Hello everyone, My name is Gary and I'm new here. I'm installing a new audio system and running into some problems. I installed a Custom Audiosound hidden stereo. Am going to use head unit to power speakers and amp for subwoofer w/DVC. all went well until I went to hook up head unit to amp. On head unit it has " 4 ch rca preouts to amp". headunit also has "1" rca preout marked "sub" instructions with head unit doesn't tell me how to hook headunit to amp.. Do I use 2 "Y" cable splitter hook up to 4 rca on head unit ? amp is Kicker ZX400.1 class D monoblock. hooking up 1 sub 10" MB Quart RSH 254 400 rms . appreciate your help.

 

I can't answer your question, but I'm very interested in your take of the Audiosound setup. Please keep us posted, with pictures, when you get it up and running.

 

if i am understanding you correctly you have a 3 sets of rca pre-outs on the head unit. if so they will be front, rear, and sub. if thats the case do not use any "y" splitters. just connect the sub pre-out

 

I'm using amp for sub only. one preout on head unit is marked "Sub" other 4 preouts marked left - & Left +. Right - & Right +. after doing more research- those 4 preouts are for speakers. I need to use wire marked "sub" but it is only one RCA. I'm reading that I need "Y"splitter with 1 male and 2 female. 1 male coonects to RCA wire marked "sub " RCA from amp into 2 female RCA. gonna try today. I've tried all preouts. hooked one "sub" RCA up , I get nothing. trying 2 RCA hooked to other preouts , I get some sound. but it is "awful" thought my speakers, amp are bad. tried 3 speakers, 3 amps. same problem with every one of them. narrowed problem down to connection between head unit and amp.

 

check if there is a setting in the radio to turn the sub output on. i know the kenwoods have that feature. other than that i have no clue why they would only give you one rca.

 

I worked on it again tonight, even with "y" adapters. at "sub" rca or at other 2 speaker outputs. it sounds terrible no matter what I do. speaker is fine if I bypass the amp. hook my old fusion 600 w back up and speaker is fine, just not loud because amp is too small -600w 165w rms. VS Kicker ZX400.1 is 800w 400w rms.there is only so many adjustments on amp. I think it's defective.I'm getting sound but it's all crackly and distorted.can hardly hear it. who knows how hard it's been thrown around during delivery. going to take it to Electronics audio store, hope they can test it. can't imagine what I'm doing wrong.

 

What part of the globe do you live in bro?


You might be able to find someone close to help you.


J

 

I wish I knew someone to look at this. I'm from Reynoldsville, Pa 80 miles North of Pittsburgh. There are no audio stores in my area. Going to try a place 30 miles East. I know they sell audio, just don't know if they service or install what they sell.

 

I read through what you are doing and had some thoughts. I am, by no means, an expert but have been around audio systems (mostly home systems) for a while.

First, are the "pre-amp" outputs the only ones to connect to at the back of the head unit? I ask this because pre-amp outputs are typically designed into a system so that you can use them to direct the least distorted signal to an external amp and bypass the amp in the head unit. If your head unit does not have an internal amp like factory units have, it will not drive your speakers and all you will hear is very weak sound from your system. This is what I think you are hearing when you are hooking up your head unit directly to your speakers. There is no amplification either from your head unit or your amp.

Also, if the head unit only has left+ & -, right +& -, and a single sub RCA jack (no front and rear designations) it also tells me that it may not be right for your set up. What you may need is either an amp that can handle the sub, and 4 outputs to your 4 speakers, or a sub only amp matched to a head unit with an internal amplifier and sub output jack.

Not sure this helps but it sounds like you are pretty frustrated. It would be worth your while to take the 30 mile trip to speak directly to someone who is in the business. You may also be able to get some help from the manufacturer of your head unit via their website if you have not tried that yet. Customer reps are pretty knowledgable and are typically eager to help.

 

you will not be able to use a monoblock amp to power speakers and a sub. unless you are genious at wiring. you need to hook the sub rca connections to the monblock amp and only run the sub. you are trying to put too many signals to the amp. run your speakers off the stereo. they are not going to be very loud.

 

That place 30 miles away only sells audio, they sell kicker and Rockford frostgate. they don't test or install. I'll be using this Kicker ZX400.1 to power one MB Quart 10" with DVC. I am making progress, I talked to a Kicker Rep. came to conclusion amp is bad. What he wanted me to do was use an mp3 player, CD or DVD player. bypass head unit. plug rca jacks to amp and see if I have sound. I had my old fusion amp already hooked up. I tried it first thru DVD player. I had sound, sounded good. just like before thru head unit using the same Fusion amp. next I switched amp to Kicker. hooked DVD player up- getting sound to speaker, all muffled, distorted. tried different adjustments, made no difference. sent amp in for exchange. waiting for new amp. Was told amp is perfect for my one speaker. amp is 800 w 400w rms X2 ohm, MB is 400W rms.