meter

Darkslayer
Darkslayer Posts: 8
edited August 2005 in Car Audio & Electronics
does any one know if there is a meter that can tell me how much power is coming out of a chennel in my amp. doesnt matter what type of measurement it is. please help me if u can :confused:
Post edited by Darkslayer on
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  • 1996blackmax
    1996blackmax Posts: 2,436
    edited August 2005
    Does it seem that one channel is louder than the other?
    Alpine: CDA-7949
    Alpine: PXA-H600
    Alpine: CHA-S624, KCA-420i, KCA-410C
    Rainbow: CS 265 Profi Phase Plug / SL 165
    ARC Audio: 4150-XXK / 1500v1-XXK
    JL Audio: 10W6v2 (x2)
    KnuKonceptz
    Second Skin
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  • Darkslayer
    Darkslayer Posts: 8
    edited August 2005
    yeah i want to try and match it up. my ears are very sentive to sounds(but i cant do it just by hearing:rolleyes: or is there another way to make sure that they are putting out the same watts
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  • 1996blackmax
    1996blackmax Posts: 2,436
    edited August 2005
    I had an issue like yours quite a few years back. I sent the amp in and got a brand new one from the company. It was hard to tell from the driver seat as the image was always stuck to my left, but if I were to slide to center of my car, the image would not be centered but off to the left still. Sliding in between my front seats made it very easy to tell there was a problem.

    I would think the place where you bought it from might be able to assist you with this. If not at least point you in the right direction.


    If I had this problem now, and the amp was out of the warranty period, it would not really be too big of a problem anymore. My current HU has the ability to adjust time delay as well as the output level of each channel individually :) .
    Alpine: CDA-7949
    Alpine: PXA-H600
    Alpine: CHA-S624, KCA-420i, KCA-410C
    Rainbow: CS 265 Profi Phase Plug / SL 165
    ARC Audio: 4150-XXK / 1500v1-XXK
    JL Audio: 10W6v2 (x2)
    KnuKonceptz
    Second Skin
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  • Darkslayer
    Darkslayer Posts: 8
    edited August 2005
    thanks for your help :)
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  • Toxis
    Toxis Posts: 5,116
    edited August 2005
    you could always set your gains using a voltmeter to test the output voltage so you know it's identical. Just a thought.
    Never kick a fresh **** on a hot day.

    Home Setup: Sony VPL-VW85 Projo, 92" Stewart Firehawk, Pioneer Elite SC-65, PS3, RTi12 fronts, CSi5, FXi6 rears, RTi6 surround backs, RTi4 height, MFW-15 Subwoofer.

    Car Setup: OEM Radio, RF 360.2v2, Polk SR6500 quad amped off 4 Xtant 1.1 100w mono amps, Xtant 6.1 to run an eD 13av.2, all Stinger wiring and Raammat deadener.
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  • exalted512
    exalted512 Posts: 10,735
    edited August 2005
    Toxis wrote:
    you could always set your gains using a voltmeter to test the output voltage so you know it's identical. Just a thought.
    exactly, just get a DMM and a cd with some sine waves and measure the outputs. adjust the gains accordingly
    -Cody
    Music is like candy, you have to get rid of the rappers to enjoy it
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  • Darkslayer
    Darkslayer Posts: 8
    edited August 2005
    so just a regular voltmeter will be able to get the job done or does it have to be a speaical kind. thanks again everyone :D
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  • neomagus00
    neomagus00 Posts: 3,899
    edited August 2005
    a regular voltmeter will work just fine. burn a 60 Hz track to CD (i can give you one if you need it), play that track through your completed setup, and stick the two leads of the voltmeter on the terminals of the amp. making sure your voltmeter is set to 'AC', you should be getting equal voltages out of both sides. it will have to be a sensitive voltmeter, your ears can hear surprisingly small differences.

    p.s. DMM = digital multimeter, a good thing to have for car audio and car tuning in general. if you choose to get one, splurge, you can never have too much multimeter...
    It's not good, very fundamentally simply not good. - geolemon

