how to fix HU skipping??
02-10-2009, 03:40 PM
#1
how to fix HU skipping??
Just wondering if anyone had any tips on how to stop or help prevent a head unit from skipping. I've only recently encountered the problem, but at the same time I've noticed the music sounds better at 40 than at 35 lol. But yeah, on certain songs with longer bass sections my cd player skips, so I was looking to see if anyone had any tips on how to stop that, or at least help minimize it. I was just going to tighten the screws holding the mounting bracket in place but a part of me thinks making them looser might help. Seeing as there are a lot of guys here with more experience than me I was wondering what the vets would suggest.
02-10-2009, 10:24 PM
#2
hello?...hello?...hello?...hello?...hello?...any help would be appreciated
ps that echo didn't come out the way i thought it would. i mean it did, but its a lot harder than you think to type an echo
ps that echo didn't come out the way i thought it would. i mean it did, but its a lot harder than you think to type an echo
02-10-2009, 10:41 PM
#3
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 221
Its a tip from a completely different world, but with hard drives in a computer, we use rubber washers, to help reduce vibration through out the case, and to also help the hard drive against it's own vibration. The main reason for doing this is to decrease the noise the computer makes. I have the same issue with my deck. When I'm listening to trance, dance or house, the cd starts to skip, so I have to turn my subs down but I have to turn them down so far, that it really isn't even worth listening too. Give the rubber washers a try, I know im goign to when my deck goes back into my car. Hope it helps!
02-10-2009, 10:53 PM
#4
hmmm, that is actually an interesting idea. if i can get my hands on some this week i'll be sure to give it a try. if not then i'll have to make some from the spacers you get in a stack of blank cd's...now theres a red green moment if i've ever read one
02-10-2009, 10:55 PM
#5
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 221
Red Green is my hero! I remember my friend blew a small hole in the corner of his box, it was in the weirdest spot. He didn't have any money at the time to replace the box, so he took a load of duck tape, layed it all down nicely into the corner and it worked like a charm until he got the box replaced. If you get around to it before I do, send me a PM to let me know if it worked out for you.
02-10-2009, 10:55 PM
#6
2000 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,026
This is why your dad's old Vegas from 1980 something are better than yours - they got plenty loud and never made his cassette deck skip 
How old is the HU?
About 5 years ago I had an old Kenwood that was just getting old. It first started skipping when I had the stereo cranked. After a few months it was skipping with the music loud, but not cranked, a few more months and it was skipping on moderate bass notes (and potholes) and within a year it was skipping even when my wife was listening to it (Read - really really quietly).
After time the laser and or mechanisms become old and tired, and can't handle the vibrations that well anymore.
How old is the HU?
About 5 years ago I had an old Kenwood that was just getting old. It first started skipping when I had the stereo cranked. After a few months it was skipping with the music loud, but not cranked, a few more months and it was skipping on moderate bass notes (and potholes) and within a year it was skipping even when my wife was listening to it (Read - really really quietly).
After time the laser and or mechanisms become old and tired, and can't handle the vibrations that well anymore.
02-10-2009, 11:51 PM
#7
ummm, its about 3 years old. i've been thinking of replacing it but i love it to death. i consider it "old school pioneer" and everyone here says old school is good lol. i am aware of typical wear and tear, i just didn't think it would happen so soon. at 35, which was and for the most part still is the volume i play it at there is no skips, just when i go to 40 and up (max is 62). what worries me further is when i finally get the money to buy my new more powerful subs that i won't be able to turn it past 25. SheHateMe i'm definitely going to try that washer idea and i'll be sure to let you know how it goes.
oh and maltese i didn't get a chance to let my dad read that article, but i did run the gist of it by him (over a few beers - surprise, surprise). he said it would work in theory but 12 ga. is not sufficient guage wire, and it would be far more important to do the big 3 or at least add the new/upgrade grounds to help with current flow and its return path. also he gave me flack for making the assumption that gauge and awg were the same, and when i brought up the use of big cables like when we do a house he said that they would be fine to use (ie the 4 awg you have), the only potential down side being wire surface area limiting electron flow. the power would get there ultimately, but the higher strand count helps (though the higher count is usually much more flexible, which is optimal for complicated runs in a car). i figured this might be because its AC it helps, while with DC the current is moving one way so it is somewhat less necessary to provide a flow path for electrons. but who knows.
02-11-2009, 12:29 AM
#8
oh and when i told him about a solenoid to separate the batteries he said it would be a good choice just to make sure you have starting power at all times, but i think the real dilemma about wiring a second battery or giant cap for that matter is a personal thing. in my experience i've noticed that some people hail the capacitor while other would rather die than install one. my assumption that an extra battery isn't that bad an idea because i watched an interview with a guy running a 200 amp alt with 4 batteries 6 15''s with some 9000 watts rms of bass, and however much else for his 22 tweeters, 10 10''s for , 2 8''s and 12 6.5''s for mids, highs and vocals. but again, i don't want to say for certain that my dad says it would work or not only because he didn't read the article and i might not have explained it properly. i'm sure if a pro and him were to sit down a more definite answer would come about, he instead is more or less going off heresay
02-11-2009, 12:28 PM
#9
2000 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,026
That's one of the reasons why I like old school - it was more about performance than "bling" and it was before the days when everybody had a system in their car.
3 years does seem a bit early for the laser mechanism to go - 5 would be more typical. My current alpine is 3 years old and it still seems new to me.
Hopefully the rubber washers help out a bit.[/QUOTE]
02-11-2009, 01:27 PM
#10
50 Watt CAFz'r
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 221
I know from my experience with a cap, it did absolutely nothing. The cap was a Stringer 1 Farad. I have 2 15" kicker CVR's (500 RMS, DVC, 2 OHMS, per sub), a Kenwood KAC9152D (900 RMS at 1 and 2 ohms) and I still noticed the exact amount of light dim with and without it. I have the ground wire from the battery to chassis done with 2 guage currently, and I need to upgrade my alt and engine ground (I can see the alt wire and it looks really skinny, damn imports....). This summer I hope to have deep cycle battery in the back, and with a solenoid to help seperate the two systems while the cars off.
