Brand New Clarion HU defective? Noise in subwoofer

low_bass_makker · 3rd February 2008, 14:30

Chalo till then we will wait..

navin · 3rd February 2008, 16:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass&Trouble

Since you mention that the noise vanishes when you run the sub using the rear pre-out, this has something to do with the head unit's subwoofer pre-out . Show a good technician please.

this is what lead me to believe that the pre out RCA might have got hit in transit and caused a loose solder on the PCB. In our days they used to screw th RCA to the back panel but today the RCAs are soldered directly to the PCB.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

I need to know - The noise - is it a Krrr krrrr, gssss gssss, prrp prrrp or a klick klick.

Johy, the sounds Sam are refering to might have nothing to do with audio. ;-)

johy · 4th February 2008, 20:34

Well folks, today morning I called the Clarion Distributor for India in Delhi (Supreme Audiotronics Pvt. Ltd. @ 11-25791140) to direct me to the nearest authorized service center and hey presto they tell me there is a center in Siliguri. I get to that place first thing and after the technical spent a greater part of one hour on the HU, checking for loose solder, etc., concludes he can't find anything wrong. What he does is removes the solder for the preouts and resolders them. Anyways.

So this evening I take my car to the installer to try out the resoldered HU and no luck! Same old scratchy sound.

Then he says let me try one last thing, gets this El-Chepo "Chicago 5-band in dash graphic equalizer with line driver" and connects the sub's RCAs via this gadget and OMG the scratchy sound is gone!! He says the gadget is working as a "filter." Any ideas folks how to explain this? I am dumbstruck. Thinking of going ahead and ordering a better equalizer for the same task, not for any equalizing functions, but really for the filtering.

I don't want to go back to the Pioneer 5850 HU after listening to this Clarion.

So is this the solution (pic below). Alternatives?

Edit: ImageShack seems to be acting up, not able to post a pic of the Chicago eq.

Bass&Trouble · 4th February 2008, 21:01

When connecting the Chicago, are you sure he used the sub output of the head unit to connect to the input of the equalizer? Or did he use some other output like front/ rear?

Anyway, try using a ground loop isolator before jumping into an equalizer.

johy · 4th February 2008, 21:11

Ajay ji,

I am sure he used the violet preout for the sub from the HU. I cross-checked by increasing/decreasing the Sub volume from the HU (which does not increase/decrease when using the front/rear preout). Also, the installer turned off the Eq function on the Chicago Eq, but kept it powered on -- and the scratchy sound was not there (both with and without Eq function on).

Please tell me what an Ground Loop Isolater is.

The very first day of install, the installer did use a "filter" which looked somewhat like this

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/iipcache/120089.jpg

It did not help. Is the ground loop isolator different from a so-called filter?

Bass&Trouble · 4th February 2008, 21:19

^^

What you have posted is indeed a ground loop isolator.

Let me get back to you tomorrow on this. Will ask around if anyone else with Clarion head units ever faced a problem like this.

johy · 4th February 2008, 21:22

Okies, but the one I saw said "filter," and not "ground loop isolator." Look forward to your input. Also, will specifically ask the installer if he has a thing sold by the name "ground loop isolator."

St. Anger · 4th February 2008, 22:16

Ajay, after upgrading from the Pio 5750 to the Clarion DXZ775USB, i did face the problem of hissing and clicks while using the horn, the problem surfaced in the speakers & not the sub. It was infuriating.

The installer tried everything and yet the problem persisted. All the options mentioned here were tried out. Even i'd read about noise suppressors/ ground isolators and thought that the isolator was my only hope. But then, as a last resort, we changed the RCA's and presto, the clicks & hisses were gone.

Funnily, the same RCA's were in use with my previous HU and the problem never arose. Just a change in HU and this is what hit me. Anyways, as they say, alls well that ends well.

Hope this helps.

low_bass_makker · 4th February 2008, 22:28

Johy I think try what St.Anger is saying maybe it might help.

johy · 5th February 2008, 07:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by St. Anger

Ajay, after upgrading from the Pio 5750 to the Clarion DXZ775USB, i did face the problem of hissing and clicks while using the horn, the problem surfaced in the speakers & not the sub. It was infuriating.

