why did amp makers get cheep ?

[Lord Baccus 1]

i have noticed that the new amps have no way of letting you know where you are setting the Freq at...

i.e older PPi amps have notched pod switches, so you could count the clicks to let you know what freq: you were setting to !!!

if i set the SSF to 24 clicks ( counter clockwise ) i knew it would play no lower than 23Hz and if i set the LP filter to 18 clicks ( counter clockwise ) i would play no higher than 122Hz

now they use cheep generic pod switchs, and nothing printed to give the user a clue as to were you are on the freq: graph...

WTF happened ? are they saving that much money using the cheeper pod switch ?

[ANeonRider 3]

Using an amps crossover is cheaping out anyways.

And they are called potentiometers, or "pots" for short.

[JimJ 11]

Honestly, I'd rather have the amp maker put more into the "guts" of the amp and dispense with the frills.

Just set it by ear...

[ANeonRider 3]

Honestly, I'd rather have the amp maker put more into the "guts" of the amp and dispense with the frills.

Just set it by ear...

I wish there were more amps with nothing more than gain control.

Anyways, to elaborate.... 3dB is the point where we can hear a difference in volume, which also happens to be the point at which a crossover is said to be crossing a signal.

Example: Say you are LP @ 80Hz. The filter's 3dB down point is actually what you are referring to.

So, make a tone at the required frequency, and adjust the amplifier's crossover until you hear the signal volume change.

And even if the crossover points are marked, rarely are they accurate anyways...

[Lord Baccus 1]

i have a 73% hearing loss in my left ear and cant tell when it changes... so setting it by ear is out i need some form of control.

[Supa_c 1]

Amp manufacturers probably realize most people use a h/u's internal crossover rather than using the amps built in crap.

Back in the day you couldnt get 16 band of eq and 4 different slopes at numerous frequencies. Hence the need for amps to have more substantial crossovers.

[Lord Baccus 1]

agreed but what to do if the sub pre out on the HU quits working like it did on my Kdc-x979

i just dont trust the Hu...

guess im going to have to get an external Eq...

[///M5 2,833]

i have noticed that the new amps have no way of letting you know where you are setting the Freq at...

i.e older PPi amps have notched pod switches, so you could count the clicks to let you know what freq: you were setting to !!!

if i set the SSF to 24 clicks ( counter clockwise ) i knew it would play no lower than 23Hz and if i set the LP filter to 18 clicks ( counter clockwise ) i would play no higher than 122Hz

now they use cheep generic pod switchs, and nothing printed to give the user a clue as to were you are on the freq: graph...

WTF happened ? are they saving that much money using the cheeper pod switch ?

The old switches were way off and not accurate enough to use and were a useless tool requiring a test tone cd to setup. *side note 122hz would make me sick, hell playing up to 60hz bothers me

You say you have hearing loss in one of your ears, but you can still set it by ear. The advice was to use a test tone at the frequency that you want and to keep turning it down until you hear a change. If you can hear it in the first place you can hear it change.

I agree with the rest. Amps should be gain blocks and gain blocks alone all of the other stuff they put on them add cost for no reason as they aren't necessary, especially when adding a little circuit to the chip in a headunit adds no cost at all. In your case I wouldn't buy an external eq but a headunit that worked. I find it funny that you are mad at amps crossover capabilities in the thread, but the only reason you need them is your headunit is broken.

[Lord Baccus 1]

not mad just frustrated...

i have a 2007 Massive P3000.1 amp and cant seem to set the Freq response as there is nothing printed on the amp, to give an idea of where i am starting from so i have no idea where i am on the freq graph.

and in the owners manual there is no help as well.

i need some form of control ?

i really find the HUs ability to control freq a lil lacking... usually genaric preset crossover points...

do you know of a good HU ?

i looked into Eclipse but they have no pause botton ???

Alpine is only featuring blue tooth & Ipod

Kenwood Hu's look wack as hell now ! wtf ???

Edited August 29, 2007 by Lord Baccus

[///M5 2,833]

Frequency response and crossover points aren't the same...

Not sure why this is tough, it should be very simple. Make yourself a cd with tones on it. Pick the frequency that you want for your crossover and play that tone. Turn your crossover freq adjustment until you hear it get softer and you are set. If you don't like the integration with the rest of your system at that point use a different frequency either higher or lower depending on what you want to do.

