In my opinion you should check quite a few things. If the sound cut's out like you say this can be due to a few different things.
1. Many amplifiers have protection circuits that activate to attempt to protect the amplifier, usually when they go into protect mode, the sound will be cut off (sometimes just until the circuit is better so it may be just for a few seconds or so_
Most amplifiers that have protection have a light indicator that will light up if it is in protect.
2. Head units also sometimes have forms of protection, and when there is too much power drawn they cut down on output levels for protection. This can result in there still being sound, but it is much softer.
3. In any situation you need to take a good look at all of your electrical connections, it sounds like your system is not getting enough power. This is most often due to a grounding issue. check all your ground leads, and make sure they are legit, (shiny metal on metal action, not lose, no paint in the way).
With your current system I doubt you are giving the alternator or battery too much trouble.
Make sure all your electrical connections are clean, test and report back to us if that helped or not.
Gains could also be an issue, if you don't know how to properly set them, they can cause this issue too. There is lots of information on gains if you use the search button on this forum. I'd be happy to explain too if you need further assistance.
1. Many amplifiers have protection circuits that activate to attempt to protect the amplifier, usually when they go into protect mode, the sound will be cut off (sometimes just until the circuit is better so it may be just for a few seconds or so_
Most amplifiers that have protection have a light indicator that will light up if it is in protect.
2. Head units also sometimes have forms of protection, and when there is too much power drawn they cut down on output levels for protection. This can result in there still being sound, but it is much softer.
3. In any situation you need to take a good look at all of your electrical connections, it sounds like your system is not getting enough power. This is most often due to a grounding issue. check all your ground leads, and make sure they are legit, (shiny metal on metal action, not lose, no paint in the way).
With your current system I doubt you are giving the alternator or battery too much trouble.
Make sure all your electrical connections are clean, test and report back to us if that helped or not.
Gains could also be an issue, if you don't know how to properly set them, they can cause this issue too. There is lots of information on gains if you use the search button on this forum. I'd be happy to explain too if you need further assistance.
noble brown
Senior VIP Member
It sounds like you may have a bad channel connection somewhere and the amp is only playing through one channel and periodically it makes a good connection and then the sound gets "stronger" for a few until it drops out again.
While it's playing "weak", go to your amp and unplug the RCA's at the amp, one channel at a time. Unplug one, then plug it back in and unplug the other. Each time you unplug one the sound should get half as loud. If you unplug one and nothing changes. Then this is the bad channel. Plugging it back in and unplugging the good one should cut the sound out completely.
This doesn't mean it's the wires though. You've gotta do a bit more troubleshooting to be sure it's the wires and not the amp or the output to the sub's. But do this test first and then lmk what the results were and we can go from there
While it's playing "weak", go to your amp and unplug the RCA's at the amp, one channel at a time. Unplug one, then plug it back in and unplug the other. Each time you unplug one the sound should get half as loud. If you unplug one and nothing changes. Then this is the bad channel. Plugging it back in and unplugging the good one should cut the sound out completely.
This doesn't mean it's the wires though. You've gotta do a bit more troubleshooting to be sure it's the wires and not the amp or the output to the sub's. But do this test first and then lmk what the results were and we can go from there
I can tell you it's not anything going into protection. If anything goes into "protection" mode, it completely turns off all sound, it doesn't just get weak. Do the trick above where you disconnect 1 RCA at a time, see what happens. Also, get an RCA-to-coaxial adapter (they're cheap) and connect your phone to the amp. Play some of the same songs you normally do and see if it hits harder. If it does, you may have bad RCAs or deck.
Even if it is the amp that's bad, I think it only put out 150w at most. You can replace it for $100 or less.
Even if it is the amp that's bad, I think it only put out 150w at most. You can replace it for $100 or less.
- Thread Starter
- #5
Allright so I checked everything, the amp does not turn off my sub just gets weaker. Ground is fine I even re cut all the wires power and ground and reconnected them. As for the rca, if I pull out red the sub stops and unplugging white doesn't do anything. I bought a rca 3.5mm and even on my phone it goes through only red. But my amp holds a left and right slot for the speaker and I only put the speaker in just one of the directions (only left). Any ideas
What's the voice coil config on the sub? Also, you're saying that leaving just the white RCA does play any sound? Trying to understand if it's the RCA that's bad or that channel.
- Thread Starter
- #7
So what I just did is moved the positive wire on the speaker to the right plug so basically I put one in left one in right and now the sub is hitting hard. I was saying white doesn't play sound only red does but now that I did the one left one right white plays sound?
---------- Post added at 01:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:54 PM ----------
So it seems to work when I did that
---------- Post added at 01:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:54 PM ----------
So it seems to work when I did that
Sounds like you have a 2 channel amplifier
Sounds like you are only using 1 channel for the subwoofer
In this case, you are only really using 1 RCA.
