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Old Oct 19, 2004 | 08:11 PM
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Default upgraded Stereo...Humming Noise

REVISED: Added MB Quart RSB218's and Pioneer PRS-X320 Amp. There was a low pitched noise that got worse with acceleration. Installer added some line "things" that helped, but not great. It was probably due to wiring into the BOSE headunit. Installer now has signal from rear speakers going to amp to give signal to front MB Quarts. Will this degrade sound quality? Is the rear signal the same as the front signal?

Any ideas? Also have Infinities in rears attached to the amp.

It sounds ok, not great. Will be changing the headunit soon if I need to.

Thanks,
Adam

Last edited by spdnman; Nov 22, 2004 at 01:16 PM.
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Old Oct 19, 2004 | 08:37 PM
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You might have them check the ground on the amp. It needs to be a rock solid ground. I grounded my PG amp to the chassis under the car.

Last edited by hp_therapy; Oct 19, 2004 at 09:18 PM.
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Old Oct 19, 2004 | 08:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Vette_47E
You might have them check the ground on the amp. It need to be a rock solid ground. I ground my PG amp to the chassis under the car.

Agreed, sounds like a ground.
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Old Oct 19, 2004 | 09:58 PM
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Is this a Bose system? It does not sound like it.

hum is ignition related.

A couple of things...

1) check the amp, if the gain is too high, that will pick up noise.

2) the routing of the RCA cables. If they are routed to close to the electrical harness, they will pick up noise.

The line thingys he added are more then likely line drivers. They increase the voltage to the amplifier, cutting down noise.
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Old Oct 19, 2004 | 10:07 PM
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I agree with Bogus on the ignition, amp, RCA advice, plus ground, ground, ground, ground, check what you're grounding to, use GOOD wire and make sure it's screwed down tight to the gound location. If no luck take it to an ignition guy for a check.
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Old Oct 19, 2004 | 10:23 PM
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Originally Posted by bogus
Is this a Bose system? It does not sound like it.

hum is ignition related.

A couple of things...

1) check the amp, if the gain is too high, that will pick up noise.

2) the routing of the RCA cables. If they are routed to close to the electrical harness, they will pick up noise.

The line thingys he added are more then likely line drivers. They increase the voltage to the amplifier, cutting down noise.
It is a Bose stereo. he was adjusting the gain, close but still not right.
cables went from battery to door speakers to hatch where amp is mounted.
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Old Oct 20, 2004 | 02:06 AM
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I do not believe this is an igntion problem, as much as it is a electrical glitch. The distributorless ignitions don't generate the same amt or type of noise.

Are you saying that the RCA cables are run with the power cables to the amp? If so, that, my friend, is your problem. The RCAs are picking up the alternator.

Also, the bose requires the use of adaptors, they are notorious for creating more noise than music. I hate them.
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Old Oct 20, 2004 | 07:21 AM
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Originally Posted by bogus
I do not believe this is an igntion problem, as much as it is a electrical glitch. The distributorless ignitions don't generate the same amt or type of noise.

Are you saying that the RCA cables are run with the power cables to the amp? If so, that, my friend, is your problem. The RCAs are picking up the alternator.

Also, the bose requires the use of adaptors, they are notorious for creating more noise than music. I hate them.
I will separate the power and rca's from one another. from what i can see, the power cable is bundled with the speaker/rca cables that run from the doors to the amp in the rear. any other suggestiosns would be appreciated. thanks for your help guys. i love this forum.
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Old Oct 20, 2004 | 08:22 AM
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Also, the bose requires the use of adaptors, they are notorious for creating more noise than music. I hate them
to me, those adaptors are a waste of money that could have been better spent on an aftermarket HU. With a new HU, you could use RCAs directly to your amp and use the higher output wattage the new HU to power your rears. Or, even better, use the new HU to power both the front and rear speakers and use the amp to power a small sub.

It's also why bose heads - and amps - require interface modules to work with aftermarket components.

these systems are so proprietary that it just makes no sense to spend money upgrading them.

I am not a fan of making these systems better, there is no point. The head units are poor signal sources, and they are not very durable.

I much prefer the idea of gutting the system and going full aftermarket.

