I think that i'm on the verge of understanding something but I need some help. I have a line driver for my subamp and it has a switch for balanced and unbalanced(signal I guess) My amp has balanced inputs but i'm a little confused about the source/hu signal. I can switch between stereo and mono signal at the hu. Does this have something to do with the balanced and unbalanced thing?
Stereo and mono have nothing to do with it...That's just weather you have a single or pair of signals.... Balenced is definitly different
Google has plenty under the "balanced vs unbalanced" section..
Quote:
The years passed, mankind became stupider at a frightening rate. Some had high hopes the genetic engineering would correct this trend in evolution, but sadly the greatest minds and resources where focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections. - Narrator: Idiocracy
Why would you need a line driver for your sub amp? Line drivers are helpful for eliminating noise and boosting the level of a head unit that has a really low output voltage (110mV or so) to raise the level of the signal in the RCAs above the level of any induced noise (noise picked up by the signal cables between the head and the amp), but only if the line driver is mounted in the front near the head unit.
As far as "balanced" goes, it means that there's one conductor for the "positive" signal and another conductor for the "negative" signal which are equal and oposite. In a single-ended scheme, the positive signal is the same as in the balanced signal, but the negative is ground.
Ok so I did some research and now realize that I can not use balanced in my setup. So I switched to unbalanced and reset my line driver gain. Now it sounds great. I set with hu at 3/4 vol and sub level all the way up. The only problem is that the line driver gain is maxed out. This is a rockford 3sixty line driver with the leds that tell you when it's clipping. I set it per the instructions and it is not saying that it's clipping. I know that setting amp gains high is not good but is it different with a line driver. Is it ok to leave the LD gain like this? Thanks.
The years passed, mankind became stupider at a frightening rate. Some had high hopes the genetic engineering would correct this trend in evolution, but sadly the greatest minds and resources where focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections. - Narrator: Idiocracy
Cause that's not how I'd do it, not by any stretch...
I'm trying to get the line of thinking... Most sub levels got +/- setting @zero allows you to go both ways...
Setting @Max allows for nothing, but removing gain (which isn't paramount, you are matching to the amp, not using a volume control) and or and overdriven output..
Quote:
The years passed, mankind became stupider at a frightening rate. Some had high hopes the genetic engineering would correct this trend in evolution, but sadly the greatest minds and resources where focused on conquering hair loss and prolonging erections. - Narrator: Idiocracy
Say you have a hu with 4v preouts. On most hu's you will only get 4v from the sub preout with the sub level all the way up. I usually use a 10db test tone to set the sub, that way I can turn the sub level down on the hu for most recordings and then be able to turn it up for recordings that need it. That way at least I know that with the sub level all the way up and the vol at 3/4 I will not exceed 10db of overlap.
One reason you don't want to set gain to anything that is maxed out is that it doesn't leave you in wiggle room to boost say the bass in a track that wasn't as bass heavy as the one you used to set the gains off of. IE you didn't use a violin playing to set the sub right? You set it with a heavily compressed modern bass track to see what is the max you could squeeze out of that setup in a worst case scenario. But then once you go and play a quality track that has a lower overall bass level that might be a little lacking for your taste, your stuck without the ability to increase the sub level.
This is the same reason you set a head unit to -10dB max usable volume below clipping or 3/4 when setting gains. And the reason it is pointless to use a precision tool like a scope to do so.
One reason you don't want to set gain to anything that is maxed out is that it doesn't leave you in wiggle room to boost say the bass in a track that wasn't as bass heavy as the one you used to set the gains off of. IE you didn't use a violin playing to set the sub right? You set it with a heavily compressed modern bass track to see what is the max you could squeeze out of that setup in a worst case scenario. But then once you go and play a quality track that has a lower overall bass level that might be a little lacking for your taste, your stuck without the ability to increase the sub level.
This is the same reason you set a head unit to -10dB max usable volume below clipping or 3/4 when setting gains. And the reason it is pointless to use a precision tool like a scope to do so.
I agree. That's why I set my sub using a -10db tone. That way under most situations I attenuate the sub level on the hu. When a recording needs a little extra I can turn the level up. This way I know I won't exceed 10db of overlap. So under these conditions would there be any harm in leaving the line driver gain where it is? Also, I set my other speakers using a -5db tone to make up for the low levels of most recordings.
OMG. Why not make it easy on yourself and remove the ridiculous line driver, which is unnecessary in the first place. Set the subwoofer output from your head to whatever point provides flat response (same output voltage as the front RCAs). Then, using a scope, determine the level on your head unit where it clips using a sine wave recorded at 0dB. Then, using a sine wave recorded at -10dB, set the amplifier gain controls so that the amplifiers clip. You may need a sine wave at 50Hz, or so, to set the level of the sub amp.
Now, you have plenty of gain for old Van Morrison recordings, plenty of adjustment range for your sub and when you listen to Death Magnetic, youj can just turn the radio volume down a little bit.
OMG. Why not make it easy on yourself and remove the ridiculous line driver, which is unnecessary in the first place. Set the subwoofer output from your head to whatever point provides flat response (same output voltage as the front RCAs). Then, using a scope, determine the level on your head unit where it clips using a sine wave recorded at 0dB. Then, using a sine wave recorded at -10dB, set the amplifier gain controls so that the amplifiers clip. You may need a sine wave at 50Hz, or so, to set the level of the sub amp.
Now, you have plenty of gain for old Van Morrison recordings, plenty of adjustment range for your sub and when you listen to Death Magnetic, youj can just turn the radio volume down a little bit.
Little late to the party. I actually had a revelation today and it solved my problems and I couldn't be happier. I kept the linedriver and set everything using a -5db including my mids and highs. I set my sub xo higher and level lower. Turned it on and up and couldn't stop smiling. Turns out I was just making the 16 year old mistake of trying to crank the sub bass too much. Thanks for the reply though. And yes I prob don't need the LD but with out it my gain was about 3/4, A little high for my tastes. It helps me sleep better when my gains are set low.
Balanced or unbalanced?
Little late to the party. I actually had a revelation today and it solved my problems and I couldn't be happier. I kept the linedriver and set everything using a -5db including my mids and highs. I set my sub xo higher and level lower. Turned it on and up and couldn't stop smiling. Turns out I was just making the 16 year old mistake of trying to crank the sub bass too much. Thanks for the reply though. And yes I prob don't need the LD but with out it my gain was about 3/4, A little high for my tastes. It helps me sleep better when my gains are set low.
Linear Mode
