Annoying ringing

[-unknown-]

I have been having a strange problem I can't figure out. I don't remember when it started but it's been a long time, more than a couple of months. It sounds like a high pitch ringing that is coming from the back of my Jeep, I can't tell if it's through the speakers or the subwoofers. IIRC I unplugged the rcas from both amps (4 channel, 2 channel) and it was still ringing. I removed the head unit earlier and checked the ground, it seemed to be tight. Then I unplugged the antenna from the radio and it was still ringing. It is very random though, it comes and goes, changes pitch, etc. If you let it annoy you for a minute to a couple of minutes it goes away and usually doesn't come back for what seems like a while. I'm thinking either my power / ground wires to the amps are bad or too long. My grounds are going to the battery directly if that matters. The cables I'm using I got second hand from my father. I didn't know about AWG and all the standards back then. Anyways, what do ya'll think it is? Are there any good steps to diagnose the problem?

Head unit - Kenwood Excelon X998

Speakers - Polk Audio db651s

Amps - Rockford Fosgate R500X1D, Alpine MRV-F300

Subwoofers - Rockford Fosgate P1-2X12

In a Jeep Cherokee XJ.

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[Umbra]

Welcome to the forum.

First and foremost figure out the source of the ringing. It could be a lot of audio-related things, but it could be the car for all we know. Next time you hear pull over, get back there and try to isolate the source. Trying to address the problem when we don't have a good read on the symptom is going to be difficult.

Having said that, if it is coming from the speakers it's probably alternator whine if you have it without the RCAs in: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Fq8K3pF8yle/learn/learningcenter/car/noise_suppressors_installation_guide.html

 

[-unknown-]

Thank you. How do I isolate the source? I forgot to say it doesn't matter if the engine is on or off.

 

[Umbra]

Thank you. How do I isolate the source? I forgot to say it doesn't matter if the engine is on or off.

Just use your ears and figure out where the noise is coming from.
I thinking by wiring your grounds directly to the battery you're eliminating the possibility of ground loop noise, but I'm not positive. I don't have much experience troubleshooting these kinds of problems, so I'm hoping someone more experienced comes along to assist you. In the meantime, I'm just trying to make the troubleshooting process easier by narrowing down what it could be. Like I said, there's a chance it's not even you're audio system if you're not sure it's coming from your speakers/subs.

 

[-unknown-]

I'm 99% sure it's coming from either the rear speakers or the subs. What I meant was, is there anything I can do to eliminate the speakers or the subs / both from making any noise? It's too hard to pin point the source.

 

[Umbra]

I'm 99% sure it's coming from either the rear speakers or the subs. What I meant was, is there anything I can do to eliminate the speakers or the subs / both from making any noise? It's too hard to pin point the source.

Remove the remote voltage wire from either amp (tape it off to prevent shorting). This should keep the amp from turning on with the radio, thus taking it and the attached speakers/subs out of the equation temporarily.

 

[-unknown-]

What I don't get though, is if the rca's are unplugged, doesn't that do the same thing, unless there's a bad ground that's making it ring?

 

[cfox10 10+ year member]

What I don't get though, is if the rca's are unplugged, doesn't that do the same thing, unless there's a bad ground that's making it ring?

Not necessarily... think of each electrical point as a possible failure. If it continues when rca's are unplugged, it could be inside the amp, could be the wiring from amp to speaker, or amp to crossover, could be the speaker itself.

Your best bet is to systematically check each possible point of failure by removing, changing, etc.

 

[-unknown-]

So unplug the remote wire for my sub amp and wait a week or something to see if it comes back?

 

[cfox10 10+ year member]

So unplug the remote wire for my sub amp and wait a week or something to see if it comes back?

I didn't read the entire thread so excuse me if I'm missing something.

Does it go off and on or something? I thought it was something you'd notice almost immediately gone or not?

edit... just read entire post. I'd start their, check all other connections too.

 

[-unknown-]

So unplug the remote wire, wait a while, see if it comes back? If it doesn't I need a new sub amp?

 

[-unknown-]

I noticed if you grabbed near my ATC fuse holders the music would stop playing, some butt connectors and wires were loose, and I think the ringing was from the wires being crushed by the hood / stand. I'm waiting to see if it starts ringing again, the wires look ok but the loom is crushed, so I re positioned them. I also found out a lot of the wires are AWG, but a few I still don't know about.

 

[ciaonzo 5,000+ posts]

Sometimes the transformers inside the amplifier will squeal with a high frequency pitch.