Speakers don't come on until RCA cables are unplugged and plugged back in

[stevehans]

Hello, I installed new speakers, subs, and an amp into my 2011 Ford Fiesta SE. Since there wasn't an RCA input in the back of my head unit I spliced the RCA into the front speaker wires. The RCA's run back to the amp and the amp powers the back two speakers and the subs. My problem is, when I turn on the car with the RCA's plugged into the amp, no speakers put out any sound regardless of volume. If I unplug the RCA cables from the amp, any speakers not run through the amp come on. After plugging the RCA cables back into the amp, the subs and the back speakers come on. Does anybody have any idea how to fix this? I'm getting sick of having to unplug/plug in the RCA's every time I get in the car. Also, sometimes 15 or so minutes down the road the speakers will all just stop putting out sound, even the ones not run through the amp. I have to pull over and unplug/plug in the RCA's to get them to come back on.

Thanks!!

Click to read more...

 

[tdotluoma]

The output from the back of the deck is most likely a high level output, therefore what you are doing is trying to feed your amp 6 to 12 volts when all that it is able to handle is maybe 4 or 5 volts.

RCA's on your amp are a low level input, meaning they will only take a low level signal (.2 volts to about 5v)

The speaker output on the back of your deck will most likely be high level (at close to max deck volume, standard decks may put out 6 to 12 volts) , so in order to go straight to your amp, your amp must have a high level input.

You can purchase a high to low level adapter which will turn you high level output a low level output which will then go through RCA's and into your amp.

 

[fixinit]

There might be a way to slice the RCAs but you'll need a ground. Just hook up your high level inputs as tdotluoma said. Your system should be bumpin

 

[stevehans]

You were right on, thanks so much for your help!

 

[tdotluoma]

You were right on, thanks so much for your help!

Glad I could help[emoji1]