Car Audio Experts: Need More Help!
August-22nd-2002, 01:31 PM
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: IA
Posts: 250
Car Audio Experts: Need More Help!
alright guys....... i posted hear a couple weeks ago about system noise. here is a strange one for you. while replacing things in my system i noticed a BAD crackling from the rear 6x9's. this ONLY happens in the early morning and late at night. NEVER during the day. well i replaced the 6x9's with DEI comps(wich i was going to do anyway). this is after we installed my 4 channel amp, a USAcouctics 4085. it is brand new as are all the wires(knukonceptz). i was told to switch the rca's at the amp to see if the rca's we're introducing the noise. i did this test and the next morning and i get the same sound from the rear speakers NOT the front ones. also i can ONLY hear this noise when the car is running. if i shut the car off but leave the acc. power on for the system the noise goes away and then as soon as i start it again the noise returns.
what are your thoughts?
is the rear OUTPUT on my new amp bad?
why can i only hear this sound in the morning? is cooler temps. affecting this?
please help me out if you can.
what are your thoughts?
is the rear OUTPUT on my new amp bad?
why can i only hear this sound in the morning? is cooler temps. affecting this?
please help me out if you can.
August-22nd-2002, 07:47 PM
#2
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 98
Sure it does... only in the morning & at night... you hear voices too right... we believe you... 
Could be a couple of things. Do you notice it when listening to CD's & radio? What kind of deck are you running? Did you replace all the wires when you installed the deck & amp. What have you done so far since you started noticing the crackling, ie. new speakers, adjust anything, move any wires around. I've heard of decks being temperature sensitive so in the cold, the either won't work or start doing funny things, ie crackling. You must systematically try to isolate the problem by eliminating possible sources, you know it's not the speakers since it's still doing it so move on to the next possibility. If you think it might be the amp, borrow a friend's amp & see if it's still doing it. Hope this helps & doesn't confuse you more.
Could be a couple of things. Do you notice it when listening to CD's & radio? What kind of deck are you running? Did you replace all the wires when you installed the deck & amp. What have you done so far since you started noticing the crackling, ie. new speakers, adjust anything, move any wires around. I've heard of decks being temperature sensitive so in the cold, the either won't work or start doing funny things, ie crackling. You must systematically try to isolate the problem by eliminating possible sources, you know it's not the speakers since it's still doing it so move on to the next possibility. If you think it might be the amp, borrow a friend's amp & see if it's still doing it. Hope this helps & doesn't confuse you more.
August-23rd-2002, 07:53 AM
#4
Protege Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 45
I got similar problem when I installed my Phoenix Gold EQ, and then I realise that the ccase sould not be grounded to the car, so I mounted the EQ on a wood board and the problem is gone.
Try unscrew you amp if it's screw to car ground, if not just forget this post!
The reason why it can do that is, if the amp is using it's case as ground reference, you should isolate that ground (the case) from the car one. Car ground have a LOT of noise, try returning the ground of you amp by wire directly to the battery ground pole.
But that's strange that you have this problem only on one speaker, probable the speaker wire ground somewhere too, but this should blow speaker very fast.
Good luck, keep us in touch!
MageMinds
Try unscrew you amp if it's screw to car ground, if not just forget this post!
The reason why it can do that is, if the amp is using it's case as ground reference, you should isolate that ground (the case) from the car one. Car ground have a LOT of noise, try returning the ground of you amp by wire directly to the battery ground pole.
But that's strange that you have this problem only on one speaker, probable the speaker wire ground somewhere too, but this should blow speaker very fast.
Good luck, keep us in touch!
MageMinds
August-23rd-2002, 02:36 PM
#5
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: IA
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i don't have any friends that are into car audio as hard as me so i can't really borrow another 4 channel amp. even if it is the HU or the AMP, i still don't understand why i only hear this sound in the morning. the rest of the day it is fine. i'll try the test with the cd player. as of now i don't have the amps bolted to anything so they are just laying in the trunk. i am almost done with my amp rack(needs carpet) so i will have them bolted soon. i DID have the HU before the amp with no noise though. i only got the noise after i added the 4 channel amp and only in the rear speakers. well...... time to get to work i guess.
August-23rd-2002, 02:58 PM
#6
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Originally posted by Aaron
i don't have any friends that are into car audio as hard as me so i can't really borrow another 4 channel amp. even if it is the HU or the AMP, i still don't understand why i only hear this sound in the morning. the rest of the day it is fine. i'll try the test with the cd player. as of now i don't have the amps bolted to anything so they are just laying in the trunk. i am almost done with my amp rack(needs carpet) so i will have them bolted soon. i DID have the HU before the amp with no noise though. i only got the noise after i added the 4 channel amp and only in the rear speakers. well...... time to get to work i guess.
i don't have any friends that are into car audio as hard as me so i can't really borrow another 4 channel amp. even if it is the HU or the AMP, i still don't understand why i only hear this sound in the morning. the rest of the day it is fine. i'll try the test with the cd player. as of now i don't have the amps bolted to anything so they are just laying in the trunk. i am almost done with my amp rack(needs carpet) so i will have them bolted soon. i DID have the HU before the amp with no noise though. i only got the noise after i added the 4 channel amp and only in the rear speakers. well...... time to get to work i guess.
If you don't hear anything, then it must be from the HU or RCA. Check if your RCA lines come close to any power/ground lines.
August-23rd-2002, 05:16 PM
#7
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Oklahoma City OK- where it is flat
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cooler alternator? Or alternator Diodes flipping off and on for recharge of the battery? Check voltage of system at right after ignition while noise is present, and then when noise is gone...
