Setting RCA voltage

#amplifier #subwoofer #caraudio

[Angel_xXx_]

I want to thank you! I know this video is old but you helped me with the problem I was having on my Taramps DS440/4. I have a Kenwood that pushes 3 volts out the RCAs, clean all the way to 35. My Smart 3 on the subs has no problems but my mids & highs amp, the DS440, showed massive amounts of distortion on my DD1+ and on my Oscope. Even with the gain all the way down. It was driving me insane enough that I even purchased another one thinking the amp was bad. Same shit even with the new one. After watching this video I went into the Kenwood and lowered the rca gain levels only on the front and rear channels in the crossover menu to -6 and bam! All distortion is gone. I reset the gains on the amp using those new levels and I am super clean and happy. The specs on the Taramps website for this amp say 4 volts ~.250mV but that is wrong. 1.8-9 volts is the sweet spot. Thank you sir! 👍👍

[davidhause]

Learn something new every day, didnt even know this was such a thing!

[richardtrevino]

Thank you again. Came back for a reference. Only one channel to each amp is putting out voltage. Found out it was my cables.

[jonblair]

I know it’s an older vid, but I hope you can clarify. The voltage you’re referring to; is that from head unit to amp or from head unit through amp and to sub?

[mikewhite]

So maybe this is a dumb question but I've always been under the impression that the higher the preamp volt out of the headunit the better. Higher end units have 4 and 5 volt preouts. Is it better to have one with 4 or 2 volt preouts? Thanks

[ryansantos]

So to confirm, are you saying regardless of the HU/ Amp combo, I should be aiming for a 1.8-1.9 V reading on the RCAs? I’ve always heard that I want to send the highest Volts possible to the amp

My combo here is a generic Pioneer HU (rated 2v preout) & a Skar RP2000 (6V-0.2V)

Regardless of my setup, I should target 1.8V on the RCAS?

[JretnuH]

Yep I’m now convinced my multimeter won’t read below 5V

[nip]

Thank you for breaking it down the way you did and sharing your knowledge. I'm gonna take the opportunity to ask a question though lol. My Deaf Bonce AAB-4900 says input of .5v-8v. I have a Alpine 175bt HU, should I be aiming to get closer to that 8v input voltage? I've got a clipping issue and pretty sure it's my settings, but now I know how to test my RCA and can go from there.

[antjuanrivera]

My set up is different. My head unit only has one pair of RC‘s coming out but I have that one pair going into in AudioControl Matrix plus. And has the radio signal going in one pair and coming out the other side three pair for meds front and rear sub. And all three have their own gains of raisin the voltage going to both amplifiers. My suburb is a Taramps 8K. So are you saying I should make sure that the voltage going in to that amplifier is not too high?

[Jennings]

Most lower Amps up to 5k ish say 220mv for voltage. Is that a minimum or the maximum it should see? Im running a LOC and its really easy to send massive amounts of voltage through Rcas. Ive never had a problem until working on the dodge charger. Seems as if i cant get the amp to do its job properly.

[Rumpss]

So Jerry i have a crecendo bass clef 4k on 2 skar vxfs wired to 1ohm.Im thinking of the md 8k but worried about my head unit putting out 4v on the pres.So if i understand turn the subwoofer level down to reduce rca voltage to about 1.8?I didnt know i could lower the pre out voltage.Love the bass clef but want more lol.2 100amh agms and a 320 alternator on 2 runs of 1 gauge if that will power the taramps.Thanks Jerry.Oh and i have a occiliscope and multi meter.Thanks again.

[BEAZY_]

Problem I’m having is that at max volume, knob all the way up, sub level +15, and I’m only getting 2.3 v out of my sub rca and .1 out of my 4 channel rca. This is an Alpine 172bt v4 v headunit. I have to crank the gains when I shouldn’t. I might check the rca before the knob.

[Chromedome-ssmg]

Most head units have 4v rca outputs, I don't think you can change that even with volume adjustments.

[rageninja]

So if your running multiple amps do u increase the voltage higher than 1.9 or no matter what 1.9

[skuddydylan]

I’ve know this but was told when my head unit was sold to me it was 2v rca output out the gate come to find out last night it’s been a 5v radio this whole time so I guess I’m gonna lower my RCA voltage retune and see if I get more power out of these md12ks

[lokochevys]

Just what I needed. Thanks man. I was wondering what to set my taramps smart 5 at. I heard somewhere to set taramps at 2 or below 2 volts ac

[prometheusjae]

That volt meter thing, what’s the name of it, is it on amazon

[paulwilliamson]

I can't believe I'm just now seeing this video. I thought Ive seen them all. since I'm running a stock head unit and it don't have sub level but I'm running a Lc7i would that be done the same way?

[speedracer]

For taramps should I run the RCA from the sub output on the head unit? I'm currently running the RCA'S from the front and rear speaker outputs to the Taramps 2.6PRO DSP then to the Bass knob then to the amp. Is there a better way to run it?

[jtsgarage]

is there anything i need to do to run 2 alts one is a mechman and other is a stock 200 amp