New HU cutting out at higher volumes
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New member Username: JessekPost Number: 1 Registered: Oct-08 | I recently installed a new HU in my van (98 Dodge Grand Caravan). Everything else is factory (Infinity speaker system) When the volume reaches a certain point, or when the music becomes too full at a stable volume, the sound cuts out. The cutouts are quite distracting and the lack of volume is a bummer. It seems that the system doesn't get nearly as loud as it did with the original factory HU. It does seem to be a better fuller sound, however. Could it be that this new HU is requiring more power than the vehicle can provide and thus cuts out when trying to push the fuller sound to the speakers? Could someone help me to understand why this is happening and how to fix it? Thanks, Jesse} |
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Gold Member Username: Kpa2727Old Bridge, NJ USA ! Post Number: 1491 Registered: May-07 | no, your probably sending to much rms to the factory speakers and causeing the headunit to clip. normally that shuting on off or cutting out is to protect your new radio from damage. u need to ether turn on a high pass filter, dissconnect 2 speakers to give the headunit a rest cause u coulf be over loading it or find out if the factory amplifier is causeing a issue and needs to be by passed. |
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Bronze Member Username: FaroutdesignSt.ptersburg, Florida Usa Post Number: 59 Registered: Oct-08 | im going to say factory amp or its the speakers most high quality factory speakers are 2-3 ohm. head units need at least 4 ohms |
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New member Username: JessekPost Number: 3 Registered: Oct-08 | First of all, thanks for the replies! Forgive my ignorance here guys, I've hooked up a few car stereos, but usually putting in everything new (HU/Speakers/amp/subs) all at once... and that way, everything makes sense because I know where everything is going. The cut outs are usually just fractions of a second when low end bass notes hit... unless I crank it way up, in which case there's more cut out than sound. You're saying that there could be a factory amplifier somewhere in between the speakers and the HU? So if I run new speaker wires between the speakers and HU, bypassing the amplifier, I'll be able to get more volume? Or if it's the speakers causing the issue because of lower ohms, I'll need to replace all the speakers? The vehicle is a '98 Dodge Grand Caravan. It has the Infinity speaker system. What happens if I deal with the lack of volume, and continue to run as is, will I ruin the HU if I keep the volume below the cut-out point? Is there a quick way for me to find the ohms on the HU and the speakers (I'll do a quick internet search in the meantime)? Thanks again for your help, Jesse |
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Bronze Member Username: FaroutdesignSt.ptersburg, Florida Usa Post Number: 63 Registered: Oct-08 | did some research your vehicle does have a factory amp. by pass the amp by running speaker wire to each speaker. now they also say that the vehicle is a six speaker system so only connect 4 speakers one to each channel. if you really need to connect the other 2 i suggest getting a highs amp. if you dont want to rewire the vehicle then get a inline resistance interface for behind the radio scosche makes one they sell at wal mart |
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New member Username: JessekPost Number: 4 Registered: Oct-08 | Wow. Again... thank you CJ. Above and beyond. I do believe that this is a 6 speaker system, although I'm only getting 4 sets of speaker wires to the HU... should have been a hint that something else was going on there, I guess. Since this isn't a super nice vehicle, I probably don't want to spend all the time re-wiring all the speakers. So the easiest (laziest) solution seems to be the inline resistance interface. If I buy this, I won't have to bypass the amplifier? Is that correct? I did a search for this product, and I'm finding a scosche line-out converter, but it has rca pre-amp outputs. http://www.beachaudio.com/Scosche/Loc80-p-31962.html << that's not what I need, I don't think. Is there another name other than "in-line resistance interface" that I can look for? Thank you for your help. Jesse |
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Gold Member Username: Kpa2727Old Bridge, NJ USA ! Post Number: 1493 Registered: May-07 | chances are 2 things ohms could be the issue but typically it's watts that screw with it i'm sure before ur speakers cut out they distort like hell, esp for a 98. typically stock speakers are 5 rms and the radios putting out 60 rms divided by 4. so it cuts out do to u over driving the speakers, also the amp is prob a main reason , soi u will prob remove the amp then get the distorting issue. the easiest way to by pass the amp is locate the amp , remove it and just re wire ur speaker leads back to the factory harness. that way ur not running al new wires to every speaker and u save money on a scoche adapter. if you really do by the adapter, no a re wire is not needed , ether or id how it would work. a good rule of thumb to 95 percent of infinity gold systems have stock amplifiers. |
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Bronze Member Username: FaroutdesignSt.ptersburg, Florida Usa Post Number: 64 Registered: Oct-08 | no the device on that site is a line out converter. the device you are looking for will have 4 input leads/ screws and 4 output lead/screws and there will be four nobs in the center of the device which can add either 1 -8 ohms of impedance |
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Bronze Member Username: FaroutdesignSt.ptersburg, Florida Usa Post Number: 65 Registered: Oct-08 | i finally found one click the link! http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=90119273&listingid=1873282&dcaid=17902 |
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New member Username: JessekPost Number: 5 Registered: Oct-08 | Keith... Thank you for the reply. The speakers sound great as the system is hooked up now - no distortion. it's just as volume gets higher, the clipping starts. Never does the sound quality suffer, and never does the volume reach nearly the volume I could attain with the factory HU. CJ... I searched and searched and never found that gizmo anywhere. I even browsed through the entire scosche catalog and didn't see that guy. Thanks for the link. So I'll just adjust the ohms either up or down until I'm able to get a nice amount of volume without clipping, correct? I'm so glad I found this site... thanks everyone for being so helpful! I'll report back after I install this interface. Jesse |
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Bronze Member Username: FaroutdesignSt.ptersburg, Florida Usa Post Number: 67 Registered: Oct-08 | that is correct |
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New member Username: JessekPost Number: 6 Registered: Oct-08 | Hey guys... just wanted to post an update here. I bought the "Factory Amplifier Interface" from this link: http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=90119273&listingid=1873282&dcaid=17902 and it fixed the issue.  I had to turn the "gain" dials almost all the way to the "+", but I ended up achieving a very nice sound and high volume. I will need to be careful as to not blow my speakers now because it will go about as loud as I want. I do notice some distortion if I turn the volume up super high, but that's to be expected and is a limitation of the speakers. I could probably install some crossovers to keep some of the low end from damaging the speakers, but I beleive I'll just watch my levels keep my fingers crossed. What's mind blowing is that I did an EXTENSIVE search online before posting here, and didn't ever find any real information. No similar threads on any other message boards. I suppose that not many mini-van owners replace their own Head Units, but there must be a ton of these Infinity Gold speaker systems out there with factory amplifiers. Or maybe most people installing their own head units just have the basic knowledge to know what's needed.... Anyhow... hopefully someone down the road will just be able to find this thread on an internet search and save some time. Thanks for all your help c.j. and keith... I'll be sure to come back here if I ever run into any other problems. It's great to receive such knowledgeable advice and be able to solve these things on your own. I really appreciate this!! Jesse |
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