# Is turning on bass boost from head unit bad? Should it be kept off?



## Mayosandwich (Sep 9, 2012)

I just set my amp gain and finally after 4 tries was able to get my reading on the volt meter to read where i needed it 28.28V (set it at 28V) with both Bass boosts on the amp and head unit OFF. Before, for some reason i had to have one bass boost on to even anywhere close to 28.28.

Anyways, I did as requested and had everything on my head unit on 0 and flat, and turned up the sub to +4 (+6 is the max, -24 is the min on my head unit). 

Now the thing is, on my head unit, should I keep my sub at +4, because thats what i set my gain with? Obviously if I turn it down, it lowers the voltage to the amp right? 

And how bad is turning on bass boost from the head unit? I have the bass boost on my amp OFF but my head unit can go from 0-6. Its just that with it at 0, bass sounds good but bit lifeless. I turn the bass boost on my head unit to 4/6 and it comes alive and you can actually feel it.

Cause from my testing, when you turn on bass boost from the head unit, it puts out more voltage so not sure if its safe for the amp, if the amp is set at 28V and a higher number comes in.

Now, alternatively, if youre familiar with Pioneer head units, they have a feature on there (forgot what its called) where its basically a sound enchancer where it has OFF/LOW/MID/HIGH. Right now I have it on MED. Basically it brings your system to life, its a must to have on. It makes your bass sound better, your mids sound better, your highs sound better. Your music will sound flat and gutless without it. I could try keeping the bass boost on 0 and maybe move this option from MED to HIGH? It doesnt mess with the rest of your settings, they all stay the same.

I would love to have the bass boost on my head unit at 4 or even 3/6, but I need to make sure its safe and not gonna bring in clipping and distorting or cause harm to the amp and sub because the voltage is higher than what the amp gain is set at.


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## adrenalinejunkie (Oct 17, 2010)

I don't use it. If I had an RTA, I probably would. As it is, most vehicles have a peak in the 45hz range.


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## Mayosandwich (Sep 9, 2012)

more on the pioneers OFF/LOW/MED/HIGH enchancement, its called Loudness

Loudness compensates for deficiencies in the low- and high-frequency ranges at low volume. 1 PressM.C.toturnloudnessonoroff. 2 PushM.C.leftorrighttoselectthedesiredset-
ting. Low (low)—Mid (mid)—High (high)—OFF (off)


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## Hanatsu (Nov 9, 2010)

It can be used in certain situations. However, there is a strong probability that you may clip the signal and/or the amps output if you don't have enough power. For every 3dB you increase EQ (bass boost) you require twice the amount of power.


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## Mayosandwich (Sep 9, 2012)

Hanatsu said:


> It can be used in certain situations. However, there is a strong probability that you may clip the signal and/or the amps output if you don't have enough power. For every 3dB you increase EQ (bass boost) you require twice the amount of power.


You talk about Loudness or bass boost?

I need to have one of these 2 on to get the oumph out of my sub. With both off, its rather dull bass. Im reading more into this Loudness feature, apparently Alpines have it as well.

When you say 3db on the EQ, i wonder if 3db would be one notch or 3 notches.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

it boosts some lower frequencies and some higher freq.

I use loudness 1 and then I set gains and tune with a rta. I do not use bassboost as it makes everything muddy.

If your pioneer has an auto eq w/mic Id try that.

With my pioneer deck, I auto eq and use "superbass" setting (boosts 60 hz and below and everything else flat). Then I use a rta and the eq on my amp to tune. If you use loudness, make sure you set your gains with it on, otherwise you will just clip your amp if you dont set gains with loudness when its turned on.

Also, you would benefit from a line driver. Pioneer has some weak preouts


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## Mayosandwich (Sep 9, 2012)

tyroneshoes said:


> it boosts some lower frequencies and some higher freq.
> 
> I use loudness 1 and then I set gains and tune with a rta. I do not use bassboost as it makes everything muddy.


Ok i turned bass boost off on teh head unit, im gonna try to keep that off.

Loudness I find sounds best at high setting but Im hearing that LOUDNESS is bad and should be kept off. If thats the case then how do i get the fullness from my sub if bass boost is already off?



> If your pioneer has an auto eq w/mic Id try that.


hats auto eq with mic? 



