Setting Gain with Multimeter Problems

[Hybrid13 10+ year member]

I have a Pioneer GM-D8601 amp which is rated at 500w x1 at 2ohms. I have a Kicker 40CWRT101 10 inch sub with dual 1 ohm voice coils with 600 watt max RMS. I have the speaker wired in series for a 2 ohm load (double checked with multimeter). So I do the math figure that I should set the gain to 31.62 volts (500x2=1000 √1000=31.64 volts). When I turn my gain up it will only go to around 11 volts max. Am I doing something wrong or missing something?

Here are the links to the amp and sub.

Pioneer GM-D8601 Mono subwoofer amplifier — 800 watts RMS at 1 ohm at Crutchfield.com

Kicker 40CWRT101 CompRT shallow-mount 10" subwoofer with dual 1-ohm voice coils at Crutchfield.com

Thanks for your help.

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[I'mPoor:(]

it was late

 

[Hybrid13 10+ year member]

That's with any car though. Correct?

 

[I'mPoor:(]

...

 

[Hybrid13 10+ year member]

So how are you supposed to set the gain correctly?

 

[I'mPoor:(]

So how are you supposed to set the gain correctly?

Is your multimeter set on DC or AC. I know it sounds stupid but which.

 

[Hybrid13 10+ year member]

It's AC

 

[I'mPoor:(]

Where are you checking your voltage at.

 

[I'mPoor:(]

Are you playing a 50hz test tone while tuning?

 

[Hybrid13 10+ year member]

Checking voltage at the positive and negative post of the speaker out puts on the amp. I tried all kinds of frequencies.

 

[I'mPoor:(]

unplug your speaker and turn your HU all the way up and play a frequency then check it. Make sure all your filters are down and your LPF is all the way up slowly turn gain up with the tone playing.Make sure your subwoofer level is all the way up on the HU.

 

[Hybrid13 10+ year member]

"Unplug your speaker and turn your HU all the way up and play a frequency then check it."

That's what I've been doing.

"Make sure all your filters are down and your LPF is all the way up slowly turn gain up with the tone playing."

So what do you mean here? I have a switch for LPF, Full, HPF. I have that on LPF. I also have a knob for frequency which I have set at 60hz.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

bass boost off on both amps and head unit. Subwoofer level up to the max, EQ flat. Head unit volume at 75-90% (if you mids and highs are distorting, lower the gain on your 4 channel amp or lower the EQ on every other frequency except bass frequencies on head unit EQ.

turn lpf to the highest it can go, subsonic filter to lowest it can go,

Play a -6 db 50hz test tone. Turn your gain dial up slowly till you reach desired voltage. If your voltage is still low, then most likely your head unit is not putting true preamp voltage, it'll be too low.

 

[Hybrid13 10+ year member]

Ok, I don't know what some of this stuff you are talking about is. So I should have the switch to LPF and the frequency knob to 240hz (which is the highest it will go)? Those are the only settings I have besides head unit which is up like you said. Now there is one other thing that you made me think of when you said preamp. I am using speaker level input (Don't ask, it has to be that way, lets not get on the subject of why). But everything I've read said that shouldn't make a difference in voltage output.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

what head unit are you working with here? Did you adjust all the head unit settings exactly like I described?

The lpf is up to 240hz is fine when you set the gain when your done put it back down to 80hz.