Like a "clicking" noise coming from my speakers?

[Mugen 10+ year member]

Alright, so I've noticed this sound before in my truck, but never put it to my speakers. I just happend to have my radio turned all the way down when I turned it on after getting on the road and it started the sound (and it whistles when I'm driving, and the whistling sound goes with me speeding up and slowing down ).

So, I got close to my speaker, and sure enough, it was making the clicking sounds. As far as I can see, they all kind of do it, but the front left door (passenger side) is the loudest one, especially since that's the one I noticed and it's the farthest speaker from me. I played with the gain on my amp (it only does 60w x2 or something, it's just temporary mids amp) and when I turn the gain down, the clicking goes away. I'm not sure if this is because the speakers aren't very loud so it's hard to notice, or if it's because my amp is screwing up the sound somehow.

So, does anyone have any clue what this could be? And it did it BEFORE I put my new mids in as well, so I know the mids aren't screwed up (and I'm fairly certain it did this when I had another amp in as well).

Click to read more...

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

The "whistling" noise that increases/decreases with engine RPM is likely what most call 'alternator whine' and is generally indicative of a poor ground somewhere.

I would suggest that the clicking noise (though I cannot be certain as I haven't heard what you're speaking of) is probably the result of the same.

 

[Mugen 10+ year member]

grounding baby... you've got alt whine. make sure the amps are grounded properly, and if you have a pioneer hu, ground the rca's

Hmm, I do indeed have a Pioneer HU, but I don't know how to ground the RCA cables (I just have them plugged in, what else can I do?). And I don't know where my ground wire from my amp is going, but I'll try to find it (I didn't hook up my wiring, so I'm gonna have to pop some panels).

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Hmm, I do indeed have a Pioneer HU, but I don't know how to ground the RCA cables (I just have them plugged in, what else can I do?). And I don't know where my ground wire from my amp is going, but I'll try to find it (I didn't hook up my wiring, so I'm gonna have to pop some panels).

Many aftermarket car audio RCA cables today have a wire run through the center of it that can be used either for a remote turn-on wire, or for grounding purposes to help reject noise (ground one end or the other, usually a big debate over which end is best/correct).

Run as many grounds to the same contact point as possible (amps mounted near each other should have a common ground point, for example). Check all current grounding points for corrosion. Run new power and ground wires over to the deck from the fuse panel, avoiding the factory wiring harness (many times has alot of electrical 'noise'). If none of those works, it could be in the amp itself (but unlikely).

 

[Mugen 10+ year member]

Many aftermarket car audio RCA cables today have a wire run through the center of it that can be used either for a remote turn-on wire, or for grounding purposes to help reject noise (ground one end or the other, usually a big debate over which end is best/correct).
Run as many grounds to the same contact point as possible (amps mounted near each other should have a common ground point, for example). Check all current grounding points for corrosion. Run new power and ground wires over to the deck from the fuse panel, avoiding the factory wiring harness (many times has alot of electrical 'noise'). If none of those works, it could be in the amp itself (but unlikely).

I don't think it's the amp because I'm fairly certain it did this when I had my other amp (but I didn't change wires, just swapped the amps out). I'm not really sure what you're talking about grounding the RCA cables, but I'll look at them and see if I see the wire you're talking about //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

Where do ground wires usually run? Can they attach to just about anything metal on the truck? Just trying to get an idea before I go messing with stuff I'm not completely sure about out there //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

 

[regal8r 5,000+ posts]

I don't think it's the amp because I'm fairly certain it did this when I had my other amp (but I didn't change wires, just swapped the amps out). I'm not really sure what you're talking about grounding the RCA cables, but I'll look at them and see if I see the wire you're talking about //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif
Where do ground wires usually run? Can they attach to just about anything metal on the truck? Just trying to get an idea before I go messing with stuff I'm not completely sure about out there //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

as long as it is sanded or UNPAINTED and you know for sure that it is a good ground you should be fine. if you can, try grounded to the main seatbelt bolt or even the frame/unibody.

 

[Mugen 10+ year member]

as long as it is sanded or UNPAINTED and you know for sure that it is a good ground you should be fine. if you can, try grounded to the main seatbelt bolt or even the frame/unibody.

Hmm, I see. I'll go try that.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

I don't think it's the amp because I'm fairly certain it did this when I had my other amp (but I didn't change wires, just swapped the amps out). I'm not really sure what you're talking about grounding the RCA cables, but I'll look at them and see if I see the wire you're talking about //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif
Where do ground wires usually run? Can they attach to just about anything metal on the truck? Just trying to get an idea before I go messing with stuff I'm not completely sure about out there //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/uhoh.gif.c07307dd22ee7e63e22fc8e9c614d1fd.gif

Here's a pic of some RCA's with the wire:

http://hjem.get2net.dk/harley/Stinger/intercon.htm

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Since the interconnects that have a separate wire incorporated onto them that is generally meant to be used for a remote turn-on lead is not in any way connected to the wiring contained within the insulation how would grounding that wire help a poor RCA ground??

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Since the interconnects that have a separate wire incorporated onto them that is generally meant to be used for a remote turn-on lead is not in any way connected to the wiring contained within the insulation how would grounding that wire help a poor RCA ground??

As I said, its generally meant to be used for either, REM or grounding. That's a pretty common practice in troubleshooting a noise problem, Im certainly not the first to bring it up around here even. Here is a link showing RCA's with the wire that they describe as a "remote/ground wire". Scroll down to the black magic series: http://www.installer.com/rca/

 

[Mugen 10+ year member]

I don't have that remote/ground cable on my RCA cables, but I do have one by itself. As for my main 12v ground, I found it. It was attached to the bottom of my truck (inside it, not outside) from a screw that went all the way through my floor (this was all under my carpet and stuff). The SCREW was unpainted, but the other metal, being the inside of my trucks bottom, is painted red. Does it have to be touching a completely unpainted/unrusted source? If so, I don't really know where else to attach it, but I guess I might be able to scrape the paint off it would help.

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

As I said, its generally meant to be used for either, REM or grounding. That's a pretty common practice in troubleshooting a noise problem, Im certainly not the first to bring it up around here even. Here is a link showing RCA's with the wire that they describe as a "remote/ground wire". Scroll down to the black magic series: http://www.installer.com/rca/

You didn't at all address the question I was asking but okay. I know exactly what you were talking about in regards to the extra wire....my Fosgate RCAs have it....but my question still remains ~ if that extra wire is in no way connected to the cabling within the RCA's insulation how will connecting that wire to ground help with a ground loop situation on/in the interconnects themselves?

To me that would be like diagnosing a poor ground connection on an amplifier and the suggested cure being to ground the speaker baskets somewhere.

I just don't get it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif