New Amp, now head unit volume control doesnt work???

[Riverside711]

Hey all,

I just installed a 4 channel PDX F-4 amp and connected it to my Clarion CMD6 head unit. Here is the crazy part, after installation it sounds Killer but now my volume control on my head unit doesn't work to increase or decrease the volume. Is there a setting on the Head unit that i need to change to recognize the RCA cables, Bad RCA cables? I am at a loss on this one, hopefully someone has run into the same issue for has a fix for me... Thanks!!!

[chpthril]

Does it just play at a constant volume level? Nope, RCA outputs are live 24/7, nothing to set or turn them on/off. I would disconnect the remotes first and see if that returns volume control to the head-unit.

[Riverside711]

Yes, it plays at a consistant level and even when I go into the controls of the head unit and try to change bass, treble..etc nothing will change. I have one blue with white strip that I believe is the remote line as it does turn the amp on and off using the key. The Alpine PDX is a pretty simple Amp, everything is set up on plugs so I don't think i screwed that up. I did find that my Ipod volume works when it is plugged into the usb slot. So when you say disconncet the remote(s) you are talking about the blue remote wire that turns the amp on and off, right?

[shawndoggy]

My Clarion M309 has fixed outputs, in addition to outputs that can be controlled through the HU. Could you be connected to those RCA outputs instead of the variable ones?

[ChrisBarnes05-12-84]

Your connected to fixed volume rca outputs I'm almost certain of it. The cmd6 has those. Change it to the other RCA output.

[ChrisBarnes05-12-84]

Actually their called fixed audio output. I'm pretty sure they were green cables to if I remember right

[shawndoggy]

interesting fixed output tidbit: I use the fixed outputs to an eq and they sound a lot better than the HU controlled ones, FWIW.

[chpthril]

RCA outputs with a fixed volume is a new one to me on a Clarion CMD6. It has a non-fade with red leads that play at head-unit volume regardless of the position of the fade.

When I said remote, I was referring to the stereo remotes, not the amp remote turn on lead. This sounds like a head-unit problem as its the only piece of equipment in your system that controls volume. The amps output is based on the input level on the RCA's, so I do not see the amp wigging out and some how blasting the output at a fixed level. For chits and giggles, pull the RCAs and take an PM3 directly to the amp with a 3.5mm x RCA cable and see what it does.

[ChrisBarnes05-12-84]

I assure you chp my 07 tige had a cmd6 w fixed audio outputs. I remembrr not being sble to adjust anything when i accidently plugged into them. volume fade etc.I don't know a whole lot about this stuff and don't doubt your experience w the cmd6 but it most definitely has them. I'm curious to see his reply w the problem. And btw chp thx for the 12" led ring for my sub it looks awesome

[shawndoggy]

Check the manual MLA... CMD6 definitely has fixed outputs: http://a248.e.akamai.net/pix.crutchf...20/020CMD6.PDF

[Riverside711]

Ok, we are making some headway. I was looking at the back of my head unit and noticed a slot for another plug, so I looked in my tige owners bag your get and I found another plug with about 8 wires coming out of it. 2 sets of RCA's say aux 1 and aux 2 ( i am asuming these are inputs) and ther rest are red, black, Grey and purple. On my schematics I think it is saying to connect to connect to the grey and black so i can connect front back left right.
So I did that and the volume worked very low and kinda static like, at least the volume control worked. do I need to adjust something on the head unit, this is getting frustrating.

[chpthril]

The cmd6 manual list a pair of fixed audio outputs that have green leads, but no description at all that I can find. Ive never gone looking for fixed audio leads and typically use the non-fade when connecting up a volume controller, as I know that works and I wont get that Saturday afternoon call from the lake that the sound is gone and have to say "check the fade". I also know that I can set up and tune the system with the head-unit at its max pre-clip level. Who knows what the fixed level is on those green leads.

Ok, we are making some headway. I was looking at the back of my head unit and noticed a slot for another plug, so I looked in my tige owners bag your get and I found another plug with about 8 wires coming out of it. 2 sets of RCA's say aux 1 and aux 2 ( i am asuming these are inputs) and ther rest are red, black, Grey and purple. On my schematics I think it is saying to connect to connect to the grey and black so i can connect front back left right.
So I did that and the volume worked very low and kinda static like, at least the volume control worked. do I need to adjust something on the head unit, this is getting frustrating.

Ok, so you are using 2 stereo RCA cables using the gray front and black rear RCA outputs to your 4 chnl amp. As long as the volume of the speakers is going up and down according to the volume level of the head-unit, then you are good to this point.

Now for the static and im gathering low volume from the speakers when the head-unit is maxed. Static or noise can be a result of the gains being too high, but low output can be a result of having the gains too low, hmmm! Does your boat have the Tige EIDB dual battery setup? If so, where did you make the amp power cabling connections? Net, set the gains properly using a typical means. If you search on this site, you will find a couple of easy tutorials posted by Phil from Kicker and Tim from Wet Sounds. Doing this will eliminate any speculation. Any issues remaining can be addressed accordingly.

[shawndoggy]

IMHO if you are using an EQ, fixed outputs get the best signal out of a clarion HU. Give it a try sometime MLA.

[chpthril]

IMHO if you are using an EQ, fixed outputs get the best signal out of a clarion HU. Give it a try sometime MLA.

What is that based on? Whats "fixed" about the output, other then apparently volume? What else is fixed: Hi-pass, low-pass, is it full-range, are the EQ settings fixed or maybe just narrowed, etc. What percentage of the head-units max volume is "fixed audio" set to?

[shawndoggy]

Give it a try and let us know. I know that I've tried using the fronts, the rears, and the fixed outputs, and the fixed by far put out the best unclipped full range signal. I'm just a shadetree hack and only have my own 1 of 1 experience, so I'd like to hear your opinion of the setup once you get the chance. Especially now that the 420 has a master volume knob, seems like keeping the HU adjustable is just a recipe for messing up the gains.