WTF? CD's only playing through Subs. Radio plays through speakers and subs. WTF?

[vampyrebyte]

Ok I just got a bunch of stuff for my 98 Dodge Dakota Ext. Cab.

I got a MTX Thunderform enclosure with 2x Thunder 4500 subs (450W RMS), a UltraLinear UL801 Amp (800W RMS mono), and a Alpine CDA-9847 cd head unit.

I installed all this stuff this morning. I took the RCA cable from the Head unit to the amp and wired in a remote wire for the amp from the head unit also. I hooked up power to the amp and grounded it. I Hooked the amp up to the subs.

When i try to play CD's the sound only comes out of the Subs. When I switch over to radio the sound comes out the speakers and the Subs.

What did I do wrong? Is there some kinda setting i need to change? There was a high input plug for the amp with 2 sets of speaker wires and a ground that i didn't wire up cause i want the head unit to supply for the speakers and the amp to supply for the subs. But this only happens when i have the radio on.

And also, whenever my amp turns on or my cd player changes songs my sub thumps. Is this normal or do i have to do some adjusting on the amp to clear this up or is there something else?

I don't know much about Audio equipment, but i am an electronic technician so i know how to wire stuff up. But if someone could give me some help with this or some ideas for something to try, that would be great.

Ben

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[skadude016 5,000+ posts]

in the head unit setting somewhere you probably have it all phased to the rear. or your speakers cut off completely

 

[vampyrebyte]

Wouldn't that normally make a difference in both the CD and the Radio? I couldn't find any settings off hand that mentioned that.

 

[skadude016 5,000+ posts]

Wouldn't that normally make a difference in both the CD and the Radio? I couldn't find any settings off hand that mentioned that.

sometimes the settings change when you change your source

 

[Louisiana_CRX 5,000+ posts]

You may have the remote lead going through the power antenna wire the blue wire instead of the amp wire...Blue/white stripe

 

[vampyrebyte]

I remember it told me to hook the remote wire up to the power antenna, but i hooked it up to the wire that said remote which was a blue/white striped wire.

I'll have to check the settings of the Radio and see if there is anything different from the CD settings.

And also, whenever my amp turns on or my cd player changes songs my sub thumps. Is this normal or do i have to do some adjusting on the amp to clear this up or is there something else?

 

[nismos14 5,000+ posts]

THe problem is your remote wire not being hooked up properly. If there is no other lead in the harness connect both the remote and the antenna to the blue wire.

 

[skadude016 5,000+ posts]

I remember it told me to hook the remote wire up to the power antenna, but i hooked it up to the wire that said remote which was a blue/white striped wire.
I'll have to check the settings of the Radio and see if there is anything different from the CD settings.

And also, whenever my amp turns on or my cd player changes songs my sub thumps. Is this normal or do i have to do some adjusting on the amp to clear this up or is there something else?

grounding issuse

 

[vampyrebyte]

So hook the remote(sub) and the power antenna together and take that to the remote on the sub?

I'll give it a try, thanks

 

[vampyrebyte]

I'm not sure what more i can do about the grounds. I have the amp grounded to under the dash where i seen other grounds being screwed down to. Or do i have to do something different?

 

[skadude016 5,000+ posts]

Your running that long of a ground? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wow.gif.23d729408e9177caa2a0ed6a2ba6588e.gif

 

[vampyrebyte]

Nope its only about 3 feet at the most. Is that to long? Its only from the back seat to the front.

I tried to hook up the remote wire to the remote on and the power antenna, and both the radio and cd only played from subs.

I tried to hook up to just the power antenna and it would only play when the radio was on and only through the sub.

I checked the settings from radio to cd and they are all the same.

I'm at a loss about this problem. I'm conflustered. Does anyone have anymore suggestions? Or would Alpine be able to help if i called them? Does someone have the number if it would help?

Thanks

 

[starkfu 10+ year member]

ground as soon as you can off of the amp, and make sure that you scrape paint and don't use coated screws, use a star washer, etc.

then go to the battery and upgrade the battery to chassis ground to the same gauge of what you are using for power wire,

since we are on the subject, you are using the same size wire for power and ground correct?

how exactly is the amplifier hooked up?

if you disconnect the RCA's from the amp entirely, do the speakers work?

how are your speakers connected?

if your dakota had the infinity system in it and you connected the power antenna lead to the factory amplifier turn on, that would explain the weirdness.

 

[vampyrebyte]

ground as soon as you can off of the amp, and make sure that you scrape paint and don't use coated screws, use a star washer, etc.
then go to the battery and upgrade the battery to chassis ground to the same gauge of what you are using for power wire,

since we are on the subject, you are using the same size wire for power and ground correct?

how exactly is the amplifier hooked up?

if you disconnect the RCA's from the amp entirely, do the speakers work?

how are your speakers connected?

if your dakota had the infinity system in it and you connected the power antenna lead to the factory amplifier turn on, that would explain the weirdness.

I'm using the same size conductors for the power and the ground.

When I disconnect the RCA's from the amp the speakers still don't work, unless i'm using the radio.

My dakota does have the infinity system (pretty sure anyways, i just got it but it does have a infinity logo on the little speakers on the door), but I have the remote for the amp connected to the Remote on wire off the cd player and the power ant. is hooked to the power ant. on the cd player.\

I have the speakers the way they were from factory (or the way i bought it anyways, which it all worked until this upgrade). I spliced the harnesses together and have them all plugged in.

The amp power is wired through a fuse to the battery. The ground is run under the carpet up to a screw that is holding in a couple of other grounds under the dash. I have the RCA's going the same rought as everthing else but up to the cd player and hooked to the subwoofer rca sockets on the player and on the input sockets on the amp. I then used the extra wire i had from the ground and power and used that for the wires going from the amp to the subs under the backseat. The amplifier is on the floor in front of the back seat. And for the remote wire i'm using the little wire that is in the rca cable and hooked that up from the remote terminal on the amp to the Remote on Wire on the CD player.

 

[starkfu 10+ year member]

My dakota does have the infinity system (pretty sure anyways, i just got it but it does have a infinity logo on the little speakers on the door), but I have the remote for the amp connected to the Remote on wire off the cd player and the power ant. is hooked to the power ant. on the cd player.\

This fits the problem

I would try to hook up the remote wire from your alpine to the other blue wire in your factory harness (perhaps they were marked wrong.... cause that never happens). Regardless, if you want to be sure, use a DMM and measure the voltage on all factory wires and make sure they are doing what they are supposed to be doing, then plug in the FACTORY deck and see which wire it activates to turn on the amps.

I gaurantee this is your problem, you have the power antenna out of your alpine connected to the amp turn ons of the infinity system.