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Car amplifier troubleshooting low volume

One of the most important components of a car audio system is the amplifier. This device takes the audio signal, amplifies it and then passes it through a set of speakers. If your audio system is malfunctioning or the sound cuts off intermittently, then you might be experiencing amplifier problems. The major causes of amplifier problems are improper grounding, clipping or low voltage. Improper grounding leads to system or line noise but it could also be the proximity of the audio signal cable to the power cable or some other electrical device of the car. Check your RCA audio cable to be certain that it is not too close to any electrical sources.

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WATCH RELATED VIDEO: Sound system problem

Your Amplifier’s Gain Control Is Not A Volume Control


I have a strange and intermittent problem with my new stereo install that I am a suspecting is an amp issue The amp is an old Alpine V12 4 channel that I had sitting in storage for a few years that I decided to install into my new car to save money When playing at moderate volumes it appears that 1 channel drivers side front will randomly drop volume to about half levels.

It stays quiet long enough that I was able to experiment with the other channel gains in the head unit and I was able to match the volume with about a 6db cut to the passenger side. The really strange thing is that the channel volume will come back to what it should be if I turn the source volume UP. At the higher volume level which is uncomfortably loud it has never yet had an issue. This says to me that it can't be overloaded or overheating since more power solves the problem.

Since the door speaker keeps playing, only quieter, I don't think it could be a wiring problem between the amp and speaker. And since the other 3 channels appear to have no issue I doubt it is a power wire problem Has anyone seen this type of failure mode with an amplifier before?

Could it be something like a cold solder crack causing internal resistance dropping the volume that is heated and reconnects at higher voltages? Could it be a transistor stage going bad, somehow? The obvious solution is to buy and install a new amp, but the strangeness makes me want to solve the mystery. And if I can repair this amp, I would like to save the money Defective amp. I don't have any experience with that amp, but IIRC several knock-offs on similar designs had a similar issue I'm getting a similar behavior from my home receiver.

I've went over all the wiring and found no issues. Then I tried turning the amp off and back on again and it's fine. I've noticed this multiple times now. If I'm thinking correctly your amp may have a similar relay? It may be as easy as opening the amp up and popping the cover off the relay and cleaning the contacts. If that's something you're comfortable doing of course. That is interesting, do you have any links for that? I would really like to learn the cause. Well, I have been testing things all weekend and I don't think it is the amp after all.

I swapped wires on the amp to run through different channels, and the problem stayed with the door, not the amp channel. So that means it can't be a channel going bad. I also swapped RCA source wires to see if it was something up stream, but the problem still stayed with the drivers door. All 3 in the front doors. I turned off the mid bass driver and isolated my driver side door speaker so the only thing playing was the 5. When the volume drops, what is actually happening is that the 5.

The tweeter and midbass with all the other speakers in the car were hiding the sonic hole and made it seem like the volume dropped. It is really obvious now that the 5.

Also, I've tested with some sine wave tones and even when the 5. I'm really suspecting the passive crossover for that door has something loose inside. Time to take it back to the shop, again.

Is there a passive crossover in those doors that might be a little flaky? I had that problem with my last install. That is why I said that I suspect that the passive crossover has something loose in it. The fact that the tweeter always seems to play correctly indicates that the problem is somewhere between the crossover and the 5. It's going back to the shop today for them to replace the crossover and check the wiring and driver. This was just a classic example of the initial symptoms being deceiving.

I thought that the volume was dropping by half, when it was really an entire speaker cutting out. I suspected the amp because it was old and reused and not the brand new components.

Luckily for me, it looks like the problem is actually with something still under warranty so I'm not out of pocket, just time. Sorry I missed that. With mine, no one warned me that the X-over should be protected in order to make sure water doesn't seep in from the windows. You're supposed to shield it with plastic wrap or something similar. Glad you got it sorted out. BTW, I read that you should not attach drivers to one channel of a car audio amp only and turn it on-that you can blow the amp due to impedance differences or something.

Can anyone confirm this, cause if it's correct, you don't want to blow anything again! You don't want to connect two drivers in parallel to a single amp channel since it will halve the impedance and potentially drop out of the safe operating range of the amp.

The minimum impedance of the amp is easily available information and there is nothing wrong with wiring drivers in such a way as to achieve maximum efficiency.

I don't know who told you this but please don't listen to them about car stereo advice ever again. I'm sorry about stating that in general terms and not using hard numbers to satisfy you. That is why I said potentially BTW, it is a nice sign of things to come when your first post is incredibly confrontational. I'm not sure the important part of his question was the number of drivers he could have been talking about a dual driver with a crossover setup but rather only putting load on one channel rather then both.

Sp nky wrote: I'm not sure the important part of his question was the number of drivers he could have been talking about a dual driver with a crossover setup but rather only putting load on one channel rather then both.

