My Bass no Boom???

[sort_o_sane]

Ok i don't know whats going on but here's my issue and hopefully someone can see the error since i can't.

07 yaris LB w/ Stock HU
I ran wire from the rears to a line out. This then ran to the amp. Everything was fine until i stupidly blew all 4 cabin speakers being a dumbass and showing off.

Replaced the 4 speakers (still the same wires to the line out, in the same configuration it was before) and now i have got to fade all teh way to the rear to get my subs to "Thump" but when i have even balance between front and rear they don't exist. WTF?:cry:

Now if our grand "Leaning ECU" comes into this topic as having learned i have bass and wants to kill it, i'm going to burn the car.

If need be i can get pics of everything, but i am not sure that will help. Everything is connected as it should be, amp is fully powered and like i said i get bass, i just have to fade all the way to the rear to get it.

[TinyGiant]

is it possible that you cooked the amp inside the head unit? that its not sending enough of a signal to the speakers?

do the speakers you replaced work fine? do they have all the correct levels?

sounds like the amp isnt getting enough of a signal to me. or maybe you just need to turn the gain up on the woofer amp.

[Altitude]

Ya, sounds like you blew the HU as well. Maybe CTScott still has his stock HU for sale?

[sort_o_sane]

Everything else is working just fine, new speakers sound great, bass hits as hard as it should when i fade all the way to the rear. HU is working exactly as it has and I'm not sure how I would have cooked the HU.

I've turned all the levels to max on the amp and get little bumps.

Should i try running both front and rear to the line out? Gonna be time consuming, but it's the only thing i can think of that would balance out my issue. Other than getting a new HU, that is.

[TinyGiant]

i have a stock HU i'd sell if you need it

[sort_o_sane]

If i'm replacing the HU i'll get something that is not stock, thanks.

[sqcomp]

Do you have access to a DMM?

[sort_o_sane]

DMM?

[talnlnky]

digital multi-meter.... analoge volt meter/ohm meter would also work... you just need to be able to test some circuits.

[sort_o_sane]

Yes, i have one. Had to use it to get the polarity right when I made my custom connectors for the speaker wires.

Where should i check with the DMM?

[Nexus1155]

See i have this problem too which is why i am opting for a new head unit. You have a lin output converter yes, but 85% of LOC out there only have 4 wires coming from it, Left rear - + Right rear - +. If the head unit is sending signal to all 4 speakers in the car you are ideally only getting 50%. Which is why you fade to rear to get 100% of what is needed for the line.

I am pretty sure this is how that goes and it sucks i know, but unless you buy a proper LOC or an amp with 8 inlines to it to tap in from the speaker, then thats all there is to it.

[sort_o_sane]

I have the right LOC with inputs for front and rear +-. But going with a new deck is going make this whole project that much easier, but that's going to be months off.

Although i might get this fixed so that it can be done, but i am considering running the rear doubled to the front on the LOC and see if that works. Prolly wont but it sounds like it could.

[firemachine69]

First off, by the sounds of it, you are inexperienced with amplifiers and such car audio. That would negate you having a single amp that can power the sub and the speakers. Those are costly, and rare.

Having said that, your sub should be on it's own dedicated mono amplifier.

[sort_o_sane]

.....

Thought it was clear enough from the first post....

The amp is for the subs, hence the thread title.

[firemachine69]

Thank you for that clarification. I was reading it like you were powering front speakers to rear speakers, then to your subs. :eek:

[sort_o_sane]

I might not be the brightest bulb in the box, but even I would find that just plain stupid. Although taking the 1200 watts and pouring it into 2 140watt speakers would be amusing to watch...

