Wet sounds 420 hum

[davidl81]

I just installed my ws420 and I now have a hissing sound in my speakers. I get this on both the towers and the boat speakers. I have tired different RCA cables and I still have the same issue. I can adjust the high levels on the eq to reduce this hiss but it is still there. Could this be a bad unit, or does anyone else have any idea?

[Jloflin420]

Sounds like a ground problem to me, BUT for your best answer PM Chpthril. He gets the most respect on here when it comes to sound and ballast. He knows his info

[chpthril]

Did you reset (lower) the gain settings on the amps? Sounds like you have an older Gen 420 with adjustable line-level. You need to fallow the gain setting found on the Wet Sounds site to a T.

Where did you obtain the B+ and GND for the WS-420? It should share the same as the amps (and the head-unit should also).

Is the noise still present with the system on but the RCA from the head-unit unplugged? Yes = its between the EQ and the amps such as a gain setting or white noise being amplified. No = is coming from the source unit and could be amplified noise that was there before but not heard until the addition of the line-driver. As noted above, its best to have the source and any peripherals sharing the same B+ and GND as the amps.

[davidl81]

I did unplug the rca from the source and the hiss persist, so the noise is between the eq and amps. I have adjusted the volume on the amps so this leaves the eq. It is installed under the steering wheel and I used the power under the dash. I will try to run power and ground from the head unit and run it to the eq and see if that makes a difference.

[Wickedcummins]

Buy some capacitors solder one both left and right rca ends around the outside of the connector end and run the other end of the cap to ground. Noise will be gone..

Unless you believe you can find the ground loop you have!

[chpthril]

I did unplug the rca from the source and the hiss persist, so the noise is between the eq and amps. I have adjusted the volume on the amps so this leaves the eq. It is installed under the steering wheel and I used the power under the dash. I will try to run power and ground from the head unit and run it to the eq and see if that makes a difference.

Amps dont have volume knobs, but thats another story

Just run the EQ's power and ground over to one of the amps and piggy-back the with the amp's B+ and GND.

[MRMoffat1]

Amps dont have volume knobs, but thats another story

Just run the EQ's power and ground over to one of the amps and piggy-back the with the amp's B+ and GND.

Chp - I think I asked similar question last year with hissing coming from speakers using WS420 - basic answer was turn the gains down. Maybe try above then? I will double check the pwr/gnd runs when get the boat out this spring.

[davidl81]

The ground has been changed and the problem is still there. I read on the wetsounds website that there are gain level controls on the eq. You have to remove the cover and the gains can be adjusted with a screwdriver. My question is what cover do I remove?

[Wickedcummins]

Your getting noise from somewhere dont mess with the speakers.

[chpthril]

The ground has been changed and the problem is still there. I read on the wetsounds website that there are gain level controls on the eq. You have to remove the cover and the gains can be adjusted with a screwdriver. My question is what cover do I remove?

Depends on what Gen ws-420 you have. The early ones did have adjustable gain settings, but the later ones are now fixed settings. if your are adjustable, you will have a couple of labeled plugs on the top side. They pop out to expose the adjusters.

[chpthril]

Chp - I think I asked similar question last year with hissing coming from speakers using WS420 - basic answer was turn the gains down. Maybe try above then? I will double check the pwr/gnd runs when get the boat out this spring.

Gain noise is typically there (heard) when the volume is low and there is little output. Unwanted white noise will usually be there with the engine running or you may get static or a pop when something else is turned on/off. The 1st line of defence for this is to make sure everything shares the same battery source. This seems to cure it in most cases.

This may help point you and other in the right direction. No matter what, the gains need to be re-set with an device like an EQ/line-driver.