Just a suggestion-
Just a suggestion-
August-23rd-2002, 05:20 PM
#8
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Posts: 484
Originally posted by blue LEDz
douggie, good suggestions. how do you like the blau class T amps? i was thinking about getting one. and a class X for my sub
douggie, good suggestions. how do you like the blau class T amps? i was thinking about getting one. and a class X for my sub
Just got them a few days ago and I'm still playing around with it.
The included remote gain control is awesome and it's very nice, with a bright blue LED (no pun intended) on it.
It puts out very clean power, but i think power wise, it might a little on the weak side for you. I dunno, seems unbelievable that such a small amp can put out 570+W RMS (yeah, it's stated on the birth sheet, and i believe Blau stands by it's numbers). But if you're driving non-sub speakers, it should do it's job well.
Blau stuff is great!!!
Last edited by douggie; August-23rd-2002 at 05:28 PM.
August-23rd-2002, 10:51 PM
#9
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Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Huntington Beach, CA Uhhh Surfs up Dude
Posts: 2,367
sorry, not meant to go way off topic here, but this Blau talk reminded me of a story....back in my teens, my first Blau was a slider pull out, shaft style in a brand new 1985 VW Golf. (side note: the 85 Golf was the first year that body style was introduced. 84's were Rabbit bodies) Was bitchin, had 2 tiny *** Blau 2 channel amps that fit under the dash...and Blau speakers all around....I was in heaven.....then 5 years later, i get a 1990 Protege...(side note: the 90 Pro was the first year that body style was introduced, 89's were 323's) funny how that worked out....
August-23rd-2002, 11:42 PM
#10
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sorry fellas....... back on topic. i did do this test: i changed the speaker leads from the front to the rear and the rears to the front to check the output of the amp. well....... crackle sound moved from rear to front. can i assume this noise is coming from my amp then? 
my grounds seem to be good. bolted close to the amps to the chassis and it's bare metal. as far as checking the voltage..... i really don't know how to do that. what are your guys' thoughts? i'll try the rca test also.
i did do this test: i changed the speaker leads from the front to the rear and the rears to the front to check the output of the amp. well....... crackle sound moved from rear to front. can i assume this noise is coming from my amp then? my grounds seem to be good. bolted close to the amps to the chassis and it's bare metal. as far as checking the voltage..... i really don't know how to do that. what are your guys' thoughts? i'll try the rca test also.
August-24th-2002, 11:29 AM
#13
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Oklahoma City OK- where it is flat
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OK Arron,you have made progress, don't get discouraged. Our problem is that is still could be in the headunit, the rca lines or the amp. Could you get access to (I.E. if you have to go to radio shack and buy) another set of rca lines? They don't have to be great, indeed cheap will work wonders. They also don't have to be four channel, just two- we need to bypass the pair with the crappy noise. If the noise is still there we will know it in either the radio or the amp. If it goes away, then it is cable related.
Is the sound in all signal sources, Radio and CD?
Is the sound in all signal sources, Radio and CD?
August-25th-2002, 11:45 PM
#14
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Originally posted by blue LEDz
first switch the RCAs at the amp. if the noise stays the same, then it's the amp. if it changes its the RCA's or the HU. in which case you have to pull the HU out and switch the RCAs. if the sound changes from the front to the rear or vise versus, then it's the HU. that's the easiest way to isolate the amp and RCAs. if the sound doesn't change, it's the RCAs. good luck.
first switch the RCAs at the amp. if the noise stays the same, then it's the amp. if it changes its the RCA's or the HU. in which case you have to pull the HU out and switch the RCAs. if the sound changes from the front to the rear or vise versus, then it's the HU. that's the easiest way to isolate the amp and RCAs. if the sound doesn't change, it's the RCAs. good luck.
after a month of nothin' but problems the SOB quit working altogether! went out to start my car yesterday..... NO sound. checked fuses in amp and at the battery. they were good. then i put a 2 channel amp in to see if all my wires were good. the 2 channel works fine.
i think i got a POS amp. after reading good things about US ACOUSTICS and being sumwhat budget minded i decided to get them. the amp is supposed to have a anti-thump circuit but mine sure did'nt work cuz' i had turn on thump from day one. then the crackling... then NO POWER. the worst thing is i have only had it for a month.... got it off the internet(sounddomain) and did'nt send the warranty card in. i think i may be out of luck. so the search for a DEPENDABLE strong 4 channel that won't totally bust the bank. i need 75-100 watts RMS per channel. any suggestions???
August-25th-2002, 11:55 PM
#15
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I am sorry to hear of the demise of the amp! There is always a bit of a risk regarding warrenty issues on the internet- but I still get 90% of my stuff there anymore! The pricing is good, and it has the biggest choice of brands afloat.
Have you sent an E-mail back to sounddomain yet? Let them know what happened, and ask what they can do. It can't hurt and who knows??...
Let us all know what happens on that
For a new amp, right now the best preformance for the dollar I see out is JBL amps. Small foot print and reasonable price.
Exhaust all options on the US acoutics for repair first though. Odds are that if repaired or replaced, it will not fail again unless it was built on the Tuedays morning after a three day weekend and a hard bender on the manufactureres part...
Again, sorry to hear of the ills, it can get very discouraging. It was not the issue of you making a poor choice, it was that someone fell through on quality control....
Have you sent an E-mail back to sounddomain yet? Let them know what happened, and ask what they can do. It can't hurt and who knows??...
Let us all know what happens on that
For a new amp, right now the best preformance for the dollar I see out is JBL amps. Small foot print and reasonable price.
Exhaust all options on the US acoutics for repair first though. Odds are that if repaired or replaced, it will not fail again unless it was built on the Tuedays morning after a three day weekend and a hard bender on the manufactureres part...
Again, sorry to hear of the ills, it can get very discouraging. It was not the issue of you making a poor choice, it was that someone fell through on quality control....