I bought a new Pioneer HU, Kicker Key 280.4, Kicker Key 500.1. I'm using preamp outputs. Pioneer rates them at 3-4 volt output.
Volume on Pioneer goes up to 62. The kicker key manual states that you need to have gain on amp at 0 then turn the volume up pretty loud to run the auto DSP. So with the gain at 0, the output isn't very loud at all. I cranked it up to 62 and you could easily still talk to someone. So how am I supposed to get enough volume for the Key amp to complete it's auto tuning if I can't adjust the gain first?
Messing around, I turned the gain up on my 500.1 prior to auto tune just to listen. With my volume at 35-40, I eased the gain up on the amp and the sub sounded kinda distorted. I know how it's supposed to sound with a 300 watt amp at a moderate volume level and this sounds crap. But why? I would think Pioneer would make clean output units, it's the Pioneer MVH-S622BS. I've never had a HU where I felt that I needed a line driver, usually some gain on the amps and it would sound fine but that was with all of my older, prior systems.
So I was wondering if I need a line driver. There are not very many low level input pre-amps out there as most are speaker level to low. I found an affordable one on ebay for $10 each but wondering if I really need these or not. I don't really want to wait until next week to finish my system.
Volume on Pioneer goes up to 62. The kicker key manual states that you need to have gain on amp at 0 then turn the volume up pretty loud to run the auto DSP. So with the gain at 0, the output isn't very loud at all. I cranked it up to 62 and you could easily still talk to someone. So how am I supposed to get enough volume for the Key amp to complete it's auto tuning if I can't adjust the gain first?
Messing around, I turned the gain up on my 500.1 prior to auto tune just to listen. With my volume at 35-40, I eased the gain up on the amp and the sub sounded kinda distorted. I know how it's supposed to sound with a 300 watt amp at a moderate volume level and this sounds crap. But why? I would think Pioneer would make clean output units, it's the Pioneer MVH-S622BS. I've never had a HU where I felt that I needed a line driver, usually some gain on the amps and it would sound fine but that was with all of my older, prior systems.
So I was wondering if I need a line driver. There are not very many low level input pre-amps out there as most are speaker level to low. I found an affordable one on ebay for $10 each but wondering if I really need these or not. I don't really want to wait until next week to finish my system.
Have you tried contacting Kicker tech support?
Do you know, for a fact, that the system needs more volume to set the DSP?
There are virtually no head units that cannot be driven into distortion at full volume, especially if the bass is set above 0 (no boost, no cut).
Do you know, for a fact, that the system needs more volume to set the DSP?
There are virtually no head units that cannot be driven into distortion at full volume, especially if the bass is set above 0 (no boost, no cut).
worked fine on my old setup and I didn't have to crank it full blast to have moderate volume for the dsp to complete. Kicker support isn't much help, they start you off with the most basic questions like "did you turn the key on?" lol I'm not spending weeks over email dealing with that bs.
Where did you buy it? Can the seller help?
Did you go through the set-up steps? The start of the test lets you adjust the gain on the amp.
Did you go through the set-up steps? The start of the test lets you adjust the gain on the amp.
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