The installer tried everything and yet the problem persisted. All the options mentioned here were tried out. Even i'd read about noise suppressors/ ground isolators and thought that the isolator was my only hope. But then, as a last resort, we changed the RCA's and presto, the clicks & hisses were gone.

Funnily, the same RCA's were in use with my previous HU and the problem never arose. Just a change in HU and this is what hit me. Anyways, as they say, alls well that ends well.

Hope this helps.

Wow St. Anger, your problems seem so very identical to mine!

Please tell me which RCAs you were using previously and which ones you changed to. I am using a Scosche now and the reason we did not try changing the RCAs was that these are good ones. Still, I can try some other ones and see.

The preouts of the Clarion are all high voltage (5.6 volts if I am not mistaken). Maybe that is the reason?

Quote:

Originally Posted by low_bass_makker

Johy I think try what St.Anger is saying maybe it might help.

Hope it works - will try it today.

St. Anger · 5th February 2008, 10:03

I was using RCA's by Kicker. Funnily, though the sub RCA was the same, though an older series, that particular one remained unaffected. Am currently running two RCA's of unknown parentage but my problem's solved.

Am going to test them out again today as one opinion i got is that sometimes a particular RCA might not be compatible(didn't know that RCA's had compatibility issues) still, am doing up an uncle's marina today and plan to continue with those RCA's if they work fine.

Will report back tonight.

My hunch is that the HU is fine, the source lies elsewhere. Meanwhile, try lowering the gains on the subwoofer and see if that has any effect.

low_bass_makker · 5th February 2008, 11:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by johy

The preouts of the Clarion are all high voltage (5.6 volts if I am not mistaken). Maybe that is the reason?

No this cant be the reason.

johy · 5th February 2008, 11:21

@Thanks LBM.

@St. Anger and B&T Tried changing the RCAs to Earthquake. Tried the Ground Loop Isolator - no luck :-(

Seems I have to go for an equalizer now. I have the option of taking the Chicago one. Any other suggestions?

Sam Kapasi · 5th February 2008, 13:21

Oh for God's sake. Why would you buy a nice HU and connect it to a Chicago equalizer.
Johy, I am afraid I simply cannot allow you to do this. There has to be another way around this.

johy · 5th February 2008, 14:53

I know Sam, I am just frustrated. The Chicago Eq is an insult to the HU.

My options:

1) Live with the scratchy sound (you can barely hear it with the music playing) - but just that thought it is there drives me crazy.

2) Get it repaired (seems unlikely)

3) Dump this HU and get a new SQ HU. Can't live with the old Pio 5850 now.

4) Any other solutions? An Alpine Equalizer? Or a Kicker? Or a Clarion?