> If you use loudness, make sure you set your gains with it on, otherwise you will just clip your amp if you dont set gains with loudness when its turned on.



Really? I didnt know this, crap should i redo it again?


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

Yep. Turn on loudness to 2 (compromise) and make your eq flat as well as any bass boost on the amp. redo gains.

BTW, there is no wrong, if you prefer the sound then thats all that matters.


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## Mayosandwich (Sep 9, 2012)

tyroneshoes said:


> Yep. Turn on loudness to 2 (compromise) and make your eq flat as well as any bass boost on the amp. redo gains.
> 
> BTW, there is no wrong, if you prefer the sound then thats all that matters.


You think it would be alright to have loudness on high over med? It gives more oumph and unless i turn on the head unit bass boost i cant get it.


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## Hanatsu (Nov 9, 2010)

Mayosandwich said:


> You talk about Loudness or bass boost?
> 
> I need to have one of these 2 on to get the oumph out of my sub. With both off, its rather dull bass. Im reading more into this Loudness feature, apparently Alpines have it as well.
> 
> When you say 3db on the EQ, i wonder if 3db would be one notch or 3 notches.


Impossible to say, usually when you adjust "bass" "mid" "treble" it's measured in dB, +3 would therefore translate to 3dB.

Bass boost is creates a peak in the bass region, on some units it's adjustable like a parametric EQ. Some manufactures lock the boost centered at 40-50Hz. Loudness on the other hand creates a smiley curve, there's a wide range of frequencies that get boosted in both bass and treble regions or if you like; the whole midrange region between ~200-7000Hz~ gets attenuated.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

On in my pioneer, loudness 1 = + 3 at 60hz and +3 at 10k

2 is +6

3 is +10

Which would make sense if your tweeters are very off axis.


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## Mayosandwich (Sep 9, 2012)

tyroneshoes said:


> On in my pioneer, loudness 1 = + 3 at 60hz and +3 at 10k
> 
> 2 is +6
> 
> ...


What do you mean by twetters off axis?



Hanatsu said:


> Impossible to say, usually when you adjust "bass" "mid" "treble" it's measured in dB, +3 would therefore translate to 3dB.
> 
> Bass boost is creates a peak in the bass region, on some units it's adjustable like a parametric EQ. Some manufactures lock the boost centered at 40-50Hz. Loudness on the other hand creates a smiley curve, there's a wide range of frequencies that get boosted in both bass and treble regions or if you like; the whole midrange region between ~200-7000Hz~ gets attenuated.


Alright I think i found a new happiness in these settings. Was able to keep the bass boost on the head unit to 0, put loudness on HIGH and re set the amp gain.


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## SkizeR (Apr 19, 2011)

the low, mid, high, and off.. thing your talking about is the sound retrieval feature. kinda like Alpines Media Expander.


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## tyroneshoes (Mar 21, 2006)

No, these days pioneer has 3 levels of loudness as well as asr

On axis = aiming at your head

Off axis = not aiming at your head


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## Mayosandwich (Sep 9, 2012)

SkizeR said:


> the low, mid, high, and off.. thing your talking about is the sound retrieval feature. kinda like Alpines Media Expander.


Oh i thought it was a loudness to boost lows and highs 



tyroneshoes said:


> No, these days pioneer has 3 levels of loudness as well as asr
> 
> On axis = aiming at your head
> 
> Off axis = not aiming at your head


Then my speakers would be off axis

I have my 5 band EQ (goes from -6 to +6) as -4,-2,-2,+2, +5

With loudness on high, had to drop the bass going to the speakers cause i try to have as little bass as possible from the speakers.


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

tyroneshoes said:


> *No, these days pioneer has 3 levels of loudness* as well as asr
> 
> On axis = aiming at your head
> 
> Off axis = not aiming at your head


x2

Below is an FR plot of a P99's loudness settings. Each with its respective off setting. (Pic courtesy of Bikinpunk)


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## Mayosandwich (Sep 9, 2012)

So since i set my amp gain again with the loudness on HIGH this time, I should be fine at loud volumes then eh? I mean no clipping. Someone here mentioned if you dont set the amp gain with the loudness on the level you want, and turn it on after it will clip cause of the increase in voltage from the head unit.

My gain is now at 28.0V and the number i needed was 28.28V but was told to set it a bit lower. 

My sub isnt fully broken in yet so i cant crank it.


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