got my new amp now i’m clipping

Hey Guys,

Some of you may have seen my post a week or so ago about engine noise and such. Well I ordered a new amp and the engine noise is GONE, which is the good news, but I have bad news. First, here is my setup:

Deck: Pioneer DEH-P980BT
Front: Fosgate 6.5" T162c Rated 75w rms
Midbass: Kicker 6.5" SSMB6 Rated 125w rms
Rear: Kicker 6x9" KS693 Rated 90w rms
Subs: Infinity Perfect 10d (2 in ported box)
Amp 1 (subs): Audiobahn A8002T
Amp 2 (speakers): Infinity 5760a
Wiring: 4ga power, 12ga speaker across the board
Cap: 3 Farad

OK, that takes care of the background info I think. Now for the new problem. I'm clipping!

So I hooked up the new 5760a Infinity amp this morning before work, all gain levels were all the way down. I turned the subs off, and started with the fade all the way to the rear, turned my deck up to 3/4 volume (level 35 is anyone cares about that) then moved the gain slowly up. I made it about half way, and left it there (infinity does not state what voltage is what on the gain knob, just to tune by ear). It sounded fine, so I went to full volume (level 45) and it was also fine. I hopped back in the car, and started to adjust the fade to the front to set those, and POP POP POP....clip light on the amp. I quick shut everything down, put ALL gain levels to the minimum, put the desk to level 1 on the volume, and turn the deck on and off. POP POP POP with nothing playing (this deck has Bluetooth, so I used the phone setting so no audio was playing). I grabbed my remote and went to the trunk and powered off and on again, POP POP POP, clip light on the amp...and I noticed that my subs (which are OFF right now according to the Pioneer's sub on/off setting) are flexing everytime I get this pop. Now the subs worked just fine before the addition of this Infinity amp, and from what I have been reading this morning clipping occurs from maxing out the amp's power, which with the music off, and the gain all the down, I should not be coming anywhere close to maxing the amp.

I had to leave to go to work at that point. I tried it once more on the way to work with the RPM's on the car around 3k, and it did it again. It's kinda progressive, like it builds up to clipping. When I 1st turn the deck on it's silent (good thing) then it kinda goes into what sounds like the start of the THX intro on movies, without the cool ending, just a loud POP noise.

Any help guys would be awesome.

Thanks!

Todd

Try the pioneer trick. Touch a piece of wire to the outside part of your rca and then touch the other end to the chassis of the radio. This solves a bunch of pioneer radio/amp problems.

xtremej wrote:

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It sounds to me you have some wiring issues. Take it in to a shop spend the $100 and get it wired and the gains set properly, it will be money well spent..

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I wanted to do this, but the amp clips without sound, so would that be a bad amp?

More updates:

I went home at lunch and kinda started over with this. I started with the amp and NOTHING plugged in. The I tried the mid's on the sub channel. Sounded LIKE ASS at any gain level, clipped at every bass hit.

Unplugged em

Hooked up the rears, started out slow and moved the gain, got about 1/4 of the way and it was loud enough for me, no clipping at all, sounded very good.

Unplugged em

Hooke up the fronts, gain all the way down, instant clip-ville, just fawking awful.

Unplugged everything, went back to work. So that is where I am now. Maybe this helps you guys diagnose this. I did run all new wires to the amp through the doors PROPERLY and did not (to my knowledge) snag of strip any of the wiring. I used Stinger 12ga wires, which if you have seen it have a VERY thick jacket so it is had to snag on accident.

sarcomax wrote:

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Hey, I know, how about trying what was posted 4 posts up. I have had the exact same problem that you are having, and I was able to solve it every time by doing what I suggested to you. Try taking the advice of the people that you are asking for help, or don't. Whatever makes you happy. If you do a search about pioneer radios and you will find that you are not alone with this problem.

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Ya man, excuse me for posting an update. I fully intended to try your trick tonight, and I still will, even though that last post was pretty dinkish IMHO.

Agree with xtreme,. sounds like you have a front speaker grounding out.

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There is no such thing as free installation!

New update.

I came home and tried one speaker at a time, from each of the channels. I started with the rear's, both worked fine on all 4 channels. Then to the front...ya, their screwed. Both caused clipping on all 4 channels, at all volumes and gains, so I somehoe managed to ground out both front speakers. I will take them out and do a free air test to see if it is the speakers themselves, or some fluke with the way they are mounted. I will let you guys know what happens.

On a side note I still did try the ground the RCA trick, and it did in fact work great, so I will be doing that to all 3 sets of RCA's as well.

Thanks,

Todd