I Messed With Too Much Stuff At Once And Now My Speakers Suck...

[THanson]

So this is my story and I need someone to tell me what i did wrong and how to fix it...

Along time ago (2 months, not that long...), I installed a head unit. I messed up the polarity and wiring for the speakers, but I still rode around with it like that until this afternoon. I finally decided to fix all the messed up stuff, so I opened up the passenger's kick panel, where all the speaker wiring is, and I use a key from the12volt.com and fixed the polarity and stuff. I listened to all the speakers individually, an they each sounded great.Then I came here and read a previous thread of mine and y'all convinced me to put in an inline switch on the remote wire for my amp. So I did that. Then, I was just bored and was messing around with my car, and I decided I would move my iPod cable out of the glove box and into this super-cognito spot. Then, I finally turned on my h/u and listened to it, and I heard a shitload of static. So, I changed the input source to a CD, and the static continued. It is there when it is paused, it is there when it is playing. It sucks. I made sure nothing crossed any power cables and all that.

What is causing all this crappy static and how do i fix it.

(Sorry for such a longass post. I figure the more info y'all have, the better someone can help me figure out what's wrong.)

Peace,

Tanner

[ChevyBoy]

change everything back the way it was and take it one step at a time and listen to it. thats the best way, but not the easiest way to check it.

[THanson]

Okay, I found that the RCA's to my amp, the AUX input cable, and my iPod direct connect cable are all crossing the power to the cigarette lighter. Would this cause the problem? Also, could this be caused by loose connections on the speakers?

[audiofanaticz]

Audio signal cables crossing over/near or ran next too power wires are never good. Even tho most signal cables are some what insulated there still maybe some interference such as engine whine.

In my opinion, I dont think a 14 or 12 gauge power wire to your cigarette lighter, but it may be the problem.

But Id try to re route the wires just in case.

Normally you would get huge interference if you ran your RCA cords along your huge power wire for an amp.

As for the polarity of your speakers being backwords and then changing them to be correct, this should be the cause of any static. The only thing the polarity is changing is the "throw" of the speaker (whether it moves in or out when the bass hits). Ive heard of many people swapping the polarity of tweeters to change the time alignment of them for a more fulfilling sound, and with that being done not adding any static.

Another thing I would check is to make sure you didnt loosen up a ground wire on your cd player/amps. Make sure that your RCA cords (if your using a amp) are all tight.

Not that when you moved your ipod and tugged a little on the wire it moved or loosened something up.

[THanson]

As for the polarity of your speakers being backwords and then changing them to be correct, this should be the cause of any static. The only thing the polarity is changing is the "throw" of the speaker (whether it moves in or out when the bass hits).

So, you're saying I should check my ground and put the polarities that I changed back to the way they were before?

Also, I noticed that if I mute the h/u and played something through the Aux cable, I can hear it very faintly. What would cause this? This also happened at the same time as the static.

[audiofanaticz]

You should check all your grounds (cd player, and amp grounds). Move any signal cables away from power wires.

And as for the polarity, it is not a reason for the static. (unless your vehicle uses a body ground for the negitive speaker wire).

[THanson]

Is it okay for the Aux input and other input cables to run very close to poorly insulated wires for the 4 speakers in my doors? What makes me hear the aux input when everything is muted?

[audiofanaticz]

is the aux input being used for anything?

if not, just disable it on your headunit if possible.

What exactly do you hear when everything is muted?

Static?

Music?

Engine wine?

[THanson]

I hear static and music when I am playing something through the aux cable, even when the h/u is muted and is on a different input.

Example: I plug my iPod into aux input, play song 1, then turn on h/u and play song 2 on a cd. If I mute the h/u, I can hear song 1.

If the iPod is off and h/u is muted, I hear static.

[audiofanaticz]

Its really sounding like a loose connection someplace.

Are you powering your interior speakers off an amp or off the deck?

What kind of vehicle do you have?

Its sounding like some wire is crossed someplace and causing a crap load of interferance if you can still hear song 1 when your headunit is muted.