Noise in Stereo??

[The_Hawk]

Just to start, I haven't changed anything it a while so it's not something new causing the problem. My current setup:

Pioneer CD/MP3 player -> front speakers (which have no noise)
"" -> 4 Channel amp -> rear 6x9's
"" -> "" -> two channels bridged into sub.

Anyway, today for no good reason I start getting noise through the amp (well the speakers hooked up to the amp). To be more specific, it's electrical interference when I have the AC fan on, that is electric fan, not the AC itself. It gets worse the higher fan speed you select. There is also a bup bup bup low (bass) pitch tone when the fan isn't on. Something else playing not so nice.

I have tried removing the RCA's from the amp and the sound goes away, tried a fresh set of RCA's dangling across the seats, same noise. Checked the power wiring behind the deck, re did the wiring... still no dice.

At the moment I don't have a filter at all on the system, but why would the noise start for no good reason? Something worked through a wire and is touching something? Who knows?

Do you think a filter will fix the problem, or do you think the deck has issues. Sadly I have another deck here I can test, problem is rewiring the whole damn thing. Plan B is to get a 12V DC source and hook the deck up to other power, at least that only requires 2 or 3 wires and will tell me if isolating the deck will help.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Mr ©harisma]

Dude try hooking up an MP3 player by plugging it straight into your amp. If there is not noise that obviously means it is from your deck or RCA's. If there is still a noise something is wrong with the amp.

If there is no noise, it is either bad earthing or you may have blown the RCA track fuse on the deck. Easy way to test that is to hook up a home stereo that has RCA input and hook your RCA's into that. If it's the track fuse, the noise will still be there...

[Jmac]

Mate at your head unit cut the earth and try it - seriously cut the earth and swith you unit on and try it and see what you get, you are getting feedback on the earth , this will verify it,
JMac

[The_Hawk]

The testing I have done seems to indicate it's from the deck and not the RCA's or the amp.

Jmac... if I cut the earth, how will the deck work? Or is that the point, if it works there is something wrong?

[Jmac]

Hawk yes it will work mate through the aeriel man so cut the earth an see how you go and if the buzzing stops all good , and something may need to be shielded , it wiil work mate with earth cut.
Jmac

[Soundofav6]

I have a new RCA filter that I never got around to use. Try it if you like.

Mostly a grounding solution should fix it... I paided an audio shop 30 bucks to fix the altenator noise.

[Mr ©harisma]

Dude why not try running a new earth making sure that the metal is exposed and secure.

My money is on the track fuse, it is extremely rare that after so much time an earth suddenly becomes "bad". Pioneer do thousands of track fuses per year, hell even I have had to have it done once. Is a big problem, is covered under warranty, only takes 3-5days :-)

[The_Hawk]

Dude try hooking up an MP3 player by plugging it straight into your amp. If there is not noise that obviously means it is from your deck or RCA's. If there is still a noise something is wrong with the amp.

If there is no noise, it is either bad earthing or you may have blown the RCA track fuse on the deck. Easy way to test that is to hook up a home stereo that has RCA input and hook your RCA's into that. If it's the track fuse, the noise will still be there...

DING DING DING, buy that man a cigar. Looks like you may be right.

Pioneer deck, noise.
Pioneer deck minus earth wire, LOTS of noise.

Misc other deck (ready crappy old non brand name), no noise.

Ripping in and out a stereo in the dark on the street by work light... sucky.


For the fun (and interesting parts). This stereo was bought 02/03/2007, so it would *just* be outside warranty except they were running a free 2yr warranty at the time and I am anal about keeping receipts :D

When I say "tested" another deck I didn't actually hardwire it in, I just used some alligator clips with the Pioneer plug in place to reduce actual work. 3 - 5 days is going to feel like a LONG time and to tell the truth I don't know that I would be arsed to pull out the wiring for a week of no sound only to have to re-wire the whole thing.

When I got this unit from Strathfield it was low end model (3850) at $169 so you have to wonder if it's worth sending it somewhere and back + paying for someone to fix it vs just replacing it. Sure it's probably a simple job, but still. Anyway, will see what happens when I get a chance to get to the shop.

[Mr ©harisma]

I'm not just a pretty face. :D:D

I would get it fixed, 1st one is free and I said and at least you will have a spare deck... Of course that is if you decide to get another one...

[The_Hawk]

It will get fixed one way or another, since I have a 2 year warranty they can fix it as many times as they need to in that time.

In the end if I can get away without spending any money that would be a good thing right now. If anything I want to replace the silver Pioneer with a nice black unit, like the JVC Cameleon I used to have, which of course they no longer make and even if I could get I wouldn't since it didn't play MP3's :P

[icacha]

Sounds like Phil is right, Peeinyourear have a fuse (SMD) on the ground track of the RCA's and if that blows you will get a tonne of noise, easy fix, have done plenty of them for customers who aren't careful with their installs :)

[Mr ©harisma]

Hmmm you no likey the Pioneer?

Most importantly though, have you got it fixed yet :rolleyes:

[The_Hawk]

Hmmm you no likey the Pioneer?

Most importantly though, have you got it fixed yet :rolleyes:

yesI like Pioneer and yes I have it fixed now... although I biught a new one while waiting so the old (fixed) one is sitting on my desk at home, soon to be relegated to the cupboard with the other few decks I have :P

[The_Hawk]

The new unit seems to be have developed the same problem. Which leads to the next questions.

How common is this fault?
- Is it something I am causing?
(wierd since it was fine for sooo long, then with no change to the system, one deck went, then another... or is it just bad luck)

Should there be a filter on the power before the unit?
Should there be a filter on the RCA's?

Finally, is the Track fuse an easily changed out part? Can you buy them? From the point of view that if it's a quick solder job then away you go I would rather fix it myself and be back together in 10 minutes than 3 weeks of waiting.

Any ideas are appreciated.

Aaron

[Mr ©harisma]

Far out dude, your not having much luck.

Who installed your harness? Are they soldered and heatshrink?

I have had heaps of Pionner decks and never managed to blow the fuse. One ex-demo off a board I got had it though, that was over 2 years ago now.

Definately don't go attacking your deck just yet. If you crack it open and stuff something, by by warranty.

[The_Hawk]

I did all the wiring myself, and yes it should all be together right. Power and earth are soldered and heat shrunk, speakers have electrical tape. There isn't a lot of slack in the unit so it's possible it's not 100%, although I am reasonably sure it is.

I keep planning on ripping it all out and re-wiring in another plug so it goes:

Stock wires -> generic plug -> Pioneer plug

That way if (when) I change decks to something thats not pioneer I can just unplug and do the wiring outside the car.

Looks like I have another small project for tomorrow. On the upside it also means I can paint the mounting frame black so you don't see the hint of silver round the edges (if you look closely enough ;))

[Mr ©harisma]

Yeah it seems very strange. An easy way to blow the fuse is to have the deck on and hooked up and then connect the RCA. Sometimes people do that and it can blow the fuse, but if it is hooked up for a long period of time, it would be doubtful that your RCA will move.

What RCA's are you using?

[The_Hawk]

Yeah it seems very strange. An easy way to blow the fuse is to have the deck on and hooked up and then connect the RCA. Sometimes people do that and it can blow the fuse, but if it is hooked up for a long period of time, it would be doubtful that your RCA will move.

What RCA's are you using?



Ahhhh.... possibly, the deck had new RCA's added and although I'm reasonably confident it was off, it has been pulled out a few times so it's possible it was on when the RCA's were plugged in.

As for what are they, one set is a Sony set one is whatever the installer used the first time round.