Why are there problems in the operation of the car amplifier and how to fix them?

Malfunctions of amplifiers can be varied, however, the diagnosis can be difficult, as it is easy to confuse with problems that arise due to breakdown of other elements of the car audio system. For example, problems such as hissing, grunting, creaking, or the complete absence of sound can occur either due to the amplifier or due to malfunctioning speakers, radio, etc. Therefore, you must always first find the exact cause of the problem and only then proceed to fix it.

Why the amplifier does not work: the main problems and methods of solving them

We will consider the most common malfunctions of the amplifier and possible solutions.

The amplifier refuses to turn on

To turn on the amplifier, it is necessary to supply power through the power supply wires, which additionally must be properly grounded. If your car amplifier does not turn on at all, then the first thing to do is to check how the power is being supplied. First, the voltage indicator on the remote wire is checked. He needs 5 V power to work, which must come from a car radio. If the voltage after the measurement turned out to be below 5 V, the state of connecting the wires to the head unit should be evaluated. It is important to make sure that all the wires are not damaged, their insulation is intact, the contact is not broken and the fuses are not blown.

On the main supply wire, the operating voltage should be at the level of the voltage of the car battery: 12 V-with the engine turned off, about 14.4 V-with the engine running. If the value is not correct, check the condition of the fuses and the connection.

When the wire test failed, and everything turned out to be normal, you need to check the effectiveness of grounding. This is very important, because if the grounding is weak or absent, the quality of the amplifier decreases, it may simply not turn on.

If, after carrying out all these procedures, no deviations were found, that is, the power and grounding are in order, then most likely the fact is that the amplifier itself is faulty and repair or a complete replacement of the device is necessary.

A creak is heard when the car amplifier is turned on

Squeaking is a variant of distortion of sound transmission. The reason for this phenomenon may be that the amplifier “cuts” the signal. This may indicate that the amplifier is overloaded when a subwoofer or other speakers are connected. That is, the device was not able to provide the amount of energy necessary for normal operation. In addition, blown wires can cause this phenomenon.

When the power of the used amplifier for the speakers is not enough, the only solution is to replace the amplifier or install speakers with a lower rated power. To determine if there are problems, simply compare the power ratings of your speakers and amplifier. If the test showed that the power is sufficient, then the problem should be sought in the speaker wires, speakers or check if the grounding of the sound amplifier is organized correctly.

The security system LED is blinking

Some models of amplifiers are equipped with the function of a special "protective mode", which avoids possible damage to the internal elements of the device. If your model has a signal LED that starts flashing when the protective mode is activated, then you can notice a malfunction in time. If the signal turns on, it may indicate a possible malfunction of cables, speakers, a subwoofer, or other components.

The first step to take to identify the cause of the blinking signal is to check the wires with which the speakers are connected. To accurately determine the source of a possible malfunction, it is recommended that you carefully inspect each speaker and subwoofer that are connected to the car amplifier. Be sure to check the correctness of grounding, for this you will need an ohmmeter.

Another potential reason the LED turns on, there may be problems connecting the RCA cable, it may also be damaged or improperly grounded. To know for sure, connect the RCA wiring to the radio and amplifier. If the LED goes out, then you can fix the problem by replacing the RCA wires.

Strong sound distortion observed

When listening to audio files, sound distortion can occur due to a variety of reasons. Of course, one of the possible reasons is the mismatch of the amplifier power with the necessary parameters. However, often the reason is not at all in the amplifier. Hissing, grunting, crunching and other interference may result from improper wiring and malfunctioning of other components of the audio system. The amplifier already receives distorted sound and amplifies it.

In order to accurately determine the source of sound distortion, everything should be carefully checked and every possible reason excluded. First, check the connection between the amplifier and speaker cables. Please note that when the cable leading to the amplifier is laid next to the vehicle’s power wiring or ground cables, this may cause interference that will distort the audio. The same may apply to the wiring of acoustic components, however, tracking this can be very difficult.

To get rid of this problem, you can move the wires and lay them so that they do not touch the power cables or ground cables. It is optimal if they intersect at right angles. In addition, you can take better cables with thicker insulation or use wiring with better protection.

If after replacing the wires no positive shifts are observed, simply disconnect the speakers from the amplifier. Is the noise still heard? Then you need to check whether the system grounding is implemented correctly.

It is also worth noting that one cannot exclude the possibility that the cause of problems with sound may be the car radio, or the system used as an audio source.

The speakers are silent

A problem of this kind can be triggered by the fact that the signal from the amplifier does not enter the acoustics, or the car radio does not transmit the audio signal to the amplifier. Here, first you need to make sure that the amplifier installed in the car is turned on and receives the necessary power. Sometimes the device can simply be turned off, and the driver simply did not notice this.

If everything is connected to the network, you need to see how the signal is sent from the head unit. To do this, disconnect the RCA wires and connect them to the individual test blocks. See if the radio is turned on, whether the wires to the connectors are connected correctly, and the volume level is adjusted accordingly. Try a new set of RCA wires, the reason may be precisely in them. If the sound passes from one input, but it is absent from the other, then most likely the radio tape recorder, not the amplifier, is faulty.

If there is no signal at the output from the amplifier, then you must first disconnect the device from the speakers and try to connect it to any other external speakers, you can even use ordinary home speakers. If everything works, then the reason for the lack of sound is the faulty car speakers.

Not music comes from the speakers, but a solid crack

Sometimes the driver may encounter the fact that the car speakers are cracking, buzzing, making pops and other sharp strange sounds. There are many reasons, including those related to the amplifier. However, first you need to eliminate potential problems arising from improper installation of acoustics. For example, maybe you have chosen a housing that is not suitable for mounting speakers, or they were not installed correctly. This can lead to air coming out of the case, which then interferes with the playback of audio files. The vibrating cone of the included speaker can draw in and throw air out of the box, resulting in crackling and other noise.

Sound quality can also be influenced by the correctness of matching the impedance of low-frequency acoustics. Everything is pretty simple here. If the resistances of the connected speakers and amplifier match, then check their rated power and make the appropriate adjustments. When an amplifier delivers more power to the subwoofer than it can adequately receive, it is worth considering purchasing a more powerful speaker or reducing the supplied power. Carry out the adjustment and adjust all the main sound parameters until the speaker will not stop playing strange sounds.

Problems with sound can occur due to the fact that the amplifier cannot provide the subwoofer with enough power for its operation. In this case, you can try to replace the case. Sometimes distortion can be quickly eliminated by simply placing the speaker in a larger case. Of course, you can also experiment with other types of cases.

Obviously, a problem with sound can be caused by a variety of reasons. This may be due to malfunctioning amplifier and not. If during the test you found out that the reason is in this device and no options could help to fix the problem. Then, most likely, you need to look for a replacement. In the online store 130.com.ua, we will always help you choose the best audio components for cars of any brand. With us you can buy an amplifier in Kiev, Kharkov or Odessa at the best price.

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