I'm putting in a small system for a lady friend of mine but I've run into a slight snag. Let me give you the setup first and then the plan...
JENSEN A-4000. (this is the nameless amp from the other post) :) It is 4-3-2 channel-capable, each around 100w @ 2ohm.
PIONEER (insert random model) subwoofer. 10" SVC 4 ohm nominal impedance, Wants around 120w RMS
2 REAR 6x9's (pioneer too, SVC, 4ohm as well.)
I have a 4 channel (red, white / Red white) Monster cable ran to the trunk, hooked into the Amplifiers 4 RCA inputs (red white / red white), and have the switch on the amp set to "4" channel.
The plan is to Bridge channel C & D for the Subwoofer and to run channel A to Rear left, and Channel B to Rear Right.
PROBLEM 1)
is that the Headunit has no wiring diagram available (online or otherwise) It has 3 sets of RCA Auxillary Outputs, one set (red / white) with Purple wires, one set (red / white) with Black Wires, one set (red/ white with white wires. It's some sort of older Clarion HU.
My first thought was RCA Output (rear L / R), (ront L / R), (Subwoofer L / R?)
So tried running the RCA's for channel C / D to each set of the three to find which one offered the best bass (purple set(some sort of HPF)) and found it and was happy.
I then took the Channel A RCA / and Channel B RCA and ran them to the other two sets hoping to find the rear... the problem is that Channel A RCA would do fine.. but when I plugged in channel B RCA, both channels cut out AND the subwoofers tone changed.
Problem 2)
First time "bridging a channel." So the actual wiring should be as follows, correct?
Channel A : Amp + to Speaker1 +, Amp - to Speaker1 -
Channel B : Amp + to Speaker2 +, Amp - to Speaker2 -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Channel C : Amp + empty, Amp - to Subwoofer -
Channel D : Amp + to Subwoofer +, Amp - empty
Any insight? :) It's late and I'm tired! :)
Replies (6)
swez on 09/4/2008 04:15:42
It would be better to amp the front speakers off this amp and use the internal HU amps to power the rear fill.
This Clarion HU has 3 pairs of RCA's. It would be logical to expect them to be: What's the model # on this HU?
1. Front outputs
2. Rear outputs
3. Sub outputs
But that may not be the case. One set "could" be RCA inputs for an AUX input line for Video. Without the install manual, hard to say. Have a good look at the RCA sets and see if there are any lables on them to indicate which is what.
Tip: If you know the model # of the HU, contact Clarion Tech Support and see if they can give you a manual for this one.
Swez
Ender2 on 09/4/2008 06:23:17
Well, in addition to the 3 Outputs, in a seperate spot on the back of the HU there is also yet ANOTHER set of RCA's, which I believe are the inputs.
The three outputs group up together and go into the back of the HU at one spot, and there's a seperate spot that has 1 set of RCAs which leads me to believe that the three are output and 1 is the input.
While I try to contact Clarion, lets assume that those three are Outputs, what method should I try to appropriately connect them? Look over my speaker wire diagram too? I'll get back to you; thanks.
swez on 09/4/2008 09:41:53
OK, let's assume there are 3 pair of RCA inputs for now and an extra Aux elsewhere.
Your amp speaker wiring seems correct. Most amps will show proper bridging method on the outputs. There are 2 commom ways to bridge most amps. One is as you have done. The other is:
C channel + to Pos woofer terminal
D channel - to Neg woofer terminal
The speaker wiring is correct
Quote: "I then took the Channel A RCA / and Channel B RCA and ran them to the other two sets hoping to find the rear... the problem is that Channel A RCA would do fine.. but when I plugged in channel B RCA, both channels cut out AND the subwoofers tone changed."
Have not encountered an issue like this one before. I have no idea what that might mean at this moment.
You might try disconnecting the sub RCA's at the amp and fish for a clean full range signal for Channels A&B. If you can get that working alone, try switching the sub woofer wiring the alternate way mentioned earlier: Turn power off to the amp before you swap wiring.
"C" channel + to Pos woofer terminal
"D" channel - to Neg woofer terminal
Swez
Ender2 on 09/4/2008 10:00:03
Found a very simliar make / model and this describes the HU to a tee. The actual installation manual for MY model isn't online but I this seems to have the exact same setup.
http://www.clarion.com/us/en/MungoBlobs/503/169/DXZ755MC(Install).pdf
Looks like we were right, the Violet pair is for Subs L / R. Grey is for Front L / R, Black are for Rear R / L.
So then, my last question... since I'm bridging Channels 3 - 4 to the sub, what does the RCA setup for that look like? Should I only give Channel 3 the RCA or what? Perhaps the White (mono) goes to whichever channel I choose to take the - of the sub and red (stereo) goes to whichever channel i choose to take the +?
Ender2 on 09/4/2008 11:13:56
The entire problem was result of the "holding" plate that holds the rear 6x9's. There is a metal plate about 2 inches long that runs alongside of the cone (my guess is to prevent too large of excursions to damage the factory cones) either way, this plate was causing the two wires from the terminals to the spider to connect. Positive touching negative, which is why when the RCA connected for that speaker everything went bad.
Also, side note. There was a diagram on the bottom of the amp that displayed a 3-speaker configuration and the 3rd channel (C & D bridged) only used RCA Channel D for signal. All taken care of. :D
swez on 09/5/2008 02:07:31
Good catch on the shorted leads in the rear speaker. That's pretty rare and hard to find w/o an Ohmeter.
