How to set gains on a 4-channel amplifier using an Oscilloscope.

Great video but with all this information im still a little confused with one thing. I set it so my amp wont clip but now confused since one set of speakers rms is 60watts and the other set is 90watts rms coaxial speakers. Is adjust the rms somehwere else? I have kicker cxa360.4. And speakers are jbl gto 939 and 629. Any help is greatly appreciated

The power and ground are really close on my amp. Can I use a short length speaker with clips to measure

After watching your videos, I bought a small oscilloscope and set my gains. I found my head unit would not clip even with volume maxed out (50). I set my gains with the head unit all the way up. I set both a 4 channel and mono amp for my subs. It didn’t n take much gain to start clipping, probably about 1/4 turn. Does this mean I am not getting the full power available from the amp?

One thing, your background music is too loud and distracting.
But your info is solid.

This is the absolute best video I’ve ever seen for setting an amp

So just a quick question to find my watts using a amp clip meter and oscilloscope do I times amp *vmax or amp*vrms?

I have 600W RMS @ 2 ohm mono amp! However my subwoofer is rated at 400W @ 4 ohms, wouldn’t my amplifier clip over 34.64 volts (√600W*2Ω= 34.64V)? If so, with the subwoofer above my amplifier will output at 4 ohms √400W*4Ω= 40v. That seems a bit high.
I was thinking because my mono amplifier is a 2 ohm stable class d amplifier, shouldn’t the formula technically be √400W*2Ω= 28.28V and that shouldn’t be clipping cause 35V+ should clip cause that’s max voltage output out of the amps channels? Or am I just overthinking 😅

I just subscribed to your channel. You're right on the money with this stuff. I did a Google search for osciliscope fine tuning diy class ab amplifier. I saw how to set your gains and didn't know it wasn't a video of the internal components lol. I got stuck though because of how informative you are. Full of facts and math I love it. Also ima big car audio guy as well as my beloved home equipment. Anyways glad I found this channel. Can't wait until I finally buy a scope and can check certain capacitors to really fine to and build some SERIOUS QUALITY HI FIDELITY SHIT MAN!!! ILL BE ABLE TO.CHECK.STABILITY OF THE TRANSISTORS IM USING. SOOOOO MUCH FUN MAN LOL. I learned so much in the 30 to 45 mins I was straight glued onto your videos for the first time. Most of the formulas and convertions I already knew but I learned so much bout setting up errythang wit a MM. You really taught me some shit quickly my dooooooddd. Thanks man

I can't get a clean signal at all on my JP 84, shit is squiggly. Alpine cda147bt is good at 26/35

Is there any way to set a 4 channel amp gains by ear? If so what tone should I use?

Why did you use a -5db track? I thought were suppose to use the 0db track. I have kicker marine speakers and just ordered that scope tool since I couldn’t get the voltage anywhere near what JL audio said it should be for their amp by using a multimeter. Hopefully this Meath is works!

Good stuff ... thanks! I'm gonna break out my Tektronix scope today as I'm setting up a 5 channel amp. The level will be set to the RMS handing power of my speakers.

I have the Alpine SA55V. A 5 channel amp. Where I can bridge the four channels down to 2 channels while still having channel 5 for the sub. The question is would I still use the 1000h tone for the bridge mode since I’m using them for higher power components?

Hi I have 4 midrange speakers on a 500.4 Amp. Where in the Amp can I adjust to make my speakers alittle louder . On my headunit when I turn volume up to 25 it is not loud enough

How do you test a i-phone as source for clipping level?

Question: I have a powered(amp built in) JL sub. This method or the oscilloscope wouldn’t work unless I removed the speaker and measured at the wires inside the box, right?

This video will help with adjusting gains on my separate 4 channel amp though!

I bought a LM2020. I set my equipment to flat and everything zeroed out. I connected the oscilloscope to my subwoofer out and ran a 40 hz test tone. The waveform never clipped at maximum volume and as I adjusted the input knob up to clipping the waveform disappeared outside of the screen. I was unable to get a point to see where the waveform started to clip. Do you have any advice?

When first probing the output to find head unit clipping level, do you start with amp gains at 0?

