Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio line driver worth it?

An 8V-10V line driver with all gains in a system turned completely down should not go into clipping mode until ~90% volume, but distortion should have appeared by then anyway.
Rectify by getting a line-driver with a "Master Volume". Turn all volumes up on the system, then slowly start turning down the master volume on the line driver untill all distortion is gone. Then just use HU control for adjusting volume from then on and all will be fine.

Line Driver A: Max output 10v
Amp B: Max input voltage 4v
HU C: Max output voltage 4v

Line Driver A with master volume control has 10v output. Amp B has max input voltage of 4v. As soon as input into Amp B exceeds 4v, it is clipping, much earlier than 90% of full volume.

If using HU C, you will not be able to drive the amp into clipping as the max voltage output cannot exceed the max input.

This will result in the same performance, except that the line driver would produce the max unclipped power at a lower volume control setting. The signal itself is no stronger.

this step right here just brought the output voltage of the line driver down to the same level as the max input voltage of the amp. So, I agree wholeheartedly with this step. The line driver is no longer providing 10-12v,it is producing 5 (or 4 depending on the example being used) making it no more effective than the 5v (or 4v) output of the HU.

Didn't we just go over all of this Dave?

IMO, excess signal voltage over the amp's maximum input voltage is worthless.

Yes we did. It's not an opinion, it is fact.

Also, it's not worthless, it's dangerous.

true...

well, that at least answers my question of weather i should get a line driver INSTEAD of a new amp, it probably wouldnt make as much sense with that info.

spending is so addictive, i buy two new subs, and all of a sudden im thinking "hmm....i need new amps, and maybe a cap....yeah..."

welcome to the world of car audio....

So you're saying my AudioControl Four.1 pushing 12V of signal to my Reference300 and Reference404s is worthless and harmful.
Funny 6 years later and I'm still winning SQ contests.
And yes 10V out of 12V of signal is making it into each amp. (Signal loss through AudioControl ESP-2 and EQX).
As far as my SPL, 148dB strong everytime out.
Never once has my clipping signal light come on on either of my amps or EQX.

If your amp's maximum signal input voltage is less than 12V, then yes (although it sounds like you're actually decreasing the 12V line driver output to match the amp's input).

Winning a contest or 148dB SPL doesn't make it untrue.

From your description on how to adjust the level of your line driver, you're decreasing its voltage output to match the input level of the amp.

If your HU/source is already capable of producing the amp's maximum input voltage, then a line driver is worthless.