Question about gains/volume

[CadillacMatt 10+ year member]

OK, so I set the gain on my AQ2200D according to the DMM method. I set the EQ on my HU flat, turned head unit 3/4 volume with a 50Hz test tone @ 0db and figured voltage using this forumla: sqrt(2200W x 1ohm) = 46.9V. This is on 2 Fi Q 15's. So this means each Q should be getting 1100wRMS, right?

So, I hook everything back up and turn on some music... and am severely disappointed... the bass is about as loud as my 2 12" Xplods were (no joke).

So I search around in the HU settings and turn the Loudness from "Off" to "Low"... MAJOR improvement. I turn it up to "Mid" and can hear distortion so I immediately turn it back down to low.

My question is, by altering the loudness curves and EQ settings am I defeating the purpose of setting the gains with a DMM in the first place? Will I be hurting the subs/amp by doing this? I just don't understand why I had the lack of output at the target voltage. Thanks

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[nauc 10+ year member]

OK, so I set the gain on my AQ2200D according to the DMM method. I set the EQ on my HU flat, turned head unit 3/4 volume with a 50Hz test tone @ 0db and figured voltage using this forumla: sqrt(2200W x 1ohm) = 46.9V. This is on 2 Fi Q 15's. So this means each Q should be getting 1100wRMS, right?
So, I hook everything back up and turn on some music... and am severely disappointed... the bass is about as loud as my 2 12" Xplods were (no joke).

So I search around in the HU settings and turn the Loudness from "Off" to "Low"... MAJOR improvement. I turn it up to "Mid" and can hear distortion so I immediately turn it back down to low.

My question is, by altering the loudness curves and EQ settings am I defeating the purpose of setting the gains with a DMM in the first place? Will I be hurting the subs/amp by doing this? I just don't understand why I had the lack of output at the target voltage. Thanks

when you had your deck up 3/4 and fed your subs 46.9v, how much were your subs moving

 

[king ranch 5,000+ posts]

hahaha wat a noob dont even know how to set gains, and u tell me to quit car audio looks whos talking

 

[CadillacMatt 10+ year member]

hahaha wat a noob dont even know how to set gains, and u tell me to quit car audio looks whos talking

Get out of my thread you waste of skin.

 

[99grandprixGT 5,000+ posts]

well the problem i had with mine was that i do not listen to my music with the HU at 3/4 so i set the gain with it closer to what i listen to and that solved my problem. and yes i'm pretty sure loudness affects the voltage. try it when your setting your gain and you'll see that on the DMM when you turn the voltage up it with give ya a higher reading.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

pretty much everything affects voltage. If your going to listen to your music with loud on low, then you should set your gains again with the loud on low. Or if your going to have the bass in your eq turned up to 3 then you should set your gains with it on 3. Setting them with everything flat then turning everything back up defeats the purpose. Set everything to what you normally do, then turn the volume to what you think the max you would listen to, THEN set the gains.

 

[CadillacMatt 10+ year member]

well the problem i had with mine was that i do not listen to my music with the HU at 3/4 so i set the gain with it closer to what i listen to and that solved my problem. and yes i'm pretty sure loudness affects the voltage. try it when your setting your gain and you'll see that on the DMM when you turn the voltage up it with give ya a higher reading.

pretty much everything affects voltage. If your going to listen to your music with loud on low, then you should set your gains again with the loud on low. Or if your going to have the bass in your eq turned up to 3 then you should set your gains with it on 3. Setting them with everything flat then turning everything back up defeats the purpose. Set everything to what you normally do, then turn the volume to what you think the max you would listen to, THEN set the gains.

Ok I will try this tonight.

I just don't understand why the 2 Xplods I sold to my buddy are getting louder than my setup right now... the only difference is that he has a Mustang and folds his seats down to the trunk, and my car's bigger so I'm thinking maybe the bass is getting trapped in the trunk. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

So would I risk damaging the equipment if I set it to anything higher than the target voltage? I mean, it still sounds clean with no audible distortion but I'm still a little wary. I know these subs at 1000wRMS should be getting insanely louder than my little 300wRMS Xplods. Help, and thanks!

 

[CadillacMatt 10+ year member]

when you had your deck up 3/4 and fed your subs 46.9v, how much were your subs moving

They were moving a good inch or so visibly.

 

[CadillacMatt 10+ year member]

up

 

[deLeo 10+ year member]

loudness affects output voltage... what is the preout of ur headunit rated?

 

[CadillacMatt 10+ year member]

loudness affects output voltage... what is the preout of ur headunit rated?

It is 4 Volt Preout.

 

[dipitydoo 10+ year member]

Its ok to have some clipping when setting gains, especially with subs, since its more difficult to hear than mids and highs. Usually if you set your gains for zero clipping, you are going to be in for some dissapointment. Instead of using the loudness button, I would just turn up your gains. Also, comparing output between a sealed trunk Caddy and a hatchback with the seats down is like apples and oranges. The mustang will have an inherent advantage in output.

 

[CadillacMatt 10+ year member]

Its ok to have some clipping when setting gains, especially with subs, since its more difficult to hear than mids and highs. Usually if you set your gains for zero clipping, you are going to be in for some dissapointment. Instead of using the loudness button, I would just turn up your gains.

I will try this. I just don't want to damage the amp/subs unnecessarily that's all... and I know it should be a lot louder than it is.

Also, comparing output between a sealed trunk Caddy and a hatchback with the seats down is like apples and oranges. The mustang will have an inherent advantage in output.

True. I removed my 6x9s from the rear deck tonight as a little experiment, and other than finding out that one of them was actually blown (lol) it made a BIG difference in the bass response. The holes were still covered by the factory carpet/insulation rear deck cover but it let a lot more bass into the cabin.

Sounds like it's time to cut up the rear deck then... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/naughty.gif.94359f346c0f1259df8038d60b41863e.gif