Need Help as well as a note to all installers
Guest
Posts: n/a
Ya, here's what I just installed for a guy:
1. Orion 15" DVC sub (bought off Xplizitt I think)
2. Phoenix Gold M25 amp (bought off Kamozee)
3. The box (I built it)
4. The wiring (me too)
Ok, I install ... it works, VERY low output. Turns out one of the RCA ends broke inside .. I don't know if I did it or not so I fixed it.
Now, I reinstall, "STILL" low output. Ground is good, power is good, remote works (turns amp on). I have NO idea what the problem is and I don't want to resort to blaming the amp yet. Amp "IS" 2 ohms stable. The amp has never even warmed up beyond body temperature.
Who has the creative methods of testing this? Usually I would just install it in my car but the guy is SUPER busy and the amp and stuff are attached to his car pretty good. I have no oscilloscope, all I have is a sh¡t DMM.
Sub reads 1.95 ohms (which is right on). Amp works fine (sound is clear) ... just low volume no matter how high I adjust the gain.
Headunit is a Kenwood KDC-V7017 or something like that. Headunit was installed by Future Shop and I have no way of verifying that "IT'S" outputs are sufficient.
So, any little tricks for testing amps or headunit outputs would be greatly appreciated. Or, suggestions on where other problems may be.
1. Orion 15" DVC sub (bought off Xplizitt I think)
2. Phoenix Gold M25 amp (bought off Kamozee)
3. The box (I built it)
4. The wiring (me too)
Ok, I install ... it works, VERY low output. Turns out one of the RCA ends broke inside .. I don't know if I did it or not so I fixed it.
Now, I reinstall, "STILL" low output. Ground is good, power is good, remote works (turns amp on). I have NO idea what the problem is and I don't want to resort to blaming the amp yet. Amp "IS" 2 ohms stable. The amp has never even warmed up beyond body temperature.
Who has the creative methods of testing this? Usually I would just install it in my car but the guy is SUPER busy and the amp and stuff are attached to his car pretty good. I have no oscilloscope, all I have is a sh¡t DMM.
Sub reads 1.95 ohms (which is right on). Amp works fine (sound is clear) ... just low volume no matter how high I adjust the gain.
Headunit is a Kenwood KDC-V7017 or something like that. Headunit was installed by Future Shop and I have no way of verifying that "IT'S" outputs are sufficient.
So, any little tricks for testing amps or headunit outputs would be greatly appreciated. Or, suggestions on where other problems may be.
Guest
Posts: n/a
Low output as in ... headunit power is far superior to amp power. So, power along the lines of "is the amp even on".
M25 "IS" puny, but that 15" sub only handles 200RMS on a cold day if i'm lucky.
[ August 23, 2003, 12:19 PM: Message edited by: ettore ]
M25 "IS" puny, but that 15" sub only handles 200RMS on a cold day if i'm lucky.
[ August 23, 2003, 12:19 PM: Message edited by: ettore ]
50 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 346
the only 2 things that i can suggest is trying a different source, like a cd discman, or signal from a ghetto blaster. but get any other signal in there and at least you'll know how low it is. if you get better sound, then you know it's before the amp. if you still get super low sound, then it might be the amp. or the rca's to the amp. 2 - measure the out put of the rca going into the amp, should be about 4 volts(give or take a volt or 2) when that sucker is cranked up. if you have a 1 volt output with it cranked up then it's the head unit or the rca's from the head unit(depending on where you test the rca, at the amp or at the deck). most likely it is something simple and you need to test everything and do a process of elimination. try different sourses and try a different amp, woofers, headunit. you could even have a bad pot in the amp, but most likely it would crackle or hum or somethings else for a symptom, good luck
[ August 23, 2003, 11:17 PM: Message edited by: spl builders wife ]
[ August 23, 2003, 11:17 PM: Message edited by: spl builders wife ]
500 Watt CAFz'r
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 756
I had a similar problem with a JL 10w3 running on a soundstream lil'wonder. in my case it was simply an issue of headunit output voltage. I had the sensitivity too high. With small amps, you really have to give it a strong signal. But considering it is being run at 2ohms and with what seems to be an efficient 15" sub, there should be fairly good output, even with a small amp.
Is there any noise present in the system? If the sound is clean and simply weak, then I would assume that the problem is with the head unit pre-outs. If there is any sort of noise present, than it would be more likely the amp.
Try running the amp to some fullrange speakers to check for noise?
Is there any noise present in the system? If the sound is clean and simply weak, then I would assume that the problem is with the head unit pre-outs. If there is any sort of noise present, than it would be more likely the amp.
Try running the amp to some fullrange speakers to check for noise?
I'm figuring that amp puts out maybe half the output of my M50? I have mine hooked to my Eclipse 15" Ti, and I'd say it does around 350-400RMS at 2 ohm. No problems with it.
I currently have a 4V deck going through an active x/o which gives I think a 2V increase. Gain is at just shy of half and 40Hz boost is at 1/3. Works just fine and has plenty o' headroom.
Maybe fiddle with the settings and see where the amp starts to clip with the gains at high vol.
The wiring for this amp in mono is Left +, Right -, contrary to most other amps.
I currently have a 4V deck going through an active x/o which gives I think a 2V increase. Gain is at just shy of half and 40Hz boost is at 1/3. Works just fine and has plenty o' headroom.
Maybe fiddle with the settings and see where the amp starts to clip with the gains at high vol.
The wiring for this amp in mono is Left +, Right -, contrary to most other amps.
