Setting gain Question

zgw8

I just downloaded the gain setting tutorial from the JL Audio website. I have a digital multimeter. Does anyone know if Polk produces a voltage chart for their amps? I have the 400.4 and the 500.1.

Thanks,

zgw8

[Deleted User]

No, we don't. Maybe we need to.

MacLeod

I dunno, Im certainly no engineer but I think setting the gains by ear is a better way to go especially when youre talking 5 different channels. If you set all the gains precisely at the perfect spot, they likely will not blend with each other well at all. This is especially true if youre bi-amping.

Now one thing you could do is use the MM to set say the front channels and then adjust the rest by ear to where they blend best.

thehaens@cox.net

Yep, ear is the best way, I set my gains to my JL 500 and 300 according to the chart, and it was way to much IMO. At the end of the day, I sat in the car and had the wife turn the screw until I felt it sounded "right"

Scott

MacLeod

thehaens@cox.ne wrote:

I sat in the car and had the wife turn the screw until I felt it sounded "right"

Hmmmm, there is a good dirty joke in there somewhere.

zgw8

Well, I am just going by what the guy who built my sub boxes suggested. He is a well known competitor and has been helping me out. I have the top Pro-Audio Clarion HU and max vol is 33. I am no headbanger but where the system sounds best to me is at level 27. that is more than 3/4 volume and it isn't rattling the truck apart. Does this sound "normal" if there is such a thing? I.E., it seems to be a lot on the volume dial to get it where it really starts to bump.

neomagus00

well, naturally, you want to have the greatest range possible, so you should hit your maximum desired volume at the highest volume setting you'll be using (usually like 3/4 max... i.e. if your HU goes from 1-33, your max would be about 25-27)... this gives you the ability to turn it way down if you want, but more importantly, the best signal-to-noise ratio possible

and your ear's response changes with SPL, so if it's quiet, the bass will sound very quiet, but when you crank it, the bass really shows itself a lot more... that's why, when it's at a barely-audible level, it sounds like there's no bass and mostly high-frequency stuff...

zgw8

Thanks for the feedback. It sounds like I have the gain set just about right then. 27 sounds perfect to me on the volume which is roughly 3/4.