Well, on my quest for audio perfection, I've been trying to get rid of a slight hissing sound for ages now. Hardly anybody notices it but myself during songs, but in between songs it is obviously there. I've tried nearly everything including: 3 different grounding places, 4 amps, completely re routed all my wiring, even bought an entire new set of wires. 2 sets of RCAs.. ..anyways you get the point. I did all this just to get rid of a slight hissing noise. When I though I had come to the end of the line and would just have to live with it, I found a great write up online with lots of great info on how to solve different speaker feedback problems. It is step by step and helped alot.
So without further adue here you go...(taken from: Article)
For the past six weeks you've worked relentlessly on the competition sound system in your vehicle. Your checking account is bone dry, and to top it off, your girlfriend is about to leave you for want of attention. In the past 72 hours you've redefined the word sacrifice. Lack of sleep has forced you into another dimension; a dimension where sight and sound take on new meaning. It's 6 A.M. and judging begins in just two hours. Final connections are made, equalization and crossover points are set, and a good balance of front stage - rear fill has been achieved. You reach for the keys and turn the ignition. As the engine purrs to life, a high pitched whine assaults the ears. NOISE!
Does this remind you of a nightmare you had one night after consuming a bottle of cheap wine and a pepperoni pizza? Nightmare or not, the above story is a true one that cost me first place and a five thousand dollar purse. From that day on I've sort of had a personal vendetta against noise.
For those of you who are wondering what noise is, I like to define it as any sound reproduced by the loudspeakers that is not present in the source material. Alternator whine, amp swizzle, ignition noise, turn on thump, and system noise are just a few examples that come to mind. In the following paragraphs I will outline each of these noises and the symptoms associated with them as well as some possible causes and remedies. Before we begin, however, let's review the TEN COMMANDMENTS of noise free installation.
The Ten Commandments
I. The best cure is prevention. I can't overemphasize this point. If you've ever spent an entire weekend tearing an installation apart in order to eliminate some noise, you know what I mean. Take the time to sketch the system out before you begin the install. This graphic representation of the installation will help you to avoid introducing ground loops and will serve as a road map for eliminating noise if it is present.
II. Don't introduce ground loops. Ground loops are created whenever an audio ground is established at more than one location. Theoretically, the only place the audio ground should be connected to the chassis ground is at the source unit. In my experience, I've found that in systems that have noise problems, a ground loop is the culprit nine times out of ten.
III. Never run signal wires alongside power cables. This is especially true in installations where high powered amplifiers are used. Large amplifiers are capable of drawing large currents. These currents vary with the musical demand of the program material as does the electromagnetic field surrounding the power cable. The more current that flows through the wire, the bigger this field becomes. If audio cables are located in close proximity to this fluctuating electromagnetic field, noise could be induced into the system.
IV. Always use 100% shielded audio cable. This will insure maximum protection against induced noises by power cables and other sources of electromagnetic interference. Good audio cables are not cheap. If you prefer to make your own cables, I would recommend using a wire with a foil shield surrounded by a drain wire.
V. Never use the ground wire in the vehicle's OEM radio harness. This wire usually makes a very poor ground due to it's length, small wire gauge, close proximity to other power wires, and unknown termination point. Instead, ground the source unit directly to the chassis or firewall.
VI. Make sure the amplifiers have a good audio ground reference. In order for the amps to function properly, the audio ground must be referenced to chassis ground at the source unit. If it is not, the amplifier could oscillate. To check for a good ground reference, take a volt-ohm meter (VOM) and measure the resistance between the chassis of the radio and the shield of the RCA line level outputs of the radio. This reading should indicate a direct short. If this is not the case, grounding the shield of the RCA line level outputs to the chassis of the radio will probably be necessary.
VII. Keep amplifier power ground wires as short as possible. The longer a wire, the more resistance it has. When a current flows through a resistance, a voltage drop is produced. Because of this, the ground reference at the amplifier's circuit board is no longer the same as that at the chassis of the vehicle. This ground potential differential can lead to noise and improper operation of the amp.
