Prototype bass knob idea?

[Marcus Kuenzer]

I didn't really know quite how to title it but I wanted to know if anyone knew of amps that had this or if it was even possible. Bass boost remotes are obviously a thing and they boost certain frequency's for subs, but they also can introduce distortion, so would there be a way for some manufacturer to tie in the remote to act as sort of a slave to the amps physical boost knob. When you set gains and everything on an amp there may be some headroom to boost tones with the bass boost, but I would like to set it on the amp and whatever you set it on the amp, be ii 5db @ 45hz or whatever, have that coincide with the MAX position on the bass remote? That way the max of the knob couldn't go beyond the set distortion point, which would be really nice for protecting your system if someone else is driving your car.

[Jessica]

I think you are overthinking it, don't re-invent the wheel.

Just buy a remote "gain" knob, don't use bass boost unless you know what you are doing and if you are worried about other people using your system add a second hidden knob so you can turn down the subs to a safe "idiot" level, or put a hidden kill switch for them somewhere.

[ImaNoob]

if anyone uses my truck i let em know ahead of time...what volume and the knob is off limits....If they dont like it call a cab...

[Marcus Kuenzer]

Well its mainly because I watched one of the SMD videos where he fixed someones system and then he put a mark on his remote for max without distortion. Just thought that it would be nice to have a remote that worked that way to have your system really tuned it, as more of a SQ setup. I haven't actually had problems with blowing anything or having anything blow by anyone else, I just like a lil extra bass on some songs.

[Kyblack76]

Pac knob, with Damore OM1 meter, .... just like how i run it

Knob goes up, meter shows me when to stop. Perrrrrrty simple

EDIT - (sorry my links never work, just clicky)

I want bass, knob goes up, meter goes up. Meter is DD1'd at my choice of overlap, shows me when im close, and into clipping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkMUnRHr9zE&list=UUPvpTFVZd6uKk3vGstD8SCQ

[ImaNoob]

DD1 your system with knob all the way up...

[TheMonolith2001]

Yeah the PAC-1 knob is what you should use. I like that a lot better than a remote gain. Like everyone says, gain is not a volume control I made something similar from parts at radioshack and I can post the part numbers if you want and are handy with a soldering iron. It is probably a better overall finished product but it ended up costing me like twice as much, I was just bored one day.

You can create marks on the knob where it is mounted too, so you know where 0db, -5db, and -10db are. Set the gain with the knob at max with -10db. Then play your -5db tone and turn the knob down until it isn't clipping anymore and create your -5db mark. Repeat for 0db. (It is actually safer to start from the bottom and go up for the last two marks if you leave your sub connected when you set gains) This can act as a bass boost while being a lot cleaner/safer. You know exactly what you are doing especially if you have scanned the files beforehand and you know how much headroom you have. You can even make a readout with something like the SMD OM-1.

Another solution is to measure at your deck volume. I know that at 57/62 my gain is set for 0db and at 61/62 -5db. It just happened to line up that way though. It might not be possible to do that on all decks because you might need a notch in between like a 60.5 to really get the correct setting. What else is nice is that at 57 I am givng mids/highs the rated 75w RMS each, but my amp has headroom up to 125w so going up to 61 stays nice and clean for mids/highs. If you can try to set it up similar to that as well.

[MrSkippyJ]

Yeah the PAC-1 knob is what you should use. I like that a lot better than a remote gain. Like everyone says, gain is not a volume control I made something similar from parts at radioshack and I can post the part numbers if you want and are handy with a soldering iron. It is probably a better overall finished product but it ended up costing me like twice as much, I was just bored one day.

You can create marks on the knob where it is mounted too, so you know where 0db, -5db, and -10db are. Set the gain with the knob at max with -10db. Then play your -5db tone and turn the knob down until it isn't clipping anymore and create your -5db mark. Repeat for 0db. (It is actually safer to start from the bottom and go up for the last two marks if you leave your sub connected when you set gains) This can act as a bass boost while being a lot cleaner/safer. You know exactly what you are doing especially if you have scanned the files beforehand and you know how much headroom you have. You can even make a readout with something like the SMD OM-1.

Another solution is to measure at your deck volume. I know that at 57/62 my gain is set for 0db and at 61/62 -5db. It just happened to line up that way though. It might not be possible to do that on all decks because you might need a notch in between like a 60.5 to really get the correct setting. What else is nice is that at 57 I am givng mids/highs the rated 75w RMS each, but my amp has headroom up to 125w so going up to 61 stays nice and clean for mids/highs. If you can try to set it up similar to that as well.

not really sure there is such a thing as safe boost...if your music averages -5db and you set your knob to -10db then you are clipping. Also curious what the point of checking your H/U at 0 and -5db. What difference does that make? If you set it at 0 db then set your amps gains accordingly, when you turn the volume up to the -5 db mark you are clipping right?

Maybe I am just missing something here.

[TheMonolith2001]

Audio recordings are not mixed at 0db normally. They are usually mixed at -10db or -5db, -3db, its really up to the sound engineer and how much room for dynamics he wants to have. You can open your files in audacity to see how loud they actually get. You can even HPF/LPF them to see what all of your speakers will actually be getting and THEN check peaks.

Say I do this and the song never gets louder than -7db, well I could safely play that song at the -5db setting or the 0db setting but not the -10db setting. I have a better idea of how loud I can crank it for maximum output.

EDIT: You are basically checking this and doing this same thing in real time when you use an OM-1

[gally]

ok ive used bass knobs of the DD amps...and they literalli break so easily..

bought pac lc1 and i love it...no more F--in cable trough the whole car for a bass knob