I've been reading a number of posts in the last little while that talk about people setting their gain at high levels (such as 1/2 to 3/4). I've always been told that an amp should never have its gain set over 1/4. I can understand that the higher the gain, the greater the distortion; but why would it be problematic to set the gain above 1/4 otherwise?

The gain should be set properly to match upstream components output, not some arbitrary 1/4, 1/2 or 3/4.

he is absolutley right. the gain is to level match your components.

Wow, I had no idea. I was running my eclipse at 1/2 gain and freaking out that it was too high.

Thanks for the info!

Yes, I have an 800 watt amp and if I don't turn my gain up at least to about 3/4 my subs don't move at all. I always thought maybe I had my gain too high as well. But the whole time I was thinking, what kind of amp is this if I can't turn the gain up and hear my subs? I couldn't even hear them unless the gain was up at a higher level.

A pro audio white paper but the idea is exaclty the same (audio is audio)

http://rane.com/note124.html

PS Gain in not a volume control

[ March 19, 2004, 01:38 PM: Message edited by: Impala Builder ]

Put in good rockin music.
Turn deck up to about 80% volume
Turn up gain until it sounds like poo then back it off until it does not.

Your gain is now set. Enjoy [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

Now that is the most general way to do it I have ever heard [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

But Dukk? most people I know have no idea that there system sounds like pooh? Some think voice coil slappage is cool!!

what do those guys do? just turn it up till it explodes? :D

You know a while back I made the same statement - Gain is not volume control - in a topic on this forum which asked for car audio myths. Isn't gain the amount of signal that the amplifier allows itself to receive?

By the way thanks for the link Imapala. Although it is tough for a Sociology major to weed through an electronics article, I appreciate your time.

lol - my way works. Of course you need to use both brain cells :D