VIII. Don't connect all of your amplifier ground wires under one bolt. Contrary to belief, this is not required if the rest of the system is installed properly. If you do connect more than one power ground wire under a single bolt, you run the risk of amplifier ground modulation. This is caused by the current demands of, for example a woofer amp, modulating the power ground wire of a tweeter amp. This results in a squeaking noise that can be heard over the tweeters whenever bass notes hit.
IX. Make sure all levels are set correctly. Level setting is a critical part of the installation process. If done properly, maximum system signal to noise ratio can be obtained. Keep in mind that you want to drive the audio cables that feed the amps in the rear of the car as hard as possible. To do this, reduce the gain of the amplifiers to minimum. Turn up the volume on the source unit to 80% of maximum. Now adjust the input sensitivity of the amplifiers upward until the maximum intended loudness is obtained.
X. Noise filters can only reduce noise, not eliminate it. A noise filter is just that, a filter. And like any other filter (crossover network, etc.), it works by modification, not elimination. Some installers rely on filters heavily. In some instances a filter may prove necessary, but I believe that if the system is installed properly, a filter is usually not required.
About now most of you are probably making strange faces and saying "Now you tell me!" Well, all is not lost. If you have already installed your auto sound system and are unfortunate enough to have some noise, here are a few suggestions on where to look and what to do.
Alternator Whine
NOTE: do you have a Pioneer head unit? If so Click HERE!
To me, alternator whine is the most annoying form of noise. For those of you who are lucky enough never to have been exposed to alternator whine, it sounds like a miniature siren that rises in pitch with the speed of the engine. Alternator whine is almost always caused by a ground loop. The following steps will aid you in locating and correcting a ground loop problem.
1. Verify that all levels are set properly. (Click here for related article.)
2. With the system turned off, unplug the RCA inputs to the amplifier.
3. Start the vehicle and turn the system on. If the noise is gone go to step 8. If the noise is still present, it is coming from the amp or the speaker wiring. Continue.
4. Turn the system off and disconnect the speaker harness.
5. Start the engine and verify that no noise is present. In a few rare instances, I have actually heard speakers reproduce noise without being connected to an amplifier. This noise was being induced by power cables that were very close to the speaker wire. If you do have this type of noise, reroute the appropriate speaker lead and go to step 3.
So without further adue here you go...(taken from: Article)
For the past six weeks you've worked relentlessly on the competition sound system in your vehicle. Your checking account is bone dry, and to top it off, your girlfriend is about to leave you for want of attention. In the past 72 hours you've redefined the word sacrifice. Lack of sleep has forced you into another dimension; a dimension where sight and sound take on new meaning. It's 6 A.M. and judging begins in just two hours. Final connections are made, equalization and crossover points are set, and a good balance of front stage - rear fill has been achieved. You reach for the keys and turn the ignition. As the engine purrs to life, a high pitched whine assaults the ears. NOISE!
Does this remind you of a nightmare you had one night after consuming a bottle of cheap wine and a pepperoni pizza? Nightmare or not, the above story is a true one that cost me first place and a five thousand dollar purse. From that day on I've sort of had a personal vendetta against noise.
For those of you who are wondering what noise is, I like to define it as any sound reproduced by the loudspeakers that is not present in the source material. Alternator whine, amp swizzle, ignition noise, turn on thump, and system noise are just a few examples that come to mind. In the following paragraphs I will outline each of these noises and the symptoms associated with them as well as some possible causes and remedies. Before we begin, however, let's review the TEN COMMANDMENTS of noise free installation.
The Ten Commandments
I. The best cure is prevention. I can't overemphasize this point. If you've ever spent an entire weekend tearing an installation apart in order to eliminate some noise, you know what I mean. Take the time to sketch the system out before you begin the install. This graphic representation of the installation will help you to avoid introducing ground loops and will serve as a road map for eliminating noise if it is present.
II. Don't introduce ground loops. Ground loops are created whenever an audio ground is established at more than one location. Theoretically, the only place the audio ground should be connected to the chassis ground is at the source unit. In my experience, I've found that in systems that have noise problems, a ground loop is the culprit nine times out of ten.
