Amp Wiring

[GccST]

Today I attempted to hook my amp to my new front speakers. The speakers worked fine when powered from the head unit, and the amp also works. So i cut the wires from the head unit to the speakers, and then spliced that wire to the speaker wire from the amp. Now there is no sound to either speaker. Im sure they are both the correct polarity and whatnot. Should I have left the wire from the head unit connected? I have been working on this system forever, and have hit nothing but roadblocks.

 

[Tom Higbee]

Where did you run the wire from the head unit?? To the input side of the amp?

 

[Frank Marano]

You need some sort of signal wire from the headunit to the amp, otherwise.....the amp has no clue what to send out to the speakers.....

 

[GccST]

I have rca cables from the head unit to the amp though.

 

[Frank Marano]

make sure they are output jacks and not input. What kind of headunit do you have?



Also, did you run a remote turn on lead so the amp knows when to turn on? Is the amp getting any power at all? Check your ground connection make certain you have a clean paint free surface for the end of the ground.

 

[Chris P]

there is no reason to keep the headunit speaker wire connected to the speaker if running through an amp the sound comes out of there and the speaker can actually break or no sound will come out:unsure:

 

[GccST]

The amp is getting power. It just wont go to the speakers. I checked the manual and I cant tell from the diagram wether or not to keep the front speaker wire connected. The head unit is a pioneer deh-p8600mp.

 

[Frank Marano]

Even if you wired the speakers backwards you would get some sort of sound. It would just bad and would just be out of phase. You would know right away because the sound would be muffled but non the less it would be sound. Is the amp new? used? Are you positive the amp worked before installation?



If there is a gain dial make sure that is turned up some but not all the way. If it is turned down, the amp will not put any sound/ signal out to the speakers.





I don't understand when you say " weather or not to keep the front speaker wire connected"

There should be no speaker wire going FROM the headunit to the amp. RCA's and remote turn on from the headunit. Then the ground source to the amp.



If you are positive you have all the connections correct, I would lean towards the amp not working right and tryto get your hands on anothor amp to test.

 

[Wes Davis]

Maybe some sort of overload switch tripped on the amp?

 

[Jacob Economou]

GccST,



This is what you need to do buddy, First off take a Multimeter and double check your constant, ground, and your remote. After that, make sure you have good RCA's using your multimeter and the continuity setting, make sure you check the center conductor and the sheild. Both your power and your RCA's are your lively hood with that amp thats what gives the amp everything it needs.



After that check all your levels, make sure the gain isnt all the way down, and also if it has a built in EQ make sure its in "Full Range" or High Pass" (how ever you want to set it) just make sure its not on "Low Pass". After you have checked all that, and its still not working, grab a test speaker and connect it directly to the output of the amplifier. That way you can determine if its your wiring in the vehicle or if its the amplifier. Give all that a whirl, and see what comes out of it.

 

[Rob Lymburner]

Can you point me to a FAQ here? :blink:



I have job 1 audiophile system with Polk DX7s as well as XM Delphi hooked up but want to add a small amp for just a bit more power (the XM output is weak on spotstalk stations). Being cheap, I'd like to pick up a cheap, clean amp on ebay and do this myself. What specs should I look for? Remind me - does the job 1 audiophile system have amps or just headunit power? Thanks.