How To Tell If Amp Gain Is Too High

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A uncomplicated guide to adjusting the gain on your aftermarket stereo amplifier

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Singing in the car is probable the second most popular pastime while driving. Listening to music in the motorcar is certainly the showtime. With that in listen, you want the quality of your music to be as expert as information technology can be, correct?

1

Set the volume to zero on your car stereo. You lot desire to exist sure that you are starting with no sound distortions.
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Plow the gain on your amplifier all the manner downward. The amplifier is usually an aftermarket part that is installed body of a motorcar or the rear of a truck. In that location volition be a knob that labeled "gain." Turning downwards the proceeds means that the amplifier is not amplifying the indicate coming in from the stereo head (the part mounted to your nuance).

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three

Power up your stereo and either play a CD or a radio station. You will non be able to hear anything yet, since your volume is ready to zilch.
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Turn the stereo up to 2/3 the max volume. This is the best range to employ when setting proceeds because you avert overworking the stereo head. If you overwork the stereo head you could cease up sending distorted sounds to your amplifier. Digital displays get in easy to tell when you are at 2/3 volume, merely if you do not take one you lot tin can turn the book all the way upwardly (counting the number of turns) and and so plough it back 1/iii of the fashion. For example, if yous turn the volume knob three times to go to max volume, you would turn information technology back downward 1 full plough to get to 2/3 book.
5

Twist the proceeds punch on your amplifier. Turn it upwards (clockwise) until the sound (music, talking, test tone, etc.) is as loud as you might ever want to mind to information technology, so long as you lot practice not hear whatever sound distortion or overload your speakers. If you do hear a distortion, plow the gain dorsum down until the distortion is gone. Some amplifiers will have a knob that tin be turned past hand, but others may require the apply of a screwdriver to adjust the gain.
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Adjust your volume to a normal level. Now that your gain is prepare, yous can become back to the driver's seat and enjoy the music.

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1

Calculate your target output voltage. You will need to use a variation of Ohm'south Law, v=√(P∙R), to summate your target voltage. To see the math behind this y'all tin look at an electric engineering science formula wheel. If you do not desire to do the math, you can utilise an online converter to plug in the wattage of your amplifier and the resistance of your speakers to become your target output voltage.^[1]
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Recognize that the way you wire your speakers affects resistance. This can dramatically change the voltage reading you get and is worth knowing.
- Speakers wired in series are all continued in a concatenation and increase the resistance of your system. This decreases the amount of power received by each speaker. Each speaker added volition besides raise the resistance of the system.^[2] The formula for finding total resistance for speakers wired in series is Z1 + Z2 + Z3 …. = Ztotal. Where Z is the resistance of a given speaker.
- For example, if you take three speakers with resistance values of 4 Ohms, 6 Ohms, and 8 Ohms your full resistance wired in series would be 18 Ohms (4+6+viii=18).
- Speakers wired in parallel are all connected to the amp straight. This decreases the resistance of your system. This means more power volition go to each speaker because adding speakers to the circuit will lower the resistance of the system. Do not decrease resistance besides much or you lot will impairment your amp. The formula for finding total resistance of speakers wired in parallel is a little trickier. It is (Z1 x Z2 x Z3… ) / (Z1 + Z2 + Z3…) =Ztotal.
- So say you have two speakers with resistances of 6 Ohms and 8 Ohms. This fourth dimension it would look similar this: 1) Multiply the values. vi x viii = 48 Ohms ii) Add the values. 6 + 8 = fourteen Ohms 3) Divide the top by the lesser to discover your total resistance. 48/xiv = 3.43 Ohms (rounded)
3

Create a test tone. You volition need to create a tone that will let you to test your system. This can exist done using a programme such as audacity, or downloading the appropriate tone from the internet. You should utilize a sine wave that is l-sixty Hz to test a woofer or subwoofer amplifier and use a sine wave that is in the range of one,000 Hz to test a mid-range amplifier.^[iii]
4

Download the tone to an external media. Yous volition demand to play this tone through your car'due south stereo organisation, and then information technology will need to be put on a CD or MP3 thespian.
5

Unplug additional accessories. Any speakers, additional amplifiers, etc. should be unplugged from the back of the amplifier yous are testing. This should go out only the stereo head (the piece mounted in your dash) and the amplifier hooked upwards.
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Plow off all blaster settings on the amplifier. Your amplifier has the ability to filter out certain bandwidths of sound. To set up the gain you desire the maximum range of bandwidth, so you should turn the equalizer settings off or set them to naught. This prevents the filtering of any sound waves.
seven

Plow the gain to zero. This unremarkably means turning the dial counter-clockwise as far as information technology will go.^[iv]
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Fix your multi-meter to read A/C volts. If your multi-meter has multiple settings for A/C volts, brand sure you choose the range in which your target voltage resides.
9

Play the examination tone through your stereo. Put in the CD or connect the MP3 player that holds your test tone. Turn the stereo on. Remember that the book and proceeds are set to zip, so you volition not hear your test tone withal.
10

Turn your stereo up to two/3 of its maximum book. This volition prevent the stereo caput from sending distorted sounds to the amplifier, and allow you to arrange your amplifier to a crisp clean sound.
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Put the leads of the multi-meter in the output ports of your amplifier. This volition let y'all to measure the voltage coming out of the amplifier.
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Plow up the proceeds to reach your target voltage. Turn the gain dial clockwise until your multi-meter reads your target voltage. One time you achieve the target voltage, the gain is set on your amplifier.
13

Plow off the stereo. Yous no longer need the test tone. You can save it for another time.
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Plug any accessories back in. Annihilation that you removed prior to setting your gain (speakers, amplifiers, etc.) should be plugged back in.
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Enjoy music. This is why you purchased your amplifier in the first place right? Now yous can enjoy it!

Add New Question

Question

How do I correctly set the crossover frequency on an amp that is hooked to subwoofers?

On your amp, ready the LPF (depression pass filter) to around 80 Hz, and if your amp has a subsonic knob, set it to thirty Hz. On your stereo, if at that place is a crossover menu, you lot tin set information technology to play total range if you lot have your amp crossovers fix.