Setting gains with dmm

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

I was measure the voltage of my 9.1 with a dmm, just to see how much wattage it was actually putting out. My dmm was reading about 50v on a 55 hz test tune. Now, at 1 ohm this would be 2500w using this chart. Something is not right here.

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j23/steveo200077/RMSchart.jpg

Click to read more...

 

[x1le 10+ year member]

Were you using AC volts?

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

yep

 

[01 S 10 10+ year member]

clipping?

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

clipping?

It's what I play daily. Just turned the ssf and lp filters off. Gain at 1/2 exactly. If it was clipping that bad, my sub would have been fried a long time ago. I don't think my amp even with clipping is going to put out 2500w.

 

[SWFL 10+ year member]

the dmm method is very flawed and dont trust it at all its bullshit, u have to factor in voltage drop, and imp rise with the box and all that and on music its way different, set gains by ear which are very close to about most power i can give the comps and not hear any distrortion which would mean not clipping if so very little and used a 1khz tone and it was at 40 volts my amp is rated for 175rmsx4@4ohms which should be only around 26.5 volts so do the math thats like 400 watts per side which is impossible the birthsheet on the amp is only around 1000 watts so yea the dmm method isnt reliable

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

the dmm method is very flawed and dont trust it at all its bullshit

Hmm. It's been used before, it can't be total bullshit.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

It's been used before, it can't be total bullshit.

Just because something's well-known doesn't mean it's accurate //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[SWFL 10+ year member]

re read what i typed i edited it

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Just because something's well-known doesn't mean it's accurate //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I realize that, I just wouldn't think it would be that off.

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Is there another method?

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Learn how to listen for distortion, or use an oscilloscope to visually see the onset of clipping.

 

[SWFL 10+ year member]

ear

 

[Buck 5,000+ posts]

Learn how to listen for distortion, or use an oscilloscope to visually see the onset of clipping.

I wasn't even trying to get more power out of my amp or anything, just I was bored and decide to give this a try. On a flat 55 hz tone, the voltage was about 57. So that's no where near correct, or at least to that chart.

There has to be a way to accurately measure wattage/voltage whatever coming out of an amp.

 

[TurdFergueson2 5,000+ posts]

the dmm method is very flawed and dont trust it at all its bullshit, u have to factor in voltage drop, and imp rise with the box and all that and on music its way different, set gains by ear which are very close to about most power i can give the comps and not hear any distrortion which would mean not clipping if so very little and used a 1khz tone and it was at 40 volts my amp is rated for 175rmsx4@4ohms which should be only around 26.5 volts so do the math thats like 400 watts per side which is impossible the birthsheet on the amp is only around 1000 watts so yea the dmm method isnt reliable

.............. You forgot those