Speaker Buzz After Installing Amplifier

[JohnPD]

I would do it. One my older Kenwood units needed it done. I kept thinking it was a ground issue, and I tried two amps that I knew where excellent shape.

I have the same head unit as he does, but mine is the hd radio version, they both take the same firmware. there's a firmware update for the system, and one for the apps that are on the head unit.

 

[JohnPD]

You might want to test your car's ground from the battery, and alternator also to make sure that's not the culprit. I'd also get your alternator checked at an auto parts store to make sure it doesn't have any windings going bad.

 

[EmpiricalApe]

Wrap wire around the RCA jacket and then ground it. Is it possible that the mounting screws to the amp are touching sheet metal?

so I wrap bare wire around the rca female on the stereo and ground it to a screw? And I need to also take the male ends and wrap them and ground them to what?

 

[EmpiricalApe]

You might want to test your car's ground from the battery, and alternator also to make sure that's not the culprit. I'd also get your alternator checked at an auto parts store to make sure it doesn't have any windings going bad.

my alternator is a 4 month old custom mechman 260 amp, and my battery ground shows to resistance.

 

[EmpiricalApe]

You may also be able to give Kenwood/JVC a call or send an E-mail to see if there may be a FirmWare Update that can help with this situation as well?

Do I need to contact them to do an update, or can I just do it within the stereo?

 

[JohnPD]

Do I need to contact them to do an update, or can I just do it within the stereo?

Go here https://www.jvc.net/cs/car/index.php?model=KW-M780BT&lang=english towards the bottom of the page are the firmware updates. You need no bigger than an 8gb usb stick formatted to fat32. There are two of them, the system firmware and the application firmware updates. You can only do one at a time, then format the usb to fat 32 again and do the other one. There are instructions on the page for each one and how to update them, they take less than 5 minutes each, make sure the car is running when you do it. It's really simple.

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

so I wrap bare wire around the rca female on the stereo and ground it to a screw? And I need to also take the male ends and wrap them and ground them to what?

The jacket only needs to grounded in one place.

 

[EmpiricalApe]

The jacket only needs to grounded in one place.

I'll try that here in a little bit and I'll let you know. I'll buy a plane ticket and come give you a smooch if it works.

 

[JohnPD]

I'll try that here in a little bit and I'll let you know. I'll buy a plane ticket and come give you a smooch if it works.

You only need to do it on the back of the head unit

 

[EmpiricalApe]

The jacket only needs to grounded in one place.

I tried grounding the rcas on the stereo, it only made it very slightly worse...

 

[EmpiricalApe]

You only need to do it on the back of the head unit

I found a 3.5mm to rca jack in the junk drawer. I connected my phone to the amp and it was clean. No buzz, no whine, completely clean audio. Could this mean it's my head unit that is the issue?

 

[audiobaun 5,000+ posts]

I found a 3.5mm to rca jack in the junk drawer. I connected my phone to the amp and it was clean. No buzz, no whine, completely clean audio. Could this mean it's my head unit that is the issue?

Did you try with the vehicle ON?

 

[Jimi77 5,000+ posts]

I found a 3.5mm to rca jack in the junk drawer. I connected my phone to the amp and it was clean. No buzz, no whine, completely clean audio. Could this mean it's my head unit that is the issue?

Means the amp is good. Are you using shielded RCA cables? I'd try pulling the HU out of the dash to see if it's picking up noise there.

 

[EmpiricalApe]

Means the amp is good. Are you using shielded RCA cables? I'd try pulling the HU out of the dash to see if it's picking up noise there.

I'm using cruthfield brand 4 ch rca cables, they seem pretty high quality, also, does the same thing with a different pair of rcas ran outside the car. I've pulled it out almost every time I've messed with it, moved it around, moved the wires around. No change.

 

[EmpiricalApe]

Did you try with the vehicle ON?

yes, i tried with just accessory power and engine running.