Todd Geisler

Redoing the stereo in my new car trailer, upgrading components. I purchased the DD-1 to be able to accurately set the amplifier gain. The head unit is a Kenwood KDC-BT572U, one of the only components I didn't upgrade (yet). This head unit is rated at 2.5 volts on the pre-outs. I measured, cant find my notes but I believe it was around 2.3 volts actual measured. The volume goes to 35 total, found the preouts didn't show distortion on the DD-1 till 33 on the volume. One odd thing is the DD-1 didn't see the 1khz signal till the head unit was at 32 on the volume. I see in the instructions the DD-1 needs to see 1.2 volts to recognize the signal. With this head unit, that puts it at very high volume. The voltage to volume setting isn't very linear. The voltage stays below 1 volts for quite a long time, then ramps up the last 1/4 of the volume it seems. I verified three sources for distortion, CD, Bluetooth and USB, all three showed the same volume level vs distortion within one volume number. I then connected the head unit to the new JL Audio XD400/4v2 amplifier with the speaker outputs unhooked. Gains set all the way down, DD-1 leads hooked to the front speaker output on the amp. The DD-1 showed distortion with very low volume on the head unit. Per the instructions said to try -5db which showed distortion at mid volume and zero gain. Wound up having to use the -10db to set the gain and not have distortion show up. I'm confused why the DD-1 shows distortion through the amp when the head unit output was clean? I have everything adjusted with the -10db, sounds good, had to turn down the front channels to match the rear channels with how the amp is wired, but either way the sound is clean, so no real concerns over the distortion. Starting to think part of the problem is the average out put of the preouts being only 2.5 volts. I've considered replacing the head unit with the Pioneer DEH-80PRS which has 5 volts outout. I hope this babbling makes some sense. thanks Todd