BASS only plays at 1/4 volume sometimes. Seriously cannot figure out why....

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

So I've been having this problem for quite some time now. Probably about 2 or 3 years. It's so intermittent and inconsistent that I have no way of figuring out what the heck it is that's even causing the problem. It's plagued me from system to system, car to car and I think it might be a problem in the Kenwood touchscreen HU or the Orion sub amp.

Basically when I turn my truck on and the system boots up, everything usually works well and the sound is clean and loud. Crisp highs and the bass knocks HARD for a daily driver. But sometimes when I turn the truck on the highs get a little harsh and the bass only plays at 1/4 volume. The sub still moves and makes tones, but there's nearly no output compared to normal operation.

Specs of the system in my 2004 Chevy 2500HD crew cab 6.0l gas truck.

I'm running an Orion HCCA 12.2 sub at a 1ohm load to an Orion HCCA-D5000 mono block amp in a large ported box.

The audio source is supplied by an iPod which is connected to a Kenwood DNX8120 double din in-dash touch screen HU. This was a B stock HU back from 2008 that I got off ebay.

I have an Optima Yellowtop and an XS Power D3400 battery under the hood. Stock alternator is 105 amps but all my wiring has been upgraded to 0ga. Big 3 and then some because of the dual batteries.

Mids are handled by 2 sets of CTX65CS Image Dynamics 6.5" component speakers with fully sound deadened cab and doors running off a JL 300/4 amp.

Power and signal cables are all ran separately from each other on opposite sides of the truck.

All gains have been set with a multimeter and when the system is working properly, it sounds perfect. It's just when the sub cuts out and won't give me any solid output when things sound like dirt.

It's almost like it's going into protect but not really because the protection lights don't come on, nothing flashes as if the signal is clipping, and there is still sound output...it's just not loud.

The amp does seem to be running quite warm all the time but it's always done that. The only time the sound actually cuts out is when I crank it way too loud and I run out of juice to power the sub.

Has anyone experienced a similar problem like this before? Hoping someone has figured this out with their Kenwood HU or their Orion HCCA amp in the past.. thx

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[SplAffair 10+ year member]

have you tried turning the gains down a bit?

 

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

I haven't tried running the gains much lower than what the voltage is supposed to read on the multi meter. Maybe I need one of these things: SMD Distortion Detector DD-1 - New Products

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

Hook iPod directly to sub amp and see if you still have the problem. Then it's either HU or amp depending upon your results, so beg/borrow/steal either to swap out and see if that gets rid of the problem.

 

[SkwurlyFab 10+ year member]

Can't believe I never thought of this before. I'll have to keep an RCA to phono cable on hand and the next time it plays all quietly I'll just plug the ipod into the amp and see if the bass level stay the same.

THANK YOU!

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

Can't believe I never thought of this before. I'll have to keep an RCA to phono cable on hand and the next time it plays all quietly I'll just plug the ipod into the amp and see if the bass level stay the same.
THANK YOU!

NP, I keep one in the garage for testing purposes. Best $3 I've spent. GL with the problem....