set the amp gain UNLOADED with a DMM, that's digital multimeter. When a load is presented afterward, the resistance of that load will determine how much amperage will be put out at that target voltage, which then will result in wattage.Any advice? I'm confused as to what I should do? I don't have an oscope available to me. I know they should be able to hit harder, I'm just trying to figure out what I should do. I've thought about using a -3db tuning tone. And also tuning with the subs plugged in. When I originally tuned with my 50hz tone, I had my hu hpf set but sound to still went out to the door speakers... One I don't think that's normal and two could it have affected the tuning?
Bass in music rarely sees 0db, so most people use -3 or -6db to set gains. I use 0db because I like the reference point it gives me due to the fact that all my music is bass boosted through Audacity.
Food for thought, if you set gains with 0db tone, and the song you play doesn't exceed -6db, you're only getting quarter power. So 1000watts is actually 250watts. Therefore, you have to turn up the volume on the HU some more to get closer to 1000watts.
If you set gains with a -3db tone for 1000watts, now that -6db tone in that song is giving you 500watts.