How do things sound now that all is working properly?
Swez
JENSEN A-4000. (this is the nameless amp from the other post) :) It is 4-3-2 channel-capable, each around 100w @ 2ohm.
PIONEER (insert random model) subwoofer. 10" SVC 4 ohm nominal impedance, Wants around 120w RMS
2 REAR 6x9's (pioneer too, SVC, 4ohm as well.)
I have a 4 channel (red, white / Red white) Monster cable ran to the trunk, hooked into the Amplifiers 4 RCA inputs (red white / red white), and have the switch on the amp set to "4" channel.
The plan is to Bridge channel C & D for the Subwoofer and to run channel A to Rear left, and Channel B to Rear Right.
PROBLEM 1)
is that the Headunit has no wiring diagram available (online or otherwise) It has 3 sets of RCA Auxillary Outputs, one set (red / white) with Purple wires, one set (red / white) with Black Wires, one set (red/ white with white wires. It's some sort of older Clarion HU.
My first thought was RCA Output (rear L / R), (ront L / R), (Subwoofer L / R?)
So tried running the RCA's for channel C / D to each set of the three to find which one offered the best bass (purple set(some sort of HPF)) and found it and was happy.
I then took the Channel A RCA / and Channel B RCA and ran them to the other two sets hoping to find the rear... the problem is that Channel A RCA would do fine.. but when I plugged in channel B RCA, both channels cut out AND the subwoofers tone changed.
Problem 2)
First time "bridging a channel." So the actual wiring should be as follows, correct?
Channel A : Amp + to Speaker1 +, Amp - to Speaker1 -
Channel B : Amp + to Speaker2 +, Amp - to Speaker2 -
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Channel C : Amp + empty, Amp - to Subwoofer -
Channel D : Amp + to Subwoofer +, Amp - empty
Any insight? :) It's late and I'm tired! :)
Replies (6)
swez on 09/4/2008 04:15:42
It would be better to amp the front speakers off this amp and use the internal HU amps to power the rear fill.
This Clarion HU has 3 pairs of RCA's. It would be logical to expect them to be: What's the model # on this HU?
1. Front outputs
2. Rear outputs
3. Sub outputs
But that may not be the case. One set "could" be RCA inputs for an AUX input line for Video. Without the install manual, hard to say. Have a good look at the RCA sets and see if there are any lables on them to indicate which is what.
Tip: If you know the model # of the HU, contact Clarion Tech Support and see if they can give you a manual for this one.
Swez
Ender2 on 09/4/2008 06:23:17
Well, in addition to the 3 Outputs, in a seperate spot on the back of the HU there is also yet ANOTHER set of RCA's, which I believe are the inputs.
The three outputs group up together and go into the back of the HU at one spot, and there's a seperate spot that has 1 set of RCAs which leads me to believe that the three are output and 1 is the input.
While I try to contact Clarion, lets assume that those three are Outputs, what method should I try to appropriately connect them? Look over my speaker wire diagram too? I'll get back to you; thanks.
swez on 09/4/2008 09:41:53
OK, let's assume there are 3 pair of RCA inputs for now and an extra Aux elsewhere.
Your amp speaker wiring seems correct. Most amps will show proper bridging method on the outputs. There are 2 commom ways to bridge most amps. One is as you have done. The other is:
C channel + to Pos woofer terminal
D channel - to Neg woofer terminal
The speaker wiring is correct
Quote: "I then took the Channel A RCA / and Channel B RCA and ran them to the other two sets hoping to find the rear... the problem is that Channel A RCA would do fine.. but when I plugged in channel B RCA, both channels cut out AND the subwoofers tone changed."
Have not encountered an issue like this one before. I have no idea what that might mean at this moment.
You might try disconnecting the sub RCA's at the amp and fish for a clean full range signal for Channels A&B. If you can get that working alone, try switching the sub woofer wiring the alternate way mentioned earlier: Turn power off to the amp before you swap wiring.
"C" channel + to Pos woofer terminal
"D" channel - to Neg woofer terminal
Swez
Ender2 on 09/4/2008 10:00:03
Found a very simliar make / model and this describes the HU to a tee. The actual installation manual for MY model isn't online but I this seems to have the exact same setup.
http://www.clarion.com/us/en/MungoBlobs/503/169/DXZ755MC(Install).pdf
Looks like we were right, the Violet pair is for Subs L / R. Grey is for Front L / R, Black are for Rear R / L.
So then, my last question... since I'm bridging Channels 3 - 4 to the sub, what does the RCA setup for that look like? Should I only give Channel 3 the RCA or what? Perhaps the White (mono) goes to whichever channel I choose to take the - of the sub and red (stereo) goes to whichever channel i choose to take the +?
Ender2 on 09/4/2008 11:13:56
The entire problem was result of the "holding" plate that holds the rear 6x9's. There is a metal plate about 2 inches long that runs alongside of the cone (my guess is to prevent too large of excursions to damage the factory cones) either way, this plate was causing the two wires from the terminals to the spider to connect. Positive touching negative, which is why when the RCA connected for that speaker everything went bad.
Also, side note. There was a diagram on the bottom of the amp that displayed a 3-speaker configuration and the 3rd channel (C & D bridged) only used RCA Channel D for signal. All taken care of. :D
swez on 09/5/2008 02:07:31
Good catch on the shorted leads in the rear speaker. That's pretty rare and hard to find w/o an Ohmeter.
How do things sound now that all is working properly?
Swez
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