Can't find a credible answer to this...

[Dpaw37 0]

Simple question really. I know setting your gain with HU at around 75% is going to give you the best voltage output without distortion from your HU to your amp. That being said, with my current Grand Cherokee Limited infinity stock speakers 75% sounds like ass. (stock speakers get too loud) Btw, I'm setting the gain for my sub amp a RD 1750.1 at .5 ohms to a Treo SSX 12 with a Shuriken BT100 in the back. All 0 gauge and big 3 is done.

HU is Alpine CDA-9886 with Subwoofer level and Bass/Treble. Also has a HPF which I'm not too sure actually does anything. I thought it would keep bass from going to my stock speakers? That's besides the point.

Basically, my question is if I set my gain with my HU at 20-21 (with sub level adjusted and small amount of bass boost on amp), opposed to being at around 26-27 which would be 75%, is my amp going to be less effective or in other words ultimately give less power to the sub because of a lack of voltage?

Thanks for any input. I'm always learning. Sad even with my limited amount of knowledge I'm considered the expert by anyone I know, friends etc. lol

Edited May 3, 2010 by Dpaw37

[inkfx 3]

You just need to adjust your gains to that volume. Don't use the bass boost.

[Notorious97200 339]

it's your amp gain settings, no the h u.

You adjust the "volume" / power of your amp according to the"volume" / output power of your h u.

So, you will have no problem !!!

just my 2 cents, as I'm really not an expert !!!

[emh9009 199]

if you lower your volume knob that lowers what the amp sees, yet if you turn up the gain on the amp the power is going to greater, so it may even out. you just have to do it and see what happens. i dont suggest running at .5 ohms, but thats just me. i haven't heard good thing when RD stuff breaks.

[Dpaw37 0]

You just need to adjust your gains to that volume. Don't use the bass boost.

So, based on what your saying I'd have to settle for that much less output from my sub just because of my stock speakers? Would the subwoofer level on the HU being turned up not increase voltage to the sub preout to the amp? Or is the master volume the soul controller of that?

[Dpaw37 0]

if you lower your volume knob that lowers what the amp sees, yet if you turn up the gain on the amp the power is going to greater, so it may even out. you just have to do it and see what happens. i dont suggest running at .5 ohms, but thats just me. i haven't heard good thing when RD stuff breaks.

My personal experience with RD has been great. Amp hasn't even got warm after playing for 20 minutes straight but I've only had it running for a few days.

Had a 1000.1D on my Fi Q I ran for a year that my brother has now. Still running like a champ and sounds damn good.

Edited May 3, 2010 by Dpaw37

[CrownVic 15]

Just set the gain according to the max volume you listen to. The gain can be set a little bit higher at 20-21 then at 27-28 without clipping if my thinking is right, but im not positive.

[Dpaw37 0]

Just set the gain according to the max volume you listen to. The gain can be set a little bit higher at 20-21 then at 27-28 without clipping if my thinking is right, but im not positive.

Which is my main concern. Obviously don't want to get into clipping.

[wonkyjon 0]

set the gains with the headunit volume where ever you want chap. make a note of max volume and dont go over it.

of course, if you set it with tones you are safe to go above that max volume a little, but that's the same if you set the gains at volume 21 or 27

you'll only get into clipping if you turn it up too much

[jcarter1885 995]

Dont use bass boost and dont use a DMM to set your gain since you cant detect clipping. If your worried about your electrical being enough to run at .5 ohms it is only one way to tell, install all the equipment and watch your voltage. I would take extra measures to make sure my voltage is up to par to run an amp at .5 ohms.

If your stock speakers get to loud or sound like ass then either replace them or change your settings on your headunit that control those speakers and what they do. Play around with your settings till you get what you want or give us some more information and we can try to help you, how do you have your headunit set up as of now?

[Dpaw37 0]

Dont use bass boost and dont use a DMM to set your gain since you cant detect clipping. If your worried about your electrical being enough to run at .5 ohms it is only one way to tell, install all the equipment and watch your voltage. I would take extra measures to make sure my voltage is up to par to run an amp at .5 ohms.

If your stock speakers get to loud or sound like ass then either replace them or change your settings on your headunit that control those speakers and what they do. Play around with your settings till you get what you want or give us some more information and we can try to help you, how do you have your headunit set up as of now?

