# Help...Volume randomly goes to MAX!!!!!



## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

Ok, not sure which part of my system could be causing this problem. Once in a while, usually after the car sits in the sun all day, the Volume in my system goes to 100% volume! I have to power it off to get it to stop. If I have time, I can turn the vol to 0, and its "quiet" but I can hear the hissing from each speaker and if I happen to move it from 0 to 1, its 100%!! I normally have ZERO his from any speaker at full volume.

Sounds like some component is getting hot and causing some internal wires or something to malfunction, but not sure where to start.

Since it sounds like its pretty much all speakers, at least tweets and sub, I dont think its just one amp, but maybe the HU or DSP.

Normally if it turns on in the morning without any problem, it will play for hours. Recently though it has played for a while until it got hot in the summer days and then after a hour or so of driving, it went up to 100% Volume!!

Also, it sounds like any cross-over or DSP settings are completely gone when this happens.

HU: Alpine DVA-9860, RUX-C701, H701, then some ARC amps.....

Any ideas what it could be?


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## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

I have the exact same set-up... minus the Arc amps.. 

What are you using for volume control, the DVA or the RUX?


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX said:


> I have the exact same set-up... minus the Arc amps..
> 
> What are you using for volume control, the DVA or the RUX?


DVA.


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## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

check faceplate contacts... 

Are you connected via optical or Ai or both... Well, if you are using the DVA, you are Ai or both... 

When using the DVA for volume, it's analog volume control, when full digital(optical, no Ai connection) using the RUX for volume, it's digital volume.. not sure how this plays in, but it's different...


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX said:


> check faceplate contacts...
> 
> Are you connected via optical or Ai or both... Well, if you are using the DVA, you are Ai or both...
> 
> When using the DVA for volume, it's analog volume control, when full digital(optical, no Ai connection) using the RUX for volume, it's digital volume.. not sure how this plays in, but it's different...


Will check the faceplate tomorrow. I did remove it and re-attach earlier today, same result. I will check the contacts better though....

I am connected with both optical and Ai....I thought I read that its analog volume with the radio, and digital with CD\DVD?


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## minbari (Mar 3, 2011)

sounds like one of two things. 

1) the button for volume is stuck. if you can get it to stay at "0" volume. use the remote to adjust it. if it still goes to 100% then its #2

2) electronics messed up and either the counting mechanism has gone bad, or the opamp has gone bad on the output.


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## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

banshee28 said:


> Will check the faceplate tomorrow. I did remove it and re-attach earlier today, same result. I will check the contacts better though....
> 
> I am connected with both optical and Ai....I thought I read that its analog volume with the radio, and digital with CD\DVD?


The volume pot could be going too... hard to say, it's a odd system... 

And no on the digital... well, yes and no... 

if you are connected in ANY way via Ai, you are using analog volume control, regardless of whatever... 

It is not until you connect optical only and lose all but CD that you go true digital all the way to the output of the 701.. you also have to use the 701 for volume control at that point... the DVA becomes a CD transport..


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

minbari said:


> sounds like one of two things.
> 
> 1) the button for volume is stuck. if you can get it to stay at "0" volume. use the remote to adjust it. if it still goes to 100% then its #2
> 
> 2) electronics messed up and either the counting mechanism has gone bad, or the opamp has gone bad on the output.


Thanks...here is why i don't think its the volume control itself.....Even when i get it to "0" I can still hear a very loud hiss (usually at full volume and a zero bit track I have no hiss), and all cross-over settings seem gone. I can move it from 0 to 1 and its at 100%, then at 0 its nearly quiet, but with the loud his, just waiting to Scream!!! I dont remember exactly, but when this happens the "noise" is very choppy and is NOT the same as when the system is at full volume normally when this problem does not occur? 

Normally at FULL volume the system is not too loud at all, and easy to listen to, but when this problem kicks in, maybe all gains go to MAX and settings to default and distorts the whole system :mean:

Even if I took the unit to a shop to diagnose, it could sit on the bench for a week without having the issue.