3rd February 2008, 14:30	#31
low_bass_makker Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Faridabad Posts: 6,815 Thanked: 305 Times View My Garage	Chalo till then we will wait..
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 20:34	#33
johy BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Siliguri Posts: 972 Thanked: 622 Times View My Garage	Update: El-Chepo solution? Well folks, today morning I called the Clarion Distributor for India in Delhi (Supreme Audiotronics Pvt. Ltd. @ 11-25791140) to direct me to the nearest authorized service center and hey presto they tell me there is a center in Siliguri. I get to that place first thing and after the technical spent a greater part of one hour on the HU, checking for loose solder, etc., concludes he can't find anything wrong. What he does is removes the solder for the preouts and resolders them. Anyways. So this evening I take my car to the installer to try out the resoldered HU and no luck! Same old scratchy sound. Then he says let me try one last thing, gets this El-Chepo "Chicago 5-band in dash graphic equalizer with line driver" and connects the sub's RCAs via this gadget and OMG the scratchy sound is gone!! He says the gadget is working as a "filter." Any ideas folks how to explain this? I am dumbstruck. Thinking of going ahead and ordering a better equalizer for the same task, not for any equalizing functions, but really for the filtering. I don't want to go back to the Pioneer 5850 HU after listening to this Clarion. So is this the solution (pic below). Alternatives? Edit: ImageShack seems to be acting up, not able to post a pic of the Chicago eq. Last edited by johy : 4th February 2008 at 20:36.
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 21:01	#34
Bass&Trouble Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 2,754 Thanked: 124 Times	When connecting the Chicago, are you sure he used the sub output of the head unit to connect to the input of the equalizer? Or did he use some other output like front/ rear? Anyway, try using a ground loop isolator before jumping into an equalizer.
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 21:11	#35
johy BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Siliguri Posts: 972 Thanked: 622 Times View My Garage	Ajay ji, I am sure he used the violet preout for the sub from the HU. I cross-checked by increasing/decreasing the Sub volume from the HU (which does not increase/decrease when using the front/rear preout). Also, the installer turned off the Eq function on the Chicago Eq, but kept it powered on -- and the scratchy sound was not there (both with and without Eq function on). Please tell me what an Ground Loop Isolater is. The very first day of install, the installer did use a "filter" which looked somewhat like this http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/iipcache/120089.jpg It did not help. Is the ground loop isolator different from a so-called filter? Last edited by johy : 4th February 2008 at 21:14.
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 21:19	#36
Bass&Trouble Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bombay Posts: 2,754 Thanked: 124 Times	^^ What you have posted is indeed a ground loop isolator. Let me get back to you tomorrow on this. Will ask around if anyone else with Clarion head units ever faced a problem like this.
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 21:22	#37
johy BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Siliguri Posts: 972 Thanked: 622 Times View My Garage	Okies, but the one I saw said "filter," and not "ground loop isolator." Look forward to your input. Also, will specifically ask the installer if he has a thing sold by the name "ground loop isolator."
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 22:16	#38
St. Anger BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 155 Thanked: 29 Times	Ajay, after upgrading from the Pio 5750 to the Clarion DXZ775USB, i did face the problem of hissing and clicks while using the horn, the problem surfaced in the speakers & not the sub. It was infuriating. The installer tried everything and yet the problem persisted. All the options mentioned here were tried out. Even i'd read about noise suppressors/ ground isolators and thought that the isolator was my only hope. But then, as a last resort, we changed the RCA's and presto, the clicks & hisses were gone. Funnily, the same RCA's were in use with my previous HU and the problem never arose. Just a change in HU and this is what hit me. Anyways, as they say, alls well that ends well. Hope this helps.
	() Thanks

4th February 2008, 22:28	#39
low_bass_makker Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Faridabad Posts: 6,815 Thanked: 305 Times View My Garage	Johy I think try what St.Anger is saying maybe it might help.
	() Thanks

5th February 2008, 10:03	#41
St. Anger BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 155 Thanked: 29 Times	I was using RCA's by Kicker. Funnily, though the sub RCA was the same, though an older series, that particular one remained unaffected. Am currently running two RCA's of unknown parentage but my problem's solved. Am going to test them out again today as one opinion i got is that sometimes a particular RCA might not be compatible(didn't know that RCA's had compatibility issues) still, am doing up an uncle's marina today and plan to continue with those RCA's if they work fine. Will report back tonight. My hunch is that the HU is fine, the source lies elsewhere. Meanwhile, try lowering the gains on the subwoofer and see if that has any effect.
	() Thanks

5th February 2008, 11:21	#43
johy BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Siliguri Posts: 972 Thanked: 622 Times View My Garage	@Thanks LBM. @St. Anger and B&T Tried changing the RCAs to Earthquake. Tried the Ground Loop Isolator - no luck :-( Seems I have to go for an equalizer now. I have the option of taking the Chicago one. Any other suggestions?
	() Thanks

5th February 2008, 13:21	#44
Sam Kapasi Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mumbai (but wat Posts: 6,997 Thanked: 2,378 Times View My Garage	Oh for God's sake. Why would you buy a nice HU and connect it to a Chicago equalizer. Johy, I am afraid I simply cannot allow you to do this. There has to be another way around this.
	() Thanks

5th February 2008, 14:53	#45
johy BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Siliguri Posts: 972 Thanked: 622 Times View My Garage	I know Sam, I am just frustrated. The Chicago Eq is an insult to the HU. My options: 1) Live with the scratchy sound (you can barely hear it with the music playing) - but just that thought it is there drives me crazy. 2) Get it repaired (seems unlikely) 3) Dump this HU and get a new SQ HU. Can't live with the old Pio 5850 now. 4) Any other solutions? An Alpine Equalizer? Or a Kicker? Or a Clarion?
	() Thanks