Paging Audio Video Guru's...??

[Wind4Power]

I've got a question for our stereo experts.
We took a long drive today and tried out our new equipment. I think we didn't noticed anything before cause we've been mostly parked while playing around with the new stuff.

Anyway...While the kids were watching a DVD we discovered a problem. I'm getting a whine noise coming through the stereo when I step on the accelerator. When I let off the gas the whine goes away. I think you can get the picture.

I though I had heard that spark plug wires could cause this kind of noise. I've heard that noise suppressing spark plug wires should cure the problem or can we get a filter or something.
Anyone know a cure for this problem or what could be causing it.? I'd appreciate your feedback.

 

[carrerarod]

I've got a question for our stereo experts.
We took a long drive today and tried out our new equipment. I think we didn't noticed anything before cause we've been mostly parked while playing around with the new stuff.

Anyway...While the kids were watching a DVD we discovered a problem. ? ?I'm getting a whine noise coming through the stereo when I step on the accelerator. ?When I let off the gas the whine goes away. I think you can get the picture.

I though I had heard that spark plug wires could cause this kind of noise. ?I've heard that noise suppressing spark plug wires should cure the problem or can we get a filter or something.
Anyone know a cure for this problem or what could be causing it.? I'd appreciate your feedback.

Well I am not sure if I could be considered an expert but I might be able to help

You are hearing alternator noises. This can be caused by soo many things it's impossible to list them here but here are some things to consider:

• Where is the power for the amplifier connected to? The battery post or the connection box off the alternator?
• The input level of the amplifier may be set too high. What is happening is the amplifier is "amplifying" the noise from the engine.
• The power lines for the amplifier may have been run too close to power items like your headlights.

If you can provide me with a little more information I would be more than happy to help you.

Ultimately, you can install some noise blockers but we should go through the motions and eliminate the stuff above.

BUT, I must say that any decent audio tuner would've noticed this before given you the car and would not let this through. You may want to talk to them about it. But before they sell you on more "stuff" to take care of the problem, check in with us. Some not so good shops will try to sell you a capacitor. This will not solve the problem IMHO.

Let me know!

 

[carrerarod]

Forgot something, was this at night with the headlights on? If you turn your lights and A/C on, turn the radio on but volume down and rev the engine. This is what ytou can use as a reference point to see if any of our recommendations help cure the problem.

I am curious where they grounded the amp? should be a really small run like 8-10 inches, not touch any paint (bare metal) AND the gauge of the wire for the ground MUST match the gauge of the power line for the amp.

I will post more as I think of them!

 

[carrerarod]

Alternator Whine ? High frequency noise created by a car's alternator that is amplified through the sound system.? Alternator whine is many times attributable to components that aren't properly grounded.

Here is a great article written by one of the best, it deals with your exact situation: Signal To Noise

Cindy... Unfortunately you have to take your AV back to the installer and let him deal with this problem. I know you paid alot of money for the equipment and install, you should accept nothing less than perfect.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the great article! I feel better knowing that some of my suggestions were validated in this document. It did highlight one item I forgot to mention which was the problem I had on my Porsche a while back. My battery didn't have a full charge and after an evening on the charger, noise went away!

Let us know Cindy!

 

[chazj]

Most of the times that I've encountered this problem, as was in a previous reply, it has been a grounding problem. I've always grounded my amplifiers to one of the seat bolt posts. The installer has to make sure that he sands the paint away at the base of the bolt.

Hope this helps.

DrJ

 

[Wind4Power]

Thanks for all your help and suggestions guys. You Rock!

 

[Chief]

Thanks for all your help and suggestions guys. ?You Rock!

Good Signal Noise article ... Lots of trouble-shooting to do.

Yes ... those guys do Rock

 

[gpfahler]

Cindy,

I have the exact same problem as you. I am running double filters and this has no effect at all. I also have the direct hits ignition wires and this cause the problem for me. I am going to change my control head unit to a Pioneer P77 and see if that improves the noise. ( I was going to change it anyway) I'm resonably certain that my system is grounded properly.

