New Sound System Installed

Atorsesh · 12-11-2010, 11:05 PM

Hey guys,
I finished getting the new amps in my gfs 328i HiFi installed today. Kicker 350.4 and some old 2 channel Pioneer unit. I mounted both of them in the space under the trunk and they fit perfectly. 2 channels on the Kicker are powering DSP PS4A's in the front doors, 2 channels on Kicker are doing stock underseat subs. The Pioneer is doing rear stock deck speakers.

Had quite a scare when the inline fuse holder screwed itself and got a wire straight to the frame and ended up popping the distribution block fuse. Just for anyone wondering: when you pop the distribution block fuse; all power in the vehicle is gone. Nothing works. $62 with tax at the dealership and it should all be fixed if it happens. Big thanks to Technic for the help with this as well as the harness which made things so easy.

Anyway, the Pioneer amp is such a piece of junk I need to find a replacement or figure out why its outputting such bad signal. I ended up unplugging it and not having rear deck speakers temporarily. My biggest problem I'm having is there is some static noise around medium volume, even with the vehicle off. The ground wires are going straight to the battery as well. Any ideas? I'm thinking maybe its just the stock head unit outputting a not-so-clean signal.

I'll put some pictures up tomorrow once I clean up some wiring mess and tune the amps a little. Any advice or questions are very welcome

VP Electricity · 12-11-2010, 11:30 PM

I'm guessing that you have a HiFi system and you haven't read on balanced inputs?

Atorsesh · 12-11-2010, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VP Electricity

I'm guessing that you have a HiFi system and you haven't read on balanced inputs?

I know it does have balanced inputs and Kicker says it supports it. Pioneer is iffy about it, they say something along the lines of "Line-'Balanced' In".

Atorsesh · 12-11-2010, 11:57 PM

Is it possible that just by having the Pioneer amp, assuming it does not support balanced inputs, plugged in to the RCA system it is destroying the entire purpose of balanced levels? The pioneer amps positive power is disconnected but ground as well as speaker output and rca input are still plugged in. Even with the vehicle off it still produces the noise.

VP Electricity · 12-12-2010, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by liliceman13300

Is it possible that just by having the Pioneer amp, assuming it does not support balanced inputs, plugged in to the RCA system it is destroying the entire purpose of balanced levels? The pioneer amps positive power is disconnected but ground as well as speaker output and rca input are still plugged in. Even with the vehicle off it still produces the noise.

Considering that by having it connected, you're shorting out the HU preamp - yeah, I'd say so.

808MGuy · 12-12-2010, 03:47 PM

Its very possible and in fact I've tried it just to see what would happen. Having those outputs connected to a common ground input will affect the entire system. Not just the part connected to the incompatible amp. Of course, when I tried it, I was smart enough to take precautions and not blow my HU preamp.

Atorsesh · 12-12-2010, 07:52 PM

Turns out that was it. Put a High out converter made by PAC on there and everything sounds great now. Definitely a HUUGGEE improvement from stock.

Atorsesh · 12-22-2010, 09:34 PM

Finally I got some pictures!

Before most of the wires were sleeved/wrapped:

Technic's harness:

Distribution block:

Sleeved/wrapped up, ready to go in place:

Installed:

Yeah, it is a little messy but there isn't much I can do about it. I have had 3 amps in this style setup in my CR-V that has an air tight under floor storage and the amps never overheated, ever. Everything fits extremely snug and works and sounds great

Atorsesh · 12-22-2010, 09:38 PM

Almost forgot about the speakers:

12-11-2010, 11:05 PM	#1
Atorsesh Private First Class 21 Rep 176 Posts Drives: 123 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: 123 iTrader: (0)	New Sound System Installed Hey guys, I finished getting the new amps in my gfs 328i HiFi installed today. Kicker 350.4 and some old 2 channel Pioneer unit. I mounted both of them in the space under the trunk and they fit perfectly. 2 channels on the Kicker are powering DSP PS4A's in the front doors, 2 channels on Kicker are doing stock underseat subs. The Pioneer is doing rear stock deck speakers. Had quite a scare when the inline fuse holder screwed itself and got a wire straight to the frame and ended up popping the distribution block fuse. Just for anyone wondering: when you pop the distribution block fuse; all power in the vehicle is gone. Nothing works. $62 with tax at the dealership and it should all be fixed if it happens. Big thanks to Technic for the help with this as well as the harness which made things so easy. Anyway, the Pioneer amp is such a piece of junk I need to find a replacement or figure out why its outputting such bad signal. I ended up unplugging it and not having rear deck speakers temporarily. My biggest problem I'm having is there is some static noise around medium volume, even with the vehicle off. The ground wires are going straight to the battery as well. Any ideas? I'm thinking maybe its just the stock head unit outputting a not-so-clean signal. I'll put some pictures up tomorrow once I clean up some wiring mess and tune the amps a little. Any advice or questions are very welcome
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12-11-2010, 11:30 PM	#2
VP Electricity Brigadier General 301 Rep 3,201 Posts Drives: F34 xDrive Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: portland oregon iTrader: (3)	I'm guessing that you have a HiFi system and you haven't read on balanced inputs?
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12-11-2010, 11:57 PM	#4
Atorsesh Private First Class 21 Rep 176 Posts Drives: 123 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: 123 iTrader: (0)	Is it possible that just by having the Pioneer amp, assuming it does not support balanced inputs, plugged in to the RCA system it is destroying the entire purpose of balanced levels? The pioneer amps positive power is disconnected but ground as well as speaker output and rca input are still plugged in. Even with the vehicle off it still produces the noise.
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12-12-2010, 03:47 PM	#6
808MGuy Colonel 232 Rep 2,338 Posts Drives: 2009 E90 M3 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Oahu, Hawaii iTrader: (3)	Its very possible and in fact I've tried it just to see what would happen. Having those outputs connected to a common ground input will affect the entire system. Not just the part connected to the incompatible amp. Of course, when I tried it, I was smart enough to take precautions and not blow my HU preamp. __________________ 2016 Porsche Cayman GTS - Sapphire Blue / Black Full Leather Interior / Carrera S Wheels
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12-12-2010, 07:52 PM	#7
Atorsesh Private First Class 21 Rep 176 Posts Drives: 123 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: 123 iTrader: (0)	Turns out that was it. Put a High out converter made by PAC on there and everything sounds great now. Definitely a HUUGGEE improvement from stock.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-22-2010, 09:34 PM	#8
Atorsesh Private First Class 21 Rep 176 Posts Drives: 123 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: 123 iTrader: (0)	Finally I got some pictures! Before most of the wires were sleeved/wrapped: Technic's harness: Distribution block: Sleeved/wrapped up, ready to go in place: Installed: Yeah, it is a little messy but there isn't much I can do about it. I have had 3 amps in this style setup in my CR-V that has an air tight under floor storage and the amps never overheated, ever. Everything fits extremely snug and works and sounds great
	Appreciate 0 Quote

12-22-2010, 09:38 PM	#9
Atorsesh Private First Class 21 Rep 176 Posts Drives: 123 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: 123 iTrader: (0)	Almost forgot about the speakers:
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