# Had Amps Installed Yesterday, Now Static In Speakers...Help!



## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

Just got back last night from having my amps and sub built-installed, and one thing I wasnt prepared for was the static in the speakers when you turn the deck to zero volume. Normally I am used to it being silent when you turn the volume all the way down, but there is a noticeable...hiss? 

The volume of the hiss is constant no matter what volume the stereo is at. They told me its normal from the gain from the amp. I turned the gain all the way down on the amp and the hiss was still there, in fact it didnt change no matter where I placed the gain.

Any thoughts or help would be greatly appreciated. This cant be normal can it?

Alpine CDA-105 HU
Alpine SPS-600c Components
Polk PA250.2 amp

Pioneer 10" Shallow Mount
Alpine MRP-M500 amp


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

Turn the gains down !

mebbe this will help >>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfwbMNgASgU&NR=1

more ... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG-KU_LYypM&feature=related


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## rc10mike (Mar 27, 2008)

OH god, sounds like the same issue Im having....I still cant figure it out...


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## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

a$$hole said:


> Turn the gains down !
> 
> mebbe this will help >>> YouTube - Professional and propper way to adjust your gain Tutorial


As I mentioned in the post, I turned the gains all the way to zero and the static is still there. It doesnt change as I turn gain up or down.


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## maxwerks (Jan 24, 2010)

Shouldnt hiss regardless of gain level be related to a Preamp issue and NOT the amp ?


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## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

I quickly recorded a vid to give an idea of the sound. Sorry for the poor quality of the image...dark garage!


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## Oliver (Jun 25, 2007)

Sell the amp and buy a different one.


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## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

a$$hole said:


> Sell the amp and buy a different one.


Im sorry, could you elaborate? Is there something wrong with the amp? Obviously its brand new etc so I could likely return it, but Id like more info as to why you would suggest that.


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## maxwerks (Jan 24, 2010)

You really shouldnt have that kind of hiss unless you have no material playing and the volume on the HU is at max. so something is up here. If you have turned the Gain all the way down on the amp, and you still hiss hasnt changed , you might want to double check the setup on the headunit... do you have the crossover defeated or active....what about the amp crossover...chances are it is not a crossover issue but I would start eliminating possibilities one by one, start by swapping the amp , if possible, then follow up with swapping the HU ( that might be much harder to do than the first ) ..


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## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

maxwerks said:


> You really shouldnt have that kind of hiss unless you have no material playing and the volume on the HU is at max. so something is up here.


Im VERY glad to hear that. I definitely wanted some piece of mind in knowing that this isnt just part of running amped speakers (yes Im that new to all of this.) 

EDIT: I should add that I had the headunit installed last week, and have been using it for that week without any hiss etc. from the stock speakers. Does that mean I could eliminate the HU as a potential problem?

Ill have to head back this morning to where I had everything installed and see what they have to say.


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## maxwerks (Jan 24, 2010)

what do you mean by amped speakers exactly? So you had the system installed by others? what is going on with the OEM stock unit, original wiring harness? the oem amp ? do you still have rear speakers? are they active? what is running them ? ..I would disconnect items one by one or swap where ever possible and listen to the changes in the hiss.


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## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

maxwerks said:


> what do you mean by amped speakers exactly? So you had the system installed by others? what is going on with the OEM stock unit, original wiring harness? the oem amp ? do you still have rear speakers? are they active? what is running them ? ..I would disconnect items one by one or swap where ever possible and listen to the changes in the hiss.


Last week I had the Alpine headunit installed. Been running it for a week on stock speakers, wiring, un-amped etc. with no issues and no hiss.

Yesterday I had my local shop build and install a sub, and they also installed these items:

Alpine SPS-600c components up front
Polk PA250.2 amp for the speakers
Amp Wiring Kit (Fosgate I believe)

Pioneer Shallow mount sub
Alpine MRP-M500 amp for the sub.
Amp Wiring Kit
Now I have the hiss.


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## maxwerks (Jan 24, 2010)

There is no such thing as " un-amped " , whatever was in your car was amped somehow or another... but chances are , thats not the issue... you have a hiss that from what I can tell is quite high...it shouldnt be, as I said UNLESS you have volume all the way up and gain on the amp is at least medium level..
turn the amp gain all the way down , HU way up and listen, then lower the volume on the HU and again listen...if no change , check the setup for the HU, there should be a menu for audio setup. 

Or you can always go back to the installers and demand they fix it.


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## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

maxwerks said:


> There is no such thing as " un-amped " , whatever was in your car was amped somehow or another... but chances are , thats not the issue... you have a hiss that from what I can tell is quite high...it shouldnt be, as I said UNLESS you have volume all the way up and gain on the amp is at least medium level..
> turn the amp gain all the way down , HU way up and listen, then lower the volume on the HU and again listen...if no change , check the setup for the HU, there should be a menu for audio setup.
> 
> Or you can always go back to the installers and demand they fix it.


