Running EQs

[ShadeTreeMechanic]

The LC-1 turned all the way up is the same thing as a straight RCA cord. Distortion and clipping would be determined by amp gain for a given head unit signal. The gain on the amp should be adjusted with the LC-1 turned all the way up. That way when its all the way up it will be at the max signal. Anything more would be like turning the amp gain up again.

If your amp is set for a 2v input then it doesn't matter what you do to the signal it gets. You just can't go above 2v. So lets say magic number 54 on your head unit gives a 2v output to the amp with a flat EQ. Then boost the signal at 60hz or something. Turn the head unit to 54 and now you are over 2v input to the amp. So now you can only turn up to 43 or something.

I think I was saying can't when I really meant shouldn't. Sorry for the confusion.

[audiofanaticz]

If it is only an attenuator, then it should not be able to clip the signal or raise the output if you set gains with the LC-1 knob all the way down, and then turn the knob all the way up. Because an attenuator is just an attenuator. It can't increase or boost the signal. (I have not yet used my LC-1, but I think when I get my dash finished and the knob hooked up I will test for distortion when I have the knob all the way down when setting the knob)

Your understanding is wrong.

When tuning your amplifiers and you are using a LC-1, you must turn your LC-1 all the way up so that the full rca voltage can pass through.

You then adjust your gain on the amplifier to your desired level using a DD-1, Oscilloscope, etc.

Once your gain is properly set with the LC-1 at its full open position you can then turn the LC-1 down to your desired listening level, or up when you want to crank the stereo.

This way no matter how far you turn the LC-1 it is never going past what you set the gain for on the amplifier.

Now if you set your amp gain the way you are saying using the LC-1 all the way down you are cutting almost all of your preout voltage down to nothing which would result in a stupid high gain setting due to such a low rca preout voltage due the the LC-1 being turned down and the gain on the amp will be like 3/4 the way up if not higher. So as soon as you turn the LC-1 just a smudge you are clipping the hell out of your amp instantly.

[reedal]

If it is only an attenuator, then it should not be able to clip the signal or raise the output if you set gains with the LC-1 knob all the way down, and then turn the knob all the way up. Because an attenuator is just an attenuator. It can't increase or boost the signal. (I have not yet used my LC-1, but I think when I get my dash finished and the knob hooked up I will test for distortion when I have the knob all the way down when setting the knob)

Your understanding is wrong.

When tuning your amplifiers and you are using a LC-1, you must turn your LC-1 all the way up so that the full rca voltage can pass through.

You then adjust your gain on the amplifier to your desired level using a DD-1, Oscilloscope, etc.

Once your gain is properly set with the LC-1 at its full open position you can then turn the LC-1 down to your desired listening level, or up when you want to crank the stereo.

This way no matter how far you turn the LC-1 it is never going past what you set the gain for on the amplifier.

Now if you set your amp gain the way you are saying using the LC-1 all the way down you are cutting almost all of your preout voltage down to nothing which would result in a stupid high gain setting due to such a low rca preout voltage due the the LC-1 being turned down and the gain on the amp will be like 3/4 the way up if not higher. So as soon as you turn the LC-1 just a smudge you are clipping the hell out of your amp instantly.

Ahh. Thank you. Don't know why I didn't think of it that way.

Any input on the 80prs EQ? Does it not function as a typical EQ, but instead it increases the output voltage at those frequencies boosted?

[Jessica]

If it is only an attenuator, then it should not be able to clip the signal or raise the output if you set gains with the LC-1 knob all the way down, and then turn the knob all the way up. Because an attenuator is just an attenuator. It can't increase or boost the signal. (I have not yet used my LC-1, but I think when I get my dash finished and the knob hooked up I will test for distortion when I have the knob all the way down when setting the knob)

Your understanding is wrong.

When tuning your amplifiers and you are using a LC-1, you must turn your LC-1 all the way up so that the full rca voltage can pass through.

You then adjust your gain on the amplifier to your desired level using a DD-1, Oscilloscope, etc.

Once your gain is properly set with the LC-1 at its full open position you can then turn the LC-1 down to your desired listening level, or up when you want to crank the stereo.

This way no matter how far you turn the LC-1 it is never going past what you set the gain for on the amplifier.

Now if you set your amp gain the way you are saying using the LC-1 all the way down you are cutting almost all of your preout voltage down to nothing which would result in a stupid high gain setting due to such a low rca preout voltage due the the LC-1 being turned down and the gain on the amp will be like 3/4 the way up if not higher. So as soon as you turn the LC-1 just a smudge you are clipping the hell out of your amp instantly.

