Shifting sound stage issue...

[rc10mike 10+ year member]

I have an 800PRS running active with Focal 165K2Ps powered by a Zapco Ref. 1000.4.

For some reason the left speaker will, at seemingly random times, get louder then quieter.

Anyone have any ideas?

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[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

Interestingly, I've had the same phenomenon in my system...only with my right speaker. It's happened to me three times now......

Anyways, there's so many issues it could be, that you really can't do a whole lot until it starts acting up and testing while it's acting up. One thing you could try is verifying all of your connections are tight and that it's not a loose connection. Then try "shaking" the cables & see if it's a lose connection/etc within the wire itself, such as at the point where the connector and wire are soldered together (even after this, it's not a sure bet that it isn't a wire problem). Otherwise, it could be originating at the headunit or in the amp. But you would need to be able to test the voltages and compare the left and right channels while the problem is occurring.

 

[streetbeater07 10+ year member]

if you're running passive crossovers, they will limit the amount of wattage that actually gets to the speakers. try turning your gains down a little.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

if you're running passive crossovers, they will limit the amount of wattage that actually gets to the speakers. try turning your gains down a little.

..............

I have an 800PRS running active

Though one thing I did neglect to ask......does the problem occur with the entire left side, or an individual speaker?

 

[rc10mike 10+ year member]

..............



Though one thing I did neglect to ask......does the problem occur with the entire left side, or an individual speaker?

I believe its the entire left side, but I will check all connections tomorrow. Its a weird problem, and very annoying. Its like the left side all the sudden gets a large boost out of nowhere, I can actually feel the difference since Im sitting right next to it, like someone is turning the TA on and off.

 

[streetbeater07 10+ year member]

I believe its the entire left side, but I will check all connections tomorrow. Its a weird problem, and very annoying. Its like the left side all the sudden gets a large boost out of nowhere, I can actually feel the difference since Im sitting right next to it, like someone is turning the TA on and off.

are your equalizers set to the same settings on both L & R sides?

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

could it possibly the right side getting more quiet?? Try listening with it balanced to one side and see if it's the whole side.

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

are your equalizers set to the same settings on both L & R sides?

That shouldn't matter as the EQ should be constant and not cause one side to attenuate or boost randomly.

 

[streetbeater07 10+ year member]

That shouldn't matter as the EQ should be constant and not cause one side to attenuate or boost randomly.

loose rca jack?

 

[rc10mike 10+ year member]

could it possibly the right side getting more quiet?? Try listening with it balanced to one side and see if it's the whole side.

No Its the left side getting louder, not only does it sound louder, but I can feel the difference since its right next to me.

Not only that, the whole sound stage goes far left when it happens. Its like TA got turned off.

If I test the voltage, how do I know if its the amp or the HU not supplying the right voltage?

 

[FoxPro5 5,000+ posts]

T/A doesn't affect output from the amp, just time arrival. If it truly sounds louder, then it's probably the amp.

Troubleshoot the amp: If your R tweeter is on CH1, L tweeter on CH2; R mid on CH3, L mid on CH4......swap so that L side is on CH1 and CH2 and your right is on CH3 and CH4.

If your problem shifts between the tweeter and the mids vs to one side of the car, then you know it's the amp.

Test voltage going to the amp on the tips of the RCA's with a DMM. Test voltage going from the amp on the speaker out terminals.

 

[James Bang 5,000+ posts]

If you swap the RCAs. right to left, left to right, and the problem goes to the other side, then it's the source. If not, then it's the amp.