Turn off all equalizers and boosts when setting gain?

[turtlestrap]

All the tutorials I've read on how to set the gain on an amplifier with a DMM say to turn off bass boosts and equalizers before you set the gain. Why do you do that? If you use the EQs and boosts, dont you want to have that factor into setting the gain? They never mention what to do after you set it either, are you not supposed to use the EQ or boosts? Because wouldn't turning the EQ up and bass boost up after setting the gain increase the output of the HU and mess everything up?

So, pretty much what I want to know is if I plan on using the bass boost or equalizers and subwoofer level adjustments on my HU, should I turn them off or set them to 0 when setting gain and then turn them on afterwards?

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[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

Don't use bass boost..

 

[LosIsATool 5,000+ posts]

EQs should be use to cut not boost.

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

you pretty much never use them, that may work with your factory speakers but when you have an amplified setup, bass boost and boosts to the 125hz and under range will distort the signal and that signal is amplified therefore clipping your subs and blowing them up eventually. Basic car audio knowledge is avoid bass boost, boosting bass EQ and using loudness feature, all should be avoided like the plague.

 

[turtlestrap]

Thanks for the info! So leave bass equalizer to 0, but is it okay to increase mid and trebl EQ with factory un-amp'd speakers? What about the subwoofer level on the HU?

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Thanks for the info! So leave bass equalizer to 0, but is it okay to increase mid and trebl EQ with factory un-amp'd speakers? What about the subwoofer level on the HU?

normally sub level is on max to get the full voltage pre-out on the H/U. With an amped setup, you turn the head unit volume up high and reduce mid and treble frequencies accordingly if your head unit has proper parametric EQ bands. It usually works better than boosting and a lot safer.

However, if you have factory speakers then go nuts, it'll give you a reason to upgrade your mids and highs later haha. Usually if you dont hear distortion, factory speakers can take a quite beating if its just off head unit power. Just dont do the same thing when you add an amp.

 

[turtlestrap]

Thanks so much for the info!! Every thread and tutorial ive read for setting gain with DMM doesn't specify the EQ/boost thing, just turn off before and doesn't say what to do after haha. What do I do with the included gain knob if it has one? Set it at max during the gain setting, and that way I can turn it down anytime I want without going to HU settings or adjusting the volume?

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

Thanks so much for the info!! Every thread and tutorial ive read for setting gain with DMM doesn't specify the EQ/boost thing, just turn off before and doesn't say what to do after haha. What do I do with the included gain knob if it has one? Set it at max during the gain setting, and that way I can turn it down anytime I want without going to HU settings or adjusting the volume?

yeah gains should be set with that remote knob turned up. If possible just leave it completely out of the equation to avoid any possibility of the knob inducing any type of distortion.