How To Set Amplifier Gains & Get MAXIMUM Output w/ NO Clipping | Tuning BASS AMP w/ Oscilloscope

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0db Bass Test Tones (pure sine wave)
-2.5db Bass Test Tones
-5dd Bass Test Tones
-7.5db Bass Test Tones
-10db Bass Test Tones
Link Provided By: Autruche from SMD

Tools Used To Find MAX Clean Volume:
TPI Tru RMS Scope & Meter // Oscope Plus 440
Klein MM2000 Digital Multimeter w/ Peak Hold
Klein CL2000 Current Meter w/ Peak Hold
No Distortion & I'm a Happy Camper :)

Test Tone Used: 40hz @ -5db (because I listen to modified songs)
Pioneer Head Unit Voltage: 2.7v
Processor Output Voltage: 5v
Amplifier Output Voltage: 47.0v
Single Cerwin Vega Stroker 1000 Watt Mono Block Amp
Clamp Wattage Results: 42.3V x 10.58A = 477 watts

Do you tune your music by ear? Let me know in the comments!
Also ...Testing My Analog FLUKE on The Stoker Next WEEK!
NEW BASS ENCLOSURE FOR SISTER EXO COMING TOO!
Also... More Clamping with LOWER Coil Impedance!

Music By: Kevin Macleod "Firesong"
EXOcontralto
Bassheads Unite 2014

[Zaanjo]

been searching everywhere for an explanation on the negative db tones, you literally answered every question i had on it lol thank you sir

[chrisj]

This is a great video. 5 years old and better than anything else I've seen on youtube. I was watching another video where they were just measuring the output of the amp and matching that expected output or the subs rated output... I was like that's not how it works!
There has to be a better way, and here it is. Thanks!

[cwesea]

I swear watching your videos made me forget the time of day my fiance was in labor and before I knew it I was holding my baby girl. Thanks man ! Good stuff here.

[qballbv]

the best guide on youtube... all other forgot to specify the tone test explication. well done!

[InsertFlashyName]

Crazy to reference this video for my setup and you were on 448w....and now you're over 30k W! Love it

[Fast-is-Fun]

Hey Exo if you ever get the time I'd love to see you bring back the old Q and A vids you used to do, and loving the small builds you've been doing and finally getting back on franky

[richardr]

Thank you so much for this video. I just got an O-scope and was about to start setting my gains. Completely forgot about different recording levels. My music collection literally varies from Rock to Heavy Bass, even some Jazz and Classical. The recording levels and quality are all over the place- can even vary on the same exact song on different albums. If I set my gains for the album Woofer Wrecker, then a lot of other music has too little Bass. I guess it's hard to find a happy medium. Anyway, thanks for all your videos.

P. S. As far as loud commercials- yes they are designed to get your attention. Originally though, before DVR when we had to watch LIVE TV, people would get up during commercials to get a drink or use the bathroom, etc. The commercials were louder to make sure you still heard them even while you were out of the room. Sneaky huh?

[CriticoolHit]

Hey Exo. Just wanted to thank you for this video. While i didn't have access to an adjustable TPI-oscope I did have access to a manual scope that ended up working well. With your helpful knowledge on deck and gain matching i was able to tune my system far better than i ever could have by ear.

Thanks. Keep up the great work.

[wow]

THANK YOU EXO, i swear like the vast majority of people, especially the people that follow SMD hard, think that setting their gain will always prevent clipping, even steve replied to one of my comments a while back saying clipping indicators were worthless, COME ON NOW, and one thing i can tell you is that the DD1 is not worth $150 i can go put a small opamp notch filter together (filters out 40hz with a very sharp attenuation and allows the harmonic distortion frequencies to pass right through), and it will do the same thing that the DD1 does... for around $10-20 lol

[DJInclined]

Excellent video as always exo, i wish i had an o scope. Hey maybe you can come out to Salem next weekend for Oktober fest? heh? well if not maybe i could just drive up to maine and check out franky up there. Talk to you soon brother. 

[GearItFirst]

LOVE Your videos. A few things I noticed from a Pro Audio Perspective:

Behringer is junk. I get this is car audio vs pro audio, but in the end.. it's junk when compared to other units such as Ashley.

I'm guessing you have a DC to AC converter for the Behringer? Almost every unit runs on 12V. Open it up, chase the leads from the IEC in and you'll find the AC to DC converter built into the unit.

Once you find the output to the board, confirm it's 12V and bypass it.

Alas- less energy being wasted!

[wtfdude]

hey one thing I always wondered is do you normalize your music etc, because i listen to modified music and normal music and have no clipping indicator on my bass knob yet so i set my gains with a -5db test tone and a lot of the music today varies some the bass is as high as -1.5db and sometimes -3db, and sometimes -8db, so i adjust my bass knob on the fly to compensate but ive also heard that the music will effect the voltage on rca differently? i just feel like im always readjusting man, id love to pick your brain about it.

[sthawaiian]

It don't matter how old this vid is it still is a helpful ass video yessah! 🤘🏽🤙🏽

[TylerSpite]

First video I’ve watched on this channel. Once I heard that noise at the end I was like okay. I’ll subscribe...

[evagoras]

nice video man, but i want to mention that in volts x amperes is for dc voltage, for AC voltage you have to know the power factor because the voltage usually is slightly out of phase with amperes, so you multiply volts x amperes x power factor= watts. :)

[bmxridr]

I finally found something that explains the db overlaps!! Thank you EXO!!!

[lonestar]

Can u meter your amperage coming out of the amplifier speaker outputs without the speakers hooked up?

[jasonlevesque]

I have a kicker Comp R and kicker 800.1 mono block amp, 4 alpine 6-1/2 front and rear, 4 tweeters placed up high front and back. 2 Memphis 3.25 midrange in front doors and a 150 watt x4 channel amp with low and high pass filters. JVC double din head unit and kicker bass knob on my dash in my Jeep Cherokee Sport. It's all set up perfectly no clipping and no distortion. Every kind of music sounds perfect no matter if I'm listening to Metallica, Notorious BIG, or whatever music. I have setting presets so all I have to do is play a song, find what preset sounds the best and crank it up. No problem. 👍 as long as you have the right sounds and tones playing through the right speakers you'll get clean sound from just about any decent system. 🤷‍♂️👍

[djnevousus]

hey @EXOcontralto i have steve meads distortion meter what do u think about that & have u used it before?

[williamvincent]

If you have your head unit on 80 hz do you set your amplifier the same 80hz subwoofer