I have the RF 501x running my setup. The front channel runs the CDT CL-61's and the rear runs my one 10" Eclipse sub (bridged).

I have my gains on both channels turned up about 7/8. I did that because I dont usually play my music too loud and I dont like to have to turn my HU up 3/4 of the way up to get it to a desired listening level. Is this wrong???

I would like some suggestions. I dont use the magna bass ex option on my HU and I keep the individual gains set pretty low. I have individual gains for the high, mid, and low. Also separate sub level volume on the Clarion HU. The highs/mids utilize the High pass filter (120hz) and the sub the low pass filter (80hz).
I am happy with the way it sounds, just wondering if I need to adjust the gains on the amp down to keep the amp from working too hard.

I also am considering adding a pair of the imaging tweets to my setup. They suggest putting them in the a pillars. My crossover has a place for them so I may add those soon. Anyone use these?? Like em??

Thanks in advance.

 

That is not the recommended way to set the sensitivity of your amplifier.

Here is a simplified method.
1. Turn the sesitivity controls on your amp to match the highest possible input voltage.
2. With bass, treble, or other equalization set to flat, turn up your head unit volume at least 3/4. If you don' hear any distortion, go turn the head unit volume up all the way.
3. Then adjust the amp's sensitivity controls to the loudness that you desire.

Pure tones work best to hear clipping. Try a 1kHz for the front and rears. Try a 50Hz for the sub.

This will maximize the signal to noise ratio and eliminate clipping at the amp output.

There should be a level matching procedure in the RF manual.

 

Do you have a CD in mind that would be good to test those tones at? Or just a good cd to help tune the system.
I'm not sure what tones are.

 

Here you go.

LINK

I would Recommend Test CD #102 first and My Disc second.

Here is what a 1000 Hz tone sounds like. (right click, save as).

1000Hz

 

nobody has any other suggestions??
whats up with that?

 

Here's two more references.

See item IX

Read about Level Matching

 

Well Alag8r has pretty much addressed your question. Gain setting is not rocket science nor is it dificult to accomplish.

If I had any comments to add it would only be to restate on of gators original posts on how to set gains.

I would just say turns your gains all the way down just to keep out the cofusion of them possibly turning the gains wide open. His sentence is still very correct and saying the same thing. However, people know more about turn it up or turn it down than they do about what the levels mean.

 

Ok, this is what I did. I bought one of those nice audiophile cd's made by Sheffield labs. You are right cgorris, those recordings are impeccable!! WOW.

So I tuned my highs/mids with the 1khz tone recorded at "0" db or all high bits. It was easy to hear clipping, esp. because the recorded sound had an example of what clipping sounded like. I turned the gain up until I heard clipping, then just turned it down a tad.

I used a 50hz tone recorded at "0" db or all high bits also. It was not as easy to hear clipping on the sub, but I think I got it right.
Man my ears where hurting after getting both right!!

My max vol. is 33 and I used vol 26 on my HU. I did not hear clipping when just using my HU and the gains on the amp all the way down until vol level 32. I dont think you should have to crank up your radio to almost max volume just to reach your desired listening level. Most people suggest 3/4 of max vol. I have a Clarion HU. I turned all adjustments to 0 (bass/mid/treble/sub volume) prior to the gaining.

Did I do it properly using the 0 db recording by sheffield lab?

I since have purchased the Sheffield lab Jazz experience cd. The samples I listened to sound sweet.

Thanks to any who advise.

 

Which CD has the test tones? I'd like to pick one up myself.

 

Sounds good bigrobrn. Only thing I would've done different is to set the sensitivity with the HU volume at 32 or 33. A Clarion HU shouldn't clip at max volume.

Using max volume maximizes the signal to noise ratio.

RayCee, see the link in my post above for the CDs. The Test CD #102 has tones.

Peace.

 

What leads you to believe this? I'd almost be willing to bet my life that it does clip at max volume. I would say 90% (and that’s being conservative) of all HUs will clip at max volume (really I would say there only maybe 2% that don't). Clipping is not always a bad thing, some people need it to get the volume they want, and if its not audible clipping then there should not be too much of a problem as far as listening goes. However, over time it may cause damage to the speaker (pending on whether or not its within its thermal limits)

How many think Alpine HUs don't clip because they are a “good” band (lol well some people think they are)? Well there was a problem with one of the models (if you need the number I am sure I can find it out) where the sub outs would not reach their rated voltage until full volume when the deck was turned up to full volume the other outputs clipped tremendously.

Eclipse claims that their HUs do clip at full volume or there was some notion of this going around; however, they did, but they only began to clip and did not fully clip at full volume (this is going by the clipping light with is present on the Zapco gear, how accurate this is ... I am not sure)

Also the he even said “My max vol. is 33 and I used vol 26 on my HU. I did not hear clipping when just using my HU and the gains on the amp all the way down until vol level 32.” So he could have gone up to 30/32 volume and had no problems probably; however I am not familiar with this HU and it generally recommended to set gains at about 3/4th volume since that is a good median for most HUs. There would be no harm in going up to 32 volume and setting your gains as long as you are not clipping. However the only real benefit would be being able to set your gains lower and probably not a whole lot lower, I would venture to say the difference may not be audible (pending where the gains are set now).

 

Well I re-gained my amp today. I started over from scratch and tested my HU to see where it actually clipped. It did clip at my max vol of 33 using the test tone of 1khz. It did not clip however at vol of 32. Intresting. It was plenty loud though. I re-gained at vol 30 and I believe this will be the last time. (This will maximize my signal to noise ratio???) I wore some minor ear protection also, because I was getting a headache.
After gaining both channels, I would guess both would be right at 50% (there are no numbers or notches). Funny how they both are the same even though my highs/mids are 2 ohm stereo and my sub is bridged 4 ohm mono. I figured the gain would be less on the subwoofer channel hince its bridged, but I guess it doesnt matter.

I really wish I had better crossover control of my system. I am using the low pass filter for the sub (80 hz.) and just the crossover that came with the CDT's. Not using the high pass filter anymore. I was missing too much music. I left the front crossover swith on AP or all pass.

Now I'm wanting the RF 801x (not because of increased power) but because both channels have individual crossovers and the "punch bass gain." I think that would give me more options as far as getting more out of the sub, but I really dont know. I could probably bypass the crossovers that came with the CDT set also. But that may be contraindicated.

I am happy with it and it sounds 10x better than what came with my truck stock. I now dont have all that hiss and snapping sound. I dont know why I thought I had to have my gains cranked up all most all the way. You live and learn. It now makes sense to do it the right way.

 

While individual gains are nice, they can be a paint to set correctly. I just leave them turned all the way down on my amp because I haven't had the time to really get in there and mess with it.

The gains don't really have a whole lot to do with the speaker impedence, but rather they are to match the voltage comming out of the HU. If you look at the rate output f the HU and the input sensitivity of the amp you can get an idea right there of about where the gains should be.

The lower you keep the gains the less noise you will have entering the system.

Easiest ways to set gains ... get a whole lot of 'extra' power so you don't even need to bother with the gains.

Now I am off to build a stand for a 120 gallon aquarium.

 

I hope this works!!



https://www.f150online.com/galleries....cfm?gnum=3714

 

bigrobrn,
Sounds like you've got it dialed in.


Hazard,
Your dig at Alpine doesn't deserve a response but to say that my CDA-9815 doesn't audibly clip at max volume. That's were I set my gains and it sounds fantastic.