Lots of good headunits, but I have never used the pause function on any of them so I can't help there.

[Lord Baccus 1]

Frequency response and crossover points aren't the same...

Not sure why this is tough, it should be very simple. Make yourself a cd with tones on it. Pick the frequency that you want for your crossover and play that tone. Turn your crossover freq adjustment until you hear it get softer and you are set. If you don't like the integration with the rest of your system at that point use a different frequency either higher or lower depending on what you want to do.

Lots of good headunits, but I have never used the pause function on any of them so I can't help there.

when in an SPL lane i need to pause the cd so i dont sweep too low and waffell the sub from being to far below the ported freq....

or let a note play for too long and over burp the batterys...

ill get my Hu fixxed asap but think im going to get a Parametric eq with a built in line leveler that does 8/10v through the pre out

[DevilDriver 28]

Ok, perhaps an alternative approach to this.

Burn a CD with a fully clipped signal that has a fundamental frequency of whatever frequency you wish to low pass at. Connect an oscilloscope. Turn down the low pass filter until you see a perfectly round wave. Works like a charm.

[almond 0]

i use a dmm, play the tone and turn up the ssf until the dmm starts to lower in volts a voila ssf is set to what ever tone you are playing.

[Lord Baccus 1]

i use a dmm, play the tone and turn up the ssf until the dmm starts to lower in volts a voila ssf is set to what ever tone you are playing.

i have a Dmm, i will do this this weekend as soon as i get it all installed

Edited August 29, 2007 by Lord Baccus

[ANeonRider 3]

im going to get a Parametric eq with a built in line leveler that does 8/10v through the pre out

Why? No benefit is going to be had. What is a line leveler?

[JimJ 11]

Maybe he means a LOC?

*shrugs*

[Lord Baccus 1]

okokok i was @ the audio shop and there was an AudioControl 4 band & 5 band eq with the ability to act as a line driver and up the pre out voltage.... !?!

maybe im calling it the wrong thing ?

i was also looking @ the SoundStream DigiQ http://www.soundstream.com/processors-ALL.htm

[almond 0]

i thin maybe you're thinking of balanced outputs.

[ANeonRider 3]

No, I mean having 2V outputs & 10V outputs isn't going to make a lick of difference.

[almond 0]

No, I mean having 2V outputs & 10V outputs isn't going to make a lick of difference.

only if he's looking for sq, even then if you don't have the components to back it up, it's basically useless. actually when i had me cd8445 i had problems with not being able to turn the gain down far enough.

[Lord Baccus 1]

No, I mean having 2V outputs & 10V outputs isn't going to make a lick of difference.

it comes with the signal processor

[Acidburn 10]

not mad just frustrated...

i have a 2007 Massive P3000.1 amp and cant seem to set the Freq response as there is nothing printed on the amp, to give an idea of where i am starting from so i have no idea where i am on the freq graph.

and in the owners manual there is no help as well.

i need some form of control ?

i really find the HUs ability to control freq a lil lacking... usually genaric preset crossover points...

do you know of a good HU ?

i looked into Eclipse but they have no pause botton ???

Alpine is only featuring blue tooth & Ipod

Kenwood Hu's look wack as hell now ! wtf ???

my Eclipse has a Pause....

[///M5 2,833]

No, I mean having 2V outputs & 10V outputs isn't going to make a lick of difference.

only if he's looking for sq, even then if you don't have the components to back it up, it's basically useless. actually when i had me cd8445 i had problems with not being able to turn the gain down far enough.

If you already have no noise 2v or 10v will make absolutely no difference other than the gain position on your amp.

[emperorjj1 2]

get a fosgate 360.2 they you can set your crossover to whatever you deside

[Lord Baccus 1]

No, I mean having 2V outputs & 10V outputs isn't going to make a lick of difference.

only if he's looking for sq, even then if you don't have the components to back it up, it's basically useless. actually when i had me cd8445 i had problems with not being able to turn the gain down far enough.

If you already have no noise 2v or 10v will make absolutely no difference other than the gain position on your amp.

thats what i was thinking ! i dont like having to turn the gain knob over 1/2

as for freq control im going to get something with a lil more meat on the bone .

anyone know of a good signal processor?

as of now i have a Kove Audio Aphex Ax1 great for keeping the signwave liner but does not cut or boost freq: has lil or no control over freq:

Edited August 30, 2007 by Lord Baccus