I know that one ups the volume level to suit your listening tastes but I was wondering what is better to do in this situation. Also have a question that's probably obvious.

I have this setup:

iPod -> Aux in on headunit -> amp -> speakers

I have the iPod cranked to full, the headunit volume set to 20 (of 40) for normal listening and I think the gain on the amp is around 25%

I haven't cranked it lately but if I upped the headunit to say 30 odd, it starts to distort but only a little. Could I get a better resultant sound if I upped the gain to 50 or 75% and dropped the headunit volume level to get the same volume from the speakers? Or if I halved the iPod output and kept the same headunit volume with the gain set to 50 - 75%?

I guess I'm wondering what can cause signal degredation the most? It actually could well be that the speakers are distorting but they max ouput matches that off the amp and neither headunit volume or gain is maxed out.

Also, I noticed that sometimes I can dial mu iPod up to half way and the sound is at whatever level but if I dial it up more, the volume doesn't change. I figured that it just can't drive the speakers at a higher level.

You't tune your system to your ipod FIRST rather than to your head unit FIRST.

You need to get your ipod as loud as you can until the output distorts. Then back it off a fraction.

Now up your HU until the HU starts to distort, back it off a smidge. That should be your max level for any source in your car.

Now, with the ipod and the HU going at their set levels, turn up the amps until the speakers start to distort, the do the little backky offie! That's it.

As long as you don't increase your ipod volume and your HU volume to above where you set them, she'll be apples.

I doubt ur speakers would be distorting. What you want to do is have the highest possible CLEAN signal giong into your amps which allows you to use the lowest possible gain.

Are u running the ipod through a belkin charger?

You want to start at the amps and work your way back.

Set ur headunit to the highest point without distortion then increase your amp gains from 0 until they start to distort (the lower the better)
Ipod volume shouldbe to match a CD level at ur headunit.

There are settings to keep the ipod mp3 volume the same for different songs that have different levels

Peace

Tim

Also make sure you turn any nasty EQ's off in the iPod.

You need to get your ipod as loud as you can until the output distorts. Then back it off a fraction.

Now up your HU until the HU starts to distort, back it off a smidge. That should be your max level for any source in your car.

Now, with the ipod and the HU going at their set levels, turn up the amps until the speakers start to distort, the do the little backky offie! That's it.
Okay, so you pretty much work downstream setting to the max a touch before distortion.

I presume from then on you still use the HU to control the overall volume?


I doubt ur speakers would be distorting.
I hope not, they're reasonable speakers. Mind you, they're 4 years old now.


What you want to do is have the highest possible CLEAN signal giong into your amps which allows you to use the lowest possible gain.

You want to start at the amps and work your way back.

Set ur headunit to the highest point without distortion then increase your amp gains from 0 until they start to distort (the lower the better)
Ipod volume shouldbe to match a CD level at ur headunit.
Well, that's what I'd have thought. Work backwards upstream.


There are settings to keep the ipod mp3 volume the same for different songs that have different levels
Yeah but from what I've found it's not very consistant. There's only a handful of songs which have obvious different levels when the iPod is on full in the car. There's quite a few which show up when the volume's at half level and plugged into headphones or computer speakers.


Also make sure you turn any nasty EQ's off in the iPod.
Yeah, they're pretty dodgy.

Actually, in general I've found that the iPod doesn't reproduce bass very well. Most music is a bit tinny. Has anyone else found this?

Yeh bass is very distorted as with all mp3's. If you wanted it to sound good you wouldnt have got an ipod.

Cant beat CD's...

Ipods have their uses though.

Well, I have a nice hissing background noise now. I'll dropped the gain right down and do it right tonight. The iPod and HU seem to provide clean signals too. *hugs his 5 volt pre outs* (well, not sure if that's really a factor but meh)


Cant beat CD's...

Ipods have their uses though.
Pretty much spot on, (in car audio at least - can't beat the raw audio prior to CD creation :cool: ).