Also is everything your referring to within the HU, or the RUX also? Maybe it depends based on how Aaron'z says I have it hooked up...

Maybe I can go all optical (remove Ai) for a week or so and see if that makes a difference??


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX said:


> if you are connected in ANY way via Ai, you are using analog volume control, regardless of whatever...
> 
> It is not until you connect optical only and lose all but CD that you go true digital all the way to the output of the 701.. you also have to use the 701 for volume control at that point... the DVA becomes a CD transport..


Did not know that...LOL

So maybe I can remove Ai for a week and go full digital to see how that works... 

Never tried that, or using the RUX for volume...


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## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

All you can do is try... 

the 701 is controlling volume, the DVA is just controlling IT at this point, with the Ai connection... 

That's the thing you only have optical in CD mode anyway, the tuner and other functions all run Ai, not optical... So when you use the DVA for volume control, it's running volume through the Ai net which is analog... 

When/if you pull the Ai cable, you lose tuner and Aux, but go full digital with digital volume control, but must control volume via the RUX controller...

I'm just learning all of this myself, honestly, I just learned it a few weeks before you..


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

Sounds good, worth a shot...Now just have to read up on how to use the RUX to control volume. Also thats CD or DVD right, I use DVD for audio also.....Thanks


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## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

Digital media, so yeah, DVD... 

You have to go through the set-up again, it should recognize the loss of the Ai and gain a function to select it's input... mine doesn't seem to want to work, I get what looks like volume control, but no sound... 

still working the bugs out of the car so IT can go down the road, then I'll worry about the system (got both up and running about the same time)


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

Cool, will definitely try this out over the weekend....Will report back soon....


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX said:


> the 701 is controlling volume, the DVA is just controlling IT at this point, with the Ai connection...
> 
> That's the thing you only have optical in CD mode anyway, the tuner and other functions all run Ai, not optical... So when you use the DVA for volume control, it's running volume through the Ai net which is analog...
> 
> ...


 Ok, not sure if this is the way its supposed to work.....I removed the Ai connection from the H701, left the C701 plugged in of course, then turned everything on. I had no power on the C701.

Apparently the Ai gives the C701 power? I only had it on tuner for a min when I tried, but would it get power and start working if I choose a CD\DVD?

Otherwise, not sure how to setup the C701 to control the volume.

I did the setup on the DVA using "other" for the opt out but nothing made a difference.

Would also like to eventually connect my Android to the H701 with full volume once I get this all figured out.....


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

Ok, I think I have an idea of what could be the issue. Once I remove Ai, I have no power on the Rux C701. This is apparently due to the H701 no longer having a remote turn on power connected. I guess I never connected one, since I knew I had the Ai for power. I will be checking this soon.

So I guess if I connect a remote turn-on power source, then the H701 and C701 will power on I think without needing the Ai. Then I can continue from there and adjust the settings on the C701 and get everything working using FULL Digital!


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## pat_smith1969 (Feb 17, 2010)

just a thought but do you have any steering wheel control adapeters installed? I have the Metra adapter and it has done exactly this on me a couple times... I want to go to the Axxess one but jsut havent gotten to it.


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

pat_smith1969 said:


> just a thought but do you have any steering wheel control adapeters installed? I have the Metra adapter and it has done exactly this on me a couple times... I want to go to the Axxess one but jsut havent gotten to it.


Nope, none at all. Just the HU and C701 up front. Never even use the remote.


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## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

banshee28 said:


> Ok, not sure if this is the way its supposed to work.....I removed the Ai connection from the H701, left the C701 plugged in of course, then turned everything on. I had no power on the C701.
> 
> Apparently the Ai gives the C701 power? I only had it on tuner for a min when I tried, but would it get power and start working if I choose a CD\DVD?
> 
> ...


I couldn't tell you, mine works fine when connected via the DIN cable... 

