My speakers whine!

[dogbert]

I had this issue when I installed my system as well. Before extra amps = no whine, after I added 2 more amps = whine? I did all the things suggested, switched out RCA's checked power and ground to all amps. The dealer then suggested to check the HU ground, that was the culprit. For some reason multiple amps will cause that ground to not do its job...don't really know why. I then grounded my HU to the dist. block and the noise was gone!

Good Luck!

I gotta check mine too. I have a ground loop isolator in place right now, but I have other ground issues on my dash so I'm gonna move my ground.

[talltigeguy]

I had this issue when I installed my system as well. Before extra amps = no whine, after I added 2 more amps = whine? I did all the things suggested, switched out RCA's checked power and ground to all amps. The dealer then suggested to check the HU ground, that was the culprit. For some reason multiple amps will cause that ground to not do its job...don't really know why. I then grounded my HU to the dist. block and the noise was gone!

Good Luck!

That might be even easier than trekking to my buddy's house to steal his 420. I will have to give that a try. Might not explain why I only hear it with the key in the on position, but stranger things happen. Maybe there is just extra stuff competing for the ground when the key is on and that messes it up. Also would not explain why it occurs with the 420 in Ipod mode, but it is true that the HU is still on even when the 420 is not receiving RCA input from the HU.

[Jeff T]

I got lots of speaker noise when i installed my 420. It was really bad. When i took the 420 back out and restored the stereo to pre 420, i realized that there was noise already in the system but i just couldn't hear it. Now that i know it is there, i can hear it.

I was told the fix was to run the HU ground back to the battery. I haven't done this yet so i can't tell you if it works.

[philwsailz]

Now I have just ran the wires across the floor and straight from the EQ to the battery without any relief from the very high pitched noise....I've got a friend with a brand new 420 in the box at his house, I will probably swap mine for his and see if that makes a difference.

Sometimes the subtle thing is lost in reading.


CHP and I agree that you need to run the power wires to the power connections ON THE AMPLIFIER. That is what he shared above. Not at the battery, adn not near the amp, but literally right at the + and - terminals of the amplifier.

There are a coupe of reasons. One is to get the voltage for the EQ and the radio at exactly the same ground potential as the amp. This will help to prevent noise. Additionally there is a very large power supply filter just inside of the amplifier. When you connect power and ground to the lugs on the amp, you can take advantage of this filtering for your radio and EQ.

[philwsailz]

Same problem on mine being introduced by my blower. Might check that out......

you know the fix for that.... It's only been a year....

[philwsailz]

Also, CHP recommends TEMPORARILY running the power and ground to the amp. This is tricky as a permanent solution for the head unit, as the red power wire for the head unit is designed to be energized by the ignition switch.

For your temporary wiring, take the red and the yellow, (as well as the red from the WS420) to the positive power terminal of the amp. Then take both grounds from the head unit and the WS420 to the negative terminal of the amp.

This might take care of it. If it does, you can move to a permanent wiring solution.

You can re-route your ground wires and permanently tie them to the amplifier's ground lug.

You can also re-route the H/U's yellow wire and permanently tie it to the amp's 12v positive lug.

The red wires will need to be switched. By switched, I mean that you want to literally have an electrical switch on the red wires between the actual devices, and the amplifier's positive power commection. The easiest way to do this is to use a 30 amp relay. You use the old power wire from the key switch to energize the relay.

I have a relay schematic that I need to update to show this wiring. Hang tight.

[philwsailz]

Here is a schematic for connecting your red primary power wiring straight to the amp power, while still using the ignition key to turn the radio on and off.

[philwsailz]

As I look at this pic, I am concerned I might have terminal 87 and 87A switched...

I will research and clarify; I would hate for your system to turn OFF when you turn the key On, and ON when you turn the key OFF!

[chpthril]

As I look at this pic, I am concerned I might have terminal 87 and 87A switched...

I will research and clarify; I would hate for your system to turn OFF when you turn the key On, and ON when you turn the key OFF!

