Front door speaker help, distorts when car is running.

BigMC · Post by **BigMC** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:39 pm

Hello, my name is Michael, and am a new member. My problem is that I have a 1969 Mustang Mach 1 that I just put a amp and Component speaker set in. First off, i have been running for 2 years now a cheap Jensen head unit (model CD3010X) powering a pair of Audiobahn 6x8 plate speakers in the doors (model ACX 680P) and everything has worked fine. I added an Audiobahn Component set in the rear (Model ABC6003V) amped by an Audiobahn amp (model A4002V), since I added them, when the car is running, the front speakers are all distorted at any volume. the rear speakers that are amped are fine. with the car just key on, not started, all the speakers work perfectly. the front speakers only sound bad when the car is running. And like I said, they worked fine before. Also, when the car is running, the tweeters from the components have a hiss to them, but when the key is on (car not running) the work fine and sound great. Any ideas what i got going on? Thanks in advance, and its good to be here.

Darthness · Post by **Darthness** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 8:58 pm

does it change with the RPM of the engine? either way, i'd check the ground of the amp, and make sure that the gain isn't set to high. i had this problem with my alpine amp.

BigMC · Post by **BigMC** » Mon Feb 12, 2007 11:09 pm

no, there is no change with the rpm's. I'll check the ground. You think it could be that even though the door speakers are not hooked up to the amp for power. regarding the gain, I haven't messed with it at all, i just got it all in and wired up. It is set at whatever it is set to from the factory.
Thanks for the help.

Scarrell · Post by **Scarrell** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:28 am

sounds like a gain issue to me.. what do you have your bass, treble, the gains on the amp at?

subster87 · Post by **subster87** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:11 am

hmm it still could be rca interference, if its not there without power, i had this problem in my old car. Where are your RCAS run? do the run next to your power wire?

Ryan from Ohio · Post by **Ryan from Ohio** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 3:16 am

Well since its coming from the front non-amplified speakers Im guessing its a ground issue.

Pull the fuse from the amp- does the problem go away?

Also- side question. Why are you amping the rears and not the front? Your setup will sound MUCH better if you amp the fronts

And...

Why Jensen and Audiobahn in such a classic car? If you can, do the car some justice and out the good stuff in it. Realizing you probably dont drive it everday and its your baby, treat her good.

Ive been trying to get my Dad to put something good in his 69 Z28, yet their is still nothing years later...

BigMC · Post by **BigMC** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:14 am

Ryan,
Thanks for the tip on pulling the fuse, I'll give that a try. I know that the Jensen is crap, I just need something cheap when i got the car because all it had was an 8-track AM/FM radio. I'll need to get a different head unit in it soon. I have an idea to custom mount it in the dash, so I'm going to use then Jensen as a test mule. If i ruin it, it only cost me $30. As for the Audiobahns, you guys think there not that great of stuff? A couple of my friends have liked them, and so far they sound alright. Granted I am not an audio guru, so I dont know the difference, and have never heard the "Good Stuff".
1969 Camaro Z28, thats a sweet ride man!
Thanks again,
Mike

cargodz · Post by **cargodz** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:49 pm

I don't mean to sound like a jerk in saying this... so please don't take it that way, but your friends are caught up into the hype of Audiobahns marketing.
I am one of the dealers on the board and have the ability to sell Audiobahn, but I always try to steer people away from it because it's not as good as they'd like you to believe.
As for your problem at hand... I'm with Ryan in thinking that it's a ground issue, but can't help but wonder why you wanna amp the back instead of the front... Heck some sound quality guys will pull the backs out completely and just upgrade and amp the fronts.
And you'd be suprised about Jensen... some of their higher end stuff is quite nice for the price.

BigMC · Post by **BigMC** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:07 pm

Well, I checked out the amp ground over the weekend. I pulled the fuse, and sure enough the problem went away at the front speakers. I checked and double checked the ground. I even relocated the ground and made sure it was at a well sanded, bare metal area with a star washer to bite in. However, the problem still exists!!
I got everything to work once with the car running when I was just holding the ground against a bare metal spot, but when I tightened it all down, the distortion came back and the tweeters had the hiss again. Any other suggestions?
As for why I amped the rears and not the front. Its because the Jensen HU only has pre outs for the rear channel. When I get a new HU, I plan on getting and amp and maybe another set of component speakers for the front.
Thanks again for the help.
Mike