Radio/amp set up
Thread Starter
|
Rock Crawling
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 450
Likes: 81
From: Kailua Kona, HI
Radio/amp set up
So I got sick of the weak and terrible sound system in the rover and put some money into getting a new sound system. I bought a new head unit, speakers front and rear, rear door sub speakers, and an underseat sub, as well as a 5 channel amp to power it all.
The first problem is that my radio is coming from overseas and I decided to install the rest of the components to work with the factory head unit for the time being.
My questions are:
-The factory head unit uses a strange wiring setup for the output, with only 1 wire per channel and a common ground. For my amp, I used each channel output off the head as the (+) for the amp input and tied all 4 (-) on the amp input to a common ground at the factory amplifier. Is this how everyone seems to doing this? I can't find any notes about it
-I got the install all finished, and powered it all up, and I've got tons of noise/feedback on my speakers with the car running. Do I need some kind of noise suppressor wired in? Is this because I'm using a common ground for the input signal on the amp?
-I also get loud "pops" as output from to the speakers start/stop. For example, radio is turned on, it powers up, amp comes on, speakers "pop". I hit seek on the radio, audio cuts out momentarily as it searches for the next station, "pop" when it finds something and begins playing music again
thanks for the help in advance!
The first problem is that my radio is coming from overseas and I decided to install the rest of the components to work with the factory head unit for the time being.
My questions are:
-The factory head unit uses a strange wiring setup for the output, with only 1 wire per channel and a common ground. For my amp, I used each channel output off the head as the (+) for the amp input and tied all 4 (-) on the amp input to a common ground at the factory amplifier. Is this how everyone seems to doing this? I can't find any notes about it
-I got the install all finished, and powered it all up, and I've got tons of noise/feedback on my speakers with the car running. Do I need some kind of noise suppressor wired in? Is this because I'm using a common ground for the input signal on the amp?
-I also get loud "pops" as output from to the speakers start/stop. For example, radio is turned on, it powers up, amp comes on, speakers "pop". I hit seek on the radio, audio cuts out momentarily as it searches for the next station, "pop" when it finds something and begins playing music again
thanks for the help in advance!
Last edited by Llamasayswhat; Aug 3, 2018 at 01:27 PM.
TReK
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,778
Likes: 627
From: NYC
I'm no expert but here are my best answers....
So I got sick of the weak and terrible sound system in the rover and put some money into getting a new sound system. I bought a new head unit, speakers front and rear, rear door sub speakers, and an underseat sub, as well as a 5 channel amp to power it all.
The first problem is that my radio is coming from overseas and I decided to install the rest of the components to work with the factory head unit for the time being.
My questions are:
-The factory head unit uses a strange wiring setup for the output, with only 1 wire per channel and a common ground. For my amp, I used each channel output off the head as the (+) for the amp input and tied all 4 (-) on the amp input to a common ground at the factory amplifier. Is this how everyone seems to doing this? I can't find any notes about it. Yes, like a headphone jack that only has three leads,the (-) for each channel is actually a common. You should be good here.
-I got the install all finished, and powered it all up, and I've got tons of noise/feedback on my speakers with the car running. Do I need some kind of noise suppressor wired in? Is this because I'm using a common ground for the input signal on the amp? No, it has to do with the power to the amp and the ground. Grounding stereo components is a bitch and they need to be grounded VERY well. It also helps to ground all the electrical components to a common ground so that there are no imbalances. A ground loop isolator may help if not eliminate all the noise.
-I also get loud "pops" as output from to the speakers start/stop. For example, radio is turned on, it powers up, amp comes on, speakers "pop". I hit seek on the radio, audio cuts out momentarily as it searches for the next station, "pop" when it finds something and begins playing music again
Not sure about this one.
thanks for the help in advance!
The first problem is that my radio is coming from overseas and I decided to install the rest of the components to work with the factory head unit for the time being.
My questions are:
-The factory head unit uses a strange wiring setup for the output, with only 1 wire per channel and a common ground. For my amp, I used each channel output off the head as the (+) for the amp input and tied all 4 (-) on the amp input to a common ground at the factory amplifier. Is this how everyone seems to doing this? I can't find any notes about it. Yes, like a headphone jack that only has three leads,the (-) for each channel is actually a common. You should be good here.
-I got the install all finished, and powered it all up, and I've got tons of noise/feedback on my speakers with the car running. Do I need some kind of noise suppressor wired in? Is this because I'm using a common ground for the input signal on the amp? No, it has to do with the power to the amp and the ground. Grounding stereo components is a bitch and they need to be grounded VERY well. It also helps to ground all the electrical components to a common ground so that there are no imbalances. A ground loop isolator may help if not eliminate all the noise.
-I also get loud "pops" as output from to the speakers start/stop. For example, radio is turned on, it powers up, amp comes on, speakers "pop". I hit seek on the radio, audio cuts out momentarily as it searches for the next station, "pop" when it finds something and begins playing music again
Not sure about this one.
thanks for the help in advance!
Thread Starter
|
Rock Crawling
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 450
Likes: 81
From: Kailua Kona, HI
Thanks for the quick holler,
I have the amp grounded straight to one of the existing mounting points for the original CD changer, cleaned it to bare metal and tightened it up right there, 4ga cable. Power is straight off the battery with 4ga cable as well. Think I should relocate the ground to one of the common ground posts in the passenger kick panel?
I'm going to swing by my local audio shop and ask the guy if he has any suggestions for the popping sound and see if he has a ground loop isolator
Eric
I have the amp grounded straight to one of the existing mounting points for the original CD changer, cleaned it to bare metal and tightened it up right there, 4ga cable. Power is straight off the battery with 4ga cable as well. Think I should relocate the ground to one of the common ground posts in the passenger kick panel?
I'm going to swing by my local audio shop and ask the guy if he has any suggestions for the popping sound and see if he has a ground loop isolator
Eric
Mudding
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 199
Likes: 46
From: OC CA
The output from the factory radio does not have the same impedance or signal coming out of it as a aftermarket radio. You're better off waiting till your radio is in so it will work and be wired correctly otherwise you may damage your amp. If you need to keep the factory radio in till you get your new head unit you are better off leaving the factory amp connected to the radio and getting the output from the factory amp that has a + positive and a - output per speaker and just installing a cheap Hi to Lo level impedance adapter one for the front and one for the rear they are cheap from amazon
and then when you get your radio remove this adapter along with the factory radio and factory amp.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
