New Headunit: Sub & Ground loop

[shoon]

The problem:

-Speakers POP when changing radio stations or changing modes (anything that makes the head unit beep it seems)
-When ignition is off and power antenna is retracting, speakers buzz
-Subwoofer does not work. No clue where to start.


This is how I wired my system:
ok so I hooked up a pioneer DEH-5900IB using only 2 connectors; the main power connector and the low level speaker inputs that go to the stock JBL amp.

I connected the low level inputs to 2 sets of RCA jacks and am using the front and rear pre-outs on my headunit.

Am I supposed to use any of the extra connectors left over or are those just for the cd player?




used all the wires within the red rectangles.
The 2 grounds in the first red rectangle were spliced together.
The logic mute / mute ctrl was spliced to the ignition wire
"Radio on" was connected to the power antenna control on the HU.

there was this one wire on a 2 pin connector that looked like it could be important but I wasn't sure what it was for. It's part of "redundant radio control" there was a CTRL wire wasn't sure how I was supposed to use that. Is that maybe why my sub won't work?

I tried messing with the RCA's but still get a pop on all speakers.

Also tried running some new grounds to the HU but still same problem.

 

[fast4door]

Just got done doing a sub and amp in my 92, is the sub grounded?

Joe

 

[shoon]

It's the stock sub and amp, so I'm pretty sure its grounded cause it worked before with my stock headunit.

Will have to pop the trunk tomorrow and check everything with a meter.

 

[whiteguy3]

A lot of times the stock ground is not strong enough. Usually for a 100-200 RMS rated sub you need 8-12 gauge wire. For 200-450 RMS it could go to as low as 2 gauge. Anything above that it is better to have a 2 and below gauge ground.

My important question is did you use the stock wiring to the speakers from the headunit??? If you did I would use at least 14 gauge speaker wire depending on how powerful they are.

 

[the4biddendonut]

First of all,the redundant radio controls are the button to the right of your gauge cluster. They won't work with your radio, so it won't be used.

I'm not too familiar with the JBL subwoofer system. I'm not sure how you have your radio wired, but when I hear that your radio popping that tells me that the signal from the radio is too high for the amp. How high does the volume control go up on you deck? Is the volume set low, and the speakers playing loudly?

 

[SHOspazz92]

What a mess. When I do the system in my SHO this summer I am just going to Bypass the stock Amp and throw it out. I don't see a point in using it to be honest with you.

-Sam

 

[shoon]

First of all,the redundant radio controls are the button to the right of your gauge cluster. They won't work with your radio, so it won't be used.

I'm not too familiar with the JBL subwoofer system. I'm not sure how you have your radio wired, but when I hear that your radio popping that tells me that the signal from the radio is too high for the amp. How high does the volume control go up on you deck? Is the volume set low, and the speakers playing loudly?

It's rather the opposite, the volume seems quite high 75% on the deck before I get something at a decent level, and if I go higher than that the sound just gets distorted.

The pioneer Decks have 4v preout's so it probably is way too high for the stock JBL amp.

Thinking of bypassing the amp and wiring the speakers straight to the deck as suggested. In doing so I lose the sub though.

 

[the4biddendonut]

It's rather the opposite, the volume seems quite high 75% on the deck before I get something at a decent level, and if I go higher than that the sound just gets distorted.

The pioneer Decks have 4v preout's so it probably is way too high for the stock JBL amp.

Thinking of bypassing the amp and wiring the speakers straight to the deck as suggested. In doing so I lose the sub though.

I think you might miss having the bass that comes from the sub though. Usually you need a line converter to make an aftermarket deck work with a factory amp. The factory amps don't even have gains or crossovers, which make it hard to connect them up to anything other than what they were designed for.

You could bypass the amp and then get yourself an aftermarket amp to power the subwoofer. You wouldn't need anything big to run the sub.

Does that head unit have 3 sets of preouts? If it does, you might want to think about getting a 5 channel amp. The quality would be outstanding, and the one amp would power all 4 speakers and your subwoofer. That's something I've been wanting to do in my own car, but haven't had the money for. Just an idea.

 

[crazy_canadian]

In my car I wired an aftermarket sub amp and subs to the OEM jbl system, but I think it could work the opposite way.

Plug your speakers directly into the HeadUnit, and unplug speakers out at the OEM speaker amp.
There is a single 2 wires connector going from the speakers amp the the sub amp. Take that wire and splice it.
Then run the RCA sub out wire from the HU to the trunk. You should use an RCA spliter (from one to two), plug it into your rca cable, and cut the single end, splice the two wires and connect it to the wire that goes to the jbl sub amp.
4v is about the right voltage that the amps use.

EDIT : I was bored so I made this. Feel free to ask anything.

Like that the stock sub will work with your head unit.

 

[NJatx]

its really simple. delete the silver amp that runs your stock 6" sub. you still need to have the black amp which runs your stock JBL speakers.
simply wire in your new amp just like you would run it in any other car.