If I was doing an install on a C5, I would build up with a nice set of 3 way components, a 6" mid-bass, 4" mid range and a 1" tweeter. Boston, Focal and CDT, among others, make some very nice 3-ways. Then install a real nice sub, something like a JL 12W6 or equal.

A nice 2 channel amp, something in the area of 150 watts per, for the front stage, and a killer 1000 watt mono for the sub. Xtant, Precision Power, JL Audio, Butler or Arc are good choices.

Rear fill is not really needed in the small spaces of a corvette
I had to use this quote because it is such good advice
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Old Nov 22, 2004 | 01:19 PM
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TTT
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Old Nov 22, 2004 | 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by spdnman
REVISED: Added MB Quart RSB218's and Pioneer PRS-X320 Amp. There was a low pitched noise that got worse with acceleration. Installer added some line "things" that helped, but not great. It was probably due to wiring into the BOSE headunit. Installer now has signal from rear speakers going to amp to give signal to front MB Quarts. Will this degrade sound quality? Is the rear signal the same as the front signal?

Any ideas? Also have Infinities in rears attached to the amp.

It sounds ok, not great. Will be changing the headunit soon if I need to.

Thanks,
Adam
It sounds like your installer put in some ground loop isolators on your RCA cables. I really have doubts about your choice of installer. Those isolaters are a bandaide on a big cut. You need stitches. Tell him you are dissatisfied and hopefull he'll take back the isolators and Bose to aftermarket adaptor and give you credit on a new aftermarket HU. You will not have to worry about noise then since you will no longer need a high-level to low-level adaptor. Get a HU with 3 sets of RCA outputs. You can then hook-up the system the way it should be. With the front channel RCAs going to the amp that powers the front speakers If your amp is a 4-channel, then you can use the rears off the rear RCAs. If you have a 2-channel amp and have both front and back speakers to it, the is far from the best way to do things since you will have no fadar control and running two different speakers off the same channel.
Write back what amp you have so I can provide more advice/suggestions
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Old Nov 22, 2004 | 04:53 PM
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Originally Posted by knewblewkorvette
It sounds like your installer put in some ground loop isolators on your RCA cables. I really have doubts about your choice of installer. Those isolaters are a bandaide on a big cut. You need stitches. Tell him you are dissatisfied and hopefull he'll take back the isolators and Bose to aftermarket adaptor and give you credit on a new aftermarket HU. You will not have to worry about noise then since you will no longer need a high-level to low-level adaptor. Get a HU with 3 sets of RCA outputs. You can then hook-up the system the way it should be. With the front channel RCAs going to the amp that powers the front speakers If your amp is a 4-channel, then you can use the rears off the rear RCAs. If you have a 2-channel amp and have both front and back speakers to it, the is far from the best way to do things since you will have no fadar control and running two different speakers off the same channel.
Write back what amp you have so I can provide more advice/suggestions
My installer is a piece of work. Will get $ back towards the HU though. My amp is a 2 channel and I do not have the fader right now. I want to install the Pioneer AVIC-N1.....Thanks for your help.
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Old Nov 22, 2004 | 06:29 PM
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That is one hell of a HU, serious $.
I would use that to power your fronts and rears, use the amp you have to power a sub. With that HU, your options are endless
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Old Nov 22, 2004 | 08:19 PM
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Originally Posted by knewblewkorvette
That is one hell of a HU, serious $.
I would use that to power your fronts and rears, use the amp you have to power a sub. With that HU, your options are endless
Any suggestions though for a HU with Sirius and a CD? The AVIC may be out of reach in the end. That is what I want, but I really do not need it.
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Old Nov 23, 2004 | 08:47 AM
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I'm a big fan of Pioneer HUs but they use XM instead of Sirius. Kenwood uses Sirius but I do not like Kenwood (many bad experiences with them). I think Alpine uses Sirius and/or XM. They are the only manufacturer I know of that gives you the option of both. The higher priced Alpines have a good reputation.
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Old Nov 28, 2004 | 10:33 PM
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Personally to get rid of noise in my system, the key was adjusting the gains. I had to muck with it for a while but since I have no life it wasn't a big deal.

That is an awesome HU! I'm green with envy.
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