need some stereo help...

[Rollin Thunder]

if yall dont mind me asking about the rado here. My aftermarket stereo is great for the most part, except on certain songs ( most country songs) It distorts at a lower than average volume. like 12 out of 35 clicks, as some radio stations it can go all the way up with no distortion and you will be def in less than 5 min and have an orgasm from the vibrations of the bass. Also I get engine noise and HID noise. I dont know how to get rid of that. Amp is hooked up to the battery would should be pretty pure. IM also using a Cap if that makes a difference.

[Shaggy]

I know what your talking about and I have had the same issue with my setup I had in my 95 cehvy truck. I alwasy thought it was a wiring issue to the battery.

[Sepiroth]

RT, how are your grounds? What type of wire are you using? Have you thought about using wires wrapped with an outer wire specifically for r/f supression?

[05Yukon]

Are you listening to the radio? are you sure its not just those stations aren't as high a quality? So it sounds like its distorting? I would check your ground if your getting engine noise and HID noise.

[oneradride]

Read up on ‘group loop isolation’ also try and pin point were the interference/distortion is coming from. IE power, signal, amp, etc. A stiffening cap should not matter.

Do you also get the distortion with a CD playing? All CD’s? Just the country radio station?

Some CD’s are burnt at different audio levels than others….. They make ground loop isolators for power and RCA but before you spend the money try and narrow down the problem a little more…..

[Rollin Thunder]

Are you listening to the radio? are you sure its not just those stations aren't as high a quality? So it sounds like its distorting? I would check your ground if your getting engine noise and HID noise.

its all the time, on any station or ipod or CD. The ground is on the frame. Should I move it to the battery.

Also another question. even with a Cap my battery is weak starting every morning. Is it just an old battery or am I draining it to much some how?? Nothing is left on

[05Yukon]

Is it the original battery? If so I would say its time for a new one. Might also want to look at the connections on the battery

[Timmy]

its all the time, on any station or ipod or CD. The ground is on the frame. Should I move it to the battery.

Also another question. even with a Cap my battery is weak starting every morning. Is it just an old battery or am I draining it to much some how?? Nothing is left on

i have my stuff grounded to a bolt on the dash frame and to the seat bolt. and the battery should be fine. what are the specs of your system?

Is it the original battery? If so I would say its time for a new one. Might also want to look at the connections on the battery
i still have the original battery in my truck and it's an 04.

[Rollin Thunder]

Read up on ‘group loop isolation’ also try and pin point were the interference/distortion is coming from. IE power, signal, amp, etc. A stiffening cap should not matter.

Do you also get the distortion with a CD playing? All CD’s? Just the country radio station?

Some CD’s are burnt at different audio levels than others….. They make ground loop isolators for power and RCA but before you spend the money try and narrow down the problem a little more…..

Is it the original battery? If so I would say its time for a new one. Might also want to look at the connections on the battery

Thanks for the info guys. The noise is coming from the amps. So What do I do about that???

[Timmy]

unhook them and see if you are getting a lot of draw.

i still need to know your setup.

[Rollin Thunder]

unhook them and see if you are getting a lot of draw.

i still need to know your setup.

sorry. lol

HU is apline
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n167/fishbonejr/radio2.jpg


Speaker amp is an infinity 75W RMS

Sub amp is a apline 1000W RMS.

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n167/fishbonejr/radio3.jpg

sub is a 12" rockford fosgate (only handles 500w RMS but it aint blown yet lol)
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n167/fishbonejr/radio4.jpg

[Timmy]

the distortion might be because you are putting to much power to your speakers

[Rollin Thunder]

the distortion might be because you are putting to much power to your speakers

the polks specs say 25-125W on crutchfield. But the amp is only putting out 75W.

These are the speakers I have..
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_107MM6501/Polk-Audio-MM6501.html?tp=106&tab=features_and_specs

[Timmy]

hmmm...

