Thanks. I'll check. But my radio is mounted into my custom fiberglass gauge panel. I don't think that it actually touches anything metal...

 

Trying not to snowball any of you, but most of the modern hi powered amps these daze use what is known as a 'chopper' power supply, running a power oscillator into a toroid transformer to generate higher voltages to power the speakers with....I built on once to run a portable CD player plugged into a '80's car I had.....ran good....

these can tend to get too sensitive to voltage changes/spikes in the systems, over the years I have seen all these type designs but would have to examine any given unit to see what they did...
some of them can have problems with irregular competing high current systems also drawing currents, like that MSD the 'ripple' on the line causes the supply to go nutz and so it basically shuts down.....years ago I used to help design this kind of crap, but been some 27 years now....

this problem is related to the interaction of the gear on the line between units....I would be curious to know if a CS144 actually changes the symptoms around or CURES the problems, because it's output is slightly different than the earlier units....

you are having a problem similar to that of the PWM fan speed controllers, which is why they demand to be hooked across the battery.....which I consider bad practice....but lets not get into that other argument as it serves no purpose here.....


another cure, change amps makers/models.....

obviously check all the grounds to make damn sure they are grenade proof, clean steel with star washers, from engine block to frame, from frame to battery cable, at the battery for both and at the starter stud....I put RTV over my connections so I know they good forever....

an old tyme trick was put a inductance/choke in the + feed to the preamps to kill off alt whine/static....doubtful to help much here, needs a cap to ground on the amp side....you can get them outta rat shack, last I seen.....

 

I find this thread very intersting.

I am in the process of hooking up a Kenwood X792 with 2 Powerbase amps, new speakers in the kick panels, and a sub in the back. I wired everything before mounting the amps, etc and the kenwood unit ran fine for about 40 seconds and then started cutting out on me like you describe (a cd skipping), but in my case with the engine off. Also, while cut out it was sending a signal through one of the amps to the sub and the sub was "burping" at me while the head unit was shorted out. I got out my multimeter and checked my ground, wasn't happy with it and re-ran it to a ground in the base of the shifter and got a strong 12.6V across the meter. I hooked up the Kenwood again and turned the key forward and got constant power to the amps while the head unit was off. When I kicked the engine over and the sub would bump too. Turning the head unit on I got no display but flickering power to the amps. I tried both switched wires on back of the Kenwood and finally I pulled the new Kenwood and dropped the old pioneer back in and no problems at all! I sent the head unit back to Kenwood for inspection figuring I'd isolated the problem...

I've got an MSD 6A system in there too...

 

I went and purchased a little over $100 for the super duper monster cables with extra adapter to help distribute power and another $185 for a red top optima battery dual post. the stereo sound fine with the amp hooked up with the car not running but now when i start it there is nothing coming out of the speakers... the stereo looks like it is still playing but nothing comes out of the speakers now.... Newer stereos SUCK...

I have the MSD connected to side posts and the stereo system connected to the top posts...

 

Mine sounds the same way. Nice crisp & clean SILENCE

 

What a bunch of damn idiots. a ground is a ground is a ground, taking into consideration that they are all "good" grounds and cleanly "grounded".
I had a Coors Light that tasted different from my local watering hole to one across town.....must be a different beer tap.
OMFG

 

Well if i didn't have a good ground my flippin car would not start if you can't add to this thread then don't post...

 

I did, you're an idiot too

 

name calling on the forum is not a good thing

this forum is about helping others and comradery. Belive me i give and take advice.... I don't need to hear this from anyone, nor should anyone else..

 

All that's on this forum is a bunch of "I know more than you" kinda people. I'll give you 1 good solution, after that, you can just suck it.

HAHAHA I'm only serious

 

monsters a bunch of over priced useless crap. return it all if you can. stop throwing money at wires/cables, thats not where your issue lies. now its time to track down where the issue really lies.

i dont know how youve got things wired, so some of this may not pertain to you.

im assuming youve got RCAs from the headunit to the amp, and the speakers are wired from there.

if youve got a portable cd player, pick up a cheap set of headphone jack/rca adapter cables. i think i paid 3 bucks for some at radio shack.

disconnect the rca from the head unit, and plug it into the cd player. if the problem goes away, its a problem in the head unit.

next option

wire the speakers directly to the headunit, if everything sounds fine, your amp is the problem. if the problems still there, time to keep going deeper.

change the alternator out, go back to stock just for testing (its a bitch, i know, been there and done that)

if the problem is still there, i guess that just leaves the extremes. your msd could be screwing with it, which i have no idea how to fix.

the head unit is busted, kind of doubtful if its working right now.

again, pain in the ***, but you could temp wire it into another car and see if the problem persists. that atleast tells you if its your vette or the stereo thats giving you problems.

