Try it on just one pair first, in the same scenario that you mentioned picking up the radio station.
If you don't want to cut into your cables...
Use a cheap patch cord, strip away an inch or so of the outer jacket to expose the shield. A razor blade will do it without fuss. Plug it into the head unit and into the RCA coming from the amp. Strip an inch or so from a piece of ~16 ga wire, and wrap it around the exposed RCA shield. Try grounding the other end of that wire to the head unit chassis, ground wire, dash, etc.
Tim
you mean grounding the shield of the RCA cable or the auctualy like, the wire here, PART B
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Chupa,
The outer conductor is usually the ground on most audio gear. Usually the chassis of the head units and amplifiers are part of the ground plane so plugging the RCA cable in automatically grounds the chassis to each other. Some components are designed however with a floating ground and I suspect that either your AMP or your head unit or something in between is.
Hezz
The outer conductor is usually the ground on most audio gear. Usually the chassis of the head units and amplifiers are part of the ground plane so plugging the RCA cable in automatically grounds the chassis to each other. Some components are designed however with a floating ground and I suspect that either your AMP or your head unit or something in between is.
Hezz
Here's some sites with advice on engine noise. The first one is brilliant. 
http://www.termpro.com/articles/noise.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/maint/182896-1.html
http://www.installdr.com/TechDocs/999502.pdf
http://www.canadiancaraudio.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=10;t=001430;p=0
http://www.termpro.com/articles/noise.html
http://www.avweb.com/news/maint/182896-1.html
http://www.installdr.com/TechDocs/999502.pdf
http://www.canadiancaraudio.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=10;t=001430;p=0
noise noise noise!!!
you guys are going taking the wrong approach to this noise. We need to eliminate the other possibilities to this problem, and simply by doing this we need to list things out.
1. Specify the noise? (does it constantly go "errr" or does it sound like "static" or does it do something like "distort" the sound being produced?
2. Locate the noise, where is it actually coming from? is it from the speakers or from the alternator or somewhere else?
3. What kinda of car are we dealing with? (honda, toyota, mazda, buick, crap?)
4. After we have concluded all these facts, we can start testing.
A. if the noise is coming from the alternator and is making this "eehh" sound then we know that the alternator is producing too much power, doesn't mean that it cannot handle it, just means you are stressing it out.
-solution=purchasing a capacitor or possible a bigger one, getting a completely new alternator that generates higher amperage, but that means you will be purchasing complete new wiring for the whole car (maybe gonna stay away from that). Get bigger wires that are directly connected to your battery with a good fat ground.
B. If the noise is coming from the speakers it self, that might mean a series of things, that all you fellow posters listed, but all of you guys lacked sparkplugs, these suckers produce a massive 25-50k volts. If they are not properly insulated, you will get magnetic waves disrupting the audio signals.
-solution=check your plugs, see if they are worn, possible swap them out, and check your spark lines, check to see if they are worn.
C. Distortion could just very well be that your amp SUCKS
or you speakers SUCK , bottom line.. haha
Good Luck
you guys are going taking the wrong approach to this noise. We need to eliminate the other possibilities to this problem, and simply by doing this we need to list things out.
1. Specify the noise? (does it constantly go "errr" or does it sound like "static" or does it do something like "distort" the sound being produced?
2. Locate the noise, where is it actually coming from? is it from the speakers or from the alternator or somewhere else?
3. What kinda of car are we dealing with? (honda, toyota, mazda, buick, crap?)
4. After we have concluded all these facts, we can start testing.
A. if the noise is coming from the alternator and is making this "eehh" sound then we know that the alternator is producing too much power, doesn't mean that it cannot handle it, just means you are stressing it out.
-solution=purchasing a capacitor or possible a bigger one, getting a completely new alternator that generates higher amperage, but that means you will be purchasing complete new wiring for the whole car (maybe gonna stay away from that). Get bigger wires that are directly connected to your battery with a good fat ground.
B. If the noise is coming from the speakers it self, that might mean a series of things, that all you fellow posters listed, but all of you guys lacked sparkplugs, these suckers produce a massive 25-50k volts. If they are not properly insulated, you will get magnetic waves disrupting the audio signals.
-solution=check your plugs, see if they are worn, possible swap them out, and check your spark lines, check to see if they are worn.
C. Distortion could just very well be that your amp SUCKS
or you speakers SUCK , bottom line.. hahaGood Luck
HELP!
I have the same problem. Kicker KX800.4 amplifier. That make alternator noise. I have regrounded everything. It even makes the noise when the truck is not running and when the RCA's are unplugged. I have a KX1200.1 that is hooked to my sub that you can hear the bass from the song that is on if I have the head unit all plugged in. The thing is that it isn't always broken, sometimes it will give a loud pop or 2 and then turn back on and work just like normal. Once it is working like normal it usually won't go back to engine noise until I turn off my truck. It is a 1998 Dodge Ram 5.2Liter. If you need more info just ask. Please help.
I have the same problem. Kicker KX800.4 amplifier. That make alternator noise. I have regrounded everything. It even makes the noise when the truck is not running and when the RCA's are unplugged. I have a KX1200.1 that is hooked to my sub that you can hear the bass from the song that is on if I have the head unit all plugged in. The thing is that it isn't always broken, sometimes it will give a loud pop or 2 and then turn back on and work just like normal. Once it is working like normal it usually won't go back to engine noise until I turn off my truck. It is a 1998 Dodge Ram 5.2Liter. If you need more info just ask. Please help.
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