Amplifier volume?

[argenis69 4]

Hi, I want to know how exactly can I measure the exact amount of RMS wattage output my amplifier is delivering to the subwoofer, reason asking is because my amplifier is too powerful for my current subwoofer and I will limit my amplifier to the maximum Rms power handling of my subwoofer, Thank you.

[StreetLegal 119]

Read up on how to set your amplifier gain(level).

[argenis69 4]

?

[Jason Witt 65]

Clamp test your amplifiers output.

[shizzzon 461]

SPL-Lab SMART Monitor can do this but i prefer you do not purchase this device solely for this purpose.

Setting your amp to put out exactly on average what the subwoofer is rated at will more than likely destroy the subwoofer.

This isn't a numbers game. It's a nose, ear and smell game.

Now, if you want the simplicity of preventing your equipment from getting damaged at all, you can use the SMART Monitor and it will trip the entire car audio setup before trouble increases but purely just to set the output of the amp, pointless.

[altoncustomtech 773]

Clamp test your amplifiers output.

That really doesn't work that well. The impedance of the driver(s) changes with frequency. The amount of wattage the driver(s) actually sees changes due to that fact. If a person was to use a voltmeter and an amp meter to plot the impedance curve they could plot the power applied at several frequencies and get a very accurate reading. However that's a lot of trouble. It's much easier to simply set it by ear. Play some music that you're REALLY familiar with, listen for stress and smell for a hot coil from the driver. I've been doing this for years and have almost always done it by ear.

[Impious 1,476]

Hi, I want to know how exactly can I measure the exact amount of RMS wattage output my amplifier is delivering to the subwoofer, reason asking is because my amplifier is too powerful for my current subwoofer and I will limit my amplifier to the maximum Rms power handling of my subwoofer, Thank you.

You don't need to measure anything. Simply use your brain and ears to set the gain to a level that the subwoofer is not overdriven at your maximum listening level.

A clamp test is useless.

You don't need to buy anything from SPL Labs (though I'm glad shiz pointed out it would be a waste for your purpose).

Set the gain using your brain and ears. It's that simple, really.

[argenis69 4]

So, not even with a multimeter is possible? I saw some tutorial on YouTube saying how to, but I want to make sure with you guys before doing anything.

[Impious 1,476]

So, not even with a multimeter is possible? I saw some tutorial on YouTube saying how to, but I want to make sure with you guys before doing anything.

You're missing the point entirely.

You don't need to do this. No reason to. It won't help you. You'll gain nothing by doing it. You won't retrieve any useful information from it, and it won't help you set your gain.

And no, you can not truly measure power output with a DMM. You can measure voltage output from the amplifier with a DMM, which if a subwoofer was a resistor would allow you to calculate power. But a subwoofer isn't a resistor, so in reality it turns out to be nothing but a guess. It also assumes a constant rather than dynamic source, which music is dynamic so again not helpful. In addition to that, if you set the gain with a DMM there is absolutely no reason the gain is inherently set "correctly".

Forget about the measurement. Forget about the DMM. Set it by ear and use your head.

[argenis69 4]

Lol, I used to it with ear before, but I thought with the technology now, there was something more exact and easier. That s why I asked.

[ricksi30 923]

Lol, I used to it with ear before, but I thought with the technology now, there was something more exact and easier. That s why I asked.

There is "technology" being marketed toward the misinformed, or people that just don't know any better. Eyes, ears, and nose are the best tools you can use.

[Impious 1,476]

Lol, I used to it with ear before, but I thought with the technology now, there was something more exact and easier. That s why I asked.

Really has much less to do with technology and more to do with the variables involved. There's no easy solution, other than using your ears and head to set the gain.

[pmureika 31]

Lol, I used to it with ear before, but I thought with the technology now, there was something more exact and easier. That s why I asked.

It just gives you a place to start. Your ears and senses need to do the final adjustment.