Speakers going in and out

[Bcmonks 10+ year member]

Hello caraudio forum,

I have 4 speakers connected to an amp in my car, and the speakers keep going in and out. I'll just be driving around and one or two of the speakers will just stop playing music, and the ones left will play music, but making popping noises.

This all started after I had my car worked on, and the mechanic had to get to something under the carpet under my amp, and I found my amp flipped over.

Originally I thought just one of my speakers was out, and then I checked to connection to that speaker and it was solid. Miraculously the speaker started working the next day, yet it seems to go in and out with the rest of the speakers.

Does anyone know what could be going on with my system?

My speakers did originally work, they worked up until I had my car worked on and found the amp flipped over.

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[JohnKuthe]

Hello caraudio forum,
I have 4 speakers connected to an amp in my car, and the speakers keep going in and out. I'll just be driving around and one or two of the speakers will just stop playing music, and the ones left will play music, but making popping noises.

This all started after I had my car worked on, and the mechanic had to get to something under the carpet under my amp, and I found my amp flipped over.

Originally I thought just one of my speakers was out, and then I checked to connection to that speaker and it was solid. Miraculously the speaker started working the next day, yet it seems to go in and out with the rest of the speakers.

Does anyone know what could be going on with my system?

My speakers did originally work, they worked up until I had my car worked on and found the amp flipped over.

Sure sounds like you have the worst possible kind of electrical malfunction, the intermittent "not plugged in" error! I'd really recheck all the amp to speaker connections at the amp, since you say the amp was "flipped over", eg, underwant physical trauma.

John Kuthe...

 

[EnvoyDenalii]

Sure sounds like you have the worst possible kind of electrical malfunction, the intermittent "not plugged in" error! I'd really recheck all the amp to speaker connections at the amp, since you say the amp was "flipped over", eg, underwant physical trauma.
John Kuthe...

Yes I would listen to John kuthe, he is an install God round here lmao

But to answer ur question if it happened after someone worked on the car around the amp area then either a ground got messed up, a wire is shorting itself out, or connections are not secure and are loose somehow. Start from the amp and check all the connections and follow to each speaker, make sure the mechanic didn't accidentally cut any of the wires, or even if the mechanic nicked a wire and the coating may be off and the copper might be touching another wire or bare metal. If u take ur time and check everything I'm sure u will find the problem. Good luck!

 

[ciaonzo 5,000+ posts]

My speakers go in and out. That's where the noise comes from.

But for real, you might have damaged RCA cables? If it was flipped over maybe they were stressed or tugged on? Otherwise, you might have some funky ground thing going on.

 

[JohnKuthe]

My speakers go in and out. That's where the noise comes from.

But for real, you might have damaged RCA cables? If it was flipped over maybe they were stressed or tugged on? Otherwise, you might have some funky ground thing going on.

It's all suspect and hard to reproduce. Non reproducible errors are the worst! Like when your car is making a noise so you call the garage and they say bring it in and as you drive over the bump going into the garage the noise stops! And you can't get it to make that noise again. Only way to conclusively cure a wiring problem is a complete rewire, which of course no one wants to do but if you're thinking of doing an upgrade now may be the time!

John Kuthe...

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

It's all suspect and hard to reproduce. Non reproducible errors are the worst! Like when your car is making a noise so you call the garage and they say bring it in and as you drive over the bump going into the garage the noise stops! And you can't get it to make that noise again. Only way to conclusively cure a wiring problem is a complete rewire, which of course no one wants to do but if you're thinking of doing an upgrade now may be the time!
John Kuthe...

You need to quit offering/giving advice since you never did actually your own install. Having an EE doesn't make you an automatic "supporter" around here....which we all know is a complete lie.

OP....I would check the amp and it's connections. It could be as simple as maybe the speaker wire barely inside the spkr terminal in the amp, causing it to "arc", but not a good thing. It's free too so you won't waste any $$ buying something and still doesn't work. I wonder how/why your amp is flipped upside down by your mechanic? After that, I would've asked them on the spot or drive there the next day and question it.

 

[fixinit]

Amazing that the mechanic took little to no care on your audio setup when accessing under the carpet. Good suggestions above and even one more to follow. Pull your amp completely from your vehicle - visually and physically inspect the integrity of every connection point on the amp, entirely disconnected. Let's hope nothing broke at the board. This is a good opportunity for a continuity test with those speaker wires. Hopefully it turns out to be something simple. Keep us updated.

 

[JohnKuthe]

Amazing that the mechanic took little to no care on your audio setup when accessing under the carpet. Good suggestions above and even one more to follow. Pull your amp completely from your vehicle - visually and physically inspect the integrity of every connection point on the amp, entirely disconnected. Let's hope nothing broke at the board. This is a good opportunity for a continuity test with those speaker wires. Hopefully it turns out to be something simple. Keep us updated.

That's basically what I told him was necessary, and even added if he's thinking about doing an upgrade (who among us isn't?) it may be time!

John Kuthe...

 

[fixinit]

That's basically what I told him was necessary, and even added if he's thinking about doing an upgrade (who among us isn't?) it may be time!
John Kuthe...

Not sure if he mentioned thinking about an upgrade because his system was working fine before this mechanic threw his ears into chaos but, of course we'd all like to upgrade sometime or another. Most people are happy with their present day investments that affect their livelihood positively. No need to rush into the latest or greatest unless it's absolutely needed.

 

[JohnKuthe]

Not sure if he mentioned thinking about an upgrade because his system was working fine before this mechanic threw his ears into chaos but, of course we'd all like to upgrade sometime or another. Most people are happy with their present day investments that affect their livelihood positively. No need to rush into the latest and greatest unless it's absolutely needed.

I might have suggested something that may now occur!

If so, I'm happy to help!

John Kuthe...

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

You don't help.

Esp. if you didn't do any of your install work.

 

[JohnKuthe]

You don't help.
Esp. if you didn't do any of your install work.

I was able to PAY a professional to do it for me. Nothing wrong with that.

John Kuthe...

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

I was able to PAY a professional to do it for me. Nothing wrong with that.
John Kuthe...

There is if your helping other people on here taking credit for what someone did for you. I have a big problem with that.

You still don't get it. I do my own install...everything. ..except designing. Hu, speakers, sub enclosure builds, amp installs, etc. You on the other hand have none of that.

How the hell can you go around helping/supporting/troubleshooting people on here when you don't experience it firsthand????

 

[JohnKuthe]

There is if your helping other people on here taking credit for what someone did for you. I have a big problem with that.
You still don't get it. I do my own install...everything. ..except designing. Hu, speakers, sub enclosure builds, amp installs, etc. You on the other hand have none of that.

How the hell can you go around helping/supporting/troubleshooting people on here when you don't experience it firsthand????

You didn't even build your own sub enclosure? Boxes are easy to make, I had designed mine when I engaged the services of my installer guy. I was gonna have Lowes cut the MDF and I was planning on building my own. That was gonna be trhe easy part!

John Kuthe...

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

You didn't even build your own sub enclosure? Boxes are easy to make, I had designed mine when I engaged the services of my installer guy. I was gonna have Lowes cut the MDF and I was planning on building my own. That was gonna be trhe easy part!
John Kuthe...

OMG...read my reply again....man why are you so stupid?