I too thought that might be what he was implying, but as a misunderstanding of the impedance drop of multiple drivers on a single channel. I've never heard of a problem where you can blow an amp from only using one channel and I'm not sure how that would even work electrically. Ugh, crossover problem? I wouldn't necessarily have guessed. Quote: That is interesting, do you have any links for that? Apologies-- maybe it's not the Alpine V I've seen a few other reports-- not many though, but considering I see even fewer defective passive crossovers This is the second time I've had a defective crossover I think.

In my last vehicle I had to re-flow the solder of a cold joint on the circuit board. The pin of a capacitor would slide freely through the hole, but since everything was tinned it was an intermittent problem as it would still have contact normally. I'm not real sure either. My understanding of how a power amplifier works is that it amplifies the voltage coming across the rails to the output.

If the two channels are separate rails which I think they should be because I can't see how a multi-channel amp would work otherwise then I don't think load differences should matter. Sorry I was between tasks at work and didn't have time to proof read before I posted.

Didn't mean for it to be confrontational just informational. Strange amplifier behaviour car audio 17 posts. Moderator et Subscriptor. Sp nky wrote:. Posted: Fri May 02, pm. Posted: Sat May 03, am. Posted: Mon May 05, am. Posted: Wed May 07, am. Posted: Wed May 07, pm.


Strange amplifier behaviour (car audio)

Class D amplifiers, first proposed in , have become increasingly popular in recent years. What are Class D amplifiers? How do they compare with other kinds of amplifiers? Why is Class D of interest for audio?

This article deals with issues regarding the vehicle which are necessary to take into account for the installation of the amplifier in a car.

Why is my amplifier getting hot and shutting down?


I have a strange and intermittent problem with my new stereo install that I am a suspecting is an amp issue The amp is an old Alpine V12 4 channel that I had sitting in storage for a few years that I decided to install into my new car to save money When playing at moderate volumes it appears that 1 channel drivers side front will randomly drop volume to about half levels. It stays quiet long enough that I was able to experiment with the other channel gains in the head unit and I was able to match the volume with about a 6db cut to the passenger side. The really strange thing is that the channel volume will come back to what it should be if I turn the source volume UP. At the higher volume level which is uncomfortably loud it has never yet had an issue. This says to me that it can't be overloaded or overheating since more power solves the problem. Since the door speaker keeps playing, only quieter, I don't think it could be a wiring problem between the amp and speaker.

SOLVED: Amp Goes into Protect Mode When Volume is Turned Up

car amplifier troubleshooting low volume

House Grail is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more. Yes, protection mode is a built-in feature of the amp, and yes, whatever caused it can almost always be fixed.

When a manufacturer decides to develop an amplifier, they need to decide how many channels it will have, how much power it will produce, what additional features it will include and what source units it will work with.

Class D Audio Amplifiers: What, Why, and How


Nothing can be frustrating like when you have your well-functioning amp, then on turning up the volume, it goes into protect mode. Your amplifier may go into protect module due to loose wiring or incorrect speaker wiring causing a low speaker load impedance resulting in power overload and overheating. Other causes may be issues with the charging system, blown fuses, or failed output transistors. In the same breath, there are some quick solutions to this issue. This includes checking the onboard fuses and transistors, fix internal wiring as well as any overvoltage or overheating issues. Arming yourself with information about how Amp functions can prevent you from scratching your hair out when not sure what could be wrong.

5 Common Audio System Problems and Their Solutions

User Name Stay logged in? Hey guys I have an old earthquake car amp Problem is I took it out of my father in laws vehicle a year or so ago and it was working fine. Well I tried to hook it up the other day and it would barely put out any sound and it was very distorted. I guess what I'm asking is what should I be looking for on the inside that could be broken?

Amplifier comes on but no sound comes from the speakers · Check the stereo and amp settings. Try turning up the amplifier's gain a little. · Check the stereo's.

How to Troubleshoot a Low Volume Auto Radio

Jeremy Laukkonen is automotive and tech writer for numerous major trade publications as well as the creator of a popular blog and video game startup. A fan of EVs since the early s, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles. This article explains six common car amp problems and how to fix them.

Car Amp Turns On but No Sound from Subs

RELATED VIDEO: Car audio 101 amplifier troubleshooting

Sometimes the amp itself really is at fault. Here are a few common problems and what can be done to troubleshoot, as well as fix them my fixes are the most common. They are not definitive in any way. Your amplifier could have a completley different problem, though it is unlikely :.

Do your car speakers sound off?

Purchasing high-quality components for car stereo is a good way of avoiding some common car stereo problems. However, any car stereo will sooner or later experience problems. There are generally three major causes of car audio problems. Of course one is old age, and the problems thereof are inevitable, just like with humans, lol. The second cause is components that are not correctly matched, which inhibits production of high quality sound. Whether it is a receiver problem, a speaker-related problem or anything in between, we have you covered. We narrowed down the long list of possible car stereo problems to the most common seven and set them out below.

After starting your car, something feels off. Car audio systems have more complexities than many people realize. This guide will help you diagnose and repair the problem so that you can enjoy your music again. Car amps require a good ground, power at the remote wires, and power at the power wires.




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