Need help fixing install

Hi everyone,

I recently got my stereo installed at a recent shop, while I knew the shop had a poor rep they gave me a really good price on an amp I just couldn't pass on. Here is what I have: a used pair of infinity perfect 12.1 subs in a ported box, a brand new pair of Infinity reference series component speakers (6000cs), and a brand new Clarion APX 640.2 amp. The speakers are used and a little beat up but when I bought them about a month or so ago they hit really hard. The amp was installed with a 4 gauge wire kit. It sounds alright I guess but there is barely any bass. Also I can hear a buzzing sort of sound when there is a pause in the music. When the guy demo'd my car after the install at first he was curious why there was no bass so he talked to the installer who apparelently told him my subs are blown, and that they are "flexing too much and all over the place."  At the time I didnt know what to think so I just basically just accepted it as being that. I know have come to believe that my subs arent blown 'cause if I turn them off I still can't even even crank just my component speakers. I have got it to sound a little clearer since then but I am still fairly new to all this so I still dont really know what I'm doing at this point. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. thanks

 You need to pull EVERYTHING and start over BEFORE you fry something, I am new at this too but with the diagrams on this site and the help you can get you can do it yourself. I wired an advanced security system with help I got here and everything works great. Without knowing what they did you really do need to start over just like a NEW install.

GOOD LUCK

pulling everything could be a good a way to go, but may not be necessary.  Another option would be to go elsewhere and get it fixed if you're not comfortable doing yourself.

Anyhow, I'm guessing that you're running that clarion for the subs?  That would be 150 rms to each 12"?  If that's the case it sounds like a polarity issue at the subs.  You may want to check and make sure that + goes to + and - to -.  Something else to consider is the gain setting on the amp: make sure it's set right.  Other than that, I'd need some specifics like power to give you a better suggestion.

The buzzing is ground noise.  This one can be much harder to figure out if you didn't do the install.  Are the amps mounted to the car chassis?  If they are, you're asking for ground noise.  Again, I'd need to see pics or something to give you better advice.

The dimming shouldn't be a problem for you if it's dropping to 13V, but you should be checking your voltage at the amps instead of the battery for a better idea of voltage.  Keep in mind that if you put too much strain on the alternator you'll end up replacing it a few times like I've done in the past.

I should note that blown subs don't work at all, and are identified by a charred smell as well as a stiff cone.  When you push the cone there will be no movement like that of a working sub.

And im guessing the shop was in ottawa??  What shop was it?

PM it to me, don't post it on here, if the shop see's it they can sue.

How would they be able to sue? They messed up an install, as long as it's not a LIE it's perfectly ok ...imo

although I'm not a lawyer....I'd laugh at anyone who tried to sue me....there is NOTHING they could possibly take from me besides a day or two in court.

I wouldn't go 'ripping everything out', that seems like a big waste of time. It's an audio install, how much could possibly go wrong? When I fix a circuit board, I don't desolder everything there and replace each component one at a time. I just ISOLATE the fault and CORRECT the problem......hence the 'tech' in my screen name.

If these guys need a WHOLE DAY to fix 'little things' there is just simply NO HOPE FOR THEM.............the should all retire from car audio and open up a bakery.

I wouldn't even ask for a refund, they won't give it to you anyways. Just tell EVERYONE about them. I know that there is no law against that in the states.....it's our first amendment. Running a crappy stereo shop doesn't grant you any special rights, if you do me wrong, I'll get you back ten times worse! Good luck!

The problem is the match up between your 2 subs and your amp.  The subs are single voice coil 4 ohm (correct me if i'm wrong).  They can be paired by wiring in series to each other.  That presents an 8 ohm load to the bridged amp. 

The alternative wiring for 2 4 ohm subs is parallel.  You can't do that because the impedence of 2 ohm bridged is too low for the amp.  So, in reality, the subs are going to get one half the power you expect them to get.

So then what you are saying is that for optimal performance I would have to hook the subs up as per the above diagram? And then bridge my amp and run only 1 set of wires to the terminal leaving the other terminal not hooked up to anything right?