Gary

 

[Wiki]

I had the same problem. The only "shortcut" I took was to buy $17 RCA cables instead of the $45 RCA cables. Sure enough, after replacing my RCA Cables (3 of them) my engine whine went away. But check the obvious stuff first. Ground, Ground, and Ground.

Another thing that helps is to ground your battery to a second location under the hood with a flat braided cable. Unfortunately, like sated before, you will have to probably take it back to whoever installed it and have them trouble shoot this for you.

Good luck.

 

[Wind4Power]

Just an update...We did some troubleshooting today. We've narrowed it down to the power supply to the DVD player. The whine occurs only when the the headunit is set to video source and the video selector is turned on. When we unplug the power supply to the DVD player the noise goes away.
All grounds look good. We're gonna try a noise filter on the positive lead to the DVD player.
On a very positive note....everthing that is self-contained in the head unit has no noise whatsoever. AM/FM CD, XM all sound perfect. I'll keep you posted.

 

[carrerarod]

Just an update...We did some troubleshooting today. ?We've narrowed it down to the power supply to the DVD player. ?The whine occurs only when the the headunit is set to video source and the video selector is turned on. ?When we unplug the power supply to the DVD player the noise goes away.
? ? All grounds look good. We're gonna try a noise filter on the positive lead to the DVD player.
? ? On a very positive note....everthing that is self-contained in the head unit has no noise whatsoever. ?AM/FM CD, XM all sound perfect. ?I'll keep you posted.

That's good news! Where did the get the power for the DVD? Seems like they are treating you right and going to take care of you! That is the sign of a true professional!

 

[strichart01]

It is definately the ground wire and/or location.

I've got a question for our stereo experts.
We took a long drive today and tried out our new equipment. I think we didn't noticed anything before cause we've been mostly parked while playing around with the new stuff.

Anyway...While the kids were watching a DVD we discovered a problem. ? ?I'm getting a whine noise coming through the stereo when I step on the accelerator. ?When I let off the gas the whine goes away. I think you can get the picture.

I though I had heard that spark plug wires could cause this kind of noise. ?I've heard that noise suppressing spark plug wires should cure the problem or can we get a filter or something.
Anyone know a cure for this problem or what could be causing it.? I'd appreciate your feedback.

 

[Wind4Power]

We're doing the troubleshooting ourselves just out of convenience. We haven't taken the truck back to the installer yet. We put a ground loop isolator between the DVD and the switch box and that eliminated the whine through the vehicle speakers. Yeah! But...we're still getting a whine through the wireless headphones. We're not certain where they wired the power to the DVD. But were gonna try an inline noise filter next on the positive lead to the switchbox and DVD player and see if that works. If that doesn't fix it then we well be taking a drive back down to visit the installer. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Wind4Power]

Alright! All Better Now!

What we ended up doing was putting a noise filter on the powersupply to the DVD player and A/V switcher, and a ground loop isolator between the A/V switcher and the overhead monitor audio. Viola! No More Whine Anywhere!

Here are the part #'s from Radio Shack that we used:

Ground-Loop Isolator 270-054 $14.99
It has RCA plugs and is very easy to install.

10 AMP Heavy-Duty Automotive Electrical Noise Filter #270-051B $14.99

2 Philips/Magnavox RCA gender changers #PM62070
from Walmart $1.97 each.

 

[carrerarod]

Alright! All Better Now!

What we ended up doing was putting a noise filter on the powersupply to the DVD player and A/V switcher, and a ground loop isolator between the A/V switcher and the overhead monitor audio. ?Viola! No More Whine Anywhere!

Here are the part #'s from Radio Shack that we used:

Ground-Loop Isolator 270-054 ?$14.99
It has RCA plugs and is very easy to install.

10 AMP Heavy-Duty Automotive Electrical Noise Filter #270-051B $14.99

2 Philips/Magnavox RCA gender changers #PM62070
from Walmart $1.97 each.

Congrats! Pretty soon you will be a moderator in this forum!

