I'm using an Audiobahn A2200HCX amp rated at 1600 rms x1 @ 1 ohm, right now I'm running it at .5 ohms but even before I got this amp I've had this problem.
The subs I'm using are Lightning Audio X1.12.VC2 rated 1000 rms, 3000 max. They are DVC 2 ohms and wired at .5 ohms, one I don't wanna modify the box more then I've had to already, and they sound better now.
My deck is a Sony MP-70, it has 2 sub preouts which I measured and both are putting out the same. I've switched them around and the guages on the amp still show the same thing. Now that I think about it, could it just be one guage not calibrated right? I've tried everything else, new RCA's, Put a Y splitter on both of the preouts and I got the same reading on the amp as one putting out more.
I did have this same exact problem with the home theater amp and stock interiors before I got the new ones, I could balance that one, but there isn't a balance on the Audiobahn, everything should be wired up right, it's been working for a few weeks now, could a short in the interior speaker wiring be causing this? I didn't replace it with new wire when I put the new speakers in.
Anyone ever have this problem?
Replies (12)
carfreak on 09/2/2003 20:45:07
This is in your car right? Sounds to me as if they may be out of Phase. Are you using any meters to test or are you just going by sound?
I am not sure on how to phase a DVC sub so you might have the golds help you there .
On a SVC you just change the inputs on the back of the box IE the pos in the neg term and the neg in the pos term.
I am not sure if this is your problem if it is you need to only do the sub that is out of phase .
good luck thats all I know on the subject
accusedmonk on 09/2/2003 21:09:28
It shouldn't be out of phase, I double checked before I put the subs back in the box that the silver was to positive, gold color to ground to help keep it less confusing, I'll double check the back of the amp again tomorrow, but it was doing this with my home theater equipment I was using temporarily till I got this too.
accusedmonk on 09/2/2003 21:38:16
I did test this with a meter.
carfreak on 09/2/2003 21:59:40
then I have no knowledge to help ya sorry
Swez on 09/2/2003 22:07:45
Bet your power meters are not calibrated right... one has more sensitivity then the other. There may be calibration pots in the preamp section of the amp to bring both meters up to equal... but that assumes the HU RCA lines are putting out equal voltage values.
Here, a Voltmeter and a pink noise test CD come in handy. But is it really worth the bother as this amp is bridged and running MONO anyway. Who cares what the meters say... it's your sound that matters... not the darn meters right?
If the meters bother you that much, mask them off with tape and ignore them completely. After all... people in Hell want Ice Water too.... Geez Louise!
Swez GRIN
ttocs on 09/2/2003 22:47:58
switch the rca inputs on the amp first. This will tell you if it is the amp, or input.
How did you measure the outputs? The only way to "measure" well enough would be with an oscilloscope(sillyscope!), and a signal generator....
accusedmonk on 09/3/2003 06:37:49
lol Swez, well one reason this is bothering me, if it is one channel being lower, then I'm losing some bass power that I could have, meaning I could turn it down just a little bit more, still have the same amount of bass and maybe get some extra SQ. Which it's not to bad considering they are SPL suited subs.
I switched the RCA's too, I even put a Y splitter on one of them so that it would definately be recieving the same amount to each channel since it's only coming from one preout, but I got the same result. Maybe I'm getting all paranoid lol, but I did finally get it sounding right to me, deep clean bass, not the best, but it's loud to, so it's all good.
I'll double check about the guage calibrating this afternoon, that might be all it is lol. If its the guage or not I'll fill you in on what I found.
Thanks.
Swez on 09/3/2003 07:40:51
Good deal.... besides, you are running the amp MONO bridged mode, 0.5 ohms total load right? This may or may not have any effect on your power meters per channel.
When you wired this amp originally in 2 channel mode to your subs, did the meteres have the same deal?
