LOC and signal issues

[ShiningBuick 10+ year member]

I hooked up a Type R and MA Audio amp in my car yesterday with an LOC for the signal.

For some reason the signal gets lost between the high input for the LOC and the RCA inputs on the amp.

At one point we had it working properly, and the amp was getting a good signal and whatnot, but then when I turn the radio off and back on it stops working again.

For example, it was working fine when I parked it last night, but then when I fired it up this morning.. nothing. I pulled the RCA then plugged it back in and it started working again just fine. After I turned off the radio again and back on it stopped working again, and wouldn't start again this time when I pulled the RCA and plugged it back in. I've tried 2 different RCA cables.

The speaker wires that input to the LOC have signal, if I connect them to a speaker it moves, so that's not the problem.

The amp works fine, I can run RCAs to the LOC (a different one, installed in his car) in a friend's car for signal and it works 100% fine every time.

Also, about 6 months ago I had an LOC (same brand as I have now) in my car, and it worked fine. When I was having the LOC problem yesterday I took one back and exchanged it for another, which means I tried 2 different ones yesterday.

Any ideas on how to combat this problem?? I think I covered everything.

Click to read more...

 

[only126db 10+ year member]

Brand of LOC ?

 

[ShiningBuick 10+ year member]

I pissed around with it more. I've found that I can turn the amp on/off with the radio still on, and it'll continue to work, but if I turn the radio off, leaving the map on or off, it'll need to be "reset".

I "reset" it by unplugging ONE of the RCA plugs, then it starts putting out sound again, then I plug the RCA back in and it resumes normal operation.

My factory stereo is on a stock factory amp, BTW.

 

[only126db 10+ year member]

Sounds like a hassle....I used a "The Right Connection" LOC and had no problems, but then I didnt have a factory amplifier to deal with....I'd get that gone because it would frustrate me all to hell...

 

[ShiningBuick 10+ year member]

Well, I could tap into the factory amp's inputs (instead of outputs, which would eliminate getting rid of the factory amp), I'd imagine, but first I'd have to determine which channel is which.. since they're all in a nice big bundle of about 16-20 wires.

I suppose there's always different brands of LOCs, too. Grr, more things to order online and wait for.

 

[only126db 10+ year member]

No matter what I think you will have an issue of some sort if going off the amplifiers outputs. Almost everyone removes their factory amps due to conflicts when upgrading their systems...

 

[ShiningBuick 10+ year member]

Even if I'm pulling from a non-amplified signal between the amp and radio?

 

[only126db 10+ year member]

Even if I'm pulling from a non-amplified signal between the amp and radio?

I am not sure if that would effect the amp since you would be taking away from it's input signal...I dont know how strong the head units output to the fact. amp is...when you split a weak signal you get two really weak signals, I had one factory amplified system and bypassed everything including factory wiring to speakers and redid it all, it was just too much of a hassle for me to trace which wires went where for what, and then end up having a poor sounding system with headaches after all the work.

 

[ShiningBuick 10+ year member]

I gotta say.. thanks for the advice man, I really appreciate it!

Unfourtunately, I feel like a HUGE idiot now. I tried my friend's LOC (this is the 3rd one I tried to far, this is a diff. brand), and it fired right up and works properly now, no issues.

I dunno WTF was wrong with my original TWO LOCs, but it's solved at least. Odd.