# Amp Bass knob and gain adjustment question



## certifiedquality (Mar 28, 2011)

This has been baffling me for a while.
What exactly does the amp bass knob adjust? Does it adjust bass boost?
if so if your amp has a bass boost level adjustment on the amp itself, how does this affect what the bass knob adjusts?

Secondly, why do they recommend to set gains with all eq's, bass levels etc flat?
If you do this and adjust gains to the point of just before clipping, wont you then get clipping after you are finished and you reset your eq and bass levels etc?


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## 1996blackmax (Aug 29, 2007)

With some amps the knob adjusts the gain, with others it boosts a specific frequency. On amps that have a boost, the owners manual I've seen say to set the boost on the actual amp to zero if using the remote knob.

If you like the sound with the bass boost engaged, then adjust your gain settings after making that adjustment.


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## certifiedquality (Mar 28, 2011)

Yeah i ended up setting my gains on the sub amp with my bass boost and bass level on deck set to where i like it. i was just wondering about the logic behind setting gains with these settings flat.

My amp is a soundstream stl1200.1 
This is what the manual says about the bass remote:
Connect the remote controller to control the subwoofer amplifier volume from the driver seat location, for ease of adjustment during playing.


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## jockhater2 (May 9, 2011)

certifiedquality said:


> Yeah i ended up setting my gains on the sub amp with my bass boost and bass level on deck set to where i like it. i was just wondering about the logic behind setting gains with these settings flat.
> 
> My amp is a soundstream stl1200.1
> This is what the manual says about the bass remote:
> Connect the remote controller to control the subwoofer amplifier volume from the driver seat location, for ease of adjustment during playing.


Don't use bass remotes. They are unnecessary. Just set your gain and leave it.

How do you plan on setting your gain correctly? Do you know where your HU clips? Do you have a Oscope or DD-1?

Don't use bass boost either. Just set the gain right before clipping and that is it. Bass boost will just cause clipping. It is 100% unnecessary.

And actually after you set your gains. And then set your LPF and crossover. Your amp gain will most like be able to go up more before clipping.

I am not sure why they tell you to set the gain first and then your LPF/subsonic.


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## certifiedquality (Mar 28, 2011)

jockhater2 said:


> Don't use bass remotes. They are unnecessary. Just set your gain and leave it.
> 
> How do you plan on setting your gain correctly? Do you know where your HU clips? Do you have a Oscope or DD-1?
> 
> ...


I set my gains with an Oscope. Yes i kno where my Hu clips. And i set it with my lpf and subsonic filters on and with bass boost where i like it so i'm positive i get no clipping. 
I have noticed that with bass boost u do get clipping after it passes a certain point so i just don't cross that point once i establish where it is.


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## jockhater2 (May 9, 2011)

certifiedquality said:


> I set my gains with an Oscope. Yes i kno where my Hu clips. And i set it with my lpf and subsonic filters on and with bass boost where i like it so i'm positive i get no clipping.
> I have noticed that with bass boost u do get clipping after it passes a certain point so i just don't cross that point once i establish where it is.


Don't use bass boost
Watch at 2:15

What is Clipping?? Understanding Amplifier Clipping & Clipped Signals - YouTube


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## certifiedquality (Mar 28, 2011)

jockhater2 said:


> Don't use bass boost
> Watch at 2:15
> 
> What is Clipping?? Understanding Amplifier Clipping & Clipped Signals - YouTube


Not sure why you sent me that video. I know what clipping is. As i said i use an Oscope for setting my gains and i know at exactly what point i get clipping when i use bass boost. I think it's somewhere around 2db with the boost frequency set to 30Hz if i remember correctly. I just set it and leave it there.

Another observation i made was that while adjusting the remote bass knob i get clipping after a certain point also so i just don't pass that point. I have to do some further investigation with the remote not connected at all as i never actually see what happens without using it.


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