Gain, Level, Volume...aren't they the same thing? Everybody knows a volume control makes your music louder (or quieter), so why do there seem to be so many different ways to describe it?  If you're used to dubbing, or if making mixtape cassettes was your thing, you may remember ''level'' has something to do with volume. If you're into car ...

If you're like most people, when you hear the word ''gain,'' what probably comes to mind is something along the lines of, ''to get more, or increase in amount, magnitude, or degree.'' For a very old word, the definition of gain hasn't changed much throughout history and (surprisingly)  the electrical definition is pretty darn close to ...

Adding a 4-channel amp to your car stereo system — two channels to run the front speakers and two channels to run the rear speakers — not only raises the sound level, but also greatly increases the sound quality of your music. This is how I'd tune it up: Before turning on your system, make sure your amplifier's gains are set to ...

I just learned a valuable lesson about amplifier gain settings — sometimes less is more. I recently put a new head unit into my truck, and I was having a bit of trouble getting the sound dialed in. No matter how I tweaked the receiver's settings, there was a certain ''tinniness'' to the sound, and the bass was weaker than I liked.The ...