Can't get enough power - G6 Install

[AceAnderson]

Hey guys. Me and my boy Max did our first install yesterday on his G6, and we're more than happy with how it turned out. Everything went well and it looks pro, no wire showing anywhere. The problem is that when we popped my woofers and amp into his trunk, I tried to tune the gains correctly for 650w at 2 ohm (so 36.06V). I was surprised when ii couldn't hit that voltage with the gain ALL the way up. Highest I got was like 32V. Popped it back in my car to check that we didn't blow the amp somehow, and I hit voltage no problem at about halfway up. What could be causing this? We have the exact same wiring kit, using my woofers and amp that I know work, but we can't get the desired power with gain at max in his car. Why might this be? Thoughts?

I'll post our install videos after I get out of work.

Click to read more...

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

Hey guys. Me and my boy Max did our first install yesterday on his G6, and we're more than happy with how it turned out. Everything went well and it looks pro, no wire showing anywhere. The problem is that when we popped my woofers and amp into his trunk, I tried to tune the gains correctly for 650w at 2 ohm (so 36.06V). I was surprised when ii couldn't hit that voltage with the gain ALL the way up. Highest I got was like 32V. Popped it back in my car to check that we didn't blow the amp somehow, and I hit voltage no problem at about halfway up. What could be causing this? We have the exact same wiring kit, using my woofers and amp that I know work, but we can't get the desired power with gain at max in his car. Why might this be? Thoughts?
I'll post our install videos after I get out of work.

You need to have the sub setting on the hu all the way up before u start adjusting the gain ..also make sure the lpf on the hu is set around 80-100

 

[AceAnderson]

You need to have the sub setting on the hu all the way up before u start adjusting the gain ..also make sure the lpf on the hu is set around 80-100

I never had to do that in my Blazer. The sub is at 0, so balanced. His setting goes up to +6, I should put it there? This won't cause clipping?

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

I never had to do that in my Blazer. The sub is at 0, so balanced. His setting goes up to +6, I should put it there? This won't cause clipping?

No i always put mine at the highest it will go..maybe ur hu has 4v preouts and his has 2.that way if u set the gain correctly when u adjust the sub level u cant go past what u set the gain at ...if u set it at 0 and set the gain then u wana go above 0 u will introduce clipping.

 

---------- Post added at 11:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 AM ----------

 

Also make sure lpf on hu and amp are set around 80-100

 

[AceAnderson]

No i always put mine at the highest it will go..maybe ur hu has 4v preouts and his has 2.that way if u set the gain correctly when u adjust the sub level u cant go past what u set the gain at ...if u set it at 0 and set the gain then u wana go above 0 u will introduce clipping. 

---------- Post added at 11:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 AM ----------

 

Also make sure lpf on hu and amp are set around 80-100

Actually the opposite lol. Mine is a 2v his is a 4v

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

Actually the opposite lol. Mine is a 2v his is a 4v

okay let me clarify, because what was said previously isn't a 100% correct and may cause problems.

some headunits have a subw out with a 0 to 6/8/10/12 whatever max level is, which is what you set to max when setting gains.

other headunits however use an "eq" of sorts and the sub level goes from -6 to +6 or 8 or whatever it is on that headunit. for those headunits you want the subw level set at 0 when you set your gain.

things you need to consider:

if your car has different subs the rise will be different than his car, causing error.

if your car has better electrical and doesnt drop as much voltage you will in turn get better output from the amp.

if the wiring is less sufficient in his car or his ground wires are properly cleaned and the right size you will get less output.

if your headunit has REAL RMS voltage pre-outs and his are overrated then your car will need less gain.

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

Actually the opposite lol. Mine is a 2v his is a 4v

Then id say u dont have the lpf set correctly then ..but id still adjust the sub level all the way up

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

okay let me clarify, because what was said previously isn't a 100% correct and may cause problems.
some headunits have a subw out with a 0 to 6/8/10/12 whatever max level is, which is what you set to max when setting gains.

other headunits however use an "eq" of sorts and the sub level goes from -6 to +6 or 8 or whatever it is on that headunit. for those headunits you want the subw level set at 0 when you set your gain.

things you need to consider:

if your car has different subs the rise will be different than his car, causing error.

if your car has better electrical and doesnt drop as much voltage you will in turn get better output from the amp.

if the wiring is less sufficient in his car or his ground wires are properly cleaned and the right size you will get less output.

if your headunit has REAL RMS voltage pre-outs and his are overrated then your car will need less gain.

Well ive always had hu with sub outs so thats why i said that but he isnt having luck with it at 0 either way

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

Well ive always had hu with sub outs so thats why i said that but he isnt having luck with it at 0 either way

if it was at 0, and the headunit worked on a scale from 0 to 8, then he would get NO output with it set at 0. the jvc headunits ive used have no output with the subw level set to 0.

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

if it was at 0, and the headunit worked on a scale from 0 to 8, then he would get NO output with it set at 0. the jvc headunits ive used have no output with the subw level set to 0.

Well i dont buy junk hu so i wouldnt know anything abt that lol...so in the end either way he needs to turn the sub level up lol ...i think its more likely a wiring or filter issue.

 

---------- Post added at 11:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:40 AM ----------

 

Op what hu are you working with

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

Well i dont buy junk hu so i wouldnt know anything abt that lol...so in the end either way he needs to turn the sub level up lol ...i think its more likely a wiring or filter issue. 

---------- Post added at 11:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:40 AM ----------

 

Op what hu are you working with

what is a junk headunit? they're designed to put out no output at zero so you can turn your subs off...

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

what is a junk headunit? they're designed to put out no output at zero so you can turn your subs off...

Yes and all of your decent head units have a sub out and also a sub on off button.i havent ever seen a jvc hu worth owning

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

And also like you said urself a junk or cheap hu with 4v preouts might not have a very strong signal

 

[AceAnderson]

okay let me clarify, because what was said previously isn't a 100% correct and may cause problems.
some headunits have a subw out with a 0 to 6/8/10/12 whatever max level is, which is what you set to max when setting gains.

other headunits however use an "eq" of sorts and the sub level goes from -6 to +6 or 8 or whatever it is on that headunit. for those headunits you want the subw level set at 0 when you set your gain.

things you need to consider:

if your car has different subs the rise will be different than his car, causing error.

if your car has better electrical and doesnt drop as much voltage you will in turn get better output from the amp.

if the wiring is less sufficient in his car or his ground wires are properly cleaned and the right size you will get less output.

if your headunit has REAL RMS voltage pre-outs and his are overrated then your car will need less gain.

His head unit is better than mine, has a 5 band eq, couple extra EQs and a sub level/lpf. He's got the works. So max the sub output then set gains?

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

Dont forget to make sure the lpf is set correctly on the hu and amp or you arent gona get much or any output and yes if it has sub out the level should be maxed