alternator whine in speakers
Aug 3, 2011, 02:46 PM
#34
Newbie
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hate to be the nay-sayer... but i think the new one gonna do the same thing.
It's something with the stock system... not your pioneer.
That's like me saying somethings wrong with my ipod cause i plug it in to the AUX and it whines
It's something with the stock system... not your pioneer.
That's like me saying somethings wrong with my ipod cause i plug it in to the AUX and it whines
Aug 4, 2011, 06:37 AM
#36
Newbie
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Michigan
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Stock radio does it if you use the AUX input. The stock CD and radio are the only two things that don't it seems? IDK why?
In my head there's some link between the AUX input and the Pioneer radio and how the stock system treats it?
Could be wrong.
In my head there's some link between the AUX input and the Pioneer radio and how the stock system treats it?
Could be wrong.
Aug 4, 2011, 08:04 AM
#38
Could just be a bad head pioneer head unit. I've had older bottom of the line ones years ago that did this, I would take it back and get another. I finally got one that worked great. But since then, I've had probably 4 more pioneer and sony players and never had the whine on it. Then again, they where in other cars than an evo.
Aug 4, 2011, 09:39 AM
#40
Evolving Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: DC Metro Area
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Way past the "it must be your ground" response. While it is essentially a ground issue, it's specific to the unit's fuses and internals. Do a google search on pioneer whine. Evidence is everywhere.
Installing my Kenwood tonight so we'll see.
Aug 4, 2011, 09:41 AM
#41
Evolving Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: DC Metro Area
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What are you basing this opinion off of?
Aug 4, 2011, 12:53 PM
#42
Evolving Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: DC Metro Area
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Awesome writeup:
http://www.termpro.com/articles/noise.html
Alternator Whine
To me, alternator whine is the most annoying form of noise. For those of you who are lucky enough never to have been exposed to alternator whine, it sounds like a miniature siren that rises in pitch with the speed of the engine. Alternator whine is almost always caused by a ground loop. The following steps will aid you in locating and correcting a ground loop problem.
1. Verify that all levels are set properly. (Click here for related article.)
2. With the system turned off, unplug the RCA inputs to the amplifier.
3. Start the vehicle and turn the system on. If the noise is gone go to step 8. If the noise is still present, it is coming from the amp or the speaker wiring. Continue.
4. Turn the system off and disconnect the speaker harness.
5. Start the engine and verify that no noise is present. In a few rare instances, I have actually heard speakers reproduce noise without being connected to an amplifier. This noise was being induced by power cables that were very close to the speaker wire. If you do have this type of noise, reroute the appropriate speaker lead and go to step 3.
6. With the speaker harness still disconnected, check to make sure there are no shorts between the speaker leads and the chassis of the vehicle. A shorted negative speaker lead will create a ground loop by establishing a second audio ground reference point. If you do have a short, trace the wire out and repair it then go to step 3.
7. With the RCA inputs and speaker harness still disconnected from the amplifier, use your VOM to measure from the shield of the RCA jacks on the amp to the chassis of the vehicle. This reading should not be a direct short (100 ohms or more is acceptable.) If this reading does indicate a direct short, you might have a defective amp and should contact the manufacturer for verification. (Note that there are a few "inexpensive" amps or boosters on the market that have their audio ground and electrical ground commoned internally. For units of this type, the information in this article will be of very little value.)
8. If you've made it here, you know that the amplifier and speaker wiring are okay.
9. Connect the accessories in front of the amp (crossovers, equalizers, etc.) one at a time and check for alternator whine. When each device is tested, there should be nothing plugged into the input of that device. In this way, we will work toward the source unit piece by piece. Be sure to turn the system power off before connecting or disconnecting any cables or accessories.
10. Repeat step 9 until all accessories have been tested.
11. If a particular accessory is causing noise, try disconnecting it's power ground wire. Go to step 9.
12. Now it's time to connect the source unit. Do that now and test for noise.
13. If noise is present, try unplugging the antenna. If the noise goes away, you will need to use an antenna isolator. This little gismo opens the shield wire of the coax to eliminate the ground loop caused by the ground at the antenna.
14. If you still have noise, try connecting the source unit's ground wire in another location,. preferably as close to the source unit as possible.
