setting gains on mids/highs

[rosshimself13 10+ year member]

i know for the sub stage the "correct" method is a 50 hz 0db tone and use a DMM to find output voltage which will tell you wattage output, but what about your mids and highs, if like in my case my amp could over power my mids, how should i set my gains?

obviously if it is a tone, it would be at reference level as well or 0db...

and if you dont know the answer please dont throw out something that you made up...

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[T3mpest 10+ year member]

The idea of using a dmm to set gains is silly, I've said it many times, especially on mids and highs. You should hear signs of stress and distortion before they blow. Gains are for level matching... I've made far too many long posts to go into this more lol. Anyway, you have no idea of knowing what kind of impedence rise you'll be seeing and free-air in a door excursion sometimes is the limiter. Usually 1k is used by most on here IIRC, but again it's a silly method anyway.

If I was you and you have your subs already set with a DMM just set the mids and highs by ear. Get the subs at your normal volume then turn the gains up on the front speakers amp from the lowest position until they blend they best you can get it. If you hear it begin to distort or it stops getting louder or sounds strained or harsh, then stop turning it up. Try a few non bassy songs as well just to make sure nothing sounds too off.

 

[rosshimself13 10+ year member]

thats actually how i figured it needed to be done, but to be honest i would have to do my front stage first, because my sub stage like many here will get far louder than my fronts.. but if i set the front stage first, to be safe i wont have to worry about the possibility of smoking my mids