Audio trouble that I can't figure out

[rlinbatonrouge]

For the longest time I've had this problem, maybe y'all can help.

So, I have a Kenwood KVT something (it's like Mr. Photo's). Everytime I hook up my rear speakers to the rear output on my amp they do not play. No sound at all, not even really low. I tried a different amp, same problem. Now, if I take the rear speaker wires and bridge them into the front channels on the amp they play fine, and that's how I have them hooked up. Unfortunatly that screws up my surround sound big time and I cannot fade my music to the rear if I wanted to. Any ideas on what to check?

[bc3tech]

sounds like something's up w/ the rear outputs... :shrug: do you have any evidence to say otherwise?

[TheWastedYears]

Have you checked voltage on the rear outputs of the deck?

[rlinbatonrouge]

C'mon people, that involves pulling the deck out first. I want something with less effort than that.


(What I really mean is that no I haven't. Maybe this weekend)

[bc3tech]

C'mon people, that involves pulling the deck out first. I want something with less effort than that.


(What I really mean is that no I haven't. Maybe this weekend)
haha you sound like me. yeah unfortunately it does sound like the outputs are bad, so there's really no other place to start and give you a definitive answer.

[TheWastedYears]

So don't pull the deck out. Check the voltage on the other end of the RCA and pray it's not the RCA that's bad.

[rlinbatonrouge]

I'm fairly certain that they are, that's the bad thing. I can always run it like I do now.

[mrphoto103]

I actually found that I get better sound (louder and more pure) by splicing the non sub speakers in to the Advanced Audio amp instead of the deck.

[Cat Ion]

.........or you just buy an awesome sounding 5 channel amp with a D class sub section and max it out!

[Mikeyredline]

So....

You have the AAS?

Welll the rear speakers are 2 ohms. Briding them makes them 4 and drive-able. Most multi channel amps are barely 2 ohm stable. So if the DCR of the speakers are low enough, as well as the Re, it will "look" like a short to the amp and engage the internal protection. I have seen 2 ohm speakers with a DCR as low as 1.1 ohm...May as well just bridge the + and - with a wire at that point.

Here's what I would try... Put a "bass blocker" on the speakers around 100Hz. YOu do not need the bass anyway since you have a sub. Then where the amp sees the toughest loads to drive is filtered out. It also adds a buffer betwen the speakers and amp. They run about $20/pr and should work fine.

Good Luck!

[mrphoto103]

that is what i did for the stock speakers in the door and the deck, I put a cheap/basic filter on each. I'll let the JL's handle the bass lol

[Mikeyredline]

that is what i did for the stock speakers in the door and the deck, I put a cheap/basic filter on each. I'll let the JL's handle the bass lol


It worked, right?

[rlinbatonrouge]

I can program the crossovers wherever I want them but that doesn't change anything. I do not have a sub at this point. That answer did sound good though. Any other ideas?

[Mikeyredline]

I can program the crossovers wherever I want them but that doesn't change anything. I do not have a sub at this point. That answer did sound good though. Any other ideas? Try putting a 10 watt 4 ohm resistor in series with the + side of the amp. You will have to drive the amp a tiny bit harder, but it will bump up the DCR. It needs to be high wattage though. 10-20Watt.

[rlinbatonrouge]

Try putting a 10 watt 4 ohm resistor in series with the + side of the amp. You will have to drive the amp a tiny bit harder, but it will bump up the DCR. It needs to be high wattage though. 10-20Watt.

I have no idea what any of that means. Got a link to the thing that I need to buy? Also, where should I put it?

[Mikeyredline]

I have no idea what any of that means. Got a link to the thing that I need to buy? Also, where should I put it?

Try these bitches out...:bigthumb:

http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail?name=ALSR10-4.0-ND

put them at the "+" speaker terminal, and connect the speaker wire to the other end. Basically running it in series with the pos leg to bump up the impedance. It will take a volume adjustment up a little, but should work .

[rlinbatonrouge]

Ah, cool. Can I get those at Radio Shack or something?

Also, why do you think this will work?

[Mikeyredline]

Ah, cool. Can I get those at Radio Shack or something?

Also, why do you think this will work?

It'll work because I said so!!!!!!



lol no.




Basically there are 3 elements to a voice coil of a speaker. The AC Impedance which is mesured at frequency and magnitude, the DC resistance (which can be measued with a meter) and the capacitence caused by the space between the coils of the wire.

The DC Resistance (DCR) can be extroemely low on some speakers, when you mix that with a low avarage impedance (AC Resistance) the amplifier who wants to see at least 2 ohms, may see less than 1. 0 ohms is a short circuit and woudl be like connecting wire across the speaker terminals. This can blow up your amp... So amps have built in protection against this.

Adding the 4 ohm, high wattage (because it will be taking the brunt of the amp output) resistor will allow the amp to "see" a lighter load and isolate the speaker from the amp.

This resistor may get hot as all hell. they can operate around 150C for a while so keep it away from anything that can melt.

Rat shak they will be $5.00/ea IF you can find 4 ohm ones. Just get a set and a spare set from Digikey with that link I gave you .... Shipping will be only a couple of bucks.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[rlinbatonrouge]

Another question. Why would the front speakers work but not the rear? They are identical sets with identical crossovers set the same.

[Cat Ion]

Did anyone think to see if the crossovers on the back speakers were bad? Coulda moved the front ones to the back to see if they fixed the issue or not.

[rlinbatonrouge]

Hmm, I can try that too. Just take the imput line from the amp and touch the woofer wires should do the trick, right?

[Cat Ion]

Prolly not unless I'm thinking this out wrong. The crossovers have low input blocked so you might not hear anything to begin with. I know it's a pain in the ass, but you might be better off trying:
1. running wire from back Xover to front speakers and
2. running front speakers on back Xovers.
That should tell you whether the rear Xover is good or not. Then you would know for certain speakers are good, Xover is good. Possible bad output on the deck or possible bad output on the amp. This is all based on whether or not I'm following this thread correctly. So of course dismiss all non-relevant babble I've put down here.

[StealthRL]

just wondering if u have found out what was wrong wit it did u take the radio out and look at the wire behind there