I guess I meant to say that there was no additional amp...just whatever the HU had. I did try turning the amp gain all the way down, and no matter what volume I select on the headunit the static is exactly the same.


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## maxwerks (Jan 24, 2010)

I am not sure what car you have but if the original HU was the stock OEM one , then chances are it would have fed an amp somewhere. usually quite small and under the seat or somewhere.. at any rate.. its most likely has nothing to do with that . Also, it is not static...static is from a radio reception , it is hiss, usually a result of output voltages or impedances that are either too high or two low..and almost always a preamp issue.. either the preamp in the new HU or the preamp stage in the amp....also , just to check and eliminate.. start the car, no music playing.. just the hiss... rev up the gas slowly and listen for any changes in that hiss...
You might end up having to go back to the installers and demand they fix it.


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## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

maxwerks said:


> rev up the gas slowly and listen for any changes in that hiss...
> You might end up having to go back to the installers and demand they fix it.


Yeah no changes with the engine. I havent been able to get the hiss to change...its just a constant volume, pitch, etc.

I do plan to go back to the installers. Im a little dissapointed they sent me on my way yesterday thinking it was a "normal" thing.


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## maxwerks (Jan 24, 2010)

You have every right to be disappointed , that shouldnt be the case and dont listen to them trying to tell you it is . " Normal " amount of hiss is common, but if it doesnt change levels by raising the volume/HU or Gain/amp then something is wrong. Tell them to keep everything as it is and just swap the amp, they should be able to do that fairly easily and check.. also tell them to use a different amp than the Polk if possible .


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## Maceo23 (May 25, 2009)

Does the hiss come from all the speakers, or just the front or rear set? Try disconnecting the RCA's from the amps one by one and see if the noise goes away. If nothing else, you might be able to narrow down the culprit.


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## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

Maceo23 said:


> Does the hiss come from all the speakers, or just the front or rear set? Try disconnecting the RCA's from the amps one by one and see if the noise goes away. If nothing else, you might be able to narrow down the culprit.



The hiss comes out of all four up front, but not the rear. The rear doors are still stock and are not connected to the amp. 

I disconnected BOTH RCAs going into the amp and the hiss continued.


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## cheesehead (Mar 20, 2007)

IrishPilot said:


> The hiss comes out of all four up front, but not the rear. The rear doors are still stock and are not connected to the amp.
> 
> I disconnected BOTH RCAs going into the amp and the hiss continued.


If you disconnected BOTH RCAs from the amp and you STILL have hiss then it is the amp that is making the hiss.


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## Maceo23 (May 25, 2009)

yeah, I'd start with the polk amp.


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## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

This is likely a stupid question, but in the meantime is there a simple way I can remove the amp from the system to test this, or to simply listen without the hiss?

Or once the amp is wired in is it a necessary part of the loop? (Basically is there a quick and easy way to revert to powering the speakers from the HU.)


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## maxwerks (Jan 24, 2010)

without knowing exactly what they did and how they did it , it will be at least cumbersome to reactivate the OEM amps...you are better off borrowing an amp, hook it up with the same wires now going to the Polk, and test it that way. It sounds like you know the answer but yet you dont want to go back to the installer.. if you paid them for the work then they should do it for you .... WHILE YOURE THERE.


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## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

maxwerks said:


> without knowing exactly what they did and how they did it , it will be at least cumbersome to reactivate the OEM amps...you are better off borrowing an amp, hook it up with the same wires now going to the Polk, and test it that way. It sounds like you know the answer but yet you dont want to go back to the installer.. if you paid them for the work then they should do it for you .... WHILE YOURE THERE.


To the contrary, I have an appointment first thing monday morning with the installers. I drove over to the shop at opening bell today and the techs arent around on saturday...just the salespeople. I was just trying to figure out a simple way to get through the weekend without the hiss (if there was one.)

I have my fingers crossed that when I go in there monday morning the fix is as simple as an amp swap.


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## maxwerks (Jan 24, 2010)

Short of the steps mentioned to you by the other posters , there is really not much you can do.. if you re not familiar with everything they did, or modified to finish the install , and have access to all , you better off wait for them to see it .. did you test the system or they did it for you when you picked up the car ? Dod you recall any hiss or it came later?


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## IrishPilot (Jan 31, 2010)

SOLVED!!!

And thank God. It WAS the amp. Replaced and not only has the HISS gone away, but the output from the speakers sounds MUCH more full as well.

Now I just have to get the steering wheel controls figured out. They stopped working after the install. I mentioned it to the guys and they claimed they amp install wouldnt have done anything to the steering wheel controls as nothing was disconnected etc. They referred me back to another shop that did the HU/Steering Wheel Controls install.

Almost there. Ugh.


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