Volume drops while playing music

[venoxcide]

Hello all,

I've had my system installed in my car for about 4 months now and all has been going well up until about two days ago.

I noticed while driving it seems randomly the volume on my entire system drops to about 1/4th it's original level.

Example: I'm playing music at around 40/62 on my headunit and the volume cuts out and it sounds like I'm at 10/62, but the headunit still reads 40/62. After driving around for a few mins it goes back to the normal volume and happens completely randomly. Sometimes it lasts for 2 seconds other times for 10+ mins.

I got the car home and while parked up it was playing at it's low level, so i hooked up my phone directly to the amp and I got normal volumes again.

It's not the levels or anything, all gains were set properly, and it occurs even when playing at low volumes. It happens on any source, even radio. I've checked power at the amp also, thats fine.

So I'm assuming this may be a head unit issue, unless others have any ideas.

I've checked the RCAs, they're all in fine, and it's not like one side of my speakers are getting the drop, all 4 speakers and my sub are getting the drop in levels.

The head unit is a Pioneer DEH-x6600BT.

Is it possible that the pre-outs on head unit are faulty?

I could easily go pick up the newer version of this unit the DEH-x6700BT (I'm assuming the wire harness would be the same), but I'd like to entertain other ideas first.

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[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

What car? You running any amps or just speakers off the head unit?

 

[venoxcide]

What car? You running any amps or just speakers off the head unit?

Amped.

Like I said in the main post, all my speakers and the sub get the drop in the levels when this occurs.

Pioneer GM-D8604 is the amplifier.

EDIT: The speakers are also amped, nothing is connected directly to the head unit.

 

[Popwarhomie 5,000+ posts]

What car. Could be the stock amp causing issues.

 

[venoxcide]

2004 Mitsubishi Galant. There is no stock amp.

 

[quakerroatmeal 10+ year member]

Sounds like the head-unit is taking a poop on you. I'd try a different head-unit if possible.

 

[venoxcide]

Yeah that was my initial assumption, perhaps the preouts are giving out. It's only about a year old so that's quite strange for a Pioneer.

I haven't tried hooking up my speakers directly to the head unit to see if the issue persists, but thats really because I can't get it to stay in the "low volume" state for a long enough time.

Also yesterday it was really acting up, dropping at almost every 10 mins but today it's yet to happen so its very intermittent.