heres my setup. i run the mixer just under the red on the output side, the EQ is set to boost the signal 6db, and from there, the sub amp (EP4000) is set just under half.
so whatever that is, thats what it is. it has a ton of power in reserve for what i do. so im well and truly happy with that. especially as i add more subs to it. im pretty confident it will easily handle another four. because its not even running bridged. just left/right outputs.
so whatever that is, thats what it is. it has a ton of power in reserve for what i do. so im well and truly happy with that. especially as i add more subs to it. im pretty confident it will easily handle another four. because its not even running bridged. just left/right outputs.
What they're saying is it's possible your amp could start clipping after one more "click' of the knob. The position of the knob doesn't always determine how much power/voltage you're sending the drivers/speakers.
"Got it on half" might mean something if you also know that it clips only when "turned all the way up", or better yet, if you had a processor that allowed you to raise & lower gain by a certain dB amount t have a better understanding of how much headroom you have available.
"Got it on half" could be 20+dB away from clipping and then again, could be 1dB away from clipping. It not only depends on how your EQ and mixer are set up, but also the material/music/audio energy you're feeding the amplifier. All of these things must be taken into account. And before the clip point is determined (should do this first, speaker unplugged) you won't have a relative point to what "half way" really is, other than a physical position.
next time i have access to a volt meter and have the subs going as hard as they need to, ill measure it.
i still refer to it as half. and yes, im well aware of the variables. generally, i refer to my mixer as the constant. for the fact that it controls the volume. because once set, the EQ and the amps tend not to get adjusted once set for each venue. the EQ output gain has never moved in the time ive owned it, and the bass freqencies are all flat up to 80hz. so, i keep the input signal (output on mixer) at approximately the same maximum level regardless of music being played. its always levelled out to just under the clip light.
beyond that, who knows. maybe its not half... maybe its more, maybe its less. i know it runs hard, and sounds absolutely incredible.
i still refer to it as half. and yes, im well aware of the variables. generally, i refer to my mixer as the constant. for the fact that it controls the volume. because once set, the EQ and the amps tend not to get adjusted once set for each venue. the EQ output gain has never moved in the time ive owned it, and the bass freqencies are all flat up to 80hz. so, i keep the input signal (output on mixer) at approximately the same maximum level regardless of music being played. its always levelled out to just under the clip light.
beyond that, who knows. maybe its not half... maybe its more, maybe its less. i know it runs hard, and sounds absolutely incredible.
Well, that's good for DJ purposes, for a few reasons.
Well, 1) you could turn the amp up to the clip flicker and back it off a notch or two (note the spot where the clip light illuminated)
and 2) where it flickered last time at "3/4," I would typically call that 9/10. I don't like sending any of my drivers a clipped signal from the amp.
Do you have the limiter on your amplifier engaged?
Seeing as you have your limiter engaged, you might be able to worry less. If it works anything like the limiter on my PLX3402, you'd have to drive it so hard into the (now) limit light to get near voltage at actual clipping level. When you get that volt meter, check it out - you might find interesting results with the limiter on & off (subs disconnected), as the limiter reduces voltage quite a bit as the light gets flickering... And now that light is your indicator of the limiter being active opposed to your amp clipping.
As far as control goes where in the signal cnain is the "volume" knob?
It seems that depending on setup its different.
In car audio theres a lot of potential for ground loops and other chassis noise to creep into. Signal cables so we used line drivers to boost signals to 15-20 volts.
As long as low level pre driver cables were short, 6" from source to driver, noise was less a problem.
As far as clipping the amp we could close down the gains completely and so never clip the input to the amp.
Now sometimes we would optimize the gain structure, zero clipping, right up to the amps and let them clip just a hair so it"sounded louder". Some guys thought that a completely clean system was a little too reserved.
These days head units have 6 volt outputs so its not so necessary for a line driver.
Just my thoughts. Thx for reading.
It seems that depending on setup its different.
In car audio theres a lot of potential for ground loops and other chassis noise to creep into. Signal cables so we used line drivers to boost signals to 15-20 volts.
As long as low level pre driver cables were short, 6" from source to driver, noise was less a problem.
As far as clipping the amp we could close down the gains completely and so never clip the input to the amp.
