Having issues getting output from a couple Amps, Help please!

[SiLvO]

Hey everyone, I've been having a problem getting output from a couple of amps i have such as an Alpine MRP-M500 and a Kicker CX1200.1

So as of now I have a Kicker Comp 12 running off of an old Legacy Predator LA-968 and everything works as it is supposed to, no issues for the 2-3 years it's been set up. I have a Pioneer DEH-X5500HD as my HU which is 2 sets of 2v preouts. I have been trying to set up better equipment but I have been having some difficulties. I have tried hooking up my Alpine M500 and Kicker CX1200 with the same resulting problem. They both get a really weak signal, when I hook my sub to the amp it is not audable until the gain is maxed out, it plays extremely quiet. Wiring is straight, excellent ground. I had been talking to some people and they belive it could be the Pico fuse inside of the HU, and they recommended grounding my RCAs. I tried grounding them where they connect at the amp and it definitely helped out, made the signal stronger but nowhere where it should be. I am looking to purchase an SA-12 this week to hook up to the CX and would like to straighten this out first, getting sick of the sound quality i have. Any help is much appreciated, Thanks!

[bigmizzle99]

You should set down how things are configured currently.

How is the Kicker Comp 12 wired? 1, 2 or 4 ohm

What are the specs of the Legacy amp?

What kind of power wire are you using? 0-AWG, 2-AWG, 4-AWG ?

Does it sound "fine" to you with the Legacy-to-Kicker wired up?

Do you have the crossovers defeated on the new amps?

Both the new amps should be fine with 2V inputs, they have a wide range of input signal strength.

Have you checked your voltage when you ran the new amps?

[Fluky Stokes]

I think you are supposed to ground them at the HU on a pioneer

[SiLvO]

The Comp 12 is a single 4 ohm bridged on the legacy (200w @ 4 ohms bridged). The Legacy is a 2 channel, gain is set conservatively with a DMM, LPF set right around 80, bass boost is all the way down. Wiring is Kicker 8 gauge (Yes i know it should be atleast 4 for the other amps but I will get some 4 when this is straightened out). I

I think it sounds as good as one Comp 12 could sound, subjectively speaking. Settings on HU are flat as well

[Ahmed Johnson]

You're not going to get much out your current setup. You got a video of it playing

[SiLvO]

Not trying to keep my current set-up, looking to upgrade that's why i need some help. To me it sounds like the Alpine and Kicker amps are not seeing enough voltage from the headunit, for example imagine your amp and how it sounds with no gain, it plays quietly, well that's how these amps sound on full gain

[SIDE SHOW]

on the pioneer headunit you can change the rear rca output to sub output in the deck settings. have you done this?

[SiLvO]

Never seen that setting before, doesn't make sense to me though, my current amp i'm using works beautiful but the minute I try another amp i get really weak output.

If that set out of preouts are somehow damaged wouldn't my current amp have similar issues? I know the other amps aren't blown either because one of my Alpine M500s that it did this same thing with went into my brothers car getting a signal from the double din version of my HU, no issues so far. The max input sensitivity on my Legacy is 2.5v apposed to the 4v and 10v of the Alpine and Kicker, so maybe its grabbing a better signal because it's closer to the max rating??

[SIDE SHOW]

turn the deck off and hold the audio or source button, it'll being up an extra menu.... change the rear rca output to sub. (i'm guessing atm it's sending fullrange signal to your sub amp as if it's running rear speakers not a sub) once this is done it should also let you turn the bass up and down from the headunit and turn the sub off altogether.

[islandpride684]

Never seen that setting before, doesn't make sense to me though, my current amp i'm using works beautiful but the minute I try another amp i get really weak output.

If that set out of preouts are somehow damaged wouldn't my current amp have similar issues? I know the other amps aren't blown either because one of my Alpine M500s that it did this same thing with went into my brothers car getting a signal from the double din version of my HU, no issues so far. The max input sensitivity on my Legacy is 2.5v apposed to the 4v and 10v of the Alpine and Kicker, so maybe its grabbing a better signal because it's closer to the max rating??

Bingo!!!! You will need a line driver to boost your rca pre-out voltage.