Setting gains with Bass boost?

[lnsomnia]

Ok guys... This may be a ridiculously stupid question, but it didn't make sense to me.

On the amp I have now, my gain knob for whatever reason seems to be stuck halfway. I can turn it down, but not any further then halfway. I just found this out because I got a brand new headunit so I was setting my gains again.

Anyways, I was setting them with a dmm. My magic number was 44.1 volts, but I could only get it to about 20 volts or so with just the gain knob alone. I ended up using the bass boost knob to get up to 43 volts.

Is this a no no? I honestly don't see how this could be bad. I know the bass boost knob is frowned upon, and I myself never use it but it seems like it's a bit different in my case.

Thanks guys!

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[Side Show 10+ year member]

what amp? and what was your rca preout voltage on your last deck

 

[lnsomnia]

what amp? and what was your rca preout voltage on your last deck

It's a Cdx-10a by Cliff Designs. And I honestly have no idea what my RCA preout voltage on my last deck was. It was just some crappy old jvc deck that came with my car when I bought it.

 

[Side Show 10+ year member]

Íd say that crappy old jvc deck prob had a higher preout voltage, are you sure your adjusting the gain correctly? have you set your lpf ect

 

[Chromatic]

I was setting them with a dmm. My magic number was 44.1 volts, but I could only get it to about 20 volts or so with just the gain knob alone. I ended up using the bass boost knob to get up to 43 volts.
Is this a no no? I honestly don't see how this could be bad. I know the bass boost knob is frowned upon, and I myself never use it but it seems like it's a bit different in my case.

Thanks guys!

A bass knob is FINE (in my opinion) -- Use it!

If you DO use a bass knob.. You want to have it set to absolute maximum when you are dialing in your gains. So this works out for your issue with your gain knobs on the amp not going past 50 percent. So,.. if you didn't.. Max the Bass knob.. then go to your gains and move them up till they hit your voltage you need. This is what I was told by many people I highly respect on here if you are going to use a Bass knob.

A bass knob is not going to HURT your amp or speakers.. with the right voltage and proper dialing you'll be fine with or without the usage of bass knob. Further setting the bass knob on maximum before dialing in gains helps to protect you from damaging things. When you set the bass knob on say , half way,.. then dial in gains all the way -- The 50percent to 100 percent on that bass knob is going to push the voltage higher than what you wanted it to be for the sub channel..(Not a good situation).. make sense?

Your fine. It is odd your amp gains won't move past 50 percent, BUT if you can dial in at 50 percent or below to proper voltage.. then I guess it doesn't matter.

 

[lnsomnia]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm 99% sure I was setting my gains correctly with the dmm. I didn't feel safe doing it by ear and I don't have an o-scope or a dd1 which is why I chose to use a dmm.

I do have my lpf set on my amp correctly as well as the ssf.