[JKmotorsports]

An old or weak battery cannot filter out ripple from the alternator as effectively as a good battery and can cause alternator whine. You can try running a return ground lead from the amp's gnd to the radio gnd and see if that helps with the noise. What type of interconnects are you using? Are the mounting screws on the amps going through the vehicle's body? If so, this can cause a ground loop and introduce whine into the system also. Use a piece of MDF underneath the carpet mounted to the floor, then mount the amp to the MDF to eliminate the possiblility of a ground loop there.
The Infinity amps are hit and miss with alternator whine problems. Of all the amps I install, the only time I ever have a noise problem to diagnose is when I'm installing the 4 and 5ch Infinity Reference amps. You have to cross your t's and dot your i's when installing these f'ing Infinity amps.

[Timmy]

good point JK.

[JKmotorsports]

Where is your HPF set on the 4ch?

[Rollin Thunder]

Where is your HPF set on the 4ch?

uhhhh, huh??? lol. I didnt install this. So I have no effing idea. I could take it back to the shop though that did it. Or you can tell me where to look for this.

But you say the infinity amp may be the cause of all this??? Should I swap it out for something else. Now that its all run I can do this. But I will take your recommendation and get a piece of MFD and move them to that.

Also I think im going to just get an optima yellow top and hope for the best all the way around too.

[JKmotorsports]

Not saying the amp is at fault. Just saying the Infinity's seem to be a bit more "touchy" and susceptible to noise if everything isn't just right.
The amp will have a built-in crossover with a HPF (High Pass Filter). Since you have subs in the truck, I'd set the HPF on somewhere around 60-80Hz. This will keep the lower frequencies from going to the smaller mid drivers and working them so hard, helping with distortion.

[Rollin Thunder]

Not saying the amp is at fault. Just saying the Infinity's seem to be a bit more "touchy" and susceptible to noise if everything isn't just right.
The amp will have a built-in crossover with a HPF (High Pass Filter). Since you have subs in the truck, I'd set the HPF on somewhere around 60-80Hz. This will keep the lower frequencies from going to the smaller mid drivers and working them so hard, helping with distortion.

OK I know exactly what that is. Your acronyms were confusing me. But I get it now. I think they are over 80 so I will change that.

[TahoeGoBoom]

OK I know exactly what that is. Your acronyms were confusing me. But I get it now. I think they are over 80 so I will change that.
lmao. wow RT, I told ya a week ago to check your crossovers. lol. sorry i didnt get back to ya on Z71, i been cuttin up a honda for a bandpass. came out good tho.

also, did you get the engine noise fixed? your installer prolly just ran power and RCAs down the same side. thatd be your problem.

[Rollin Thunder]

lmao. wow RT, I told ya a week ago to check your crossovers. lol. sorry i didnt get back to ya on Z71, i been cuttin up a honda for a bandpass. came out good tho.

also, did you get the engine noise fixed? your installer prolly just ran power and RCAs down the same side. thatd be your problem.

Engine noise, negatory.

Distortion yes. I can go to 25 now with out distortion. :hands::hands:

[TahoeGoBoom]

look into either a ground loop isolator or check and see if they ran power and rcas down the same side. if they did that, thats 99% of your problem.

[JKmotorsports]

It's common practice to run low voltage signal cables away from high current power cables to reduce EMI. But it's not as big of an issue now as it was back in the days. Interconnects now are much better shielded than they used to be. Years ago, you always had to run the cables away from each other because of poor shielding, otherwise you would get alternator whine due to EMI. With cables now, the shielding is much better with good quality cables and EMI isn't as big of a problem as it used to be. You can run most good quality RCAs right along side the power cable and not have any problems. Most alternator whine is caused by ground loops. I've been installing for 17 years and have seen advancements in even the simplest things like interconnects and cabling. Probably 95% of alternator whine that I diagnose is caused from ground loops, not EMI.