PMQ, hopefully you can help me with this.
Background:As you know I just got a new headunit (Eclipse 7301) installed and it worked perfectly fine. It has a history of to blowing its internal amp, which puts out 16 watts rms. I received it as a hand-me-down gift so I can deal with that one flaw. I also upgraded the front speakers to a cheap pair of 6x8 2-way pioneers which are rated at 40- 50 watts rms. I noticed that when I turn it up all the way (just to test things out) I either hear distortion or clipping I don't know how to tell the difference. Or is it the amp that clips and causes the sound from the speakers to distort? I don't know. Anyways...
Problem:Everything was working fine for the week it was installed. Last night I turned on the radio and no sound. I turned it off then back on and then problem solved. Later that night I had it turned up pretty loud more than 3/4 volume) because well, I thought the speakers could take it, that the hu could put out a clean enough signal, and I was on the freeway and I like my music loud. I didn't hear any distortion/clipping of the signal at anytime, but then suddenly no sound. They just quit.
Now I'm pretty damn sure its the internal amp, but I'm not totally positive. Since the rear speakers (not stock. don't know the specs since i didn't upgrade them or use them) were still working, I spliced the rear speaker wires from the hu to the fronts...No sounds, just a hint distortion coming from the left speaker. I then reconnected the rears and they played fine.
So now I'm wondering if its the internal amp that's blown or are the front speakers gone because I supplied them with too little power and asked too much from them. Can it be both?
Speakers blown, internal amp fried, or both?
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PoorManQ45
- Posts: 16676
- Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 5:13 pm
It's the internal "amp"(not really an amplifier, just a signal converter.)
HU power is very "dirty". You notice it most at high volumes because the THD increases exponentially. So, sending a distorted signal to the speakers will cause them to sounddistorted.
Recommendation: Find a cheap(I mean inexpensive, not quality) 2 or four channel amplifier and use the preamp outputs on the HU. This will give you a MUCH cleaner and better sounding signal.
You should be ab le to pick up a decent 4 channel 50w amp for around $100. Or a 2 channel for around $50
HU power is very "dirty". You notice it most at high volumes because the THD increases exponentially. So, sending a distorted signal to the speakers will cause them to sounddistorted.
Recommendation: Find a cheap(I mean inexpensive, not quality) 2 or four channel amplifier and use the preamp outputs on the HU. This will give you a MUCH cleaner and better sounding signal.
You should be ab le to pick up a decent 4 channel 50w amp for around $100. Or a 2 channel for around $50
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PoorManQ45
- Posts: 16676
- Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 5:13 pm
Thanks again. I think I'm leaning towards the hifonics.
Edit: phuphyter is a goof:tisk:
I was really curious about everything so i decided to re-check all the connections. They work now! It was something with the speaker wires. I don't know what but I took the speakers and connected the leads from the hu to them and to my surprise they worked. I just soldered the wires back together and they work perfectly now.
I was so happy I decided to hook up the basslink that came with the deck. Now I have the power wire from the battery going down one side ( I found the firewall grommet I've been searching for) and the RCA's and remote turn on going down the other. Is that okay? Or should the remote turn on run down the same side as the power?
About the remote turn on wire. Where does it connect to? The red acc wire? or yellow batt back up? or the unused blue antenna wire?
Modified by phuphyter at 3:42 AM 12/19/2005
Edit: phuphyter is a goof:tisk:
I was really curious about everything so i decided to re-check all the connections. They work now! It was something with the speaker wires. I don't know what but I took the speakers and connected the leads from the hu to them and to my surprise they worked. I just soldered the wires back together and they work perfectly now.
I was so happy I decided to hook up the basslink that came with the deck. Now I have the power wire from the battery going down one side ( I found the firewall grommet I've been searching for) and the RCA's and remote turn on going down the other. Is that okay? Or should the remote turn on run down the same side as the power?
About the remote turn on wire. Where does it connect to? The red acc wire? or yellow batt back up? or the unused blue antenna wire?
Modified by phuphyter at 3:42 AM 12/19/2005
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PoorManQ45
- Posts: 16676
- Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2004 5:13 pm
The remote turn on wire connects to the turn on lead on the basslink.
I don't think you need the red acc wire. yellow battery would go to the + connection for the basslink, but you should probably pull a seperate wire for it. The blue antenna wire could also beused for the amp turn on, but sinse you have an amp turn on wire you don't need to use it. It normally goes to the antenna(do you have one?).
About running the wires on seperate sides: Most people recommend that you do that, but I have found that it makes no difference. It's usually just more work.
Also, I would still recommend that you get an amp for the speakers. You won't get any of the distortion problems at high volumes, well at least not from the HU, just from the speakers reaching their physical limits
I don't think you need the red acc wire. yellow battery would go to the + connection for the basslink, but you should probably pull a seperate wire for it. The blue antenna wire could also beused for the amp turn on, but sinse you have an amp turn on wire you don't need to use it. It normally goes to the antenna(do you have one?).
About running the wires on seperate sides: Most people recommend that you do that, but I have found that it makes no difference. It's usually just more work.
Also, I would still recommend that you get an amp for the speakers. You won't get any of the distortion problems at high volumes, well at least not from the HU, just from the speakers reaching their physical limits