New kicker amp installed and I have hissing noise (help)

Discussion in 'Car Stereo Amplifiers' started by digger0037, Oct 24, 2006.

  1. digger0037

    digger0037 Full Member

    I just had a new 650W kicker amp installed with infinity kappa component speakers in the front and kicker 6 1/2 in the back. I do not have a sub. On my way home I noticed a hissing in all of my new speakers. Does anyone know what could be causing this. My old stock bose system sounded much better a low volumes. At high volume it sounds great because you cant notice the hissing as much but when a slower song plays you can hear it all the way through no matter what the volume. The amp is a 4 channel amp with a built in crossover. If I adjusted the settings on the amp would this fix it and if soo what do I need to do? Your help is greatly appreciated.
     
  2. TheViking

    TheViking Well-Known Member

    DId you install it or did you have it done professionally?
     
  3. digger0037

    digger0037 Full Member

    I am not sure if you would call circuit city professionals but im guessing they did a better job than I could. Except for the hissing noise. It does not seem like its from anything electrical. But it is very anoying to hear in a new system. I am still running the origional bose head unit and just changed the amp and speakers.
     
  4. TheViking

    TheViking Well-Known Member

    Not that they are the best by any means, but I would take it back to them and see if they can address the issue under warrenty (if they have one) The shop i was in, did not allow for customers to "fiddle" with the system, or it voided the installation warrenty... And this included amp gain settings. You might try and do a simple gain adjustment, turn it down and see what happens. But i am guessing it is gunna be an issue with the factroy HU not agreeing with the aftermarket amp and whatever adaptors may have been used......I have not messed with an aftermarket amp/factory HU for some time, especially a blows, er I mean bose. I remeber years ago we had issues with them due to voltage differences and impedance mismatches, but i dont remember the particulars.....Maybe Ranger will be in here soon to fill you in better than me, he is much more up to date on the new stuff than me. Something to think about also, maybe get a new HU down the road, that would really make your system perform to its full potential.....
     
  5. aznboi3644

    aznboi3644 Full Member

    U sure they didn't use an exhisting seat bolt as a ground, is your ground good?...Viking how could u not have asked this??
     
  6. TheViking

    TheViking Well-Known Member


    This is true, but he paid hard earned money for a job that has not been done properly, It is of my opinon that he should take it back for them to rememdy the issue... And ya, alot of phucktards like that seat bolt ground dont they?!!!
     
  7. digger0037

    digger0037 Full Member

    I am not sure what they grounded it to. I am going to have them take a look at it first thing in the morning. Your right about bose. They seem to make it very difficult to add anything to upgrade your car stereo. I will post back here after work tomorrow to let you know what I found out. I hope it's not my stock head unit thats not compatable. My wife would kill me if I had to spend any more money on my car stereo. I planned on getting a new head unit and another sub with a small subwoofer for some nice clean bass. I really only wanted to upgrade to get a nice clean crisp sound to my music.
     
  8. TheViking

    TheViking Well-Known Member

    good deal, let us know what happens!!! I am very interested in what they do or say...
     
  9. digger0037

    digger0037 Full Member

    I will let you know what they say. Thank you for your help and quick response to my questions.
     
  10. aznboi3644

    aznboi3644 Full Member

    Well Circuit City DID do the install...My friend went there and they installed his amp ground cable to a seat bolt ground and now he has engine whine...Lazy bastards
     
  11. pedro quiroga

    pedro quiroga Well-Known Member

    thats how my amps are grounded,but i sanded down the paint.besides drilling a hole.which can be dangerous,especially if you dont know whats underneth.what else can be done?
     
  12. digger0037

    digger0037 Full Member

    They are lazy bastards..... They had the ground connected to the seat bolt here also....Plus my gain settings on the amp were set all the way up and that contributed to the hissing noise. They fixed the ground and I set the gains where I wanted them and now it sounds great. I could not be happier. I'm soo happy I think for Christmas I'm going to purchase myself a new head unit and a 2 channel amp with 2 10's to round out my system....I appreciate all of your feedback.
     
  13. TheViking

    TheViking Well-Known Member

    Good deal! Glad it worked out for ya!!!!
     
  14. aznboi3644

    aznboi3644 Full Member

    Pedro it is dangerous to drill a hole if you don't know where you're drilling.

    But with trucks and SUVs it is very easy as you can just look underneath the vehicle and see where there is no fuel or brake lines running...drill a hole and sand it down and use a bolt and a nut
     
  15. pedro quiroga

    pedro quiroga Well-Known Member

    aha.but the seat is a bolt.sanded.is that not the same?
     
  16. aznboi3644

    aznboi3644 Full Member

    not at all
     
  17. TheViking

    TheViking Well-Known Member

    If you use a seat bolt, you are using a fastener that is subjceted to MOVEMENT. the seat wants to move, especially with the mass of your ass sitting on it, over time this compresses the copper in the ring terminal and you will have a high impedance ground!!




    Example, wire up a house, tightnen the screws down to say 10 ft/lbs onto the 12 ga wire in the breaker......come back an hour later, guess what, you can turn the screw another 1/4 turn before you reach 10 ft/lbs.......go back to it a year later, it will turn even more befor it hits 10 ft/lbs.......gewt the idea???? Copper COMPRESSES over time....as does any metal, but copper is generally softer than most metals you will be dealing with. I need to compress a beer now!!!!!!!
     
  18. aznboi3644

    aznboi3644 Full Member

    Viking so if you over tighten a copper ring terminal under a nut and bolt ground it will become a high impedance ground because it is compressed??
     
  19. TheViking

    TheViking Well-Known Member

    NO...

    It is a good thing to go back after a few weeks and retighten it howerer... A seat bolt can phuck off, it is small, under constantly changing pressure, has all kinds of crap around it, has a sh!tty spot weld holding it in plae, the bottome of it probably has undercoating seperating the metal .........

    JUST use a dammed bolt and nut and washers dammit!!!!!!!!!! drill a freefin hole in your car and grund rthe crapo off and like it!!!!!!!! It works!!!!!!! I need anoither beer, i kove you guys!
     
  20. aznboi3644

    aznboi3644 Full Member

    I kove you too viking haha