I got a line driver for my 420!

[shawndoggy]

I think it is a combination. HLCD's will always have a little bit of hiss, but I beleive that the 420 sometimes is a culprit in greatly exaggerating it.

Did you try excluding the 420 altogether? I'm going to go out on a limb and say that my hlcds don't have any hiss.

(double ks600.2 update... haven't tuned gains to ragged edge either. So far with gains bottomed out (all the way down) it is way too loud to play in my neighborhood... will have to see on the water)

[majestic]

Did you try excluding the 420 altogether? I'm going to go out on a limb and say that my hlcds don't have any hiss.

(double ks600.2 update... haven't tuned gains to ragged edge either. So far with gains bottomed out (all the way down) it is way too loud to play in my neighborhood... will have to see on the water)

No hiss here. I have the Clarion EQ as a line driver.

[adamsjstt]

Anybody no how to test the rca voltage output from a head unit? I have a clarion cmd4a and the manual states that the output is 2v. I would like to test it to see if the manual is correct or if I would benefit using this line driver.

[SPBFAN]

Before my 420 I used two of the clarion EQS 746's, one for the tower and one for the boat, no hiss, they have a signal to noise ratio of 100db, and they sounde great, best of all, 49 bucks a piece.
Sin city

A little bit more money but the specs are way above the Clarion unit. They only thing this does not do over the WS EQ is have the talk back MIC which is a real fun feature. I have installed a couple of these and they do a great job.

http://www.arcaudio.com/product-page...lizers/xeq.asp

[SPBFAN]

Anybody no how to test the rca voltage output from a head unit? I have a clarion cmd4a and the manual states that the output is 2v. I would like to test it to see if the manual is correct or if I would benefit using this line driver.

You have to use a Scope or Volt meter to test it. I have tested a whole bunch of them and found them to be right at .5 to 2V at best. More were at .5 than one. To avoid any hiss in your system you need a minimum of at least 5V input 7-9 is best. I have seen some line drivers that will put out as high as 26V. I do not know that you need that much unless you are running low quality amps. But hear is how you test it.

USE A VOLT METER:
SET THE VOLTAGE SCALE TO A/C VOLTAGE.
UNPLUG THE RCA FROM THE EQ AND CRANK YOUR VOLUME ON THE DECK ALL THE WAY UP.
PUT THE VOLT METER POSITVE LEAD ON THE OUTSIDE VERY END OF THE RCA WHERE IT PUSHES OVER THE RCA PLUG
THEN PUT THE NEGATIVE LEAD ON THE CENTER PROBE OF THE END OF THE RCA CABLE.
YOU SHOULD NOW BE READING THE VOLTAGE OUTPUT.

[sincity]

Ok did some testing, this morning, keep in mind that the hiss I have is only heard in the hlcd's , and is only heard when the volume is all the way down, and you have to stick your ear up to the speaker. Hiss is present with amp connected directly to the HU, hiss is present via the WS420, hiss is present via the clarion s746, and hiss is present via the arc audio line driver, although the line driver does not get rid of the hiss, it dam sure makes the pre amp voltage hot, I will have to adjust all my gains on the amps again. Conclusion, the WS420 does not create the hiss, it's just a by product of the HU being on, and the hlcd's just magnify the hiss.

Sin city

[shawndoggy]

Correct. That is why I insisted initially on trying it between the 420 and Tower amp first. 95% of all of the music I listen to is from that AUX input on the 420. So that is now not an option. But my HU has Ipod capability, so not all is lost. I actually will upgrade the HU to one with an AUX input, as scrolling through the screens is painful, especially while trying to drive. I like just giving the ipod on the cable to the passenger and focusing on driving.

Shawndoggy, did you get your other amp hooked up yet? I was eager to see if you feel it livens up the system as much as we are hoping. WIth the new line driver, I am content to leave well enough alone now.

Have been thinking about this -- I wonder if you could go with a cheap line driver for the ipod? Something like this:

http://www.pac-audio.com/productDeta...&CategoryID=28

or this

http://www.pie.net/index.php?page=sh...mart&Itemid=40

or if you are going to go with an entirely new HU, the not-quite-available-yet clarion m502 looks promising (other than the 2v pre-outs, but you've got that covered with the line driver). AFAIK, the only true marine HU with integrated bluetooth.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_020M502...2.html?tp=1721

[strohlde]

was considering dropping my HU altogether but that Clarion with BT looks promising. All we listen to is iPod and Pandora anymore. And with it integrated into the HU we could still skip tracks via a transom remote...or maybe one of these.

[sincity]

Shawndoggy, your carion EQ has an aux in on it, you can plug your iPod directly into it, but control has to come from the iPod.
Sin city

[shawndoggy]

Shawndoggy, your carion EQ has an aux in on it, you can plug your iPod directly into it, but control has to come from the iPod.
Sin city

yeah, I know. My post was in response to talltigeguy's concern that now that he's line driving his HU, that his ipod is way undergained into his ws420's aux in.

I'm running an isimple is75 into the aux-in on the clarion. Sounds good, but still just a tad undergained even with the gain pots on the EQ maxed out. one of those cheapie line drivers for the aux-in may be in my future too.