LUCID Posted February 14, 2023 Report Share Posted February 14, 2023 (edited) I’m using Bluetooth/Spotify as my only way to listen to music on my HU Could be this be the reason why the dd1 is not detecting distortion?? I have a marine head unit, Fusion ra670 along with a JL 800/8v2 amp. I'm using the dd1 and it won't or can't detect any distortion from my unit. Heres what I've tried. New batteries used are Rayovac and then Duracell. I've tried hooking the red probe to positive speaker terminal (positive puts out signal) and black probe to ground. I've tried hooking the red probe to positive speaker terminal along with black probe to negative speaker terminal. I turned the INPUT SENSITIVITY all the way down, filter mode switched off. Even turned frequency levels up on the 3rd try even tho it wasn't necessary. Went through all the settings in my head unit, put everything to flat in each zone, and turned off loud options as well. I used the 0db 1khz and 0db 40hz test tones from the Smd website via bluetooth. The dd1 detects signal at around 15 and 40hz at 16, same for 1khz track. I kept going up on volume and the dd1 could not detect any distortion for both tracks 1 and 2 test tones. My head unit max volume is 24. I also made sure each zone volume limiter was set to 24 as well. I also have a JL Rd 1500 amp with 2 subs, I did not test that yet since I've been trying to figure out what's going on? What am I doing wrong? or could it be my Deck is distortion free, which I doubt. Edited February 16, 2023 by LUCID Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe X Posted February 14, 2023 Report Share Posted February 14, 2023 Check your DD-1 to be operating correctly with another audio source, say another head unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUCID Posted February 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2023 Ok I’ll check the dd1 cables tonight, I saw there’s a video for this on the smd website, this weekend I’ll have time to check the stereo in my truck. In the meantime, does anyone else have any input to add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUCID Posted February 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2023 Hey Joe, does it matter that I’m using Bluetooth to play the test tones? I’ve been researching like crazy to find out what’s happening. Actually Bluetooth is all I’ll be using, that and Spotify. I don’t use anything else. This unit does not have a cd player and I’m definitely not going to use usb to play music either. Could this be the reason why the dd1 is not detecting distortion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe X Posted February 17, 2023 Report Share Posted February 17, 2023 Don't think Bluetooth has anything to do with it but you can place the same files on USB and see what happens. You could get some different test tones from elsewhere. Also a you should cold reset your head unit before any tests, all setting should be at zero. But as I told you I would test the DD-1 to be working correctly before reaching any conclusions. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiofanaticz Posted February 17, 2023 Report Share Posted February 17, 2023 Many headunits will not have distortion when using the rca preouts of the headunit. Usually the only radios that will distort on the rca preouts are the cheaper headunits that are like $150, or if you are using the internal amplifier of a headunit. So being that you have a $400+ marine headunit it's most likely distortion free on the preouts. I just installed a JL Audio MM105 with 12 rca preouts and that is clean all the way up as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meade916 Posted February 18, 2023 Report Share Posted February 18, 2023 as Brian just said.....some headunits do not distort at all which is a good thing. Set the amp up next with the headunit turned all the way up and report back. Quote All SMD products + MORE available at my store here! https://wccaraudio.com/ Subscribe to My Youtube Channel! Over 1,000,000 subscribers strong! Turn on your notifications! http://www.youtube.com/meade916 Follow My Instagram! Daily live feeds from the shop, exclusive content way before it hits my Youtube channel...and little squares with photo's in them http://www.instagram.com/meade916 The Official SMD Facebook fan Page https://www.facebook.com/SteveMeadeDesigns/ Follow my Tweet (Twitter) http://www.Twitter.com/meade916 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUCID Posted February 19, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2023 JUST READ ALL NEW COMMENTS NOW Thank you all for replying, I did not get a chance to test stereo in my truck. However after digging through some YouTube videos, I came across other users whose dd1 did not detect usb or bluetooth at HU as well. So today, I downloaded test tracks from Damore engineering website and JL audio as well, I played them from the Apple Music app via bluetooth and also from a usb. I tried different settings today with and without loud feature activated and the HU would not distort using sine waves 40hz 0db and 1khz 0db. MY HU goes up to 24 max