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Gain Overlap

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ThxOne

ThxOne
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So I researched this for a bit and searched as well. What I came up with is as follows. Please let me know if my brain got this right. Please correct where a correction may be needed.

1. Head unit volume should be set with a 0db track with the volume as high as it will go until it just clips, then back it off one click so that it stops clipping.

2. Mids and Highs amplifier should be set to 0 to 5db (5db being more prudent for headroom) until the signal clips, then backed off until it stops clipping.

3. Subwoofer amplifier should be set to 10db until clipping then backed off until it stops clipping.

The head unit is set to -0db because that is as high as a competent recording engineer could potentially record the music. Most music WILL NOT hit -0db so to get more volume from the system we set the mids and highs to approximately 5db without clipping so that the music can get closer to the -0db mark the head unit is set at. With the subs, same idea but with 5-10db as sub amps can usually handle more gain and clipping. So setting the gains above -0db doesn't mean its distorting it is moving those frequency bands that are below -0db, closer to -0db right? Say I am listening to music and I am looking at an RTA, my head unit is set to -0db but all the music displayed on the RTA is peaking at -6db. By adding 5db to the mids and highs, the RTA will now show my music playing at -1db which should be a lot louder but still clean right? Have I got it in my brain right? Is this the goal???

Click to read more...
 
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Sounds like you have it right. Without actual scientific evidence of my outputs level I wouldn't go more than +3db on the mids/highs and +5db on substage. I would never set and leave the substage either way, I listen to too many types of music that need level adjustments on the fly

 
you do not set gains with test tones, you are just leaving way too much on the table. Just recognize whenever your speaker and amp gets stressed aka starts sounding like sh*t, thats basically when distortion gets in, back off the volume before then.  throw away the multi meter method especially for music and SQ because the amp also reacts differently when you put a load on it as well. Best to do temperature checks every minute along with actually getting to know your system.  I'd say you are still pigeonholing yourself waaaay too much by setting gains with a test tone for mids and highs, you never want to set gains with test tones with mids and highs ever.

 
I use an o-scope and a sign wave to check for hu distortion then use a sign wave to set gains only to get me close then set gains by ear. Always end up going up a little in my experience from the sign wave method 

 
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ThxOne said:
Wouldn't a DD1 be more accurate at finding distortion though?
Click to expand...
doesn't matter, you arent listening to test tones. how is test tones vs music accurate? The db in recording levels are completely different and always changing. Either you get fked for output with a 0 db test tone or you go past clipping with -10 db or -5db test tone. Its better to really know your setup's limits and adjust on the go depending on song recording levels. Its not a set it once and leave it sort of deal. 

The distortion is if you use a 0 db test tone but if you use music or a -5 db test tone, your head unit wont even clip at max volume and speaker level. The db levels in the tones and music you use directly affect your pre-out signal and amplifier power. If you go overboard, it'll clip and distort, if its under, you wont clip and distort. So whatever distortion you think your head unit is at is not actually true, you have way more to go.

 
So if music is recorded like I have it in picture one for example then I need to set my gain so that it looks more like picture 2?

Sound-1.jpg

Sound-2.jpg

 
Jeffdachef said:
Use audacity spectrum analyzer, its more accurate.
Click to expand...
I have Adobe Audition and I looked over the Audacity program (The Spectrum Analyzer)... they can do the same thing. I am not really sure what you are saying to do. If I only listened to a single piece of music I could see setting gains to that music. However, I listen to a bunch of different music, a bunch of different genres, all seemingly recorded at different levels. No way I am going to try and adjust my gains all day long for each different type of music I am listening to. That's nuts. Could you be a little more detailed as to what you are suggesting?

 
ThxOne said:
I have Adobe Audition and I looked over the Audacity program (The Spectrum Analyzer)... they can do the same thing. I am not really sure what you are saying to do. If I only listened to a single piece of music I could see setting gains to that music. However, I listen to a bunch of different music, a bunch of different genres, all seemingly recorded at different levels. No way I am going to try and adjust my gains all day long for each different type of music I am listening to. That's nuts. Could you be a little more detailed as to what you are suggesting?
Click to expand...
you set the gains a bit higher than needed and control output with volume knob, speaker level and subwoofer levels afterwards. Recognize whats healthy and whats not for your system and adjust it on the go with your master volume and sub level controls. You dont touch the gain ever again. Your head unit is basically a gain control anything that affects the pre-out voltage affects the amplifier power output. This is called active gain setting adjusting things on the fly.  If you listen to hip hop, you lower your sub level down to for example -5.  You listen to classic rock or metal with literally zero bass, you put the sub level at +6 just for example, its that simple. Eventually you'll remember the certain volume / sub level settings for each genre so its a lot easier when you anticipate it.

 
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Jeffdachef said:
you set the gains a bit higher than needed and control output with volume knob, speaker level and subwoofer levels afterwards. Recognize whats healthy and whats not for your system and adjust it on the go with your master volume and sub level controls. You dont touch the gain ever again. Your head unit is basically a gain control anything that affects the pre-out voltage affects the amplifier power output. This is called active gain setting adjusting things on the fly.  If you listen to hip hop, you lower your sub level down to for example -5.  You listen to classic rock or metal with literally zero bass, you put the sub level at +6 just for example, its that simple. Eventually you'll remember the certain volume / sub level settings for each genre so its a lot easier when you anticipate it.
Click to expand...
That is pretty much what I already do... but I had to set the amplifier gains initially and I set my amplifier gains with a 40hz test tone for the sub amp and a 1khz test tone for the mids and highs amp and my head unit on 33 of 35. My sub amp gain was set with the remote knob 3/4 of the way up. 75%+ of the time I listen to the music with the volume between 25 and 30 and the bass knob at about 2 o'clock with 12 o'clock being half way up. Songs with the loudest recorded bass I turn the bass knob down to 9 o'clock. Rarely do I have to max out the bass knob. Once in a blue moon do I turn the volume to a max of 35. 32 of 35 seems to be the loudest I need it. The head unit is literally volume, seat position and EQ. Sub bass is the knob.

 
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ThxOne

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