Issues with Wet sounds on new Z1

[gumby 281]

Hey guys new to the forum. Anybody have problems with their Wet sounds system. Ours does not sound to strong. It also will go out for a hour and come back on. When it does come back on its so distorted you can't even use it! I have called wet sounds and they are not much help. I am to the point of getting a Rockford system installed and trashing this stuff. My dealer is 8 hours away so trying to avoid a trip.

[chpthril]

Lest start at the front end of the system, as in the head-unit, which is the main control of the entire system. Which by the way, is not made by Wet Sounds. Having your boat dealer 8 hours away is a good thing, do need a boat dealer trying to diagnose and fix audio issues. But I know how you feel, when my Lexus acted up, I was ready to trash it for a Hyundai....Just kidding.

Lets get down to brass tax, and tell us the year of the Z1 and what equipment is has.

With a little more detail, tell me more about the issues you are experiencing. Entire system shut-downs are typically caused way up stream by the head unit, battery or poor or lose connection. None of which, are a Wet Sounds problem. Poor sound and distortion can be traced back to your main source unit, like your phone. If poor sound quality and distortion are system wide, again, we are looking upstream from the amps and speakers, so not the Wet Sounds gear.

A lot of issues can be traced to battery voltage.

Is the head unit shutting down or just one or both amps?

Power cycling the main battery switch make any difference?

[gumby 281]

I certainly understand the head unit is not a wet sounds I am pretty sure it's a clarion as the boat has been in storage for 6 months. It's a 2014 z1. Let me clarify the sound goes so low you can barley hear it. If you turn it up it gets very distorted. The amp says wet sounds on it and I belive all speakers are wet sounds correct me if I am wrong. The tower speakers are rev 10 and I have 2 of those. Even when we bought the boat we didn't think the system was very strong. Power cycling the battery switch does not help! I have not checked voltage on batteries but was thinking they should still be in good shape. I am not a audio guy but will do my best to describe the issues.

[chpthril]

It's a 2014 z1. Let me clarify the sound goes so low you can barley hear it. If you turn it up it gets very distorted.

Yes, a 2014 had the clarion head unit along with the wet sounds syn-6 driving the 6 in-boats and sub and syn-2 for the tower speakers. When we see system wide issues, its almost always upstream of the amps and speakers. So all joking aside, all the rockford amps and speakers in the world, wont fix your issue. Further than that, ill take a clarion source unit over a rockford any day. Their black box source units have been the most noise filled units we've dealt with.

Have you been able to duplicate the issue in different modes like CD, tuner, SAT, AUX or BT? This helps narrow it down. Im more concerned about the system going out for extended periods, then coming on, than the distortion. First fix the hole in the roof, then fix the drips.

[gumby 281]

No matter if you use the tuner on am/fm,blue tooth,phone we still loose the sound and get distortion. I certainly love the clarion tuner as well we had it in our last boat hooked up to Rockfords and never had a issue! So your saying its the head unit and not the wet sounds amp? I kinda feel let down with buying a new z1 and having to chase audio issues!

[chpthril]

At this point, I cant say it is or is not the head-unit, but when two amps driving different speakers exhibit the same symptom, its not the amp(s) the or the speakers they are driving. its up stream but the root cause is still to be determined.

[gumby 281]

Last question....everything but the head unit is wet sounds correct? How do they perform compared to a Rockford or kicker? Lastly from your previous response I should not contact wet sounds?

[chpthril]

Head unit is clarion, amps, speakers and sub are wet sounds, batteries are interstate (used to be) main battery switch is blue sea, VSR is BEP Marine. Performance can be subjective to an apples to apples but they build a product that that is 2nd to none in the marine biz.

[JCP]

I already had to replace the deep cycle battery in my 2015 Z3. It would not charge to more than 9 1/2 volts. It was causing the same problems you are experiencing. Voltage test both batteries with the battery switch off.

[Scrib]

Ditto on the battery

[gumby 281]

Thanks for the info guys I will check the batteries!

[chpthril]

It would also be great if you could get a voltage reading right at the amp power cable terminals when the distortion issue is present or the system is out.

[talltigeguy]

And when the sound goes completely away, check to see if the head unit has turned off, or still has the display working? The amps also, is the 'on' light still on when the music disappears?

[JTs-rz2]

Sounds like a battery issue. Same problems - had a bad cell in my battery.