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Another Engine Feedback Through Stereo Thread - Help!


ncarilli

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So I just installed 4 Rev 10's, SD2 amp, and a Exile ZLD in my 2014 24MXZ.  Before installing I read a ton of threads about engine noise hoping to install everything correctly and not have any issues.  Well after the install in the driveway I tuned everything and it sounded great, yesterday was the first day on the water and the engine noise was so bad it sounded like I was running a supercharger!  With the engine off everything sounds great but you can still here a little feadback if you turn on the blower or a ballast pump or something but nothing like if the engine is running.  Here is how I wired everything.

 

-I ran 4 sets of high quality RCA over from each amp and the black box to the ZLD

-I ran 16 gauge power, ground and remote wires.  I hooked the power and ground to the distribution blocks where the amps go to and the remote wire into one of the amps.  These wires are ran in the same path as the RCA's.

-The gains on the amps are all set to around 3/4

 

WHATS NEXT???  SHOULD I:

- Run the power ground and remote wires in a different path from the RCA's?

-Run the remote wire to a different location and not off of one of the amps?

-Run the power and ground to the battery instead of the distribution blocks?  (not sure how that could be any better)

-Turn the gains on the amps down? (not sure if I could achieve the volume I want then but who knows)

 

Any help is greatly appreciated, after reading a ton of threads about this I may just pull it out and not have an EQ the noise is so bad it's almost not worth it hopefully I can figure this out quickly.

 

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You likely have two issues. 1) Poor tuning. 2) Ground/supply loop.

An EQ has higher line voltage. The SD2 set at 3/4 with strong line voltage in and a 2-ohm load out, is likely too sensitive. The amplifier gain is in no way a volume control. You don't need to have it anywhere near full gain to obtain full volume level.

Yes, the EQ and all amplifiers must share the same physical ground point and the same physical supply point. To eliminate the noise potential, this same procedure must include the black box source unit wiring, any/all sources such as a BT module, and ALL audio components in the signal path. No exceptions.

This is a rough framework of the problem/fix. Your Wetsounds dealer should go into greater point by point detail with you on a) how to quickly isolate the cause, and b) how to remedy.

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2 hours ago, ncarilli said:

-I ran 16 gauge power, ground and remote wires.

What David said ^^^^^ and 16 gauge is way too small for power and ground wires.  You'll need at least 4 gauge for that amp.

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16 gauge was only used for the power ground and remote for the ZLD.  I have 4 gauge to all the amps.

2 hours ago, minnmarker said:

What David said ^^^^^ and 16 gauge is way too small for power and ground wires.  You'll need at least 4 gauge for that amp.

 

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10 hours ago, ncarilli said:

-The gains on the amps are all set to around 3/4

What about EQ gain level? 75% is getting a little high for a setup with what is advertised as a 9V line driver. That could certainly open the door for noise.

10 hours ago, ncarilli said:

- Run the power ground and remote wires in a different path from the RCA's?

-Run the remote wire to a different location and not off of one of the amps?

-Run the power and ground to the battery instead of the distribution blocks?  (not sure how that could be any better)

The remote turn-on circuit should not induce noise unless there is a defective component. 

Should not need to do any of the others, but wouldnt rule anything out this early

 

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12 hours ago, MLA said:

What about EQ gain level? 75% is getting a little high for a setup with what is advertised as a 9V line driver. That could certainly open the door for noise.

The remote turn-on circuit should not induce noise unless there is a defective component. 

Should not need to do any of the others, but wouldnt rule anything out this early

 

Thanks MLA, I'm going to try tuning the amps again.  I guess I didn't really understand I figured the Rev 10's and boat speakers would would handle the power at max output so I set the amps to 3/4 and then tuned from the EQ.  The gains on the EQ are about 1/4 on the inboat and tower, and about 1/2 on the sub.  It seems linke the major engine noise is out of the inboat speakers but the tower definitely has some to.  Do you think I should also run the RCA's a different path than the power/ground/remote for the EQ?  I don't know how this would make engine noise the RCA's seem well insulated?  Also should I try to find the ground on the black box  and ground it to the distribution block with all the other grounds?  Thanks for your help!

