How to set Xenon Sensitivity?

[phoenix_rising]

A real quick one!

I've checked the manual for the Xenon 200.4 and it says that the sensitivty/gain increases the closer you get to the .2 volt side!?!

Is this right?

So to confirm, im testing the amp with an ipod nano in my home on a test bench and ive set the sensitivity at .2v and tried turning it up towards 8v gain and it actually gets quieter the closer i get to 8v!

Anyone shed any light?

[Eric D]

The sensitivity setting of an amp (any amp) is designed to allow you to get full power with different levels of input voltage. Your findings are correct. If you have an 8V signal, you need to reduce the gain of the amp to make up for it. If you had only 0.2V of input (very low), you would need maximum gain to get the rated power from the amplifier.

I personally always run all the gains on all my amplifiers all the down. This way I can use line drivers or processors to drive the amplifiers to full output (best signal to noise ratio).

[phoenix_rising]

Thanks Eric... The weird thing is that my Ipod outputs around 1v give or take from it's DAC and my Xenon only reaches it maximum volume when the gain is turned to .2v and is at its most quiet when turned too 8v.... I thought it would be the other way round? Loudest at 8v etc... (in terms of gain voltage matching)

[ttocs]

what is the volume level on your ipod at?

[phoenix_rising]

It's maxxed out... just swapped out the speakers with some closed cabinet bookcase speakers (4ohm) and got a much higher output from the amp (as expected) however it still baffles me that the speakers are playing louder at .2 volts than they do a 8v (on the xenons senitivity/gain dial) Does that sound right to you? I thought that as the voltage increased on the amp the louder the signal would get? Not the opposite...

[trickyricky]

LOL hook a line driver on the Ipod. That would help...then like Eric stated.. you can have your gains all the way down (8v setting) and you'll get the bests signal noise ratio.

[Bchester6]

If you're going to run Xenon series amplifiers then line drivers are a MUST.

[Eric D]

It's maxxed out... just swapped out the speakers with some closed cabinet bookcase speakers (4ohm) and got a much higher output from the amp (as expected) however it still baffles me that the speakers are playing louder at .2 volts than they do a 8v (on the xenons senitivity/gain dial) Does that sound right to you? I thought that as the voltage increased on the amp the louder the signal would get? Not the opposite...

When you turn the amp's control to the 8V setting, you are not turning the amp up, you are turning it down, so it matches with the low input signal.

If an amplifier can do say 15V RMS of output, you will need a lower gain setting with an 8V input than with a 0.2V input.

When you adjust the amplifiers output from 0.2V to 8V, you are turning its gain down, not up.

[phoenix_rising]

Thats the clarification i was after thanks Eric... and thanks everyone else that chimed in - Had a moment where the science evaded me... Makes perfect sense. Cheers.