Recently purchased a JL Audio 300/4 (75x4) amp. It has a switch on it for input voltage selection "switchable from 200mV-2V RMS
to 800mV-8V RMS". Also got a new head unit (Sony ES CDX-M770) which has selectable output voltage; either 4v or 5.5v). So, I know(think?) that the higher output would be best. But when I asked the guy at CarToys which position I should use on the amp (I've never had an amp with this) he said, and I quote:"just switch it back and forth to which ever one sounds better."! WTF, sounds like a typical salesman answer to me! SOOOO, with out even thinking about it, I've had the output set to 5.5v (default on the deck) and the input set to low(default on the amp). The gain was set to about 10 o'clock (6 o'clock being both min and max) and it sounded good (but what the hell do I know). I couldn't turn the volume up (at the deck) past half w/o shattering eardrums. Sounded VERY clean (JL Audio XR650-CS components up front). Switched the input to High (or whatever) and had to turn the gain up. Now the system sounds weak. OK, now for my questions ('bout time, eh?):
First) Does it hurt any equipment to be running a 5.5v output into an amp that is set to a max input of 2v (gain turned way down)?
Second) What the hell am I talking about here? I'm getting to know way too many terms wothout actually grasping the concepts behind them.
Third) If no one feels like responding, could they at least give me an email address for KnuKonceptz? He seems to know what he is talking about.
Thanks and sorry for the length, I'm not from the MTV generation (well, I am but never watch it) so my attention span is NOT shot to hell!
-Joe
