SMD Distortion Detector

[Sencheezy 689]

Ok, don't want to start any kind of drama here, lol. Just want to inform those who don't know.

The Steve Meade Distortion Detector has a price listed for "less" then 139$ each. I'm guessing 138.99$

If you don't know what this product is, here is the info for it provided by his youtube channel. Also, I don't own any rights for this or any of the following information given. lol, I don't want any kind of legal trouble from the man. Just informing the community.

"Ever wonder how to set your amp gains properly? Do you just turn them up till its loud enough for you and call it done? Do you turn them up all the way...... or do you tell your boys "my amp is ONLY up 1/4 of the way"? If you want to set them properly then the only true way to do it previously, is to us an Oscilloscope or "O-Scope" to detect a clipped signal. Well now you have a cheaper yet very accurate alternative, the SMD Distortion Listener (no official name yet). This was developed for and with SMD by Tony of D'amore Engineering and our other partner and electronic guru Juan. It was developed for those who dont have access to an O-Scope or even if they did, they might not understand how to use one. This is a pretty fool proof way to do it, without the scope. Put it this way, this device might not just force you to turn your gain down, in some cases you might have left some of your power "on the table" and werent taking advantage of it.

Use tracks ranging from 0db to -10 db (included on the disc) to set your gain overlaps according to the way you play your system. Detailed instructions will be included of course and i promise you this is EASY."

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Now, any comments? lol

[shizzzon 461]

u know what i'm gonna say...

Even in your description, it said if you do not know how to use an oscope.. implying buy this device for the same price as an oscope if you feel like you are too retarded to learn.

[ricksi30 923]

u know what i'm gonna say...

Even in your description, it said if you do not know how to use an oscope.. implying buy this device for the same price as an oscope if you feel like you are too retarded to learn.

I agree, but I can't hate too much. If it's accurate and under $139 I think it's pretty cool. But I'll take a handheld Oscope for that price.

[Angelboy863 21]

I say he should sell those for $50. couldn't be that hard to make, and everyone would buy it at $50.

[slim142 9]

$13x is too high IMO.

I always blast and have never blew my sub.

I thought $100 would have been good for those desperate noobs in the first run.

[Sencheezy 689]

I think it would have made more sense to just price it at 50 to be honest, because even if they sell it for 139, there still gonna be tax and then S&H... Then, more if your getting it from a dealer. Especially when you can get a DMM for 100 bucks ya know.

[///M5 2,833]

Complete waste of money. It won't "help" anyone.

[bakedboy08@yahoo.com 6]

yup if they were more like $50 id deffinelty try one out but 140 just to tune your system is pretty harsh

[diablo_331 23]

handheld dmm with color screen for like $70ish on Amazon. and it also "detects clipping".

[///M5 2,833]

yup if they were more like $50 id deffinelty try one out but 140 just to tune your system is pretty harsh

Even at $50 its a complete waste of money. Not sure what you mean by try one out, but perhaps its valid as the only real use for it is if you are a gadget freak and want to have a gadget. I can't think of a single instance where it would be the right tool.

[Sencheezy 689]

Just out of curiousty M5, why do you dislike it so much?

What about this tool are you not too fancy about?

I'm just asking, because there are a lot of informed ppl out there in the car audio world, that could use this tool to tune their system. Maybe not to 100%, or 100% accurate, but its there just to help ppl to lesson the possiblity of ruining ppl's system. Its a dummed down tool that is trying to be idiot-proof for the unexperience.

I'm in no way trying to defend this tool, just curious to why you are not a fan of it. Sure, its not educating anybody, but how much new technology out there is?

[///M5 2,833]

I don't hate it at all, just don't understand what you'd do with it and why. Using a set 0dB (or other reference value) to set your gains doesn't help as recordings differ. Setting your gains above what you can audibly differentiate doesn't make sense either.

[kirill007 52]

M5, some people have totally different goals then you.

They just want the max out of their amp at run it under a rated ohm load and want that last watt out of the amp or they feel like they haven't done enough effort to make it sound loud.

[Sencheezy 689]

Maybe in that manuel, there is some missing information that we yet know about?

[ralstonballa2413 20]

M5, some people have totally different goals then you.

They just want the max out of their amp at run it under a rated ohm load and want that last watt out of the amp or they feel like they haven't done enough effort to make it sound loud.

If that is what they want then this tool really won't help them either though as those people will have there amps clip to get an extra watt or two.

[///M5 2,833]

M5, some people have totally different goals then you.

They just want the max out of their amp at run it under a rated ohm load and want that last watt out of the amp or they feel like they haven't done enough effort to make it sound loud.

If that is what they want then this tool really won't help them either though as those people will have there amps clip to get an extra watt or two.

And even then when they can't hear the difference why do it? At the same time, why would this "tool" be the best way to reach that goal kirill? I really don't at all understand its use, but am listening

[Notorious97200 339]

Can someone pass us a link for a good & cheap handled o'scope ?

I want to / will learn how to use one. I'd rather use an o'scope than this smd thing, even if it's accurate !

[Sencheezy 689]

@ FWI, Google is your friend on this journey. Also, Nick from Figh posted up here once already before, you will have to search for it.