#30 and #87 are typically connected when energized, #30 and 87A are connected when relay is de-energized (at rest)

[wetsounds1]

Any luck with it?

All good points. What we have found is that a lot of systems already have a bit of noise in them. But most don't hear them.

Then customers add a high voltage line driver. And more powerful amps. And pro audio compression speakers on the tower etc...and the noise gets a lot louder.

I feel the best solution is when adding to a factory system. Is to do as mentioned. Re wire the factory radio with new power and grounds. As phil mentioned. Add a relay. I always add a relay on the 420 as well. This also helps with turn on pops.

Make sure that all the radio, eq and amps are all sharing the same power and grounds.

Ground loops happen a lot in boats as the head unit is on the factory grounds and then maybe battery 1 on a two battery system. Then you add an eq and another amp and those go to battery 2 etc..then you get loops.

Usually when people add a line driver and the gains are not adjusted. They can get a hiss. Called "gain hiss" But we went over this on e mail so I think your gains may be OK as you seem to be getting a whine. Plus you added a larger amp since our e mails back and forth.

I would imagine if you started the boat, you would have some engine noise and the whine would get worse.

Let us know what you find out after re wiring it.

Tim
Wet Sounds

[philwsailz]

#30 and #87 are typically connected when energized, #30 and 87A are connected when relay is de-energized (at rest)

Okay, cool. My picture is right.

Hi Tim!

[talltigeguy]

OK.

Since I am not very smart...I will summarize what I want to do next.

I am going to take the power for the 420 and the HU and put it into the same connector as the amplifier power, and then the same with the ground for the HU and the 420. Right?

It feels like getting the extra wire into the amp will be difficult, just getting the 4 guage power wire in there was hard enough, without adding 2 more small wires to it, but I guess there is nothing that a good strong arm and a little determination can't solve.

If that fixes it, I can then do the relay like Phil says so that I can turn it on and off.

Thanks guys for all of your thoughts here.

FWIW, I posted a thread about a separate stereo topic on TMCowners.com and the responses were just not up to par with what I have experienced here.

[talltigeguy]

Usually when people add a line driver and the gains are not adjusted. They can get a hiss. Called "gain hiss" But we went over this on e mail so I think your gains may be OK as you seem to be getting a whine. Plus you added a larger amp since our e mails back and forth.

Tim
Wet Sounds

The noise that is bothersome now is a very high pitched whistle. Your tutorial on gain setting was awesome and the hiss is very low now and is just where I want it.

Some of you with teenagers might be aware of a ring tone some kids put on their phones that is an extremely high pitched tone. Most adults cannot hear it because we lose that hearing of frequency at a very young age. So a kid puts this on his cell phone and his teachers/parents don't realize when he is getting a ring because he is the only one that can hear it. Kind of like a dog whistle. I have also heard of a restaurant that was being overrun by high school kids, and the owner did not like it, so the guy put this noise on his speakers and the teenagers couldn't stand it, but more grown ups were fine with it.

Anyway, I can hear it, so it bugs me. I think others cannot even hear this whine, but it still needs to be fixed.

http://www.jetcityorange.com/mosquito-ringtone/

[philwsailz]

OK.

Since I am not very smart...I will summarize what I want to do next.

I am going to take the power for the 420 and the HU and put it into the same connector as the amplifier power, and then the same with the ground for the HU and the 420. Right?

It feels like getting the extra wire into the amp will be difficult, just getting the 4 guage power wire in there was hard enough, without adding 2 more small wires to it, but I guess there is nothing that a good strong arm and a little determination can't solve.

If that fixes it, I can then do the relay like Phil says so that I can turn it on and off.

Thanks guys for all of your thoughts here.

FWIW, I posted a thread about a separate stereo topic on TMCowners.com and the responses were just not up to par with what I have experienced here.

I think you are right on the money. Please post up your results here; we will help you solve this for sure!

[jwanck11]

Is wiring a HU/WS-420 to an amp a bandaid to fix an issue or a proper long-term solution even if no issue exists?