I've done some interesting things to get sound and I've done some beautiful things to get good sound and some impressive things to make it theft proof. I have many plans on upgrades and replacements but, as usual, the budget can only be stretched so thin... Until i win the lotto that is. :thumbup:

The exact details:
HU is running remote only so I'm not constantly powering amp.:thumbsup:
Rear Speakers are being spliced into so I have signal for the amp.:thumbsup:
Rear Speakers run into the LOC and then RCAs to the amp.:thumbsup:

I've tested the amp in another car and it works just fine. Tested subs with multi-meter and their resistance is where it should be. I just don't understand why it was working in an amazingly similar process. The new way is only different in connectors, everything is still as it was before. WTF :confused:? And it's not like i can drop the $170 on the HU i wanna get right now http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_18600_Sony+WX-GT77UI.html so it sounds like I'm gonna be screwed into splicing the front into this so i can have my bass back.

My LOC has outputs for both front and rear and i believe the inputs are direct for the outs. Wouldn't it make sense to run the front and rear inputs together into the rear channel inputs so i have (stereo ?) full bass or am i going to have to pick up some RCA "Y"s?

[talnlnky]

First step... make sure you have proper voltage running from the deck to the LOC, and then from the Amp to the Sub... this way we split the signal chain into three sections... deck, LOC, amp.

ok... hook your dmm to the speaker wires (after the LOC, but before the sub amp)... Set the DMM to Voltage. Make sure it is set for AC signal (squigly line), some DMM's sense AC or DC and then auto set themselves.

Turn the deck on... throw in a cd... which you know has bass tones... then slowly turn up the volume. You should see the voltage slowly increase as the volume goes up. If you don't get voltage, or the voltage doesn't increase much... then something is most likely wrong with the deck's internal amp or the LOC.

If you didn't get voltage at the LOC, you should also try hooking up the DMM before the LOC.. and testing for voltage again, that way we can isolate if the problem is will the LOC or the deck.

If the voltage goes up perfectly fine.... then hook the DMM up to the speaker wires going to the sub (going from the sub amp to sub). Do the test again. Start at a low volume, and slowly increase volume. The voltage again should slowly increase... if it doesn't this time (and it did before)... try adjusting the Gain knob and see if that helps... if it does not help at all... you may have a fubar sub amp.

THE GAIN IS NOT A VOLUME CONTROL... so don't treat it like one... It won't get more watts from your amp... its not magic. It is supposed to be matched to the voltage outputs of your deck.... Normally when running LOC's you would have your Gain set to the minimum setting as the signal will already be fairly high voltage.

[sort_o_sane]

But that is how i've been controlling my bass volume this whole time!!!:laughabove:


I'll try testing out the 3 sections as you described and narrow down the problem or find it outright.

[Nexus1155]

You're kind of confusing me lol, do you have 4 wires you can tap into and 2 rcas coming out of it or 8 wires you can tap into and 2 rcas coming out. If it's 4 wires you only have either rears or fronts to tap into, i do not think you can cross signals like that on the same line that is why they make LOC with 4 wires and some with 8. Unless someone can back this statement up.

And what subwoofer and amplifier combo do you have. Telling us could be half the battle. I have a good amp and a POS subwoofer. it makes decent bass but i don't expect it to be a miracle worker.

[sort_o_sane]

The LOC i have has a total of 8 inputs, 1 for each of the main cabin speakers. What i haven't been able to loo up yet is the original manual for the LOC. I cannot recall if the inputs for the front will only run back out through the outputs for the front channels. The only reason i would be try crossing signals is because of not knowing this. I might just take pics and show everyone.

My setup consists of a sony explode 1200 watt amp and 2 Alpine 12" type Es. All wire is quality and thicker gauge. All connections are tight, soldered where needed, and secured.

The original subs i had were dual BP MTX subs that were 4 ohm and i had them running in series, but thought i was bridging into 4 ohm when i was bridging 2, and blew those subs. Found the Type Es on a great holiday sale last Christmas.
I'm running parallel with the 2 subs in their own boxes.

[Nexus1155]

LOL just get a proper radio and all will be good. If you spent the money on an alright amp and subs might as well get a radio too other than the stock one.

Sounds like to me youre doing something goofy with the LOC and you dont have an amp that can support it. Whats the model # of the amp? Some amps come with built in LOC, i know mine did...