@M5, I don't believe the goal is to gain every extra watt out, I believe most users will only look for how much volume is too much volume. If I could tell a person, when the volume is too high before they blow something, then they would take my advice. Well, that is where this tool will come in handy, to let the unexperienced users atleast attempt to tune their system, or atleast, let them know how much gain, is too much gain. Without this tool, or a DMM, or w/e, the unexperience ppl would just turn it all the way up, or not enough, so I guess, pp would feel more comfortable with this being able to tell them, atleast within a few clicks or notches, were their tunning should be.

[///M5 2,833]

@M5, I don't believe the goal is to gain every extra watt out, I believe most users will only look for how much volume is too much volume. If I could tell a person, when the volume is too high before they blow something, then they would take my advice. Well, that is where this tool will come in handy, to let the unexperienced users atleast attempt to tune their system, or atleast, let them know how much gain, is too much gain. Without this tool, or a DMM, or w/e, the unexperience ppl would just turn it all the way up, or not enough, so I guess, pp would feel more comfortable with this being able to tell them, atleast within a few clicks or notches, were their tunning should be.

And why would this be better than a $5 DMM for doing that?

*and no, I'll not recommend a DMM for gain setting, but that is a different conversation

[Sencheezy 689]

@M5, I don't believe the goal is to gain every extra watt out, I believe most users will only look for how much volume is too much volume. If I could tell a person, when the volume is too high before they blow something, then they would take my advice. Well, that is where this tool will come in handy, to let the unexperienced users atleast attempt to tune their system, or atleast, let them know how much gain, is too much gain. Without this tool, or a DMM, or w/e, the unexperience ppl would just turn it all the way up, or not enough, so I guess, pp would feel more comfortable with this being able to tell them, atleast within a few clicks or notches, were their tunning should be.

And why would this be better than a $5 DMM for doing that?

*and no, I'll not recommend a DMM for gain setting, but that is a different conversation

OOps, when I said "or w/e", that also included a o'scope, or w/e tool you may use to set your gains.

[///M5 2,833]

@M5, I don't believe the goal is to gain every extra watt out, I believe most users will only look for how much volume is too much volume. If I could tell a person, when the volume is too high before they blow something, then they would take my advice. Well, that is where this tool will come in handy, to let the unexperienced users atleast attempt to tune their system, or atleast, let them know how much gain, is too much gain. Without this tool, or a DMM, or w/e, the unexperience ppl would just turn it all the way up, or not enough, so I guess, pp would feel more comfortable with this being able to tell them, atleast within a few clicks or notches, were their tunning should be.

And why would this be better than a $5 DMM for doing that?

*and no, I'll not recommend a DMM for gain setting, but that is a different conversation

OOps, when I said "or w/e", that also included a o'scope, or w/e tool you may use to set your gains.

So you agree with my original statement then:

Complete waste of money. It won't "help" anyone.

[swagger_wagon468 53]

Assuming this is very accurate.. and I wouldn't need an oscope for anything but to tune my amps, then why wouldn't I just get this? They for the same thing...and if its the only thing ill be using it for... im not losing anything g by getting this rather than an scope.. right?

[mikeyraw215 0]

True..... I feel like this might be a good tool. This will detect clipping on the amp and will prevent it from being damaged. Everyone is worried about there subs on here but nobody said anything about their amps. If buying this tool will help me prevent my 500 dollar amp from possibly being damaged I feel like it is worth it but I do agree the price should be less then 130. Just my opinion

[Sir-Lancelot 216]

Clipping ain't the end of the world. Don't know why everyone makes it out to be so.

Got to learn to trust your eyes, ears, and sniffer. IF your driver is stressed, it will tell you .

[///M5 2,833]

Assuming this is very accurate.. and I wouldn't need an oscope for anything but to tune my amps, then why wouldn't I just get this? They for the same thing...and if its the only thing ill be using it for... im not losing anything g by getting this rather than an scope.. right?

Because it adds no value and does nothing good for your system. It will not "tune" your amps correctly, not even close. If you think it will then perhaps you should describe how you'd use it and why you've selected to use it that way. O'scopes can do A TON of other things, but are also WAY overkill for what you want to do. I don't understand at all why anyone thinks they need to set their gain to the threshold of clipping in a system that is only being listened to. Complete idiotic idea.

True..... I feel like this might be a good tool. This will detect clipping on the amp and will prevent it from being damaged. Everyone is worried about there subs on here but nobody said anything about their amps. If buying this tool will help me prevent my 500 dollar amp from possibly being damaged I feel like it is worth it but I do agree the price should be less then 130. Just my opinion

It won't help you protect ANYTHING. If you feel it might, then you don't understand the "tool" and definitely shouldn't use it. Its a gimmick that will make you feel overconfident and not at all help the cause.

Please people. Think this over. What level are you CD's/mp3's or whatever recorded at? If you don't know then you CANNOT pick a clipping level for gain setting. You could pick an overly conservative one, but considering the target audience for the device that will just automatically make your system underwhelming. And no, there is no standard so YES all your music will be at different levels. If you want to set your gain before you listen to EVERY song based on the song then go for it and I would then agree this device could almost make sense...but you'd have to be a complete fucktard to want/need to do that.