Does anyone have any experience with this amp? It's really a bitch to set and was lookin for some help. alota times the lcd screen on the amp flashes, and i assume thats clipping, but only does it at around 70% volume, the settings for gain are 0, +6, +9, and if i put it at +6 the screen flashes more often, like c'mon thats only half way......
I know these subs can pound harder, and these settings is whats holding them back.
also its a bit confuzing trying to set the input, if I have 2V outs from the deck, what does the amp need to be set at........damn, this amps cofuzzling me

 

This is a writeup on Setting gains and all that i posted on another forum.
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Setting Your Settings! (AMP)
Alright I've been getting ALOT of questions about what gains are and how to set them. Well heres a quick little run through on all this!

I see A LOT of people saying things like (make sure your gains aren't set too high) or (turn your gains down) etc... when referring to people asking if thier sub can handle a specific amp, etc...

the gain setting on your amp is NOT i repeat NOT a volume setting.

the gain setting is used to MATCH the output voltage from your headunit, to the input voltage on your amp.

some amps prefer a high input voltage. some amps prefer a lower input voltage.

you use the gain setting to reduce clipping (or in short, to provide a clean signal to the output side of the amp)

some headunits put out high voltage, some headunits put out low voltage.

if you have a headunit that puts out low voltage, and your amp prefers high voltage, you may find yoruself setting the gain very high.

if your amp prefers low voltage, and your headunit puts out high voltage, you may find yourself setting the gain very low.


gains should be set using a voltmeter

volume should be set using the headunit.

if you find that your subs are clipping, there are two things that should be checked. are the gains set too high for the volume you are playing, and is the headunit being turned up too high for an appropriate voltage to the amp.

Lets say:

my pioneer head unit goes up to volume 40.

its cleanest signal is produced at volume 26. after that, it has an exponential rise in output voltage and distortion.

i burp at volume 26. i daily drive at volume 20 (which has a CONSIDERABLY lower output voltage.)

my amp gains are set at about 6/8ths because of the input voltage i am feeding to the amp by using a lower volume setting with a cleaner voltage signal.

gains should be set according to what volume setting you would normally use for daily driving or for burps. because if thats the volume you will most normally use, you want your amp to be reciving a clean signal at that volume, AND to be putting out a clean, non clipped signal at that particular volume.

for instance. lets, for sake of argument, say that your headunit puts out a nice clean signal at volume 20 out of 40

and you set your gains accordingly, with the headunit at volume 20.

now, you try showing off to your buddies, and you crank the headunit to volume 30.

you run a higher rsk of blowing your subs.

not because they may not be able to handle the power. but because that extra 10 clicks on the headunit, has raised the output voltage exponentially. and now the amp is putting out a clipped signal, because the gains were set to match the headunit at volume 20.

now you are sending that clipped signal to the speakers.

clipping generates heat.

heat blows voice coils.


if your amp is too powerful for your subwoofers. ie: you have a 100w peak sub, and a 3000w peak amp.. you DONT protect your sub, by simply turning down the gains on the amp.

you set your gains on the amp, to match the headunit, regardless of what the subwoofers are.

to protect the sub, you use your brain and you dont turn the headunit up farther that what your subs can handle.

if your sub makes nosies it shouldnt make, or generates smells it shouldnt generate, that's your clue to turn down your headunit, not your gains on your amp.

hope this helps.

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Here's calculator that will determine the required output voltage of your amp when setting the gains.

http://www.caraudio911.com/tutorials...et/voltage.htm

 

Ok, gains should prolly stay at 0. But theres still a P.eq, frequency width and level, lpf, bass comp., slope, turn on delay, TCR, A.set. the gains the least of my problems

 

I've got the mrdm1000 which is pretty similar. The gain setting on my amp goes from -24db --> 0db. The other setting you speak of is a boost. LPF @ around 80Hz or lower, depending on what you like. I think I had pretty much everything else off, expect the bass comp at level 2. I can't really remeber.

 

I found a walkthrough for setting up that amp, no just have to find it. I'll find at work and post up.

 

sweetness

 

here is some of it. Credit to TCSS at the12volt.com.

ok, here is how I would recommend your amp input settings. input level 0db. Low pass btween 63hz and 80hz. subsonic filter @ 20hz. parametric eq @ 50hz/ Q factor @ 3 / gain @ +6db, bass comp on, time correction on and adjust 0.1ms steps until it sounds the best. and just try outphasing to 180 degrees once to see if there is a big differance. Good Luck

 

hillbilly, i thought the phase was to go at 180* only if the subs are inverted??? which there not....
I found my main problem, installed set lpf at 60somehz [:'(] Put it to 80hz and sounds better. although i might drop it to 75ish. Hits the upper notes very nice now .
I also gave it an extra 3db boost at 47hz....where would a good place be to set this at? for a large sealed box?