You do have a point though...I will admit there have been plenty times where the song was not loud enough.

I guess I just like being able to crank it all the way and not have to worry about anything.

This is especially true if I'm driving while not sober.

I will try your method and see how it goes. when I play cd's, I have to be careful of the volume and it isn't hard at all to monitor it.

As far as having the amp more than the speakers, (if that's what you are saying) that's better for subs because that's what you are supposed to do.

I think that's what happens to sony xplods. They are rated for lets say, 500w rms. but people put 500w rms subs on them and they overheat and die.

When they really should be getting a 1000w rms amp to power the 500w sub.

but anyways, back on subject: I also know how to listen for distortion farly well, and I just think that setting the max volume for anything will make it nearly impossible to damage speakers.

Having it at max level it'll all sound like distortion so by comparing distortion to distorted it might not be too bad. One reason equipment dies is from clipping. Put that sub on a test tone and it'll flop and get stinky on ya. If your equipment is really that weak and needs to be maxed out to get any volume you might consider getting some better equipment, that is in a year or two when it burns out. As a reference I keep my Eclipse HU set at -2 and my sundown 3Ks at 1/3. When I compete I swing it up to 2/3 and I gain by slightly clipping, If i set my gain full I lose by over clipping.

well as i said, I only set everything so that I can just turn it to 62 (max of head unit) and not have to care.

The sub amp is at half gain with no bass boost.