Cmd6+kicker zxmrlc+iPhone = mass distortion

[99bison]

Anyone seen this before?

Amps at say zero to 30% gain
Cmd6 at say 10

With iPhone connected via aux1(tt Bluetooth), aux2, or wired lightning cable via usb get mass distortion, sounds like it's getting clipped.

Play cd, just fine
Play radio just fine
Bench test zxmrlc just fine
iPhone direct to zxmrlc just fine
Remove zxmrlc (hu to amps) just fine
Same for two different iPhones
Same using any of the three non fixed output pairs

Note: Also had a mysterious ground loop buzz, which was caused by the remote cable ground between the cdm6 and medallion computer. Even more suspicious that the cdm6 is the origination now.

[chpthril]

Where did you terminate the ZXM's B+ and B-?

[99bison]

Distribution blocks that all audio is connected to. For fun also tried separate wires direct to battery with same results.

Next was that thinking of trying a different battery altogether for everything. Also a different fuse/breaker, of which I don't have another one big enough to try on hand.

[99bison]

Update today, ruled out more things, like the batteries...
Found that if you take hu out of equation or ground the rca shield from hu noise disappears.

So going to triple Check the ground to the hu. Otherwise sure seems like hu.

[ChrisSnow]

Check for any corrosion on the connectors. Clean them up if necessary.

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[chpthril]

Im going to assume the head-unit's yellow B+/MEM is also sharing the same battery source as the amps and ZXM. I should have asked specifically in my first question. It seem that bypassing the head-unit all is ok and taking the ZXM out all is ok. It also seems ok on some sources but not all.

Can you describe with a little more detail, the distortion? Is it volume based? Or is is like static thats present all the time? Is the head-unit's LOUD turned on by chance?

Did you reset the amp gains after installing the ZXm? Its a 9V p/chnl line driver, so it delivers a much hotter signal then just the head-unit.

Battery voltage?

[99bison]

Yes all audio is on same power. Re the sources, I'm guessing it's actually similar for radio and cd just not as bad. I didn't have a familiar cd to try on hand, only found some acoustical older thing with no base or mid to begin with. And fm radio service is also sketchy. You can tell its affected by comparing but not complete insanity like with the iPhone.

Not really volume based. Distorted sound just gets louder.
If nothing is playing or muted it's silent, no static or hiss - unless you put your ear up to a rev8 and the amp gain is up enough, then can hear a slight hiss (I'd expect this).

Sounds somewhat underwater like, clipping of low end completely, the mids come and go, finally highs are audible. For example for the one amp that powers 4 inboats and sub, the base is nearly nonexistent, while moving up the range to higher comes through a bit.

I found hu setting with mid/low/high, which didn't seem to matter while changing, I didn't see a "loud" option on the cmd6, but whatever this was called looked similar.

Yes amp gains have been trying 0 to 40%

Batteries go about 12.2 before draw to maybe 11.8 lowest during draw.

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Grounding an RCA shield off the hu works great. So seems like there must be a blown fuse or RCA ground not happening inside the hu. Thinking of going the route of solder RCA shield to hu ground wire or stud.