 

Hi luerja,
I'm going to see a mate tomorrow,
I'll pick his brains for you.
His old system (which he had in his rice burner)
was measured at 136.2db :0
So he knows about this stuff.
Cheers
Gav

 

This is a weird problem, but can be solved. What's lacking is the details of what are in the two systems, and how their hooked up. I'm getting there is a Amp involved somewhere? Are all the speakers running off the amp, or are some running off the head unit itself? No ones gonna know how to fix the problem, even if they have 50 years designing audio systems for NASA no matter how many dBs they put out. So what's in the system, and how are they wired?

I may also be an Idiot, but i'm an idiot who's stereo works, with an amp, and an HEI, with no problems, and i installed all of it.
My system is installed like this.

Head unit, in dash:

Back up power to original stereo ylw wire
Main power to 'batt' tab in fuse box
Stereo ground to original stereo blk gnd wire
Audio out is by way of 2 RCA cables
Signal to Amp is by way of Amp/power ant output blu/wht wire from H/U


Amp, on rear shelf back panel:

Power direct to + terminal of battery, fused w/25A fuse, 10 gauge wire, side terminals, by ylw crimped ring lugs.
Ground is direct to - terminal of battery, unfused, 10 gauge also
Trigger-on in by blu/wht wire, extended, from H/U, above, direct.
Audio in is by way of 12' RCA cables, above
4 channel amp, input switch mode set to 2ch
Rest is speaker wiring.

How does yours differ from this?

 

Yes is am running an amp (4 channel).... I am not using any RCA Cables in my setup.... there is no woofer involved in my setup.... Just 2 6x9 and 2 5.25 Infinity speakers. Should i be using the RCA cables also? Stereo sounds great without them until you start it the car.... then everything looks fine and it looks like it is playing but no sound. I will check the rest of my setup..... but i do know as far as the radio goes i have the Radios yellow wired directly to the battery , red wire to a power source that turns on with the key and that is on the fuse box and the radio ground is to the - post on the battery. and Blue/whilt wire directly to the remote connection on the amp. and the amp it directly connected the battery terminals.

Thanks
jim

 

Not when it comes to stereo, poor selection of gnds. gives noise.

Jim

Yes, from stereo to amp., it shields the signal. My setup is similar except RCA cables & all stereo power is from bat. w/ switch to turn on, not fusebox. Both stereo & amp. gnd. to bat. I don't normally run the stereo w/ engine on, no problems though.

Where is power to MSD coming from? It is said that stereo power & RCA cables may need to be on different sides of console.

 

I purchased a 4 post optima battery.... so the MSD it connected to one set of posts and the stereo is connected to the other set of posts...

 

If you are not using RCA cables from the head unit to the amp, how are you getting the signal to the amp? Via speaker out wires to the line level inputs? That's a good place to pick up lots of electrical interference.

Also, I think you may have your power wires for the head unit backwards. I think the yellow wire is supposed to go to the switched source and the red wire to the battery terminal.

You might verify with your stereo's installation manual.

cc

 

Shows red wire to a key/on source. and yes... i have speaker out wires to the line level inputs. I am also using the insulated monster cables for speaker wires from the stereo to the amp and also out to the speakers.

 

I also connected the negative connections for stereo and amp to the frame bolt used for the negative terminal on battery.

 

I have a Kenwood eXcelon Mask & it appears all the red wire does is switch it on & then it runs off the yellow. So the Kenwood could be like that & if so I would not expect the red wire connection to be the issue.
Jim
That's what I expected. I have not seen this problem before & without claiming to be a stereo/electronics expert (there are some in the audio electronics section):
Now don't tell me the MSD is grounded to bat.?
If yes, move that first & test. Next move MSD power from bat. or at least run the power wire away from stereo power wires & test.