15. Does the noise vary in amplitude when you adjust the volume control? If it does, the problem is probably power line related and not a ground loop. If this is the case, run the source unit's B+ (yellow) wire directly to the positive terminal of the battery. If this doesn't do the trick, you will probably have to use a power line filter on the source unit's B+ (Yel) and Ignition (Red) wires.
http://www.termpro.com/articles/noise.html
Alternator Whine
To me, alternator whine is the most annoying form of noise. For those of you who are lucky enough never to have been exposed to alternator whine, it sounds like a miniature siren that rises in pitch with the speed of the engine. Alternator whine is almost always caused by a ground loop. The following steps will aid you in locating and correcting a ground loop problem.
1. Verify that all levels are set properly. (Click here for related article.)
2. With the system turned off, unplug the RCA inputs to the amplifier.
3. Start the vehicle and turn the system on. If the noise is gone go to step 8. If the noise is still present, it is coming from the amp or the speaker wiring. Continue.
4. Turn the system off and disconnect the speaker harness.
5. Start the engine and verify that no noise is present. In a few rare instances, I have actually heard speakers reproduce noise without being connected to an amplifier. This noise was being induced by power cables that were very close to the speaker wire. If you do have this type of noise, reroute the appropriate speaker lead and go to step 3.
6. With the speaker harness still disconnected, check to make sure there are no shorts between the speaker leads and the chassis of the vehicle. A shorted negative speaker lead will create a ground loop by establishing a second audio ground reference point. If you do have a short, trace the wire out and repair it then go to step 3.
7. With the RCA inputs and speaker harness still disconnected from the amplifier, use your VOM to measure from the shield of the RCA jacks on the amp to the chassis of the vehicle. This reading should not be a direct short (100 ohms or more is acceptable.) If this reading does indicate a direct short, you might have a defective amp and should contact the manufacturer for verification. (Note that there are a few "inexpensive" amps or boosters on the market that have their audio ground and electrical ground commoned internally. For units of this type, the information in this article will be of very little value.)
8. If you've made it here, you know that the amplifier and speaker wiring are okay.
9. Connect the accessories in front of the amp (crossovers, equalizers, etc.) one at a time and check for alternator whine. When each device is tested, there should be nothing plugged into the input of that device. In this way, we will work toward the source unit piece by piece. Be sure to turn the system power off before connecting or disconnecting any cables or accessories.
10. Repeat step 9 until all accessories have been tested.
11. If a particular accessory is causing noise, try disconnecting it's power ground wire. Go to step 9.
12. Now it's time to connect the source unit. Do that now and test for noise.
13. If noise is present, try unplugging the antenna. If the noise goes away, you will need to use an antenna isolator. This little gismo opens the shield wire of the coax to eliminate the ground loop caused by the ground at the antenna.
14. If you still have noise, try connecting the source unit's ground wire in another location,. preferably as close to the source unit as possible.
15. Does the noise vary in amplitude when you adjust the volume control? If it does, the problem is probably power line related and not a ground loop. If this is the case, run the source unit's B+ (yellow) wire directly to the positive terminal of the battery. If this doesn't do the trick, you will probably have to use a power line filter on the source unit's B+ (Yel) and Ignition (Red) wires.
Aug 5, 2011, 05:04 AM
#44
Evolving Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: DC Metro Area
Posts: 207
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Anyway, installed a brand new Kenwood DNX6960 and I am elated to report that my whine is gone! Hallelujah! It was definitely the deck's internal grounds/fuses.
Immediate impressions vs. the Pioneer: Infinitely superior touch screen response and the Sirius tuner has a keypad option. Awesome.
Last edited by slebo3213; Aug 5, 2011 at 05:06 AM.
Aug 5, 2011, 01:51 PM
#45
Arguable. Grounded to the same point/area vs. sharing the exact ground. I shared a grounding point for my deck/parking brake/Sirius tuner and the whine increased exponentially. When I broke them out to seperate points along the same area of the chassis it decreased significantly. So, my experience tells me to spread them out a bit. Grounding to the same general area should give you a similar resistance.
Anyway, installed a brand new Kenwood DNX6960 and I am elated to report that my whine is gone! Hallelujah! It was definitely the deck's internal grounds/fuses.
Immediate impressions vs. the Pioneer: Infinitely superior touch screen response and the Sirius tuner has a keypad option. Awesome.
Anyway, installed a brand new Kenwood DNX6960 and I am elated to report that my whine is gone! Hallelujah! It was definitely the deck's internal grounds/fuses.
Immediate impressions vs. the Pioneer: Infinitely superior touch screen response and the Sirius tuner has a keypad option. Awesome.
Last edited by Vivid Racing; Aug 5, 2011 at 01:55 PM.