Do anyone know what volume the ddx370 starts to clip? .I've heard the excelon kenwoods can do the full 35 of 35 volume . But the ddx370 is not an excelon .. it is 35 max volume...

I run my Kenwood Excelon KDC-X497 at 33 and have no distortion or clipping.  The way I have my amp set, my H/U will distort a tiny bit on only some songs when at the full 35. Alot of it depends on if your amped up..If you are, it is equally, if not more important to make sure your voltage gains at the amp are set properly.  I also reccomend running your head unit "flat"...as in all "0's" +or- 1 or 2 on bass, mid, and high settings with no bass boost to help prevent clipping and again refer to the amp for tuning.

Edited March 22, 201411 yr by THX_Elite

I run my Kenwood Excelon KDC-X497 at 33 and have no distortion or clipping. The way I have my amp set, my H/U will distort a tiny bit on only some songs when at the full 35. Alot of it depends on if your amped up..If you are, it is equally, if not more important to make sure your voltage gains at the amp are set properly. I also reccomend running your head unit "flat"...as in all "0's" +or- 1 or 2 on bass, mid, and high settings with no bass boost to help prevent clipping and again refer to the amp for tuning.

Only thing I have amped is my subs .. stocks doors on the headunit...some people say the non excelon clip at 28 to 29 with everything flat. Idk

So set the gains with the volume at 29 and leave yourself some headroom for songs with lower recording levels.

The ddx370 has a subwoofer level control that goes to -50 an +10 .. my older kenwood didn't have this . So I emailed kenwood to ask if that wouy effect my sub RCA voltage an they said no not at all. It's 4 volts at max clean signal. But I know I've heard you have to max that output on some decks to get proper voltage. My gain is set very high with a dmm to reach 34.6 volt with the sub level at 0.

You NEVER want to set the gain higher than the H/U's output voltage in your case(and mine) that's .4v!! Other wise you are garunteed clipping the sub no matter what volume you are at.

You NEVER want to set the gain higher than the H/U's output voltage in your case(and mine) that's .4v!! Other wise you are garunteed clipping the sub no matter what volume you are at.

well I set the gain with a dmm at 34.6.. the amp is a sundown saz1200d but I'm 3/4 the way on the gain..

I run my Kenwood Excelon KDC-X497 at 33 and have no distortion or clipping.  The way I have my amp set, my H/U will distort a tiny bit on only some songs when at the full 35. Alot of it depends on if your amped up..If you are, it is equally, if not more important to make sure your voltage gains at the amp are set properly.  I also reccomend running your head unit "flat"...as in all "0's" +or- 1 or 2 on bass, mid, and high settings with no bass boost to help prevent clipping and again refer to the amp for tuning.

Headunit causing distortion is NEVER related to your amplifier setting at all. Both can be sources and in that they are completely independent.*

*unless of course you exceed the input stage levels of the amp

 

 

So set the gains with the volume at 29 and leave yourself some headroom for songs with lower recording levels.

Exactly. Setting at max anywhere is idiotic. It does mean though if you aren't smart and listen you can break something, but it will give you the capability to adjust for recordings which is 1000% necessary.

 

The ddx370 has a subwoofer level control that goes to -50 an +10 .. my older kenwood didn't have this . So I emailed kenwood to ask if that wouy effect my sub RCA voltage an they said no not at all. It's 4 volts at max clean signal. But I know I've heard you have to max that output on some decks to get proper voltage. My gain is set very high with a dmm to reach 34.6 volt with the sub level at 0.

Using a DMM is a TERRIBLE idea. In particular for you. STOP. Redo everything.

 

You NEVER want to set the gain higher than the H/U's output voltage in your case(and mine) that's .4v!! Other wise you are garunteed clipping the sub no matter what volume you are at.

0.4v is rather low. Even still most headunits can't hit their stated voltage anyways so setting anywhere near a limit is a mistake. Of course if you set by ear this is really obvious.

I actually meant 4 volts that was my bad : )  and you are, most surely right, making that setting conservative as possible especially without meter is a very good practice.

 

Also Kenwood Excelon H/U's are known to hit their rated 4v outputs quite nicely : )

 

Here is this for some help:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhrDqke8BKo

Edited March 23, 201411 yr by THX_Elite

I actually meant 4.0v that was my bad : )

And you believe it'll do 4.0?

...and doesn't matter either way anyways.

I don't know if I'm typing it right but I know that these H/U's outputs are rated at 4v, and that the Excelon line of Kenwood does that 4v true as possible.

0dB sine tones don't count