Kenwood KDC-X990

[lion320 10+ year member]

I was just about to purchase this unit after lots of searching and came across a potential problem this owner has with a faint noise which is supposed to be originating from the screen. Here is the link ttp://www.icixsound.com/vb/showthread.php?p=275027

Has anyone who has this unit experienced this problem? I already elected to not purchase the prs880 do to the rca whine... now the kenwood 990 might possible have a factory problem as well...arrgg. If anyone has any input I would appreciate it. Thanks

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[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

i had one with no noise

is the guy experiencing noise using the internal amplifier? or preouts?

i never used the internal amplifier, so i couldn't tell you for sure about that

 

[lion320 10+ year member]

Ok, Well I just received and installed my brand new Kenwood KDC-x990 from crutchfield at a very good price. I just did a test hook up today with zero speakers wires or rca connected. I only connected the power, ground, and battery wires to turn the unit on and regrettingly the screen produces this whine as described in the link in my first post of which i was inquiring about this. Im upset because this is an awesome deck. The whine is noticable with zero sound from speakrs while the unit is on, once you shut the unit off there is no whine. Im thinking of returning it (glad I purchased from Crutchfield) and order the 880prs somewhere else, hoping that I dont get the rca fuse whine problem from one of those. Any if anyone has this particular unit or the 25th Anniv. unit and does or doesnt notice this please let me know. Thanks

 

[yacob.naif 10+ year member]

i just don't think anyone's that picky

when people talk about their headunits making noise, they're talking about a high noise floor on their speakers, or preamplifier lines, not the sound their screens make.

does anyone else notice this in your car? maybe you just have sensitive ears.

mine doesn't make any sound that i notice over my car running/driving

but i would image there's SOME kind of passive inductance electrical whine from the tft screen

 

[Frankensuby 10+ year member]

Ok, some clarification please:

Describe the noise, maybe compare it to something else?

Does the noise occurr if the deck is on, but engine off?

If it only occurrs with engine on, does it follow the engine RPM?

Do you have an external amplifier? (I.e in the trunk, w/'e)

And for actual owners of these decks...when you shut off internal amplifier, do you need external amplifiers? Or does it atleast play the music quietly?

 

[tEh koRnDog 5,000+ posts]

Ok, some clarification please:
Describe the noise, maybe compare it to something else?

Does the noise occurr if the deck is on, but engine off?

If it only occurrs with engine on, does it follow the engine RPM?

Do you have an external amplifier? (I.e in the trunk, w/'e)

And for actual owners of these decks...when you shut off internal amplifier, do you need external amplifiers? Or does it atleast play the music quietly?

need an external amp

 

[lion320 10+ year member]

Engine was not on at my intial turn on just ignition. The sound is like a faint high pitched whine..sort of like the ringing in your ear if you ever had that. I brought my sister out to see if she could here it; she could close to the deck, but not in normal passenger seating position. However, I can here it.. maybe I have sensitive ears. The noise appears to be coming from the screen.. its constant, and i also turned of the internal amp and ringing sound still the same. Its pretty much the same exact circumstance as the link on the starting thread. I reinstalled the unit again to just double check and its still the same. With the windows down you cant really hear it. However with the windows up I can hear it but I imagine with music going I wouldnt. If you guys have this unit or the 25th put your head up to the unit with the volume all the way down and windows up.. if you hear a whining noise...thats what I can here from drivers seat when quiet. Thanks for the replys. Let me know

 

[Frankensuby 10+ year member]

If the engine is even idling, do you hear it? If not, I'd **** it up //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif Course then again, you just bought a brand new unit, you shouldn't havce to.

Has this been reported on any other model deck?

Also, have you tried e-mailing kenwood tech support? They might be able to formulate an idea to reduce or eliminate it.

 

[lion320 10+ year member]

Other people that have noticed it said its due to the x990's and 25th's screen and I havent heard any issues with the x890(different screen). Im going to call kenwood tonight, Ill probaly end up keeping it but it I dont know, I just spent $350. Ill see what they say.

 

[MBrock4u 10+ year member]

Thats too bad. On the other hand how bad can it be? I understand that any whine at all can be an anoyance, and since it is new you shouldn't have to deal with this. I have a Excelon, not the 990 but it's a beauty non the less. When I had mine in my Eclipse hatchback I had no whine at all. When I put it it my Elantra, I got a little whine. I believe its' the vehicle not the head unit in my case. When I give it a little volume though, it doesn't matter. It's all academic. That x-990 is too good of a head unit to toss it to the wolves. You will love it ! Trust me! I hope it works out for you, but a minor whine is really not much too put up with even though you shouldn't have too, for such a awsome deck.

 

[Chad T 10+ year member]

I don't own an X990, but I've had this problem with other devices:

1. My URC HTM MX-850 home theater remote. When I turn on the backlight, I hear the whining sound. I went as far as to make a warranty claim with URC and they sent me a brand new remote...and it does the exact same thing.

2. For a very short moment before my Motorola cell phone rings, the outside display comes on. I hear the whine before the ring. If I'm in a fairly quiet environment, I know my phone is going to ring before it actually rings.

I've come to the conclusion that it's just inherent in whatever display type these items are using.