Setting Gains

[nauc 10+ year member]

Forgive me if I'm an idiot. What makes a tone or any music 0db or any other number? Also, why 50Hz?

0db is reference, its as loud as you can record something

you can attenuate tho, like -3dbs or -6dbs etc etc

50hz, probably because its in the middle of the subs frequency range for most setups

(20hz-80hz), i really dkt, its what JL recommends on their site tho

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

-10dB 40Hz.

 

[Trey803 5,000+ posts]

what about setting the gain for an amplifier powering components. What freq. would be optimal

 

[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

0db is reference, its as loud as you can record something
you can attenuate tho, like -3dbs or -6dbs etc etc

50hz, probably because its in the middle of the subs frequency range for most setups

(20hz-80hz), i really dkt, its what JL recommends on their site tho

It's 50hz because many multi-meters give bad readings when you stray far from 60hz unless you paid over $100 for it.

For a mids/highs amp, I would use my ears.. but hey, I would use my ears/eyes for the sub amp as well.

 

[germanyt 10+ year member]

I have a the TTB Radiation CD. It has numerous test tones. When you refer to attenuating at -3 or -6 dB, are you refering to the level that the bass is set at or does it have something to do with the tone itself? I'm curious because I am going to be running two amps that with a common chamber and they need to be exact.

 

[zeuolaxxx 10+ year member]

-10dB 40Hz.

where I can get that!?

 

[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

The dB is for the amplitude of the signal which directly relates to the signal strength and will in turn directly relate to the power. This is why you should always use 0dB as that will always be the max power possible. Music is dynamic, which means that you won't always be doing full power but some songs do have a continuous bass line that is right at or near 0dB.

 

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

Most of those in the USACi use -10dB tones.

Mark Eldridge, Dave Navone, Richard Clark, and Gary Biggs all suggest the same.

 

[Immacomputer 10+ year member]

And those guys know what they're doing and what they're listening to, random kids who have on idea what the hell is going will use -10dB tones and then come back later wondering why they blew their shit because they used the all mighty DMM to set their gains.

I would also bet most of those guys are not out slamming their stuff with music that has heavy bass lines recorded at or near 0dB. If they do, I would bet that they do not run full volume during those songs. Will Joe Random do the same? I really doubt it.