Goosevf_1 Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) Alright, been fighting with this one all weekend and Im shooting blanks. Im taking it to you guys and hopefully you can help. I installed an Alpine deck, two jbl speakers in the doors and a sub an amp combo. Before the sub, the system worked well. I kept the stock amps in the system and everything worked out. Or so I thought. I wired up the sub and amp as I have in every other vehicle Ive owned but there is just no jam. The amp is turning on, the sub is recieving some signal, I just wont punch. Its hardly moving but it is slightly. After plugging the same set up in my brothers truck she pounds like a vegas hooker. I cannot figure out why this is not working. Tried multiple grounds, rechecked rcas and power but nothing seems to be working. Would the factory amps have anything to do with this? I cant think of why it would be, all that is doing is stepping in between the speakers. Could it possibly be the deck not working properly? Its lower end, could not get to a sub volume level setting or anything of that sort, just simply bass, treble and faders. Any help is appreciated, I hate chasing this crap down lol. ps. its the 8 speaker clarion set up. Edited August 11, 2014 by Goosevf_1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gv280z Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 (edited) I don't really know much about speakers and amps and stuff myself, but I can already tell you now, everyone is going to say it's the factory amps. There is a lot of info in this forum about bypassing the factory amps, and the consensus that your system will sound much better afterwards. It works in your brother's truck but not in yours, that's why. Don't ask me how , I have no clue how to do the bypass but I'm sure that's it, or atleast a large contributing factor anyway. I had a Sony Xplod 52 watt per channel head unit installed in my ride with four RF Prime 5x7s and that system friggin rocks out man, quite often I tell myself, naaa I don't need an amp at all!!! And then there are other times...but my point is I had the head unit professionally installed at Car Toys...I'm assuming they did the bypass and that's why it sounds good even with no after market amp. Edited August 12, 2014 by gv280z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosevf_1 Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 Without the sub and amp installed the system sounded very good after I installed speakers as well and all I swapped were the door speakers to jbl. I just can't think of why it would matter. I have a strong feeling it's the deck. I think it isn't built for a sub. Instead of sub pre outs it has rear pre outs. I dont think it's getting a proper signal. It's getting the rear speaker signal and it can't play those frequencies. That's the best I can come up with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosevf_1 Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 Without the sub and amp installed the system sounded very good after I installed speakers as well and all I swapped were the door speakers to jbl. I just can't think of why it would matter. I have a strong feeling it's the deck. I think it isn't built for a sub. Instead of sub pre outs it has rear pre outs. I dont think it's getting a proper signal. It's getting the rear speaker signal and it can't play those frequencies. That's the best I can come up with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Yep, bypass the amps. Here's how I did mine: What's happening is that the amps are turning up the sound to the main speakers, which means you aren't turning up the head unit as far as you do in your brother's truck. Since the subs aren't run through those amps, they're running at a much lower volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 If the amp for the sub is being fed from rear out and not a sub out than you are sending a full range signal to the sub, sub outs will usually only output a certain frequency range ( the head unit will have a built in crossover for the sub output), does the amp have a cross over built into it? In your brothers truck does his head unit have sub out? Most amps now a days have a cross over built in, if yours does you can run it off the rear out's and cross over the sub using the amp. Does the system sound better with the new speakers alone, not including the sub? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebayfish Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Just to clarify, are you running the RCA's from the preout on the head unit, or have you spliced a line level converter from the rear speaker wires? If on the rear speaker lines, at best you'll be getting a midrange signal, or you may have tapped into the wires for the rear tweeters, which will only give highs. I'd recommend wiring around your factory amp(s). I cut my doors out & installed oversized RF Punch 7.75s 3 way cones & cut the rear out for RF Punch 6x9 4 ways. After I bypassed the factory amps, with just the head unit alone it sounds like a concert hall in the little pathy & its damn near as loud outside with the windows up our down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosevf_1 Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 Im running rcas from the rear pre-outs on the deck. Yes my brothers deck has sub outs. I played with the settings on the amp and nothing was working. It was almost as if it had nothing to give. no adjustment made any significant difference. I have a strong feeling its the deck and its lack of sub settings and pre outs. Im going to bypass the amps tonight just because. If that helps great, if not then at least its done and Ill have more room to play by the sounds of it. If I get really bored, I may just re-wire the whole speaker set up but we'll see if I can carry that ambition lol. At the very least Ill do the bypass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosevf_1 Posted August 13, 2014 Author Share Posted August 13, 2014 Update: The issue, as all of you mentioned, it was the factory amps. Just did a quick bypass (no caps yet) just to see if it would work and viola. The deck could obvioulsy be upgraded for better clarity and output. The caps will get installed inline to clear up the tweeters. But for now, the sub actually souds like a sub and all is well. Thanks for the help gentlemen, much appreciated. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gv280z Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Sweet! That's great man Count those, stick it in your back pocket or frame it on a shelf because you don't get very many. Identifying a problem, taking corrective action and then enjoying the reward benefits immediately with not a drop of blood spilled...everything worked out and you're on to your next project. That's fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goosevf_1 Posted August 14, 2014 Author Share Posted August 14, 2014 Yeah man. Just need to put a better hu in and then she'll be just right. Its ways satisfying when you get something accomplished. Especially something that's been giving you trouble. This truck will never be "done" she'll always have a snag to fix or a part to upgrade as long as I own it lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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