III. Never run signal wires alongside power cables. This is especially true in installations where high powered amplifiers are used. Large amplifiers are capable of drawing large currents. These currents vary with the musical demand of the program material as does the electromagnetic field surrounding the power cable. The more current that flows through the wire, the bigger this field becomes. If audio cables are located in close proximity to this fluctuating electromagnetic field, noise could be induced into the system.
IV. Always use 100% shielded audio cable. This will insure maximum protection against induced noises by power cables and other sources of electromagnetic interference. Good audio cables are not cheap. If you prefer to make your own cables, I would recommend using a wire with a foil shield surrounded by a drain wire.
V. Never use the ground wire in the vehicle's OEM radio harness. This wire usually makes a very poor ground due to it's length, small wire gauge, close proximity to other power wires, and unknown termination point. Instead, ground the source unit directly to the chassis or firewall.
VI. Make sure the amplifiers have a good audio ground reference. In order for the amps to function properly, the audio ground must be referenced to chassis ground at the source unit. If it is not, the amplifier could oscillate. To check for a good ground reference, take a volt-ohm meter (VOM) and measure the resistance between the chassis of the radio and the shield of the RCA line level outputs of the radio. This reading should indicate a direct short. If this is not the case, grounding the shield of the RCA line level outputs to the chassis of the radio will probably be necessary.
VII. Keep amplifier power ground wires as short as possible. The longer a wire, the more resistance it has. When a current flows through a resistance, a voltage drop is produced. Because of this, the ground reference at the amplifier's circuit board is no longer the same as that at the chassis of the vehicle. This ground potential differential can lead to noise and improper operation of the amp.
VIII. Don't connect all of your amplifier ground wires under one bolt. Contrary to belief, this is not required if the rest of the system is installed properly. If you do connect more than one power ground wire under a single bolt, you run the risk of amplifier ground modulation. This is caused by the current demands of, for example a woofer amp, modulating the power ground wire of a tweeter amp. This results in a squeaking noise that can be heard over the tweeters whenever bass notes hit.
IX. Make sure all levels are set correctly. Level setting is a critical part of the installation process. If done properly, maximum system signal to noise ratio can be obtained. Keep in mind that you want to drive the audio cables that feed the amps in the rear of the car as hard as possible. To do this, reduce the gain of the amplifiers to minimum. Turn up the volume on the source unit to 80% of maximum. Now adjust the input sensitivity of the amplifiers upward until the maximum intended loudness is obtained.
X. Noise filters can only reduce noise, not eliminate it. A noise filter is just that, a filter. And like any other filter (crossover network, etc.), it works by modification, not elimination. Some installers rely on filters heavily. In some instances a filter may prove necessary, but I believe that if the system is installed properly, a filter is usually not required.
About now most of you are probably making strange faces and saying "Now you tell me!" Well, all is not lost. If you have already installed your auto sound system and are unfortunate enough to have some noise, here are a few suggestions on where to look and what to do.
Alternator Whine
NOTE: do you have a Pioneer head unit? If so Click HERE!
To me, alternator whine is the most annoying form of noise. For those of you who are lucky enough never to have been exposed to alternator whine, it sounds like a miniature siren that rises in pitch with the speed of the engine. Alternator whine is almost always caused by a ground loop. The following steps will aid you in locating and correcting a ground loop problem.
1. Verify that all levels are set properly. (Click here for related article.)
2. With the system turned off, unplug the RCA inputs to the amplifier.
3. Start the vehicle and turn the system on. If the noise is gone go to step 8. If the noise is still present, it is coming from the amp or the speaker wiring. Continue.
4. Turn the system off and disconnect the speaker harness.
5. Start the engine and verify that no noise is present. In a few rare instances, I have actually heard speakers reproduce noise without being connected to an amplifier. This noise was being induced by power cables that were very close to the speaker wire. If you do have this type of noise, reroute the appropriate speaker lead and go to step 3.
