhat? 5,000+ posts]

well, THAT makes no bloody sense!!! lol

in a way it does, in a way it doesnt. the gain knob does regulate power output. but its also just a signal match. i dunno, i know what it does and they dont.

 

[LoudCrownVic 5,000+ posts]

Wow...

Well, that's too bad, fighting on the internet and all...

The gain knob controls the VOLTAGE at a certain volume level which effects the WATTS the amplifier puts out at a certian volume level. You can adjust the gain (volume?) to suit your needs per the volume level.

Basically, in my view, you can think whatever the hell you want about gains... I keep mine low as possible to be just below normal listening level on the lowest bass setting on the HU... and just turn up the signal on the HU when I want to bump.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Actually Grant, clipping does not kill subs. A clipped signal is just a transformed sine wave, and your speaker doesn't know the difference. It's what CAUSED the clipping that kills it (far more power than the amp is supposed to create). Two ways to kill speakers: exceeding Xmech (overexcursion) and exceeding thermal limits (fry the coil).

 

[xmax-1 10+ year member]

well, THAT makes no bloody sense!!! lol

How does it not make sence? By turning the amplifier gain up, you are increasing the output at an earlier stage in the signal input, you are NOT increasing the power output of the amplifier. A 300 watt amp is going to deliver it's max power at full "SIGNAL" power. If the gains are set low on the amp, it'll take more signal for the amp to produce the 300watts. The power in the amp is there, you just have to extract it.

You seem to know everything, so I'm not going to argue. You need to do some homework bro. I suggest you quit listening to your friends in the parkinglot and get some real schooling. May I suggest MECP or such or do as I did...attend the Installer Institute. You can do it the easy way also...call a manufacturer and ask them if you turn the gain on your amps up will it increase the max power output. $100.00 say's they'll tell you "NO".

I'll also get you a few REAL links.

http://www.bcae1.com/gaincon2.htm

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:sQng7biCmEYJ:www.rockfordfosgate.com/scripts/rightnow.cfg/php.exe/enduser/std_adp.php%3Fp_faqid%3D46+amplifier+gain+controls&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=3

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:89fBPodg4D4J:www.rockfordfosgate.com/scripts/rightnow.cfg/php.exe/enduser/std_adp.php%3Fp_faqid%3D471+amplifier+gain+controls&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4

http://www.cdtaudio.com/pdf/Amp_gain_setting.pdf

Hope these help guys. I don't mean to insult anyone, I just don't like giving anyone incorrect information.

 

[xmax-1 10+ year member]

Show me an amplifier that will produce no sound at all with the gains set at minimal.

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

i've never seen an amp w/ "0" gain.

i've only seen a range of 9v-2v on amps. so no matter how low you set the gain, there'll be voltage, therefore watts.

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

yes, but the higher the gain is set, the more output there will be from the amp... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif

only gays roll their eyes.

so if there's a amp w/ 300w max, if you set the gains higher will there be output of more than 300w?

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/swordfight.gif.e3de6069f3ffe402fc3ab4a827365101.gif

 

[pd298 10+ year member]

Show me an amplifier that will produce no sound at all with the gains set at minimal.

Mine wont.. If i have my gain all the way down. (I have remote gain btw)

 

[xmax-1 10+ year member]

what? no //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif
what I am refering to, was this statement:

in other words, the gain control does nothing, as the amplifier must be outputting full power all the time //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/eyebrow.gif.fe2c18d8720fe8c7eaed347b21ea05a5.gif

You didn't read my first post appearantly, yet you tell me I'm incorrect. The gain on any amplifier DOES NOT control the power output of the unit as far as how much it'll output. It simply matches the input voltage of the source to the amp itself. on a 300watt amp, you can turn the gain all the way up. It'll produce 300 watts at a certain volume. You can then turn the gain down (all the way) and the amplifier will still be able to produce that same 300 watts. The difference will be that the signal from the source unit (volume) will have to be turned up louder for the amp to recieve a stronger signal.

 

[l_spade 10+ year member]

Wait then, from what I have been gathering, it is better to have a head unit with a higher voltage rating coming out of the rca's because the amp won't clip as fast (considering you match the gain to your head unit). Is that right?

 

[Wonderbread 5,000+ posts]

The reason distortion (as in a distorted signal, not a bastardized note) kills subs has to do with the shape of the sine wave. Grab an O-scope and play a tone. You hopefully get a nice clean smooth sine wave, with rounded peaks and valleys. If you dive an amplifier into clipping, you basically give the wave a square peak at both ends. The area under the curve (your power) is greatly increased. You get more power then you are expecting and can accidently push the driver into either mechanical or thermal failure.

THAT is what kills subs.

Gain is a voltage match. The gain knob is NOT a volume knob in that you shouldn't USE it as one. True, it will appear to function as one (ie - turn it up, things get louder) but you SHOULDN'T. Anyone who actually knows what's going on will tell you - "Set your gains, and leave them alone." There's a reason that big knob on the head unit says volume. Use it.

 

[Wonderbread 5,000+ posts]

Wait then, from what I have been gathering, it is better to have a head unit with a higher voltage rating coming out of the rca's because the amp won't clip as fast (considering you match the gain to your head unit). Is that right?

It is better to have a head unit with higher pre-out voltages because that means you can set your gains lower to get the same "loudness". This will put your amplifier under less duress, giving you the same power with greatly reduced harmonic distortion. Simply, it sounds better.