Setting gain on amp with multimeter

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Well if they're 4 ohm speakers then 14.1v would be correct. Try the higher freq.

I just noticed you have a factory headunit with loc. That's going to be a huge bottleneck no matter how well the marketing dept of Audiocontrol tries to tell you otherwise. Get an aftermarket headunit or you will forever have signal problems and constantly blow equipment and seek advice.
I looked into some more aftermarket head units for my car and they are really difficult to find and I don't want to spend $500+ on a new head unit that looks janky and has like 1 review. I really want to know your opinion is or anyones on a DSP have you ever used one, do you think that, that's a good alternative to changing out my head unit? I already have a LOC hooked up and everything so if I did get a DSP I would just run RCA's from the LOC to the DSP and then to my amps. I looked at some on Amazon they didn't have a huge selection, but really anything under $400. And it only needs to have 3 left and right outputs.
 
Update: I re tuned my door speaker amp at 1000hz and it helped a lot. There was still some weird differences at some frequencies but for the most part the front and the back channels werent that far off from eachother. That actually helped solve a few other problems, like before, the higher frequencies would just be ear peircing, but that's solved and I moved my 8" sub to a ported box and I have heard a lot that sealed boxes have better sound clarity and sound cleaner, and ported boxes have more rattle and sound deaper. This is just my opinion, but I have run that sub in a sealed box for months and moving it into a ported turned it into a whole new beast this little ass sub hits hard as **** and I'm actually scared to get the two 12's lol.
 
I looked into some more aftermarket head units for my car and they are really difficult to find and I don't want to spend $500+ on a new head unit that looks janky and has like 1 review. I really want to know your opinion is or anyones on a DSP have you ever used one, do you think that, that's a good alternative to changing out my head unit? I already have a LOC hooked up and everything so if I did get a DSP I would just run RCA's from the LOC to the DSP and then to my amps. I looked at some on Amazon they didn't have a huge selection, but really anything under $400. And it only needs to have 3 left and right outputs.

You can bypass using the headunit for audio and just run your audio input into the dsp then to the amps. Prob easiest way to go in your situation.
 
True RMS doesn't give me desirable results when used to measure the output of variable frequency drives. The current sensors my company uses are not true rms, so they obviously give different readings than a true rms meter. We use current sensors to help troubleshoot pump and fan motors, so I need the numbers to be accurate. For instance: if I see a lower current draw than the motor nameplate states, it could be a broken fan belt or pump coupling. As Fluke explained it to me, it's because variable frequency drives put out a nonlinear load, and the current actually has very high frequency rippling that only a true rms meter can measure, which causes a different measurement between a true rms meter and a non-true rms meter. I responded by asking how that is beneficial when the meter now gives me measurements that don't align with the specs on the motor nameplate, and they said the nameplate is intended for lower non-true rms meters. So for that application, I think true rms is actually a hindrance.

Ah I see, that's very interesting. I guess what it boils down to though is that the company which made the nameplate isn't using the right tools, no? I mean Fluke is basically saying our tool is more accurate than the tool they used to make the manual so you should use a lesser tool for that. True RMS should give more accurate results for variable frequency drives than without.

I never thought about it that way, with companies actually using non-rms tools and then conflicting with your more accurate one. I guess it makes sense to ditch rms in that regard. I'll say though if you want real values rather than "reference to company values" and you've got RMS vs non-RMS, RMS is always going to be the more 'technically correct' reading.
 
Ah I see, that's very interesting. I guess what it boils down to though is that the company which made the nameplate isn't using the right tools, no? I mean Fluke is basically saying our tool is more accurate than the tool they used to make the manual so you should use a lesser tool for that. True RMS should give more accurate results for variable frequency drives than without.

I never thought about it that way, with companies actually using non-rms tools and then conflicting with your more accurate one. I guess it makes sense to ditch rms in that regard. I'll say though if you want real values rather than "reference to company values" and you've got RMS vs non-RMS, RMS is always going to be the more 'technically correct' reading.

I completely agree. In my opinion, accurate measurements should be the universal goal! I was not happy to learn that I paid more for a meter that
Ah I see, that's very interesting. I guess what it boils down to though is that the company which made the nameplate isn't using the right tools, no? I mean Fluke is basically saying our tool is more accurate than the tool they used to make the manual so you should use a lesser tool for that. True RMS should give more accurate results for variable frequency drives than without.

I never thought about it that way, with companies actually using non-rms tools and then conflicting with your more accurate one. I guess it makes sense to ditch rms in that regard. I'll say though if you want real values rather than "reference to company values" and you've got RMS vs non-RMS, RMS is always going to be the more 'technically correct' reading.

Lasherz: I agree. In my opinion, accuracy should be a universal goal, but it makes sense to list ratings that are repeatable to the most field workers. You seem intelligent enough that I don't need to expand on that.

To kushy: In regards to your snippy little comment: "If youre that neurotic about a multimeter then you should be using an oscope." I don't know if your comment was meant at me, but, given your track record, I assume it was. Show me an oscilloscope that measures current and/or resistance. I realize you have a lot of posts, so you're probably right about everything. I'd also like to know why you are against friendly conversation that helps enthusiasts decide which test equipment is best for their needs. I can't wait for the thumbs down and lack of helpful response, because your post count is the same as actual experience and knowledge with electricity.
 
Lasherz: I agree. In my opinion, accuracy should be a universal goal, but it makes sense to list ratings that are repeatable to the most field workers. You seem intelligent enough that I don't need to expand on that.

Yeah, makes sense. For whatever reason I was thinking with the price range of the meters they use in heavy industry that they would just always have true RMS as a starting point, but I looked into it a little more and the features they need that up the price tag are all safety related and features like true RMS are considered less useful, eventually being more about "is it on? is it off?" from a safe distance like lineman work. So more vague information using long hot sticks and super high value resistors. If they pass high voltage through a fluke it'll be with special leads to increase the resistance and then do a multiplier factor, but at that point it's not about accuracy between rms and non-rms. That's just my uneducated bias because I'm most familiar with DC electronics and accuracy is everything in that field.
 
Yeah, makes sense. For whatever reason I was thinking with the price range of the meters they use in heavy industry that they would just always have true RMS as a starting point, but I looked into it a little more and the features they need that up the price tag are all safety related and features like true RMS are considered less useful, eventually being more about "is it on? is it off?" from a safe distance like lineman work. So more vague information using long hot sticks and super high value resistors. If they pass high voltage through a fluke it'll be with special leads to increase the resistance and then do a multiplier factor, but at that point it's not about accuracy between rms and non-rms. That's just my uneducated bias because I'm most familiar with DC electronics and accuracy is everything in that field.
For "is it on", everyone I know (myself included) uses "beepers" aka voltage detectors. They blink and make noise when the tip is next to a live wire. They can be found with different voltage triggers. Hopefully that adds to the confusion!

- Joe
 
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