Music is my life and I currently don't have any. Occasionally, my system would make a loud crackling sound (like if you were to plug in an ipod to an aux cable with the speakers turned up loud), the music would stop, it would make a couple noises and then within in 10 seconds it would make the same crackling noise then the music would turn back on.

So yesterday, I was driving and it made the crackling system but didnt turn back on. Instead, this time, the amp turns on, the lights flash twice, and then turns off, and keeps doing this until I either turn off the car or radio. I checked all the power and ground wires and they were fine. I then pulled the HU and looked back in there and nothing looked out of the ordinary. I have an alpine HU, Polk Audio DB 571 speakers, and an infinity sub and amp. I dont know the exact model of the amp and HU but I can figure it out if needed. I did take a video of what happens to the amp but am still trying to figure out how to put it up here.

If anyone has any suggestions PLEASE help me. I need music in my life because I have a long communte to and from work! Any help is appreciated!

D

 

The amp is an Infinity Reference 5350a

 

are your mids powered by an amp too? the amp might have a load protection circuit and one of your speaker wires may have shorted out causing little or no load and if the amp detects this it turns off. that would also explain the crackling noise you described.

 

What are mids?

 

Oh you mean the speaker? If im understanding you correctly, if one of my speakers isint working because it shorted out, the amp cant power it causing it to shut off?

 

just found this in the users manual for your amp PROBLEM:

Distorted audio (PROTECT LED glows intermittently).
CAUSE and SOLUTION: Short circuit in speaker
or wire. Remove speaker leads one at a time to
locate shorted speaker or wire, then repair.

yes kind of, the amp shuts down because it doesn't detect a load. if the amp doesn't have any load (say 4Ohms) then it shuts down so you don't blow the amp. that's what the power protection circuit does. if you have a VOM meter set it to Ohms and test all of the speakers one at a time it should read between 3.8-4.8ohms. if it reads 0ohms then there is a shorted speaker wire. once you find the shorted speaker wire just run a new wire and you should be good to go

 

Thank youuu!!!!!!

 

I dont have a VOM meter. What is the best way to check for a shorted wire?

 

vom meter is the best way. they dont cost much and are quite useful to own.

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Volt-M...5538229&sr=1-3

 

Oh ok I have seen those. I will grab one on my way home from work. So I just put the - and + on the proper side of the speaker wire? Does it matter if its at the amp or HU?

Thanks for all your help, Jimmy. I really appreciate it!

 

OP

A week or so ago I bought a DMM from Sears for $12. You could also try Harbor Freight. Harbor has them cheap but I can't vouch for the quality.

Don't worry about Lowes or Homedepot. They are all $30 and up.

 

you should be testing the speakers connected to the amp.

 

Ok so I checked the ohms where the speaker wire connects to the amp. All of them except the right rear read about 1 ohm. When I tested the right rear it shot to around 18 ohms. So after that I un plugged the speaker wire tested the port in the amp where the wires for the right rear were and it still read around 18 ohms. Obviously thats too much. So not knowing what to do from there I unplugged everything except for the +,- and remote wires and turned the HU on. It powered up fine.

Then I plugged back in the RCA cable for the rear speakers and nothing else (other than what was stated above) and it was fine at first, but then started to turn on and off like I stated earlier in the thread. So I unplugged the RCA and turned on just the HU again with nothing plugged in and it started to turn on and off again. What gives!? This is so damn frustrating!

Should I just find a local car audio guy and have him look at it? I talked ot my buddy in Colorado who knows a lot about this stuff and he said its possible something happened internally in the amp. And so I thought about the warranty and of course it ended last month. Just my luck

Any input would help.Thanks.

D

 

loose wire bad ground or amp is over heating ps i own an audio shop

 

Any chance you want to drive to San Diego and help me out?