Amp settings questions

snake1

Curious about a couple of things folks. Tell me what you think or what you do personally:

1. What gain settings do you have your amp set to? some where in the middle? Full/THX?(These are the same on my Parasound).

2. When you run Audyssey, do you run it with the amp gain on full?

3. Do you leave your amp on all the time? I ask because I don't have a 12v plug and the sound signal auto-on function only works when the volume is up to a certain level and the gain is backed off.

Also, the auto-on via sound signal only works "kinda ok" when the gain is at 11 or 12 o'clock. Any further up and it just cuts off and stays off if the volume isn't high enough. I listen to music really lightly most of the time due to my kiddos, or if its quiet and I want to just chill (kiddos are asleep ;-) with some classical or easy listening type stuff. I wish it would just work but I guess I'll just have to use the button. Any thoughts?

chumlie

Full gain on my 1500a.

jeremymarcinko

I agree full gain unless audyssey turns the level way down. Then you can turn down the gain so the level its closer to 0. I wouldn't leave the amp on all the time, but some do. Its no big deal just will raise the power bill.

John K.

Snake, first a point on terminology. Home audio amplifiers have a fixed gain(typically about 29dB, which multiplies incoming voltage about 28.3 times). There is no "gain"control, even if some manufacturers use that terminology. The level or volume controls on the amplifier are actually variable resistors which vary the amount of the incoming voltage which is let through, to be subjected to the fixed gain, from practically 100% at the maximum setting to little or nothing at the minimum. Generally there's no good reason not to have the amplifier level controls at max so that all the incoming voltage is let through. The overall sound level is then controlled by the volume control on the receiver or separate processor.

Now, as to the auto turn-on, your final paragraph isn't entirely clear. The main level(again, not "gain")controls should have no effect on this. If you're actually referring instead to the Audio Sensitivity control, it should work more reliably the higher(i.e., counter-clockwise toward the "Max" position)that it's set. This allows a lower amount of incoming voltage to turn the amplifier on or keep it on. If yours doesn't work in that manner, there may be a defect in that particular unit.

F1nut

Oh good God, it's a gain control. :rolleyes:

tonyb

F1nut wrote: »

Oh good God, it's a gain control. :rolleyes:

LOL....yep.

Leave the gain up, why would you want to limit the amp anyway ? Your main concern here should be sound quality and getting the most out of the amp, not whether or not you have to get off the couch to hit a power button. Gain controls are useful when matching other amps that may be in the system used for bi-amping and such, otherwise I would leave it turned up.

snake1

tonyb wrote: »

LOL....yep.

Leave the gain up, why would you want to limit the amp anyway ? Your main concern here should be sound quality and getting the most out of the amp, not whether or not you have to get off the couch to hit a power button. Gain controls are useful when matching other amps that may be in the system used for bi-amping and such, otherwise I would leave it turned up.

Whatever its called, Tony, I turned it down on Parasound Tech supports recommendation because the auto-on was cutting the amp on and off at lower volumes. Matter of fact, it was probably the guy that owns the company, Richard Shram, its not the first time he's answered tech support emails.

I've turned it back up all the way and I'm just using the power button. I've got a 12v trigger on the Onkyo but its for a 2nd area. There may be some way for that to work??

jeremymarcinko

I've read you can use the zone2 trigger as a work around. I've been wanting to try this in my setup as well, but am yet to find a mono trigger cable which my amp requires.

tonyb

snake1 wrote: »

Whatever its called, Tony, I turned it down on Parasound Tech supports recommendation because the auto-on was cutting the amp on and off at lower volumes. Matter of fact, it was probably the guy that owns the company, Richard Shram, its not the first time he's answered tech support emails.

I've turned it back up all the way and I'm just using the power button. I've got a 12v trigger on the Onkyo but its for a 2nd area. There may be some way for that to work??

I hear ya bro, but that advice is to deal with a certain problem, a problem I might add that should be at the bottom of the priority list in my book anyway.
My curiosity always gets the best of me so I need to ask, are people really more concerned over having remote power options than overall sound quality ? No disrespect ment here, just that for me anyway, the day I'm too lazy to hit a power button is the day you see me posting that I need to go on a diet.

Maybe a remote power strip is up your alley ? Don't know if they still make them but they use to anyway.