Now sometimes we would optimize the gain structure, zero clipping, right up to the amps and let them clip just a hair so it"sounded louder". Some guys thought that a completely clean system was a little too reserved.
These days head units have 6 volt outputs so its not so necessary for a line driver.
Just my thoughts. Thx for reading.
From what I remember reading, his "volume" knobs are his amps - which is how it should be (in his case, especially). He's got channel faders on his DJ mixer to turn his audio material down.
Cressendo is correct in this instance.
When i set up my gear at each gig i always start with the tops. i get them to a reasonable level to eq them and then set max volume via the mixer so max is just under clipping on the mixer not the amp. Then i bring the subs to where they sound right with the tops and thats pretty much set then. I can drop levels at mixer level and bring them up knowing ill never go over as long as im not clipping the mixer.
Hows that?
When i set up my gear at each gig i always start with the tops. i get them to a reasonable level to eq them and then set max volume via the mixer so max is just under clipping on the mixer not the amp. Then i bring the subs to where they sound right with the tops and thats pretty much set then. I can drop levels at mixer level and bring them up knowing ill never go over as long as im not clipping the mixer.
Hows that?
but how do you know how many watts are you sending to your tops
as on an earlier post you said you blown one of the tops
so how do you calibrate to set the tops in a way that even with your mixer all the way up
you are not sending deadly watts to them....
just a thought...
I dont know how many watts. But i did say i broke. Not blew my tops. A jerk stood on the cable n tore it out of the cab.
The subs i blew coz they were cheap china crap and couldnt handle the power. When i set it up that time there was no distortion but they were maxxed out and just got hot and failed. That was when i had the sub amp at over 3/4 on the dial. I have never blown a top end speaker. I hate the sound of distortion. And very much pride myself in my sound quality aspect. I always give myself about 5% headroom as well. Just the cheap subs got hot n couldnt handle it. 300w subs sucking on 800w+ is never going to end well. Hence the new JB1500N 600wrms each. Should be fine.
The subs i blew coz they were cheap china crap and couldnt handle the power. When i set it up that time there was no distortion but they were maxxed out and just got hot and failed. That was when i had the sub amp at over 3/4 on the dial. I have never blown a top end speaker. I hate the sound of distortion. And very much pride myself in my sound quality aspect. I always give myself about 5% headroom as well. Just the cheap subs got hot n couldnt handle it. 300w subs sucking on 800w+ is never going to end well. Hence the new JB1500N 600wrms each. Should be fine.
klampykixx,
If you start thinking in terms of dB (decibels) rather than percentages you can more easily grasp what is happening in terms of power.
A three dB increase in gain doubles power, which could be construed as a 100% increase. "5% headroom" would then mean only .15 dB headroom, effectively none (about 17 watts if 800 watts is considered "100%").
As has been pointed out previously, the taper on amplifier gain knobs are all different, halfway or 3/4 is meaningless, it is the decibel ratio that is important, and fortunately all professional amp's gain controls are labled in dB, making setting a system's gain structure relatively straightforward.
It takes a 10 dB increase in SPL (sound pressure level) to sound twice as loud at 1000 Hz, but that increase requires 10 times the power.
Doubling speakers gives a 3dB increase in efficiency, so the same level can be achieved with half the power going to two speakers, 1/4 the power per speaker than a single.
With power compression from voice coil heating often robbing 3 dB from a speaker such as is usually used in the SS15 when run near rated power, doubling cabinets may actually net more like 1/8 the power requirement.
Art Welter
Well explained Welter 
i plan 4 ss15's , wired in parallel so the array will have an impedance of 2 ohms
since my crown per the spec sheet says it can deal with 2 ohm loads
i will try it as it is rated at 1kw at 2 ohms
i will use one channel for the subs and the other channel for the mains 4 full range 8 ohm cabinets that will go to 2 ohms wired in parallel
but right now
i only got the amp , one old full range cab and a chinese crappy sub that i will send back
i already see the price of a sheet of 1/2 birch plywood on homedepot it cost 37 bucks ( plus tax )
so... the thing is that i dont think i can cut the plywood in a nice manner...
i can glue and assemble but i am not good with the electric saws , and i dont have those nice table circular saws to make perfect 90 degree angle cuts or the angles needed
for the internal panels and brassings
is there any member here than can offer to make the cuts so you end with a DIY kit ( with the birch parts already cut) and charge accordingly of course, nothing is for free in this life
i wonder if there is a competent shop here that can cut to the spec with the plans...
