Amp test tone question

[pghram1500]

All, adding a LOC and amp to my daughters car. My question is if I download some amp test tones to set the gain do those hurt the stock speakers that will still be connected. Have to set gain on LOC and AMP but do not want to damage the stock speakers attached to stock head unit. Also does everyone set volume at 75% to set the gain? Do you use ear or a multimeter to do?

Thanks

Click to read more...

 

[BOOMINGRANDPA 5,000+ posts]

i use ear others here use meters., if u use low test tones without hp xover (under 60hz or so) it could hurt speakers maybe try and 1/2 volume see how bad they sound but could blow them just never know.. thats y we use xovers mine is on hu and it was $119 and has 50 audio settings and overs for all speakers and eliminated my loc lol,,

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

All, adding a LOC and amp to my daughters car. My question is if I download some amp test tones to set the gain do those hurt the stock speakers that will still be connected. Have to set gain on LOC and AMP but do not want to damage the stock speakers attached to stock head unit. Also does everyone set volume at 75% to set the gain? Do you use ear or a multimeter to do?
Thanks

just use your ear, play and monitor for 5 minutes, if the amp and sub get hot or smelly, back it down. If it is ice cold, you can go up a bit. When its room temperature borderline warm then you are at a good spot.

There's a big flaw when setting gains with a multi-meter and thats purely from the way music is recorded. Music is not a test tone and there's large variances in bass strength depending on your genre and specific songs. You always need to adjust your bass on the go to match the song you have this is called active gain setting. There is no one setting fits all which is passive gain setting aka turning it up to X amount on the head unit and leaving it like that.

Monitoring heat is always the safest way to set gains. Multi-meter method either pigionholes you out of output or puts you into clipping territory depending on what test tone you use.