System install, how did I do for setting of gains?

[maxmodder]

Here's my setup in my daily driver. Nothing too much, just would like to hit 145 db and I don't think I'm anywhere near it.

2013 Honda Accord V6

Factory Head unit

Big 3 upgrade

Kollosus Flex 0/1 awg

JL 450/4

JL 1000/1

Accubass LC7i (installed post factory amp)

Image Dynamics CXS62 V2

Image Dynmiac CTX65C

JL 12w7 in ported MDF box per JL specs of 1.75 cf tuned to 36.7

Stock battery (I've got a HC1400 on the way)
Stock alternator

I thought I would get more out of this setup, but the bass just isn't chest pounding. I'd love to know how many db I'm at right now, but no one in southern Ohio seems to have a way to measure it. When measuring the signal with a ddm at the battery, the power drops to 11.5 volts at times, and I feel that the lack of an ELD bypass may be the limiting factor.

I did the install myself. The local shop says that the highs sound great, but that I may need a 2nd battery and the 12w7 should be louder. At this point, I'm wondering what a reasonable amount of $$ would be to pay a shop to see if any more bass can be had in the event that the 2nd battery doesn't help.

Here's was I did to set my gains, even though I really don't know what the hell I'm doing and just followed the manuals:

1. Factory head unit set to flat on, ANC disconnected, and everything (bass, treble, sub, etc set to 0.

2. HPF set to 85 Hz on 4 ch amp and LPF set to 85 Hz on mono block. Both at 24db. Bass Eq set to off. Tuning frequency set to 25 Hz.

3. Unplug RCA's from amps and turn all amp gains all the way down, and LC7i gains all the way down. Accubass level and threshold turned all the way down also.

4. Turn ACR-1 Remote bass control remote knob all the way up

5. Download 50hz sine wave from http://www.realmofexcursion.com/downloads.htm

6. Turn on car and turn volume on head unit to 30. (3/4 of the way) while playing the 50hz.

7. Turn up the gains on Channel 3 (sub) until the yellow maximum light flashes, then back it off.

8. Turn off the car, plug in the RCA's to the mono block amp, and disconnect the positive speaker wire.

9. Turn on the car, with the volume at 30 playing the 50hz tune, using a multimeter on the + and - speaker inputs on the amp, slowly turn up the gain on the amp until it is at proper voltage at a given Ohm. For my setup, it was 3 ohms at 54.7v

10. Disconnect CH 1 and CH 2 RCA's.

11. Play a 1000 hz tune at volume of 30

12. Adjust the "main" channel gain on the LC7i until the yellow light comes on, then back it off a hair. Do the same with channel 2.

13. Same as step 9, but with 1khz tune, dial on the 4 channel amp CH 1/2 at 24.5v and CH 3/4 at 17.3v. I noticed that on my 4 CH amp, I had to change the input sensitivity to high to dial in the proper voltages, but on the monoblock, setting the input sensitivity to low was correct. In short, the gain was turned about 30% of the way to achieve proper voltage. While channel 4 was at 17.3v, I noticed CH 3 was only 13.4v. No way to fix, as the gain controls both CH 3 and CH 4. CH 1/2 both tested at 17.3v.

14. Turn off car

15. Play a song that has a wide range of frequencies and a good bass line, set the volume to low

16.On the LC7i, set the AccuBASS Level Control to the 12:00 position.

17. Turn the Threshold fully down (counter clockwise).

18. Then I turned up the volume on the stereo until I could hear the bass start to drop out in relationship to the high frequencies and left the volume there.

19. Slowly turned up the Threshold control until I hear the bass come back up and leave it in that position.

20. Adjusted the level control to fine tune the amount of bass restoration that I wanted.

Manuals I used:

http://mediacdn.jlaudio.com/media/mfg/9013/media_document/live_1/450_4_MAN.pdf?1317780906

http://mediacdn.jlaudio.com/media/mfg/9013/media_document/live_1/1000_1v2_MAN.pdf?1305783842

http://rs.audiocontrol.com/company_38//OM_LC7i.pdf

Thoughts?

[moredbs]

that seems very complicated.all i can tell you,is i used to run the1000/1 ,and i needed a second battery just to keep it from going into protect.

[Syphlyn]

1000/1 is extremely current hungry and not efficient from what I've read. I'd avoid that amp.

[TRON]

Your JL manual is basically telling you to set gains with a multimeter. Not cool.

There's plenty of threads on why that's a no no.

[maxmodder]

Your JL manual is basically telling you to set gains with a multimeter. Not cool.

There's plenty of threads on why that's a no no.

What's funny is that most of the people that use to say how stupid it is to use a DDM used to throw the DMM tuning how-to at everyone! Time to find someone that has a dd-1 near me......

[juan777]

Nope

[hispls]

*SIGH* You're on a forum belonging to a guy who sells a magical gain setting black-box. You will get NO approval of any other gain setting method here.

Really I don't know why you're looking for validation here anyway, if it sounds good, it is good... if you're having trouble specify and you may get help.

[maxmodder]

*SIGH* You're on a forum belonging to a guy who sells a magical gain setting black-box. You will get NO approval of any other gain setting method here.

Really I don't know why you're looking for validation here anyway, if it sounds good, it is good... if you're having trouble specify and you may get help.

"May" get help? Please, elaborate. I'm going to try a 2nd battery and then ensure that my gains are set correctly.

I thought that this was a forum where car audio enthusiast help each other out?

Interesting read on the dd-1: http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/149628-dmm-gain-setting/

[juan777]

Second battery may help, still got your stock amp?

1000watts should be OK on a stock system, bad ground maybe?

[Noel989]

*SIGH* You're on a forum belonging to a guy who sells a magical gain setting black-box. You will get NO approval of any other gain setting method here.

Really I don't know why you're looking for validation here anyway, if it sounds good, it is good... if you're having trouble specify and you may get help.

.

Not true

We don't just suggest his tools

We recommend an oscope too

It's called using the correct tool