Difference between dB and gain

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Okay, dumb question, but I'm kinda tired of hearing all these different explanation on this subject...so I want to get your professional statements..

All about amplifiers.
What's the difference between the dB level and the gain level. It seems that I blow a lot of subs when I have my dB level turned up past 0 on my head unit...but when I have the gain turned up on my amp and my dB level on my head unit turned to 0 or below my subs hit harder. What I basically want to know is what the difference is. I keep hearing dB hurts your subs...which is what I seem to be doing recently. Thank you for your response.
 
Umm, I don't know...just the dB on the amplifier (the one that goes from 0-10)
gain knob goes from .6v-2v
*other knobs is sub bass boost and the lpf*

I don't really abuse my subs. I just turn my music at the 20 knob (my head unit goes up to 50) and my dB is set at 0. It's becoming very frustrating...this will be the second time I've blown my subs.

Well they're not blown...but the voice coils are sounding like they are going out (a soft rattling noise when the sub hits hard)
 
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If you are repeatedly blowing subs and the failure is not due to unsuitable enclosure or a manufacturing defect, you are very likely abusing the subs. Just because you don't use the full range of the volume control doesn't mean that you're not overdriving the subs. If the gains aren't set correctly, you could drive the amp into hard clipping with the volume set to 5 (not a typo).
 
Well I have 4 10 in subswoofers with a rating of 800rms each...that's like 3,200rms for the whole set up and the amp gain is set at 1v *in between .6v and 2v*

the box is sealed for the recommended sealed volume for the subs.

I'm starting to wonder if it's a faulty sub..I wrote the company...the subs were a replacement subs because my first set....the drivers blew...those...I did abuse. had the dB on my head unit set at +10 and the amp dB at +10 and the gain at 1v...
 
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You need to match the gain to the output signal from your hu. The gain is .6 volts to 2. volts if your hu puts out .8 volts from the rca plugs thats what the gain needs to be set at. It wont be perfect without using a o-scope but close is better than far.
 
What is the make and model of your head unit ??


The 52 watts x 4 is what they rate the head units amplifier at which 52 watts x 4 is very unlikely..


If you post the make and model of your head unit myself or someone else on here can look up the info on it and tell you what the pre out voltage is..
 
Perry beat me to the reply!!

Not really, you could still be sending clipped audio to the input of the amp. If you turn your head unit up passed the quality sound mark chances are you are clipping.

If you put crap into the amp you will just get louder crap!
 
The DB adjustment you were refering to on the head unit is:

It has a + and - 10 db's of boost at 60 hz

It has a + - 10 db's of boost at 1kHz

It has a + - 10 db's of boost at 10 kHz

say you set your amp to 2 volts of input and then boost the 60 hz on your head unit you will have to readjust your gain..

Ive seen this hunderds of times where people say thier amp is so powerful it blew the subs thats not the case they clipped the amp's output and destroyed the subs..

The reason subs blow or have damage to the coils is because of clipping an amp ..

Ive also see alot of people selling/trading thier subs and amps because they say it isnt loud enough ..

Well its all in the encloser you put your subs into.. Just because the manufactor says the sub / subs will work in this box with this port is not the case..

What do they guarantee from thier recomended box's ?? Anwser is nothing
The only thing they can guarantee is the sub will sound 10 different ways in 10 different vechicles..

What's the goal here ? Is it to impress your friends or yourself with how loud you can get the system??

If so let me know what the goal is with the stuff you have and ill give you the best info needed to get you where you want to be with your system..
 
SPL competitions, I'm going to be having two sets of subs. One set is a DC level 4 subs. The other set is for SQ, just basically to impress my friends...hear it from 2 blocks away...that sorta music for the other subs. PS my headunit only goes to 80hz-180hz, not 60hz.
 
If you want your subs to do only SPL they will not sound good to the human ear..

If you want alot of bass from your dc level 12's and still get tons of output which will impress you and your friends then check this guy out he is a king of box designs..


Go to google and type in PWK Designs..

The cost is $50.00 or 57.00 for rush status and you fill out a form telling him what equiment you have and what your goal is and he will design you a box that is best suited for your subs and car and he will tell you how to posistion the subs in the incloser so you hit the highest spl at the passangers kick panel, drivers head rest and the dash..

Look for PWK on face book also and read some of the post's by others they are very impressed with the results And you can ask all the questions you need anwsers for free of charge..

Trust me well worth the money to have a box design done by him you will be amazed on how loud you get you will double if not triple the output from the subs you already have using the same setup only thing that will be different is the encloser
 
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