Swez
accusedmonk on 09/3/2003 16:06:41
In two channel mode the meters were showing the same thing and one of subs was playing noticably less, hmm that throws out calibration of the meters lol. I'm gonna email Audiobahn asking them what's going on, I'd take it apart and try and repair something that was damaged before I got it if there is anything wrong, but it'd have to be visible damage to notice, and then there is the warranty that would go out the window after that.
To me, it's something internal in the amp's circuits.
Could a short from one of the interior speakers be causing this, such as a screw cutting into one of the speaker wires, none of which I've replaced?
Swez on 09/3/2003 18:53:53
Not liely a short... probably a trim pot in the preamp section is out of adjustment. They are generally preset at the factory, but this one may have skipped past the watchful eyes of a QC inspector.
If you open it up and leave obvious signs that you have been in there, it may void your warranty. But if only a simple case of peeling off the covers, looking for the preamp pots that control input gain signal and make proper adjustments... it may be worth the effort.
Do you have a digital camera to take high resolution pictures of the PC board once the covers are removed? If yes, then we may be able to do a quick inspection and I'll try to guide you on what to do.
WARNING:
Before you do any work on the guts of this amp, remove the main fuse at the battery power feed line. And disconnect the Neg Battery terminal as well.
Will have to take the amp out of car, get a bright light and magnifying lense to help ID the sections you will be working on.
Last thought... call Bahn (or whereever you bought it) and explain your issues and see if they can swap you a new amp. You will probably need a return authorization number to send it back. Expect a 2-4 week turn around time for a factory swap. If you bought it at Zeb or a local dealer.... they may swap on the spot.
Swez
accusedmonk on 09/3/2003 19:37:29
I do have a camera that should be descent enough to help, I won't be able to get around to it till this weekend though.
I got it from thezeb, what I might do is get another one to fully power each sub at a more reasonable ohm value, more strain on my alt and battery, but they aren't as expensive as an amplifier...
I'm wondering how many amps this is drawing too.
Swez on 09/4/2003 15:59:06
For sure, less that the fuse at your battery terminal and less that the fuses in the amp(s). You'd need an Ammeter to figure that out. One that is able to read at least 200 amps.
Swez
The subs I'm using are Lightning Audio X1.12.VC2 rated 1000 rms, 3000 max. They are DVC 2 ohms and wired at .5 ohms, one I don't wanna modify the box more then I've had to already, and they sound better now.
My deck is a Sony MP-70, it has 2 sub preouts which I measured and both are putting out the same. I've switched them around and the guages on the amp still show the same thing. Now that I think about it, could it just be one guage not calibrated right? I've tried everything else, new RCA's, Put a Y splitter on both of the preouts and I got the same reading on the amp as one putting out more.
I did have this same exact problem with the home theater amp and stock interiors before I got the new ones, I could balance that one, but there isn't a balance on the Audiobahn, everything should be wired up right, it's been working for a few weeks now, could a short in the interior speaker wiring be causing this? I didn't replace it with new wire when I put the new speakers in.
Anyone ever have this problem?
Replies (12)
carfreak on 09/2/2003 20:45:07
This is in your car right? Sounds to me as if they may be out of Phase. Are you using any meters to test or are you just going by sound?
I am not sure on how to phase a DVC sub so you might have the golds help you there .
On a SVC you just change the inputs on the back of the box IE the pos in the neg term and the neg in the pos term.
I am not sure if this is your problem if it is you need to only do the sub that is out of phase .
good luck thats all I know on the subject
accusedmonk on 09/2/2003 21:09:28
It shouldn't be out of phase, I double checked before I put the subs back in the box that the silver was to positive, gold color to ground to help keep it less confusing, I'll double check the back of the amp again tomorrow, but it was doing this with my home theater equipment I was using temporarily till I got this too.
accusedmonk on 09/2/2003 21:38:16
I did test this with a meter.
carfreak on 09/2/2003 21:59:40
then I have no knowledge to help ya sorry
Swez on 09/2/2003 22:07:45
Bet your power meters are not calibrated right... one has more sensitivity then the other. There may be calibration pots in the preamp section of the amp to bring both meters up to equal... but that assumes the HU RCA lines are putting out equal voltage values.
