Setting gain by ear

[7ender 10+ year member]

So i'm finally trying to set the gain on my type R more accurately. I've just had it set really low for the past few months.

Cadence has told me I cannot use a dmm on my amp without a dummy load, so I need to do it strictly by ear.

I'm using a 50hz tone at 0db's.

What exactly am I supposed to listen for? Iv'e gotten the gain to the max, and do not hear any change in sound. I also set the gains for my front stage, and it is noticeable when they begin to clip as the tone completely changes. Should the tone change for the sub too? How do I recognize when the sub is clipping for the sub?

Thanks!

Click to read more...

 

[Cameron_B 10+ year member]

The best way I can explain it is if you took a sheet of computer paper, and held it across the sub the sound it would make slapping the paper.

 

[SSS 18734 5,000+ posts]

Are you near the subwoofer when you're setting the gain? You'll notice that the tone becomes less "clean." When it does, turn the gain back down until you hear no more distortion, and then down another notch to be safe.

 

[7ender 10+ year member]

Oh wow. That helped alot...I wasn't expecting it to sound like that. Which is odd, because I dont' think iv'e heard it make that sound.

Seems like I cant' get my sub to clip...wonder if iv'e got something else set up wrong.

 

[99grandprixGT 5,000+ posts]

what sub amp the cadence 1000?

 

[7ender 10+ year member]

nah it's a txa6004. I forgot the reason why, but I need a dummyload on it to use a dmm according to the cadence rep.

 

[cashflow101 10+ year member]

Are you near the subwoofer when you're setting the gain? You'll notice that the tone becomes less "clean." When it does, turn the gain back down until you hear no more distortion, and then down another notch to be safe.

Oh wow thats new too me, going to try this tomorrow.

 

[Etac 10+ year member]

i did some testing once with headphones and a 1khz test tone. I ran it unclipped and listened to it, and while listening to it, i upped it by one db, to clip the signal, and there is a noticeable difference in sound once it clips (even by 1db) so try using a 1khz test tone.. when doing it, but reguardless of what they said, i still think you should just use a dmm

 

[SQL4Life 10+ year member]

hmm they told me otherwise, this is what they sent me:

The TXA1000D is a class D amp and can therefore not be set up with a DMMas the amp will see the DMM as a dead short across the speakerterminals. You can use a DMM for the TXA6004 but we recommend a "Dummy load" acrossthe speaker terminals when doing that. You need to find a for example a50 watt 4 ohm non inductive capacitor.

I have to set my gains almost all the way to get some good output out of the woofer, half way and the woofer is almost inaudible. I have a txa-6004 with a rsd 12 inch. dunno if that is normal :S

 

[bterz 10+ year member]

SQL4life, the gains on my TXA-6004 are very wierd as well. This is my first amp but it doesn't seem normal.

do you get lots of motor noise with your type-r?

 

[Rashaddd 5,000+ posts]

Another good way is to watch the subs excursion, if you keep turning the knob and it stops excurding more, thats a sure sign you're beyond the amp's limits

 

[king ranch 5,000+ posts]

why cant u set the gains with a dmm isnt that the safe way to set gains unhook the subs to the amp and play a 50hz tone and get desired output

 

[endofdays89 5,000+ posts]

hmm they told me otherwise, this is what they sent me:
The TXA1000D is a class D amp and can therefore not be set up with a DMMas the amp will see the DMM as a dead short across the speakerterminals. You can use a DMM for the TXA6004 but we recommend a "Dummy load" acrossthe speaker terminals when doing that. You need to find a for example a50 watt 4 ohm non inductive capacitor.

I have to set my gains almost all the way to get some good output out of the woofer, half way and the woofer is almost inaudible. I have a txa-6004 with a rsd 12 inch. dunno if that is normal :S

the same thing with me, i have to turn my gain up to 3/4 just to start bumpin. I really don't even know if i'm getting half the potential from my type r because of this

 

[king ranch 5,000+ posts]

get something that puts out higher voltage on the preouts

 

[endofdays89 5,000+ posts]

get something that puts out higher voltage on the preouts

how will i know if my sub is distorting though, i've never even tried to find out .