this little town dont have nothing but broker warehouses
i plan 4 ss15's , wired in parallel so the array will have an impedance of 2 ohms
since my crown per the spec sheet says it can deal with 2 ohm loads
i will try it as it is rated at 1kw at 2 ohms
i will use one channel for the subs and the other channel for the mains 4 full range 8 ohm cabinets that will go to 2 ohms wired in parallel
but right now
i only got the amp , one old full range cab and a chinese crappy sub that i will send back
i already see the price of a sheet of 1/2 birch plywood on homedepot it cost 37 bucks ( plus tax )
so... the thing is that i dont think i can cut the plywood in a nice manner...
i can glue and assemble but i am not good with the electric saws , and i dont have those nice table circular saws to make perfect 90 degree angle cuts or the angles needed
for the internal panels and brassings
is there any member here than can offer to make the cuts so you end with a DIY kit ( with the birch parts already cut) and charge accordingly of course, nothing is for free in this life
i wonder if there is a competent shop here that can cut to the spec with the plans...
this little town dont have nothing but broker warehouses
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is there any member here than can offer to make the cuts so you end with a DIY kit ( with the birch parts already cut) and charge accordingly of course, nothing is for free in this life
i wonder if there is a competent shop here that can cut to the spec with the plans...
this little town dont have nothing but broker warehouses
I might be able to help you out, but I think shipping would add on a significant expense. Home Depot usually has a lumber cutting service available (they charge per cut, after a couple free cuts) - that may be quite a bit cheaper than just the shipping alone.
Thanks Crescendo
i really appreciate your gesture
i will look in to home depot and see if they can do the cuts
is there some list for the SS15 that says
1 bag of #2 philips screws
3 tubes of wood PVZ cement
1 jar of speaker enclosure lube
to say some
It depends how detailed you want your cab(s) to be, but it's more like:
Per enclosure:
1 - 4x8 sheet 1/2" aurauco (or better)
1 - tube 10 oz. PL Premium Construction Adhesive
1 - box of #6 (or #7 - can't remember which I used) 1" coarse thread screws - I prefer square drive (remember to pre-drill)
1 - Speakon jack plate (or 1/4", but I highly recommend Speakon)
2 - NL4 Speakon connectors
4 - female disconnects (16-14 awg .187)
4 - shorter screws to mount Speakon plate to cab (#8 x 1/2" deep thread pan head will do)
4 - machine screws to mount speakon connectors to jack plate #6-32 x 1/2" (Home Depot: Crown Bolt 28311 (discard the nuts they come with - won't fit)
4 - nylon lock nuts #6-32 (Home Depot: Crown Bolt 19231)
8 - screws -or- bolts, nuts & washers to mount driver (I like using these with the appropriate machine bolts - take one to HD and find your fave)
1 - can Plasti Wood (to fill in screw holes after removing)
Speaker wire
Duratex (for finish)
Handles
Feet (optional)
Corners (optional)
Grill (optional, but HIGHLY recommended)
Anyone, feel free to add info I've missed
Per enclosure:
1 - 4x8 sheet 1/2" aurauco (or better)
1 - tube 10 oz. PL Premium Construction Adhesive
1 - box of #6 (or #7 - can't remember which I used) 1" coarse thread screws - I prefer square drive (remember to pre-drill)
1 - Speakon jack plate (or 1/4", but I highly recommend Speakon)
2 - NL4 Speakon connectors
4 - female disconnects (16-14 awg .187)
4 - shorter screws to mount Speakon plate to cab (#8 x 1/2" deep thread pan head will do)
4 - machine screws to mount speakon connectors to jack plate #6-32 x 1/2" (Home Depot: Crown Bolt 28311 (discard the nuts they come with - won't fit)
4 - nylon lock nuts #6-32 (Home Depot: Crown Bolt 19231)
8 - screws -or- bolts, nuts & washers to mount driver (I like using these with the appropriate machine bolts - take one to HD and find your fave)
1 - can Plasti Wood (to fill in screw holes after removing)
Speaker wire
Duratex (for finish)
Handles
Feet (optional)
Corners (optional)
Grill (optional, but HIGHLY recommended)
Anyone, feel free to add info I've missed