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Here is an active thread that shines a little light on to amp tuning and why 75% gain level makes me go hmmm. The gain dial is not a volume dial and cannot be used as such. Depending on the input level, an amp gain make its rated rms anywhere along the ranhe of the gain dial. You could likely be WAY past the point of rated rms output at 75% gain. 

2 hours ago, ncarilli said:

 The gains on the EQ are about 1/4 on the inboat and tower, and about 1/2 on the sub.

Maybe a little confusion here. The EQ has gain level for the main input and AUX input. What are they set to? 

 

2 hours ago, ncarilli said:

 I don't know how this would make engine noise the RCA's seem well insulated?

Dont let the thickness of an RCA or its price tag fool you. They mean little. 

I would not yet dive in a reroute cables. Other more pressing areas to focus on

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OP - turn on your blower and I bet the noise gets worse.  I fought this last season.  Listen to MLA and David with the gain settings on the amp.  I also had them set to about 70% because I also only had the HU at 50% but that was the culprit.  I tried adjusting the settings while standing on my head in port locker and finally last year pulled the amp board off the wall and fine tuned the system where I could see everything instead of using a mirror and a flashlight.  My HU is at about 80% max volume, amps at 50% gain and I cannot turn my EQ past 75% or it kills the ears.  No noise anywhere in the system.  

 

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1 hour ago, wedge88 said:

OP - turn on your blower and I bet the noise gets worse.  I fought this last season.  Listen to MLA and David with the gain settings on the amp.  I also had them set to about 70% because I also only had the HU at 50% but that was the culprit.  I tried adjusting the settings while standing on my head in port locker and finally last year pulled the amp board off the wall and fine tuned the system where I could see everything instead of using a mirror and a flashlight.  My HU is at about 80% max volume, amps at 50% gain and I cannot turn my EQ past 75% or it kills the ears.  No noise anywhere in the system.  

 

Thanks Wedge88!  It is definitely worse with the blower on!  I hope that is what it is, I'm going to adjust all the amps and see what I come up with!

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@goodmatt78 did u buy one for those deals for every amp or was it more like one of the amps was the only one getting feedback? I also am having a similar problem. I get that high pitch squeal. My gains r set to the bottom but only make a static sound when turned up. I've  done it all, rerouted wires, rcas, everything runs to the distribution blocks. I'm waiting to get my boat back to test some other grounding options when I get it on the water next. 

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Do everything you can to avoid using a ground loop adapter. This is simply a Band-Aid that leaves the true installation-based problem intact. How does it work? By breaking the connection, coupling the audio signal via tiny transformers, and eliminating any DC flow which carries the noise. Ground loop adapters often alter the signal and can degrade the audio quality. If this was a good thing, then as inexpensive as GLAs are, every amplifier would include some form of these in their input circuitry, and allow more freedom in the installation approach. But they don't.   

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3 hours ago, Koher71 said:

@goodmatt78 did u buy one for those deals for every amp or was it more like one of the amps was the only one getting feedback? I also am having a similar problem. I get that high pitch squeal. My gains r set to the bottom but only make a static sound when turned up. I've  done it all, rerouted wires, rcas, everything runs to the distribution blocks. I'm waiting to get my boat back to test some other grounding options when I get it on the water next. 

Good question.....I have the 4 cabin speakers off the head unit and my bow speakers off one amp and my tower and sub off a different wetsounds amp.  Inn my garage, I had terrible feedback on only my bow speakers with the blower on.  The ground loop isolator fixed it.  Now I have an engine wine in my tower speakers and I just bought another, but haven't installed it yet.

I did not notice any sound degradation when installing this item.

Edited by goodmatt78
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@goodmatt78 nice man. I've heard both sides with using those. Hopefully it works out for ya and glad it didn't interfere with the sound quality. I'll be so happy to get the buzz out of my ridiculously priced boat/stereo system. It's embarrassing firing it up to have these issues. 

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5 hours ago, Koher71 said:

@goodmatt78 nice man. I've heard both sides with using those. Hopefully it works out for ya and glad it didn't interfere with the sound quality. I'll be so happy to get the buzz out of my ridiculously priced boat/stereo system. It's embarrassing firing it up to have these issues. 

Yes, I was worried about sound quality issues.  However, for $10 bucks it was a no brainer to try....vs hours of chasing my tail.

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