Grand cherokee came with a 136 amp alt and I had a wal mart battery up front with 850 cca and 80 AH already in it. Like I said got a BT100 in the back and after talking with an RD sales rep who I have bought several things from said the 1750.1 would do .5 easy. I agree about testing voltage though just to be sure. What is the best way to do it? My buddy has a regular volt meter I could use.

Edit: I see you were questioning whether or not my electrical could handle .5 ohm not the amp. What is the difference of running 2500 watts at .5 ohm or 1 or 2 ohms?

Edited May 3, 2010 by Dpaw37

[KU40 173]

Dont use bass boost and dont use a DMM to set your gain since you cant detect clipping. If your worried about your electrical being enough to run at .5 ohms it is only one way to tell, install all the equipment and watch your voltage. I would take extra measures to make sure my voltage is up to par to run an amp at .5 ohms.

If your stock speakers get to loud or sound like ass then either replace them or change your settings on your headunit that control those speakers and what they do. Play around with your settings till you get what you want or give us some more information and we can try to help you, how do you have your headunit set up as of now?

Grand cherokee came with a 136 amp alt and I had a wal mart battery up front with 850 cca and 80 AH already in it. Like I said got a BT100 in the back and after talking with an RD sales rep who I have bought several things from said the 1750.1 would do .5 easy. I agree about testing voltage though just to be sure. What is the best way to do it? My buddy has a regular volt meter I could use.

Edit: I see you were questioning whether or not my electrical could handle .5 ohm not the amp. What is the difference of running 2500 watts at .5 ohm or 1 or 2 ohms?

Lower impedances make the amp less efficient and have to draw more power.

As for the gain, there's no problem in having your head unit at 21 and setting the amp gain higher. That's the whole purpose of the gain. Your gain probably goes from like .2-6 volts, which means if you had a source with only a .2 volt output, your gain would have to be all the way up. There's nothing wrong with that. Having a higher gain setting in and of itself does not cause clipping, as there is no "magic spot" where clipping starts to occur like with most head units. Do not use the bass boost to get more output. Just adjust the gain higher. And yes, increasing the sub level output on the head unit will increase the signal voltage to the sub amp. I'd set the gain with the sub level output maxed out, that way you have a lot of play to adjust for higher or lower bass volume with different songs.

[Dpaw37 0]

Dont use bass boost and dont use a DMM to set your gain since you cant detect clipping. If your worried about your electrical being enough to run at .5 ohms it is only one way to tell, install all the equipment and watch your voltage. I would take extra measures to make sure my voltage is up to par to run an amp at .5 ohms.

If your stock speakers get to loud or sound like ass then either replace them or change your settings on your headunit that control those speakers and what they do. Play around with your settings till you get what you want or give us some more information and we can try to help you, how do you have your headunit set up as of now?

Grand cherokee came with a 136 amp alt and I had a wal mart battery up front with 850 cca and 80 AH already in it. Like I said got a BT100 in the back and after talking with an RD sales rep who I have bought several things from said the 1750.1 would do .5 easy. I agree about testing voltage though just to be sure. What is the best way to do it? My buddy has a regular volt meter I could use.

Edit: I see you were questioning whether or not my electrical could handle .5 ohm not the amp. What is the difference of running 2500 watts at .5 ohm or 1 or 2 ohms?

Lower impedances make the amp less efficient and have to draw more power.

As for the gain, there's no problem in having your head unit at 21 and setting the amp gain higher. That's the whole purpose of the gain. Your gain probably goes from like .2-6 volts, which means if you had a source with only a .2 volt output, your gain would have to be all the way up. There's nothing wrong with that. Having a higher gain setting in and of itself does not cause clipping, as there is no "magic spot" where clipping starts to occur like with most head units. Do not use the bass boost to get more output. Just adjust the gain higher. And yes, increasing the sub level output on the head unit will increase the signal voltage to the sub amp. I'd set the gain with the sub level output maxed out, that way you have a lot of play to adjust for higher or lower bass volume with different songs.

Thanks man! This is what I was looking for. And thanks to everyone else for the input as always. SSA ftw.

[kstorm2k7 0]

one stupid question to start off with did you wire around your factory amp for your highs?