Make the Whine Stop!

[btaylor]

I have a 99 Honda Accord with a killer whine that corresponds with the RPMs of the engine. Stock Stereo with the MTX re-Q5 sound processor going to a JL Audio Slash v2 Series 300/4v2 amp powering Alpine componets in the car. I also have a an Old Alpine 300 watt amp pushing a 12" P2 Rockford Fosgate. Both amps are routed through a cap. The power wires run through the car on one side and the RCAs on the other. Everything is securely grounded in one spot. I had several different grounds at first and the whine through the speakers. Now with one ground spot i still have the whine. I adjusted all of the levels on the JL amp as low as possible but i still have some noticeable whine. Adjusting the amp levels is where the noise really comes from. I guess basically I am turning down the power to the whole system. Thats great but then you can't really crank up the volumeHow can I make it stop? I have been reading some threads that say ground the RCA cables, how do you do that? Any other ideas? I have acutally put in a switch by the MTX processor so that I can kill whine when the system is off. Do they make an inline RCA noise filter?

Thanks

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[PaulD 10+ year member]

start from the backv and work your way forward. Unplug the RCA's from the amp (while the stereo is off) and see if the amp has noise with nothing but the speakers attached

 

[okiedokie 10+ year member]

I use to a Honda & they seem to pick up niose, I had to up grade the alternator

Do the Big3 & see if that helps.

Since you only are pushing 600watt through your system you dont need a cap.

Have you thought about regrounding your stock headunit???

That could be your problem, stock decks ****.

How old is that alpine amp???, that could also be your problem.

How short is your ground??

what is everything grounded to???

Do you have a clean striped & well bolted grounds??

 

[btaylor]

okiedokie are you sure i don't need a cap. I can see my lights dim at night if the sub hits hard enough. The stock head unit is regrounded to the spot everything else is grounded. I got all the grounds going to one spot in the trunk. I cleaned the paint down to bare metal so that should really be fine. I had thought it might have been the head unit too but it still makes the noise. The alpine amp is pretty old but the problem exsisted before I had that amp installed. I had to do the project in stages as cash came in. The ground wire from the JL amp is maybe 18 inches to 2 foot max. the alpine is probably the same. I am going to try to take some pictures of the set up when I get the chance. Thanks for the help.

PaulD if the speakers still have the white noise with the RCAs unplugged what is my next step? Thanks

 

[PaulD 10+ year member]

then the problem is in the amp or amp grounding.

If you will work from the speakers (where the problem is) forward, you are far more likely to isolate the culprit quicly. If you just jump all over the place, you will spend days chasing your tail and spending lots of money. The next step is to disconnect the RCA's from the output of the croossover to see if those cables are causing it. Then disconnect the inputs to the crossover to see if the crossover is causing it ..... keep going until the sound comes back. Remember to reconnect the cables downstream again when you disconnect the next set.

 

[Scuba 10+ year member]

you can also ground the outer shield of your rca's. working in my accord. had slight engine noise. added a 2nd batt in the trunk and pretty much eliminated my light dimming issues under normal conditions.