    "Its not good enough until we have real-time fearmongering. I want my fear mongered as it happens." - Shizelbs
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  • PoweredByDodge
    PoweredByDodge Posts: 4,185
    edited August 2005
    neomagnus put it right on the head...

    you can get a multimeter at radio shack for about 10 bucks (the "el cheapo" model is fine for what you're doing and will be a good tool in the future - ifyou ever want a "nice" multimeter, then playing with the cheap one will give you an idea what features you want to look for when buying an expensive one - i'm currently shopping for one and they 'aint cheap brutha' -- 500 bucks is not a lot to spend on a GOOD meter).

    anyway - set it on "VAC" or "AC Voltage Test" or "V" with a squiggly mark like this ---> ~ above it.

    you'll need the 60 hz sine way like Neo said. post up if you need it.

    just make sure left and right have SIMILAR voltages (within 1/4 to 1/3 of a volt). they may not be 100% dead on, but they better be DAMN F'IN CLOSE... else you've got issues inside the amp.
    The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
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  • Darkslayer
    Darkslayer Posts: 8
    edited August 2005
    thanks i am heading over to radio shack tomm. and i need the 60hz test i been looking for one but all i can find is 27hz
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  • PoweredByDodge
    PoweredByDodge Posts: 4,185
    edited August 2005
    well here's a 10 second long 60 hz sine wave... just burn it to a cd like you'd burn any "song".

    to make it easy on yourself... burn it as track 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16... fill up like 10 minutes of the CD with it.

    just the same track over and over... that way you'll get a nice couple minutes of it.

    i would have just made a 2 or 3 minute long one, but its a big file, and i dont want to compress it into an mp3 and then screw up the frequency.

    your friggin subs are going to be goin "bummmmmmmmmmmm, bummmmmmmmmmm, bummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, bummmmmmmmmmmm" the whole damn time.
    The Artist formerly known as PoweredByDodge
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  • Darkslayer
    Darkslayer Posts: 8
    edited August 2005
    thanks for everything now its timmto experiment :rolleyes:
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  • Toxis
    Toxis Posts: 5,116
    edited August 2005
    why don't you just burn one track of it, then put that track on repeat. ;)
    Never kick a fresh **** on a hot day.

    Home Setup: Sony VPL-VW85 Projo, 92" Stewart Firehawk, Pioneer Elite SC-65, PS3, RTi12 fronts, CSi5, FXi6 rears, RTi6 surround backs, RTi4 height, MFW-15 Subwoofer.

    Car Setup: OEM Radio, RF 360.2v2, Polk SR6500 quad amped off 4 Xtant 1.1 100w mono amps, Xtant 6.1 to run an eD 13av.2, all Stinger wiring and Raammat deadener.
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  • beardog03
    beardog03 Posts: 5,550
    edited August 2005
    very cool guys !

    I`m gonna try this just for fun.... :rolleyes:
    Cary SLP-98L F1 DC Pre Amp (Jag Blue)
    Parasound HCA-3500
    Cary Audio V12 amp (Jag Red)
    Polk Audio Xm Reciever (Autographed by THE MAN Himself) :cool:
    Magnum Dynalab MD-102 Analog Tuna
    Jolida JD-100 CDP
    Polk Audio LSi9 Speaks (ebony)
    SVS PC-Ultra Sub
    AQ Bedrock Speaker Cables (Bi-Wired)
    MIT Shotgun S1 I/C`s
    AQ Black Thunder Sub Cables
    PS Audio Plus Power Cords
    Magnum Dynalab ST-2 FM Antenna
    Sanus Cherry wood Speak Stands
    Adona AV45CS3 / 3 Tier Rack (Black /Gold)

    :cool:
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  • neomagus00
    neomagus00 Posts: 3,899
    edited August 2005
    beardog03 wrote:
    just for fun....
    it actually is kinda fun, if electronics are your thing...
    It's not good, very fundamentally simply not good. - geolemon

    "Its not good enough until we have real-time fearmongering. I want my fear mongered as it happens." - Shizelbs
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