Gain & Overhead
06-18-2006, 11:30 PM
#1
Gain & Overhead
I've heard a healthy mix of opinions on the subject of amps and matching them to a sub or two, but would like something cleared up... I suppose this would be the place to ask.
First off, is it safe to just simply keep the gain level low on your amp for daily driving if its rated to put out a fair amount more than your subs are rated to take continuously?
If, for example, you had a pretty heavy-duty amplifier, like the crossfire 4000d or something similar, which should provide power in the neighbourhood of 4000 watts (give or take a few hundred depending on your electrical system and a million other factors), would it be safe to daily drive a pair of subs such as the RE SX's, which are rated at 1000rms each?
It'd be nice to have the extra power on hand for competing, but I don't know if just lowering the gain would effectively limit the power sent to the woofers, for the majority of the time spent just daily driving. I understand the purpose of the gain dial for the most part, but am unsure if this would be a safe thing to do.
First off, is it safe to just simply keep the gain level low on your amp for daily driving if its rated to put out a fair amount more than your subs are rated to take continuously?
If, for example, you had a pretty heavy-duty amplifier, like the crossfire 4000d or something similar, which should provide power in the neighbourhood of 4000 watts (give or take a few hundred depending on your electrical system and a million other factors), would it be safe to daily drive a pair of subs such as the RE SX's, which are rated at 1000rms each?
It'd be nice to have the extra power on hand for competing, but I don't know if just lowering the gain would effectively limit the power sent to the woofers, for the majority of the time spent just daily driving. I understand the purpose of the gain dial for the most part, but am unsure if this would be a safe thing to do.
06-18-2006, 11:51 PM
#2
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 80
someone on these forums tried to help me understand it once, basically that you could fry speakers buy having too powerful of an amp (even by turning down the gain)
he tried to help explain it to me, i never did grasp it though
he tried to help explain it to me, i never did grasp it though
06-19-2006, 12:08 AM
#3
I dont think it should be a problem unless you play the subs farther than they are capable of playing.
Turn the sub control down on the deck, and maybe try wiring the subs to have a higher impedence, sending less power to them from the amp.
I have a 1500 watt amp...and I'd honestly use that with whatever sub I have, whether it be 400w or 1400w.
Just dont turn it up all the way to the point where the sound is getting distorted.
Turn the sub control down on the deck, and maybe try wiring the subs to have a higher impedence, sending less power to them from the amp.
I have a 1500 watt amp...and I'd honestly use that with whatever sub I have, whether it be 400w or 1400w.
Just dont turn it up all the way to the point where the sound is getting distorted.
06-19-2006, 12:55 AM
#4
RE makes healthy subwoofers... assuming '4kw maximum RMS output' with bass music and lots of clipping you will be chill for at least an hour of pounding... past a couple hours on a road trip you might be asking for trouble...
for SPL comps Iam sure 30kw to a pair might be more like it
for SPL comps Iam sure 30kw to a pair might be more like it
06-20-2006, 02:50 PM
#8
for all intents and purposes gain control is the same as volume control. What you want to make sure is that
1: Your Head unit volume control is set to an approprate level and does not distort itself or overload the power amp inputs.
2: The gain/volume control on your amp is set that it does not clip at the input level being sent by your HU in #1.
balance 1 and 2 above for minimum distortion and noise.
In theory a gain control is part of an amplifyers feedback network, but a volume control is just a pad/attenuator at the output of a preamp or at the input of an amp. Plus with digital sources and Digital power amps, it gets blurry. Unless you have the schematics of your unit, there is no way of knowing if it is a gain or volume control.
There is no difference in the "work" or efficency of a power amp due to the volume or gain control setting. To deliver 100watts, its gotta deliver 100 watts no matter what the gain. The power output from the preamp outs of you deck is negligible.
Looking at the schematic from my RF Punch 600a5, the gain control is after an input op-amp.(that is why I call it a gain control) So, a too high signal cold distort and overload the input preamp circuitry no matter how low the gain control is. Thus you still have to make sure the head unit is not overloading the power amp input.
1: Your Head unit volume control is set to an approprate level and does not distort itself or overload the power amp inputs.
2: The gain/volume control on your amp is set that it does not clip at the input level being sent by your HU in #1.
balance 1 and 2 above for minimum distortion and noise.
In theory a gain control is part of an amplifyers feedback network, but a volume control is just a pad/attenuator at the output of a preamp or at the input of an amp. Plus with digital sources and Digital power amps, it gets blurry. Unless you have the schematics of your unit, there is no way of knowing if it is a gain or volume control.
There is no difference in the "work" or efficency of a power amp due to the volume or gain control setting. To deliver 100watts, its gotta deliver 100 watts no matter what the gain. The power output from the preamp outs of you deck is negligible.
Looking at the schematic from my RF Punch 600a5, the gain control is after an input op-amp.(that is why I call it a gain control) So, a too high signal cold distort and overload the input preamp circuitry no matter how low the gain control is. Thus you still have to make sure the head unit is not overloading the power amp input.
Last edited by zoomer; 06-20-2006 at 02:59 PM.
06-21-2006, 02:24 AM
#9
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 80
right well u match the gain to the head unit
but say i have a true 1200 watt rms amplifier that puts out 1200 watts at 4 ohms
and I have a SVC 4 ohm sub thats rated for 300 watts rms
will it hurt the sub at all if I simply have the gain set lower, like quite a bit lower then the deck output
but say i have a true 1200 watt rms amplifier that puts out 1200 watts at 4 ohms
and I have a SVC 4 ohm sub thats rated for 300 watts rms
will it hurt the sub at all if I simply have the gain set lower, like quite a bit lower then the deck output
