if i get a new headunit with higher preamp outputs, with the same setup, will it be louder because i can turn the gain up? if so whats the highest pre amp headunit
No, it will not get louder, there will just be less distortion and therefore better sound quality. If you want it louder, you can turn your gains up, but then your amp is going to heat up faster and therefore have more chance of shutting down from high temps. Also, the component of more heat won't help for amp life.
the more voltage back to the amp, the less you have to turn it up. My JL 450/4 is all the way down with a Audiocontrol three.1 on it and it gets quite loud....
Look for a HU with a low output impedance. Anything 100 ohms or lower would be good. This plays a larger role than output voltage.
4 Volts is really more than sufficient for most applications.
Also, most amps don't have a gain control, they have a sensitivity adjustment. When you turn the sensitivity up, you get louder sound because the amp is expecting a weaker signal thus it amplifies more.
When adjusting the system, under the loudest conditions, you don't want your speakers or amp distorting. You adjust your sensitivity to allow for this. (Or just don't turn it up too loud)
I think a few high end JL amps actually have a gain control.
what about memphis? im pretty sure it says gain right there any way, i was just thinking if you can turn the gain/sensitivity up to match the pre out volts wouldnt it be louder?
lets say you have a 2 volt pre out, you set the gain at 2 volts to match and its quiet now 8 volts you can turn the gain up higher to match so it should be louder, unless im misunderstanding something it seems like the higher you set the gain on the amp the louder it will get, but if you go past the pre out voltage you get disortion
the higher you set the gain on the amp the louder it will get, but if you go past the pre out voltage you get disortion
pretty much.
and i wouldn't set the amp to right at what the HU says it puts out. the HU will not put out full vlotage at 3/4 Volume, and you don't want it at full volume b/c you risk the HU clipping th signal to the amp.
