Tuning an amp

[PeteT]

I installed a 200W amp to drive my front speakers and have the receiver driving the rear ones. Everything is great and the install went in without a hitch under the rear seat. The amp is Precision Power which seems like a high quality amp. The question I have is the best procedure for tuning the settings optimally.

Controls on the amp include:
Output (R and L)
Gain (set screw)
volume (set screw)
12dB (on/off button)
Bass (on/off button)

Right now the sound seems "harsh" and makes my ears tired when listening even at moderate volumes. Any ideas on settings or procedure to balance out the sound would be great. I would also love an explanation on what each of the controls above accomplishes.

Thanks!

 

[mike91]

One thing is for sure, you should not use the 12db gain or the bass button on the amplifier. It should be used only for woofers - capable of producing large amounts of bass. In your situation, you are probably running 6 x 8s or smaller so having the 12db on will just increase distortion since the speaker produces a higher range than just bass.

Another thing you should do is turn down the gain/volume on the amplifier. The common mistake lots of people make is to crank the gain to its max; however, this is not really best for the audio. You should crank your radio up to the highest volume before all sound starts to distort. Adjust the gain to where the front speakers do not distort as well. You should correct most of the sound that way.

Hope this helps

[This message has been edited by mike91 (edited 08-04-1999).]