You have but one connection for the C701 and that is the DIN connection, no DIN, no anything, UNLESS you have a &)! compatible AI-net device for controlling.. 

you can run the 701 processor WITHOUT the c701 controller, with a compatible AI-net HU... 

So there are a lot of options... 
1. RUX and 701 together via DIN, partial HU control via Ai-net and/or optical, not true digital, still analog volume control.

2. 701 control solely via Ai-net HU, with or w/o optical, but not true digital, analoge volume control

3. RUX/701 via DIN, optical ONLY via source.. full digital volume control via RUX, no tuner or aux option unless optical (optional Toslink ports)

4. RUX/701 as a stand alone using other sources, either digital or analog.. digital volume would be controlled in digital and honestly, I'm not 100% sure if the analog inpute are convereted to digital or when, so I can't say here..


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX said:


> Digital media, so yeah, DVD...
> 
> You have to go through the set-up again, it should recognize the loss of the Ai and gain a function to select it's input... mine doesn't seem to want to work, I get what looks like volume control, but no sound...
> 
> still working the bugs out of the car so IT can go down the road, then I'll worry about the system (got both up and running about the same time)


I think this may work!!! I connected the remote turn on for the H701, and now the C701 powers up, and also has the input sections as you said! So I choose optical and got the HU to play CD no problem, with the C701 controlling the Volume Digitally now!!!

Its only been 10 mins or so, but I hope this fixes the problem. I dont care about the tuner, so thats fine.

In fact, I hooked up my Android to the other RCA input on the H701, and now can play streaming radio or anything from my phone also!! 

So if this continues to work, I'll be a happy camper. 

Thanks everyone for all suggestions!


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

Update: BAD NEWS.... It is happening Again!!! :cussing:

At first everything was working fine for almost 2 weeks, no issues...Then today.... BAM....random Volume Spike to 100% for a second, then stopped. I turned the volume to 0, but this time it did not change anything, and it was still blazing!! I rushed to quickly turn off the unit.

I don't have the Ai connected any longer, using only the Rux for Volume. I was using the Aux in for a while last week and heard a few "squeaks" of random volume "pops" when moving slowly from vol all the way down and turned up a little. 

So it seems like it may not be the volume control on the HU or the RUX, but maybe something with the H701?? Today I noticed it when I was almost home, and turned the vol up a few notches and back down a few times, and sure enough that caused it to scream! 

I don't think its the amps, since its happening on all channels. I have 3 separate amps.


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## Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX (Oct 24, 2007)

Sounds like the processor is going flaky, hate to say...


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## BowDown (Sep 24, 2009)

Ouch that sucks.. Know anyone with a H701? Could try swapping it out to be sure...


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

I think I am going to have to send in the H701 to Alpine to get fixed....


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## banshee28 (Mar 23, 2006)

banshee28 said:


> I think I am going to have to send in the H701 to Alpine to get fixed....


Well that did not work! I called Alpine and was told they could fix it for a flat rate so since I was paying for it any warranty stuff would not be an issue. Once they recv'd it, I was informed the SN was not readable, and it was most likely not purchased through an authorized retalier, and therefore NOT able to be repaired by Apline, even if I was paying for it! 

I bought it BNIB off ebay and never thought twice, but apparently this is common. Anyways, I sent it to 2 other good shops, and one of them cant fix it since they say they cant get the schematics for it. Alpine says that BS. 

The other shop tried but does not have the tools to figure it out?

Anyways, sounds like I am stuck with this thing since no shop has any expertise in fixing it since its Digital and needs special tools\diag to check.

Any ideas, other than getting another one?


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## Matt R (Aug 29, 2007)

Just FYI, the volume control chips are in the analog audio signal. There are 2 control features for these chips, one is through the rux the other is over ainet from the HU. Volume is not adjusted in the digital audio signal. 

The first thing I would try is a new RUX cable and/or ainet cable. Maybe you could get another forum member to lend you these cables if they arent using them to try the theory.


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