Quick RCA voltage question

[johnmatt 10+ year member]

I purchased the soundstream mtube 8 (a tube preamp) and its RCA output voltage is 10 volts. Now I know that will be fine with the sub amp (also soundstream) but i have two rockford amps that say their recommended input voltage is like 4 or 6 or something.. will that matter??? thanks!

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[standbackimapro 10+ year member]

youll barley have to have the gain up with that much preout voltage...

Why do you have preouts that high?

 

[SethPhillips 5,000+ posts]

I purchased the soundstream mtube 8 (a tube preamp) and its RCA output voltage is 10 volts. Now I know that will be fine with the sub amp (also soundstream) but i have two rockford amps that say their recommended input voltage is like 4 or 6 or something.. will that matter??? thanks!

just don't give the amps more pre voltage then they can handle.

if so you will blow the input's of the amp.

 

[johnmatt 10+ year member]

thats just what the preamp does... check it out... http://www.soundstream.com/processors-ALL.htm

its the mtube 8

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

run all your gains at the min.

If you need to increase one to blend it with the others you shouldn't have to increase it much at all.

Your amps will probably start to clip with your HU volume well below max, so keep your ears open and if something doesn't sound quite right turn it down.

 

[johnmatt 10+ year member]

is this a poor set up or will it be ok as long as i dont crank the gains on the preamp... i got the preamp for the tube sound... im thinking if i keep the gain down on that and roll the gain up on the amps ill be ok... but im just nervous about hooking up the preamp to amps that say they dont like 10 volts on their inputs... Also, I looked at the soundstream amp I purchased and it says it only likes up to eight!... you'd think that the preamp they make would be compatible with the amps right?

Thanks all for the input!

 

[Upzaw2000]

just don't give the amps more pre voltage then they can handle.if so you will blow the input's of the amp.

somebody proved that this is incorrect recently... the max input voltage just says that the amp will not go any higher than that but will not damage it.

 

[johnmatt 10+ year member]

Ahhh now that sounds good then... that means ill just be providing my amps with the max that they will accept... which is good right?

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

somebody proved that this is incorrect recently... the max input voltage just says that the amp will not go any higher than that but will not damage it.

It's the same effect as cranking the gain on an amp with a typical 2-4v HU (like a lot of newb's do). Most amp gains have a sensitivity range down to .25v or so.

If the high range of an amp is 4v for example, and you're giving it 8 you're just going to start clipping at about 1/2 volume. It's no big deal.

Inputs don't get damaged - speakers do.

 

[johnmatt 10+ year member]

Ok... so just to clarify everything... If I'm running 10V off the preamp into amps (the 2 amps for the front four say take 4V max) (and the amp for the sub takes 8V max) how would I configure the entire setup so that all will be well. What Im thinkin is fallow the standard setup, turn HU up to max, then preamp gain, then amp gain... but im not sure if the amps for the front four should have their gains set lower to prevent clipping in the front channels?

I guess Im just asking what would you do?

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

You'll rarely if ever get the full 10V out of the unit. Don't worry about it. Chances are that you'll never even see 4V. You have control over how much the preamp outputs as well since it has an input gain control of its own.