clean however I brought it down to 23 to be on the safe side while setting gains on the amps. I chose not to set gains with the dd1. I was provided gain level settings from JL based on their amps and speaker applications, so I set gains with a ac voltmeter. On my 800/8v2 some channels are being used in parallel, bridged and standard, so I wasn't sure if using the dd1 would be the safe option? Please roast me or provided insight on my decision, I'm a newbie, but willing to soak and retain as much information as you guys are willing to share. The JL rd 1500 has clip light feature, so I utilized that plus the level gain settings provided by JL for my 2 12w6's. I have some new questions. Does Spotify change things? as far as finding the HUs max before it clips. Today when finding my Hu's max I had the loud feature activated for all zones, and it did not distort. I set my gains while the loud feature was activated as well, does anyone think that's a problem? The loud featured is auto activated unless I disable it, and I like that I can reach louder volumes at lower levels. Also I noticed in my HU that there's subwoofer filter frequency for each zone, there's no way to turn it off, I thought this would be problem while finding the HU's clipping point but once again the HU is clean at max no matter what frequency was set at. Any one have insight on this. It was long day. smh. But I enjoyed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audiofanaticz Posted February 20, 2023 Report Share Posted February 20, 2023 The only times I've seen people having issues using a DD-1 or a CC-1 is when they can't read the manual and insist they know what they are doing as soon as they open the package for the first time. These people usually are quick to jump on the forums time and time again asking questions why this doesn't work, or how do you do that, etc and everything they are asking about is clearly written in the manual. Now I'm not saying thats the case with you, but I've never heard of anyone competent having issues using a usb, bluetooth, or an aux in for a source making the dd-1 not work. It's simply not possible because the DD-1 has no idea what source you're using and its completely irrelevant. You could be using a vintage 8-track player plugged in with a 3.5mm jack and as long as there is a 40hz and 1000hz test tone being played on the 8track the DD-1 won't know the difference. Now in the case of a cheap radio with a low preout voltage like 1volt the signal won't be strong enough to detect directly through the rca, however all you do in that situation is test it through the amp, with the amp gain all the way down and crossovers fully open and then you'll get a reading. Honestly this is the best way to test because its a lot quicker and you're not having to unplug and plug in cables, then connect the leads to the amp, etc. 1 hookup and a few different tracks and you're done! You cant set an amp using a multi meter, well you can but you're either short changing yourself or your possibly clipping it. Every amp is not made the same, there are tolerances in components and those tolerance can cause an amp to make more power or less power even though its the same brand and model amp as another. Some of the old Rockford Fosgate BD4000 amps would make 4200 watts rms while others would make 5100 watts rms. Now that I think about it the newer BDCP2500 series are the same way. The problem is say the manufacture says you need 60 volts AC to reach the "rated" output of the amp, but lets say your amp is one that does way more than its rated power and it can easily do up to 76 volts AC clean without distortion, but you have no way knowing that because the multimeter has no way to tell you when you reach 1% THD. The same can happen in the reverse order where said amp doesnt perform as well as the others and at 60 volts AC you are clipping the living snot out of it but once again that multimeter has no way to tell you that you passed the amps threshold. Those 800/8v2's make some serious power, more than what they are rated for, and I know this because besides that JL MM105 that was $750 I picked up the MM40 remote headunit, a 800/8v2, a XDM1000/1, and a few sets of M3 and M6 coaxles, along with a a M7-12 IB sub for this install I've been working on. It's kinda senseless to buy a tool only to not use it for its intended method and use the outdated multimeter method but you do you as long as you're happy with the performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BriaBbnA Posted May 23 Report Share Posted May 23 Lucid, I have the same exact issue running the Fusion RA 770 with JL Audio M800v2 with M600/1 mono sub amp. Using downloaded test tones from SMD on a USB drive. HU was set up to recommended settings per SMD. The DD1 would detect a signal and show the correct test tone but I could turn up the volume to Max (24) with no clipping detection. Tested the DD1 on a different HU (Kenwood) and it performed perfect. Conclusion: The Fusion HU is free of clipping at max volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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