Here, a Voltmeter and a pink noise test CD come in handy. But is it really worth the bother as this amp is bridged and running MONO anyway. Who cares what the meters say... it's your sound that matters... not the darn meters right?
If the meters bother you that much, mask them off with tape and ignore them completely. After all... people in Hell want Ice Water too.... Geez Louise!
Swez GRIN
ttocs on 09/2/2003 22:47:58
switch the rca inputs on the amp first. This will tell you if it is the amp, or input.
How did you measure the outputs? The only way to "measure" well enough would be with an oscilloscope(sillyscope!), and a signal generator....
accusedmonk on 09/3/2003 06:37:49
lol Swez, well one reason this is bothering me, if it is one channel being lower, then I'm losing some bass power that I could have, meaning I could turn it down just a little bit more, still have the same amount of bass and maybe get some extra SQ. Which it's not to bad considering they are SPL suited subs.
I switched the RCA's too, I even put a Y splitter on one of them so that it would definately be recieving the same amount to each channel since it's only coming from one preout, but I got the same result. Maybe I'm getting all paranoid lol, but I did finally get it sounding right to me, deep clean bass, not the best, but it's loud to, so it's all good.
I'll double check about the guage calibrating this afternoon, that might be all it is lol. If its the guage or not I'll fill you in on what I found.
Thanks.
Swez on 09/3/2003 07:40:51
Good deal.... besides, you are running the amp MONO bridged mode, 0.5 ohms total load right? This may or may not have any effect on your power meters per channel.
When you wired this amp originally in 2 channel mode to your subs, did the meteres have the same deal?
Swez
accusedmonk on 09/3/2003 16:06:41
In two channel mode the meters were showing the same thing and one of subs was playing noticably less, hmm that throws out calibration of the meters lol. I'm gonna email Audiobahn asking them what's going on, I'd take it apart and try and repair something that was damaged before I got it if there is anything wrong, but it'd have to be visible damage to notice, and then there is the warranty that would go out the window after that.
To me, it's something internal in the amp's circuits.
Could a short from one of the interior speakers be causing this, such as a screw cutting into one of the speaker wires, none of which I've replaced?
Swez on 09/3/2003 18:53:53
Not liely a short... probably a trim pot in the preamp section is out of adjustment. They are generally preset at the factory, but this one may have skipped past the watchful eyes of a QC inspector.
If you open it up and leave obvious signs that you have been in there, it may void your warranty. But if only a simple case of peeling off the covers, looking for the preamp pots that control input gain signal and make proper adjustments... it may be worth the effort.
Do you have a digital camera to take high resolution pictures of the PC board once the covers are removed? If yes, then we may be able to do a quick inspection and I'll try to guide you on what to do.
WARNING:
Before you do any work on the guts of this amp, remove the main fuse at the battery power feed line. And disconnect the Neg Battery terminal as well.
Will have to take the amp out of car, get a bright light and magnifying lense to help ID the sections you will be working on.
Last thought... call Bahn (or whereever you bought it) and explain your issues and see if they can swap you a new amp. You will probably need a return authorization number to send it back. Expect a 2-4 week turn around time for a factory swap. If you bought it at Zeb or a local dealer.... they may swap on the spot.
Swez
accusedmonk on 09/3/2003 19:37:29
I do have a camera that should be descent enough to help, I won't be able to get around to it till this weekend though.
I got it from thezeb, what I might do is get another one to fully power each sub at a more reasonable ohm value, more strain on my alt and battery, but they aren't as expensive as an amplifier...
I'm wondering how many amps this is drawing too.
Swez on 09/4/2003 15:59:06
For sure, less that the fuse at your battery terminal and less that the fuses in the amp(s). You'd need an Ammeter to figure that out. One that is able to read at least 200 amps.
Swez
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