Ahh. Thank you. Don't know why I didn't think of it that way.

Any input on the 80prs EQ? Does it not function as a typical EQ, but instead it increases the output voltage at those frequencies boosted?

eq sliders are like little pass band crossovers, that 50hz slider adjusts 50hz but also adjusts frequencies above and below it on a slope. If you start going into the + spectrum you are going to increase output at that level, and others, but the sine wave produced might clip if you set you gains with it at 0.

If you flatten out your sine wives you are going to have a bad time.

[reedal]

If it is only an attenuator, then it should not be able to clip the signal or raise the output if you set gains with the LC-1 knob all the way down, and then turn the knob all the way up. Because an attenuator is just an attenuator. It can't increase or boost the signal. (I have not yet used my LC-1, but I think when I get my dash finished and the knob hooked up I will test for distortion when I have the knob all the way down when setting the knob)

Your understanding is wrong.

When tuning your amplifiers and you are using a LC-1, you must turn your LC-1 all the way up so that the full rca voltage can pass through.

You then adjust your gain on the amplifier to your desired level using a DD-1, Oscilloscope, etc.

Once your gain is properly set with the LC-1 at its full open position you can then turn the LC-1 down to your desired listening level, or up when you want to crank the stereo.

This way no matter how far you turn the LC-1 it is never going past what you set the gain for on the amplifier.

Now if you set your amp gain the way you are saying using the LC-1 all the way down you are cutting almost all of your preout voltage down to nothing which would result in a stupid high gain setting due to such a low rca preout voltage due the the LC-1 being turned down and the gain on the amp will be like 3/4 the way up if not higher. So as soon as you turn the LC-1 just a smudge you are clipping the hell out of your amp instantly.

Ahh. Thank you. Don't know why I didn't think of it that way.

Any input on the 80prs EQ? Does it not function as a typical EQ, but instead it increases the output voltage at those frequencies boosted?

eq sliders are like little pass band crossovers, that 50hz slider adjusts 50hz but also adjusts frequencies above and below it on a slope. If you start going into the + spectrum you are going to increase output at that level, and others, but the sine wave produced might clip if you set you gains with it at 0.

If you flatten out your sine wives you are going to have a bad time.

I know that.

So why is it different for the HU than it is on a standalone EQ? If the standalone EQ doesn't increase output, but the HU's EQ does, does that make the standalone safer to use?

[MrSkippyJ]

i don't think it is different. i could be wrong though.

[ShadeTreeMechanic]

They both increase output the same thereby making the signal stronger at the selected point. This causes boosted frequencies to add to the total voltage output.

[reedal]

They both increase output the same thereby making the signal stronger at the selected point. This causes boosted frequencies to add to the total voltage output.

But according to triticum, it won't add to the signal (unless I misunderstood what he was saying) when boosting a frequency on an EQ, it only lowers the rest. But i know my voltage increases from when I did all my testing before to figure out how to obtain the claimed preout voltage.

That's why I'm confused. Sorry OP for jacking you're thread.

[Triticum Agricolam]

They both increase output the same thereby making the signal stronger at the selected point. This causes boosted frequencies to add to the total voltage output.

But according to triticum, it won't add to the signal (unless I misunderstood what he was saying) when boosting a frequency on an EQ, it only lowers the rest. But i know my voltage increases from when I did all my testing before to figure out how to obtain the claimed preout voltage.

That's why I'm confused. Sorry OP for jacking you're thread.

I probably didn't explain it as well as I could. If you use EQ to boost a frequency, it does add to the signal at that point. The problem is if you have you system set so you are just below clipping with zero EQ, once you add that EQ in now you are going to be clipping. So you aren't actually able to use EQ to get louder, you can just make some frequencies louder relative to everything else, but your max output doesn't increase. The example ShadeTreeMechanic gave about being to go to 58 on you volume knob before clipping without EQ and then only being able to go to 42 or whatever with EQ is exactly right. If you deck can only output 2v or 5v or whatever before it clips, EQ can't change that, it will just change what volume setting you're at before that happens.

Since EQ can't increase your max output any, when you try to boost a frequency range with EQ effectively all you are doing is turning everything else down.

[Jessica]

If you would like to be more confused, music is transient and dynamic and at the end of the day it really won't matter a lot as long as you aren't going all knobs to 11