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No Sound from Amplifier


Rick
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First..the issues started about 3-4 months ago when I spun out at around 90-100mph. Im not sure if the torque from the crash caused parts to fail but for the next few months if I hit bumps I would loose noise from a speaker or two but it would come back quickly. Then on the way to Columbia(MIZZOU) in August I lost one speaker and after a little while I lost the other. I got a "popping" from the speakers the next few weeks until I went back home and took everything apart and put it back together. The "popping" stopped, and so did any music. After a few weeks of no sound up at Mizzou my drivers side speaker came back, sounding damn near blown with a lot of static. The Sub never cut out during this time, I have two amps wired. Today, being tired with only hearing one shitty sounding speaker in the front I pulled the dash, head unit, rear seats and carpet and checked the wire connections, re-did every single connection. Speakers still didn't work, got a old tweeter and hooked it up straight to the head unit and it produced sound so the head unit is not the issue and it appears the passenger speaker is blown as it emitted no noise when hooked up to the head unit. The drivers had volume earlier in the day but refuses to play now. It also the last few weeks would only play if the volume was high enough, im not sure if that is due to Gain issues or a wire grounding somewhere or what not. I tried to see if the amp would play music through the tweeter if hooked up directly to the amp, it wouldn't.

 

The way it is wired is the front right and left wires from the head unit go to the amp via a "RCA to Speaker wire" set up, plugging the RCAs in the one amp and connecting the speaker wire to the head unit. The speaker wires on the output then run to the individual speakers.

 

The sub woofer is hooked up by RCA cables from the head unit to the second amplifier.

 

Both amplifiers share the power from the 4 gauge wire via a distribution box to two 8 gauge wires.

 

Both amplifiers share the same input by joining a second wire to the input from the head unit and the two run to separate amplifiers.

 

Both are grounded in different sides of the trunk and properly grounded.

 

Both Amps DO turn on and the light is on, the first amp does dim when the sub woofer is hitting I noticed today.

 

The Gain on both should not be too high as both amplifiers have default protection to shut off for a few seconds until volume is lowered.

 

Headunit: Pioneer DEH-3300UB

Speakers: Alpine 510S

Subwoofer: T3 400W

Amplifier(Speakers): Pioneer 5400T

Amplifier(Subwoofer): Pioneer 5500T

 

The issue is somewhere between the head unit and the amplifier, what do you guys think it is?

 

What would be the best way to troubleshoot it as well, without buying all new wiring?

 

And, is it possible for a blown speaker to produce no noise? Or could there be a faulty connection inside of the speaker causing it not emit noise or even move?

 

Thanks!

-Rick

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The way it is wired is the front right and left wires from the head unit go to the amp via a "RCA to Speaker wire" set up, plugging the RCAs in the one amp and connecting the speaker wire to the head unit. The speaker wires on the output then run to the individual speakers.

-Rick

 

Sounds like you clipped (overdrive) your amp. You are sending an amplified signal into a low level input, the RCA's have a lower voltage (signal) than what comes from the HU's internal amplifier. That's why they sell line out converters that are adjustable, especially for older or factory HU's that don't have RCA's.

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Shouldn't clipping an amplifier only damage the speaker components? Doesnt that mean that it hits its peak power and "cuts off" anything higher? From what I understand(which isn't a whole lot in the audio field) the amplifier is sending too much power back to the speakers effectively killing them from thermal heat or abuse, and that most amplifiers should go into protection mode if clipped. Im sure the amplifier was clipping though because the speakers are definitly blown, or at least one is at best. But if it was also clipping what would be the reason for the speakers not playing at low volumes but only at extreme volumes? Thats why I figured there was an issue with a wire because it seemed like not enough power was being sent until higher volumes.

 

Is there anyway to tell if the amp is still good?

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Clipping sends a squared wave to your speakers which sends an immense amount of power through them. The only amps I know of that actually recognize clipping and either protect or illuminate a warning light are expensive boutique brands. You probably smoked part of your coils, which would cause the speakers to not normally work, until you turn the volume up enough that current can jump across the break in the coil. I would look into an RCA line out converter and/or a line driver to get proper input voltage to the amps, then turn your gains down so you don't clip your speakers. If it's not loud enough you probably need more power. I run almost as much power to my mids and highs in my GP as I do my substage FWIW.

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