 

[Cannon]

I too have this problem. I just got my screens about a week ago and the whine is killing me. Should I go with SOCALCINDY's solution or go back to the installer and make them fix it?

 

[carrerarod]

I too have this problem. ?I just got my screens about a week ago and the whine is killing me. ?Should I go with SOCALCINDY's solution or go back to the installer and make them fix it?

If you had the system installed by a shop, they owe it to you to take a look at it and try to rectify it. If that doesn't work, time to troubleshoot.

Your gains on the amps may be contributing to this. If you have an eq it could be the culprit. bad ground. power wires running too close to other electrical devices, etc.

make the isntaller take a first pass at it and let us know.

 

[zimmthumps]

I would definitely go back to the installer. It is their job to correctly install your system. I'm sure it has to do with either a bad ground, or the route they choose to run some wires. They'll probably need your Av for a couple hours though - Just let them take their time, run the wires, check grounds, and do it right.

 

[Skidd-au]

OK then seeing as how all the "Ex Spurts" lurke in this forum I figured this is the place to post this.

I am trying to get my hands on an Alpine TDA 5635, it is an Ai Net compatible tape player (don't ask why) but it is proving impossible to find down here, I think they went off the market about 18 months ago. Extensive net searching has found zilch and I was hoping you guys might be able to help. It sorta sounds like some of you either own or are heavily involved in car audio shops.

If you can find one please let me know how much and we'll talk turkey.

 

[zimmthumps]

Alpine Tape Decks

Sorry, I came up with nothing except the models above. I've got a shop contact I'll talk to later today and see what he knows.

 

[carrerarod]

OK then seeing as how all the "Ex Spurts" lurke in this forum I figured this is the place to post this.

I am trying to get my hands on an Alpine TDA 5635, it is an Ai Net compatible tape player (don't ask why) but it is proving impossible to find down here, I think they went off the market about 18 months ago. ?Extensive net searching has found zilch and I was hoping you guys might be able to help. ?It sorta sounds like some of you either own or are heavily involved in car audio shops.

If you can find one please let me know how much and we'll talk turkey. ?

Skidd, I have a few contacts here in California that might be able to help you. Start with this guy:

info@sounds-good-stereo.com

Ask for Isaac Goren. He is the owner of the company. Tell him "Rodney" sent you. He remembers me for my Porsches and Tahoes not the Avalanche. If he can't help, let me know and I will try to hook you up with another source of mine.

Good Luck!

 

[Skidd-au]

Alpine Tape Decks

Sorry, I came up with nothing except the models above. ?I've got a shop contact I'll talk to later today and see what he knows.

Thanks Zimm but the deck I'm looking for doesn't have a reciever built in, only a straight tape deck... although I've never seen one, only been told about it so I cannot be 100% sure.

 

[Skidd-au]

Skidd, I have a few contacts here in California that might be able to help you. Start with this guy:

Thanks C-Rod, I've emailed him and I'll let you know how I go, but still any help is appreciated.

 

[Skidd-au]

Skidd, I have a few contacts here in California that might be able to help you. Start with this guy:

info@sounds-good-stereo.com

Ask for Isaac Goren. He is the owner of the company. Tell him "Rodney" sent you. He remembers me for my Porsches and Tahoes not the Avalanche. If he can't help, let me know and I will try to hook you up with another source of mine.

C-Rod,

The reply from Isaac was short but to the point.... "The unit has not been avilable for the past 3 years."

Does anyone have any other thoughts about where I might try?

 

[Skidd-au]

Hey Skidd,check here.About half way down,is this what your after?

Sir Irontrain,

That is exactly what I am looking for, the problem is that you must subscribe to the magazine in order to get the sellers phone number and of course the ad has been in there for a few weeks so the item might be sold already. ?I'm going to hate paying for a subscription to a South African magazine just to find it's an old advert and the item has been gone for months.

I was sort of hoping that it may be something that one of these legendary audiophiles had access to old stock units or even second hand ones that have been removed during upgrades. ?

But thanks for looking. ?