cliffybabe

How do I set the line out to a good level? is it just a suck and see setting?

Regards

Neil

Eich

Normally what I do is this: In a system where every speaker is driven by an external amplifier, I would turn the gain setting all the way down on the amplifier. Then I would turn the head unit volume all the way up. Finally, adjust the gain of the external amplifier until it is loud enough for you without distorting. This way, you know that full volume on the head unit won't damage your speakers with excess distortion.

But if I remember correctly, you have a pretty much factory system except for an external amplifier for a subwoofer. You might try putting the gain of the sub amp to its lowest setting. Turn the head unit volume up to as loud as you can stand it without hearing distortion and then adjust the gain of the sub amp so that it blends well with the rest of the system. Then turn the volume of the head unit to normal listening levels and see if it still blends well with the factory system. Make small adjustments as necessary. The goal is to have your speakers blend well together while keeping all speakers from distorting at the highest volume levels you will play the system at.

Amplifier gain isn't the only control you have for blending the sub with the rest of the system. Some amplifiers have the ability to adjust the crossover frequency which is a great help in getting the sub to blend with the rest of the system. Also, most cars have interiors that amplify certain frequency ranges. For example, if you put your system in your home and fed pink noise through it (one level through the entire audio frequency range) and measured the volume at 100 Hz and at 1kHz, you might find the levels to be similar at these two frequencies. But then if you install the same system in your car and do the same measurements, you may find that the volume at 100Hz is significantly louder than at 1kHz because the shape and size of your car's interior amplified it. Adjusting the crossover frequency of your sub amplifier can help you to avoid some of the annoying peaks of your car's interior.

Many high-end installations use a parametric equalizer that allow you to adjust the gain at specific frequencies. The installer will use a spectrum analyzer to see where the peaks and valleys are in your car's interior and then will adjust speaker placement, speaker types, crossover frequencies and equalizer settings to try to get a relatively smooth frequency response over the entire audio spectrum.

FabulusCLK

EICH is a smart man!

WannaBeAMG

thats usually the best way to do it. adjust it to where it sounds good to you. main thing is to try and get the best blend you can. find a good x-over freq (id probably set it between 60-80hz), and adjust the gain level to where the bass blends well with your stock system and "enhances" rather than stands out. you want it to sound like a total package rather than a box boomin in your trunk. or at least id assume thats what you want.

Eich

Thanks Fab It's been several years since I was really into car audio but I still remember a few things ! There was a time when I really wanted to start my own car audio business but then I got into telecommunications. Lots of pros and cons for working for a company vs. owning your own company. I'm still not sure which one I'd prefer !

cliffybabe

Thanks for the advice.

What abotu the line tap connecter setting any ideas?

Also this weekend i'm adding a 2nd amp running mids and tweeters.

Regards

Neil

Eich

Not all speaker-level to line-level converters have a variable output adjustment. I misunderstood your original question.

I would probably set the control to its middle position or lower unless you feel that you have to crank the gain setting up too high on your amplifier to get an acceptable output from your sub. You don't want to overload the input to your amplifier, so a lower setting on your line-level converter is better. There's no exact procedure to do this unless you have the tools to properly measure the output voltage of the line-level converter and match it to the specs on your amp.

cliffybabe

I'll have a play over the weekend,

cheers

One more question, I have a quater Din Kenwood EQ with adjusting levels, it converts one RCA connection - 3 allowing a front rear and mono output,do you feel I should hook it up aswell?

Regards

Neil

FabulusCLK

I woudl say no. In my experience those things are notorious for adding noise. Some may have had better experiences with them but I have not. If you would like to add an EQ I would have spent the cash that you used to by the converter to buy an Audio Control EQ with the converter built in. Maybe you could sell your current EQ and the converter back to the shop and get some credit on an Audio Control unit.

cliffybabe

Ok Fab sounds good my mate will buy mine off me, is there any make/ model you can recormend?

Regards

Neil

Eich

Neil - "Audio Control" is the brand Fab is recommending. They make very good EQ's and have a few models to choose from depending on the features you want.

Setting them up properly will require some professional help though. You'll want to play a CD with Pink noise through your system and use a spectrum analyzer to see the frequency response. Then you can begin to make some changes with the EQ to flatten out the response. You'll never get a totally flat response across the entire frequency range and even if you did, that may not even sound the best to you. The idea is to create a sound that is pleasing to you and smooth out any radical peaks and valleys in the frequency response.

FabulusCLK

Once again Eich is correct. I would suggest that unless you know a good deal about tuning a car you should get some pro help. I would also suggest if you can ask the shop that you have install the unit let you watch and take notes during tuning if possible.

If it were up to me I would use the EQX due to the fact that it lets you control the left and the right signal independantly, and I used it for 3 years in comp. and it worked very well

cliffybabe

Cheers

I willlook further into this.

Regards

Neil

WannaBeAMG

hey guys, remember that big line out debate about low level/ high level? just to show i wasnt off base calling line-level the same as low-level/ RCA connections http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...=0&cc=01&avf=N

under key features: "-line-level stereo RCA inputs "

just had to redeem myself on that one. lol.

cliffybabe

Here we go again

WannaBeAMG

HAHAHAHAHAHA

cliffybabe

Eich, whats your views

Eich

Good grief ! - and WHO won't "Let it go" NOW ? !!

Here's the funny thing though..... you just proved yourself wrong Wannabe. My original post from WAAAAAY back when is that there were two, commonly referred to, input levels:

1. Speaker-level: Amplified, high power
2. Line-level: Pre-Amplified, low level

Don't you remember my technical description of Line-Level in that "mono out" thread ?

YOUR argument was that Line-Level was SPEAKER level which is NOT the universally accepted definition of Line-level.

YOUR Crutchfield link proves MY point. You can't even remember what you were arguing about

cliffybabe

lol

FabulusCLK

LMFAO!!!

WannaBeAMG

actually i didnt prove myslef wrong. the argument was about the quality difference (or lack thereof) between high-level and low-level inputs. but all that aside.... you presumed to correct me when i refered low-level as line-level. you told me that line level is the same as high-level. my link to crutchfield reinforces what I said the first time. i dropped that part of the argument at the time because it was besides the point. but like i said i have redeemed myself on this one. so kiss my a$$.

WannaBeAMG

stfu and fix your dumb @ss sig n00b.



^^^ is that what you were hoping for as a sig? get it right.

Eich

You're just lucky we can't post a link to the original "mono out" topic since one of the server crashes deleted it.

YOU are DEAD WRONG and everyone who's been reading these threads knows it. YOU are the one who originally presumed to correct ME when I referred to Line-Level as being a LOW, UN-Amplilfied level. When YOU INCORRECTLY said that Line-Level was a high, Speaker-Level signal in your response, I politely corrected your mistake. For some reason, you just can't admit mistakes or somehow, you've talked yourself into believing what you want to believe.

I think you've gone quite far enough in proving to everyone reading that you enjoy arguing for arguing's sake and that you're not very good at it or professional about it.

WannaBeAMG

look, damnit, you corrected me exactly how i just stated you did. if anything you are just as bad as you say i am. you went on for like 2-3 posts about how im wrong about what line level is. so i dropped it. i belive you also posted a car audio product link that did show line-level to be high level. so honestly neither one of us can declare victory.

WannaBeAMG

now lets see how long this one gets dragged out.