Both the RCA's should both work on whatever channel you have the sub on (right or left)
Sounds like ur using your red channel so both the RCA's should plug into red and the sub should produce sound with either one the exact same.
What you've done just recently is you have bridged your amp.
Some amplifiers are not made to be bridgable, basically using both channels for 1 sub. You need to make sure your amplifier can do bridged, at the ohm(s) your sub is configured.
When you bridge u will be getting twice the power from before when you were only using 1 channel.
It definitely sounds suspicious that you may have 1 channel that is faulty on the amp. Try hooking the sub to just the left channel, then just the right channel, it should hit the exact same on either channel. If one channel doesn't hit as hard you may have a bad channel, and i would recommend to not bridge and to use the other channel.
Of coarse the overall problem is still probably an electrical connection issue, if a channel is bad on the amp, it could've gone bad due to improper use, or electrical.
Sounds like you are only using 1 channel for the subwoofer
In this case, you are only really using 1 RCA.
Both the RCA's should both work on whatever channel you have the sub on (right or left)
Sounds like ur using your red channel so both the RCA's should plug into red and the sub should produce sound with either one the exact same.
What you've done just recently is you have bridged your amp.
Some amplifiers are not made to be bridgable, basically using both channels for 1 sub. You need to make sure your amplifier can do bridged, at the ohm(s) your sub is configured.
When you bridge u will be getting twice the power from before when you were only using 1 channel.
It definitely sounds suspicious that you may have 1 channel that is faulty on the amp. Try hooking the sub to just the left channel, then just the right channel, it should hit the exact same on either channel. If one channel doesn't hit as hard you may have a bad channel, and i would recommend to not bridge and to use the other channel.
Of coarse the overall problem is still probably an electrical connection issue, if a channel is bad on the amp, it could've gone bad due to improper use, or electrical.
big scott
blazin low, and loud
im sure the brand has nothing to do with it........
that amp and sub is garbage. your lucky you got that much use out of it.
that amp and sub is garbage. your lucky you got that much use out of it.
- Thread Starter
- #10
As I said I got this as a gift and the person before me also had it bridged, I myself unbridged it. When I bridged it it sounds just like before not more powerful than before. Honestly im new to this sub thing I installed it as a supplement to music not to blow my roof off. It has been running for about 2 years now and atm with the bridge its running.
Amp:
Dual 400W 2/1 Channel Amplifier (Black)
Sub:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Bot73EjqqC2/p_20610C124/Kicker-10C124.html
If you guys want to take a look you would understand it better than me.
Amp:
Dual 400W 2/1 Channel Amplifier (Black)
Sub:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-Bot73EjqqC2/p_20610C124/Kicker-10C124.html
If you guys want to take a look you would understand it better than me.
Try what I suggested, plug your subwoofer speaker wire into one channel, test it, then plug it into the other channel and test again.
Both channels should ouput the same power, so the sub should hit exactly the same on both channels.
If your sub is not hitting as hard on one channel vs the other channel, then you have a problem on that channel and like I said before don't use it. Only use the other channel.
If both channels are acting the same, then yeah keep it bridged.
Both channels should ouput the same power, so the sub should hit exactly the same on both channels.
If your sub is not hitting as hard on one channel vs the other channel, then you have a problem on that channel and like I said before don't use it. Only use the other channel.
If both channels are acting the same, then yeah keep it bridged.
What I'm gathering is that you had the sub running off 1 channel and now you bridged it? In bridged mode, the amp is stable to only 4 ohms. So you want to make sure the sub is wired to at least 4 ohms...that's why I was asking about its VC config.
- Thread Starter
- #13
Alright so i spent a solid two hrs in this 100 degree weather.
I tried both channels and they both work equally, bridged is more powerful but they all worked. However ever the more I moved them around, the sub sounds like it has a lot of noise or gets really weak. I redid the wires and it worked but then it stopped. I have no idea whats happening. Idk if im back in the same boat. I tapped the gain knob and it suddenly worked. At this point I called it a night, I dont know if its working, is there anything i should try in the morning?
I tried both channels and they both work equally, bridged is more powerful but they all worked. However ever the more I moved them around, the sub sounds like it has a lot of noise or gets really weak. I redid the wires and it worked but then it stopped. I have no idea whats happening. Idk if im back in the same boat. I tapped the gain knob and it suddenly worked. At this point I called it a night, I dont know if its working, is there anything i should try in the morning?
- Thread Starter
- #14
How would I know its VC config?
Exact model of the sub - maybe on the box or whoever gave it to you may remember. Otherwise, you can pull out the sub and it'll say. If things like tapping the amp turn the sound back on, that's an indication of a bad amp.
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