amp is hissing all over the place!!!

jbbets · 05-02-2008, 08:16 PM

what the hell??? I installed my new HIfonics amp to go with my infinity comps, and there is a buzzing noise going on. i swear it's installed right, can't figure it out for the life of me. anyone got any suggestions?

gabriel c. · 05-02-2008, 09:45 PM

so many things can be wrong. what line level converter did you use? is the amp properly grounded? is the amps sensitivity set correctly? what type of "hiss" are you getting? is it more like an engine whine than a constant "hiss". can you hear it with the volume all the way down?

jbbets · 05-02-2008, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gabriel c.

so many things can be wrong. what line level converter did you use? is the amp properly grounded? is the amps sensitivity set correctly? what type of "hiss" are you getting? is it more like an engine whine than a constant "hiss". can you hear it with the volume all the way down?

not sure about the line level converter, but the amp should be properly grounded (under the seat) The hiss is more like a whine when the engine is running, when the ignition is off, the whine goes away. and yes, I can hear it when the volume is all the way down.

any suggestions? I've been on this thing since 1pm, and it's driving me nuts!!

**t22a80** · 05-03-2008, 04:50 AM

It sounds like alternator whine. Did you grind the paint away at your amp ground? Also are you using a LOC or a aftermarket HU? If you are using an aftermarket HU you might need to re-ground the HU because the nissan wire harness is funky. The ground in it sucks.

jbbets · 05-03-2008, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t22a80

It sounds like alternator whine. Did you grind the paint away at your amp ground? Also are you using a LOC or a aftermarket HU? If you are using an aftermarket HU you might need to re-ground the HU because the nissan wire harness is funky. The ground in it sucks.

Man, I took the rest of the night off, was out there till like midnight. t22, I didn't grind the paint away from the ground, which I grounded to the bolt hole for the passenger seat.

also, I have a pioneer HU, so are you saying that I need to find the ground for the HU and ground it somewhere else other than in the wire harness??

thanks for your help so far, I'm ready to hang it up if it doesn't work right, which I can't figure out why!!

baseballfanz · 05-03-2008, 11:02 AM

Make sure you run the RCAs and power cable away from each other. Man so many things can cause the noise, you just have to play around and fix one part at a time till it goes away. Sometimes it will never go away, that's jsut the nature of it.

jbbets · 05-05-2008, 08:41 AM

I don't know, I can't seem to find it. The next thing I heard now is to use a filter to get rid of the whine. I just don't get it, I see all kinds of installs, no one has come across this?

**t22a80** · 05-05-2008, 10:52 AM

It could be the head unit, did you unplug the RCA's while the radio was on?

jbbets · 05-08-2008, 02:00 PM

as of right now, I don't have the amp in, my buddy and I were messing with this thing all weekend.

I didn't try to unplug the RCA's with the radio on, but I'll keep that in mind. Thing is, what if it is the head unit? I'll need to replace it. Plus, if it was the HU, to me, it would have done the whining without an amp installed.

Like I said before, has anyone come across this same thing when they installed theirs? I haven't heard anyting else about this subject, I hope I'm not the only one.

gabriel c. · 05-08-2008, 05:31 PM

hook up the speakers to the hu ( no amp ) and see if the whine is still there( could be your amp too). i have my hu grounded to another grounding source other than the factory. im pretty sure someone other than you has engine whine to some degree, specially with hi wattage amps.

**t22a80** · 05-08-2008, 07:04 PM

If you are getting this with no amp installed it sounds like the HU needs to be grounded.

jbbets · 05-10-2008, 02:46 PM

My HU is fine, I've had that installed since christmas. My speakers I installed 2 months ago, (infinity comps) and they sounded great. The whine didn't start until I tried hooking up the amp, so I figure its with that. I followed the advice and grinded off the paint from the ground source(under neath the passenger seat, but it was still there.

still can't figure it out

jbbets · 05-10-2008, 02:48 PM

another thing, if I get this whine with the amp installed, and that means possibly the HU needs to be regrounded, where do I reground it at? What is a good source to do that?

salazarpf · 05-10-2008, 03:21 PM

You can call my cell phone 636 426 0718. It's unlimited minutes on the weekend.
I can pin point and remedy the problem in 5 minutes but I need for you to be in the truck with the amp installed.

salazarpf · 05-10-2008, 03:40 PM

I believe all your components HU, line converter, amp, etc. are all in fine working condition. Friends have had parallel situations and I've remedied them. I am pretty sure it is the amplifier. In case you don't get a hold of me; Install everything but don't screw the amplifier down lay in on top of a bath towel or some other garment; this will isolate the amplifier. If the hiss goes away after revving the engine, then you have what is called a ground loop, caused unintentionally when the amplifier is installed. Basically the amplifier chassis is making direct contact with the truck possibly through the screws that held the amplifier to the floor or wall. The screw probably scraped the paint off the amp chassis or the plastic protectors on the screw holes of the amp fell off. Hence the direct contact of the amp to the truck by means of the screw. Don't let the screws touch the amplifier when securing it down. You can simply use elecrical tape on the screw heads or screw holes on the amplifier to avoid the direct contact.