how do you make muting plugs?

[borborygmi 10+ year member]

Is this the correct way to make muting plugs?

Cut an old pair of RCA interconnects and connect the positive to positive (center wires) and negative to negative (outside wires)

TIA

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[chris229 10+ year member]

You go and buy some male to male connectors & RCA JACKS [just the ends] short out the plug by connecting the center prong with the outer ring. This give any amp 0volts with 0 impedance. Any amp, processor that make noise has a problem down stream of IT. So lets say you mute any amp but it doesn't mute you would then remove your spreaker wires and use a test speaker. If the amp STILL doesn't come clean change ground point ONCE. No need to change it 100 times. If the amp can come clean then you need a new amp. However if the amp mutes reconnect you rcas to the amp and move up the signal path. Crossing thing off your list a causes. When you get to a processor or HU that doesn't mute. Let me know

 

[borborygmi 10+ year member]

chris229, thanks for the info. I id what you said and I have a problem. I put in Diamond Hex s500 components for the fronts and left my stock for rear fill. I have a JL W3 10" sub in a fiberglass enclosure and a JL500.5 amp to run everything.

Here is the issue. My stock stereo had the factory amp in the trunk. I removed he factory amp and made a plug to fit the factory harness. The point is I didn't mess with any factory wiring.

The noise I have seems to be coming from the front channel outputs from the head unit. I ruled out the amp and the RCAs. It doesn't make sense, I didn't mess with the factory wiring but it seems the factory front channels outputs from the head unit is the source. I had no noise with the factory system.

If this is confusing, I can explain better.

TIA (again)

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

K exactly what is runing--------the fronts,the rear fill and the subs? Sounds like you got a 5 channel amp and noise is ONLY on the front speakers. Tell me if i'm wrong.

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

Don't forget to pick up some plug and male to male connectors

 

[borborygmi 10+ year member]

chris229, setup is exactly as you mentioned. Noise is only through front speakers and switches to rears when I switch the RCAs at the amp (switch front and rear inputs). Because of this, I figured it was either the RCA or further along the connection (ie. HU outputs). So...I tried completely new twisted pair RCAs and still the same problem. This leads me to believe that there is a problem with the HU outputs, specifically the front outputs.

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

we'll have to see when we debug the system with the muting plugs and MALE to MALE connectors.

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

Now that i think about it the part I refer to as male to male connector is REALLY a female to female connector. Meaning the part you buy has 2 male ends like an RCA wire and it connects 2 female ends. well in any sense you get what i'm saying. A connector the lets you plug your HU DIRRECTLY INTO the amp

 

[chris229 10+ year member]

What you will do is a quick test with the muting plugs by pluging the in ALL channels. Amp should be noise free. Then if you don't have ANY processors you pull out the HU put it on the noise free amp and wire it for power. USING the conectors plug the HU directly into the AMP. IF it has noise it's the HU. If it doesn't then plug your RCA wire back into the AMP and HU. If you get noise find noise free ones If by chance the RCAs when pluged back in have NO noise then The electrial fields in the DASH are the problem. If the HU was the problem you would put it on a ISOLATED POWER SUPPLY a battery or inverter. Meaning NOT connected to the car. If the HU still has noise it's screwed. If not then UNISOLATE the HU by making a jumper wire to a car body ground. Then connect the power and turn on one at a time to see which is leaking noise in.

 

[borborygmi 10+ year member]

Thanks, thats a lot to work on, let me try as much as I can tomorrow.

 

[borborygmi 10+ year member]

chris229,

Figured it out, it was my head unit. Wired a speaker straight to the rear output of the head unit and no noise. Then wired a speaker straight to the front output of the head unit and NOISE! Going to swap it out under warranty.

Thanks for your help.