I have a question. Plus, I love your videos. They not like most. You give real numbers and proper facts, that is fantastic, and what I need, the right information. I am still learning all this car audio stuff.
I have a 2ohm 800 watt car subwoofer setup, running a 1500.1 D amplifier. However, my amplifier max voltage is 6 volts and I need 6.7 volts to make 800 watts (goes over a bit). According to my equation. Can I set my LOC2 at 6.7 volts and be fine or have to stay at 6 volts and calculate that extra .7 volts to my 40 volt (makes 800 watts) setting on the amplifiers gain?

At what level do I need to set the bass level control, on the head unit, while testing for clipping?

Loving your bodies after a long break from car audio. If you use a 1k test tone for muds and highs and say have you crossover set at 80-100h will the lower h distort/clip first?

So which tones 0dB or -5dB is the best for setup? For play loud and clean with nice bass

First...thanks for this! I just installed a 4-channel amp in my truck and need to set the gains. Question...when setting up the HU, do you recommend setting the equalizer to a flat signal or to the settings that you would most likely have it at when playing music?

I’ve got a 21 f150 with the B&O system. I’m adding a aftermarket sub. I bought the O-scope from your video. Do you have a video of finding the clipping point of the amplified head unit? I can find a ton of videos on testing a non amplified head units.

Can you clamp the ocilloscope probes inside where your speaker wire connects or should you use the tip of the probes on the top of the terminals?

you assumed a 4 ohm load to calculate power in watts. How do know the meter is a 4 ohm load?

How do you check the phones clipping level? Mine doesn’t have a headphone jack

ok you set the gains on the Amp, but what about the speakers? Are they not taken into consideration at all? What if the speakers I'm using can handle less than what the oscilloscope showed for the amp?

How about setting the gains on your videos? Some of them are too quiet and some of them are too loud.

Why do my amp cut off certain speakers when i set gains using -5db & -10db but when i set gains using 0db my amp never cuts off?

I see different methods of setting gains and head unit volume. Most people say to turn off your eq settings, bass boost, loudness, etc on both the head unit and amp before setting gains. Others say you need to set all that first so you can set the gains and your amp/head unit won't clip this way unlike if you set the gains with everything off and then added them afterwards.

So which is correct?

Question. It looks like you found where the head unit clipped by probing the amp at the speaker outs. Am I crazy to think that it should've been tested on the RCAs? Wouldn't probing the speaker outs be show results for the amp? If that's not the case, then was the gain set all the way down when testing the head unit for clipping?

It doesn’t matter that the amp isn’t under a load?

@DIY Audio Guy what do I set the range and time?

Nice video just got the LM2020, I seen other video with DMM and the head unit should be flat , zero settings on treble bass and Mids, my concern is do I leave those setting there? If I want more treble will that change the clipping point from my head unit ? 26 on my volume is the point of no clipping 27 will clip

Thank you 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

I am using DMM method from years never had problems but today when I changed sub I wanted 40VAC voltage but my DMM is not heading ahead 33VAC don't know my DMM went bad or my head unit isn't sending enough signal even though it has 5V pre outs. But what I noticed is my DMM tiny wires went super hot after trial and error so I guess my DMM isn't accurate anymore! Please guide me on the same

I would test all channels. Set the gain from the channel that is clipping lowest. So for the front or rear use the channel that clips first, left or right. That way when you turn your volume up neither channel clips. If you were to use the higher clipping channel it would be clean but your other channel might be clipping. I hope it makes sense.

Sane thing as the mustool? Looks like a few on Amazon that look just like it.

1000hz test tone to test deck output?

Is this process different with a 5 channel

If I am checking the clipping point of a factory head unit with a factory amp, do I check it at the speaker before or after the amp? 2011 f150 raptor with Sony system for example

How do you disconnect the (non-sub) speakers from the headunit to set gain on the headunit in cases where the wiring harness to the HU includes power and speakers?

I have installed a 4 channel amp but i am going to have a 2 ohm impedance for my mids. Would i still be able to set the gain without my speakers connected?

If I ever change my head unit the only thing I have to adjust is my gains, right? Do you have a video on setting up an impedance converter ?

Aren't you supposed to use 0dB when testing for max volume on the HU? Then use -5 or -10 when setting gains on the amps?