Help! Subwoofer won't work
 

So my amplifier turns on but my subwoofer does not make any sound. Here's a list of things I have tried:

- checked RCA wires and swapped them
- changed the ground spot and even changed ground wire
- swapped subwoofer out for another
- swapped amplifier and the new one turned on but again no sound
- swapped power wire and fuse
- checked settings on deck and subwoofer is on (avic-8100nex)
- plugged in an rca to aux wire in amp and sub worked
- swapped out headunit and still nothing

Anyone have an idea of what I may be doing? I am truly confused. I have installed amps and subs so many times and never had issues. Not sure why it doesn't work. Only thing i haven't swapped out is the head remote wire but it couldn't be that could it? Considering the amp turns on...

Any help would be great. Thanks!


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aside from something in your settings on your HU, this is a puzzler. you say you swapped the rcas, and the amp, and no good....... #1 check voltage at amplifier power in from battery. Terminal corrosion can cause a voltage drop... If voltage is too low, amp will not switch on, but may still light up. If voltage is ok, I would check is for voltage at your rcas at the amp while stereo is playing. this will verify signal is there. If there is none, move back to HU and check for voltage on rcas there. try swapping rcas to another ouput to see if it gets you any sound....
Its not a problem with remote lead if amp is turning on.
What other equipt. do you have in your system?

Thanks for the post. Its not corrosion because its a brand new car and brand new power wire. No other equipment other than what i mentioned. I'll check out what you mentioned and report back. Thanks!


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If the amp turn on then the only thing I would mess with is the signal input. I would pull the rca out and use a rca to 1/8" jack and play from another source Luke a cell phone. If it plays then it's a problem from the head unit or rca. I would swap the rca first and see if it plays.

Do try pluggin the rca in to the full range speaker slots. See if it will play. If still no then your Hu is jacked up and get a new one. If it plays then the Sub output slot may either need a certain setting on or that output jack in dead.

YzGyz

Thanks for the help but everything you have stated, i have tried. Played from rca out to aux from my phone and subs worked, swapped rca out and even swapped headunits.


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Were the head units the same? Double check you are plugging into the right out put...I know it sounds stupid, but it happens, I had a shop call me for tech support the other day, wrong wire for remote turn on...they don't do a lot of audio install. lol

No, different decks and one only has one spot where you can put the RCAs. Remote turn on is working because the amp is turning on. Can't be that can it?


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this doesn't make sense to me. Obviously it is a signal input issue, if you input your phone and it played ok, that rules out voltage issues, as well as incorrect input settings at amplifier (possibly) and speaker out connections. the absolute only other thing it can be is that it is not getting a signal through the rcas. did you check the voltage to see if signal was present??
Next question.. was this hooked up and working, and just died, or a new install.
next question... Did you try a DIFFERENT set of rcas from HU to amp?
next question.. Is amplifier gain turned completely down
It sounds like you have done the majority of the troubleshooting necessary. Next step is to remove all pieces from car and do bench testing.

Bench test like Ron said. If you did what I suggested, it's a signal to amp problem. The amp played with an outside source. Take things apart and hook it to a battery for power, use a cd b or phone and try that. Hook speakers directly to the Hu itself, then try Hu to amp. Your going to have to go and test one thing at a time to find the thing that I'd not working. Test the rca too... so strange..

YzGyz

What are the settings on your amp like? Where is the gain knob at? What is your crossover at? Is your rca's on the head unit plugged into the sub output?

Yeah RCA's are the first thing that come to my mind.

This was a new install. Yea i tried two different sets of RCAs but still nothing...gain is set in the middle. I literally bought a new amp, amp kit and sub to try and still nothing...could it be a bad ground that causes this? Because i'm using the same ground.



Everything on the amp is how it comes from factory default. Yes, it's plugged into the sub output


Changed RCAs already



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Didn't you say the thing played from another source? That would mean that the sub work, the amp works. To Mr, it is clearly a HU setting, orCA problem. You can plug anything into the cra of the amp and brass the Hu if you really think it's the amp. This will also single out the Hu so you will know if the problem is between the Hu and amp or amp and speaker.

YzGyz

Didn't you say the thing played from another source? That would mean that the sub work, the amp works. To Mr, it is clearly a HU setting, orCA problem. You can plug anything into the cra of the amp and brass the Hu if you really think it's the amp. This will also single out the Hu so you will know if the problem is between the Hu and amp or amp and speaker.

YzGyz

this IS leaning more and more towards a head unit setting.
Still waiting to hear if you checked output voltage at the RCAs

Help! Subwoofer won't work
 

Okay problem solved!

The amp that I initially tried to install (not the new one) was defective. The new amp when I set it up didn't work with the old sub so I tried it with the new sub and that didn't work either. The new sub is a shallow pioneer that came with a slim pioneer enclosure. It dawned on me that although it is new, the wiring may be messed up inside. I took the subwoofer out and the wire inside wasn't even attached to the subwoofer! I plugged the wires in and hooked it up and it finally worked. But then i was wondering why my old sub wasn't working and wondering how the hell both the amp and sub were fried (which is possible if the old amp was not connected properly and ruined the sub as well) so i took my old sub out of its enclosure (alpine type-r) and reviewed the jumpers. Turns out one of the jumpers was a TINY bit out. Pushed it in and it worked.

Thank you for everyones help and suggestions. I appreciate it. Sorry to have wasted your time.


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..... I'm punching the wall because you said it worked when you isolated it with an outside source.. ohh well. Glad all is well!! Keep the bass pumping! !

As a fellow Arkansan once said "I feel your pain."

Repped.

Misinformation often leads to mis-diagnosis. In the future, be more clear and concise, and you may end up with better results from the community. I would like to join YzGyz in punching the nearest wall...............

My original sub did work with an outside source but during this time I was also test fitting my sub with my enclosure and the hole came smaller than it should have which must have caused the jumper to come out


lol there was no misinformation...see explanation above


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as i read your amp settings are set from factory. You NEED to set them up. You gain needs to be set as well as your LPF (low pass filter_ usually around 80Hrz is normal. If you need help with that please look under car audio 101 sticky or contact me.

Awesome man, thank you. I had it as factory settings because I literally just got it. Will read the car audio sticky and begin tinkering with it.


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How about LACK of information......Does that sit better with you? LOL This is where the Concise part comes in. If we don't know everything you are doing during the troubleshooting process, It is very difficult to diagnose online. Hands on, this is all pretty simple. sight unseen it gets tougher. end rant.
Glad you figured it out, though.

Help! Subwoofer won't work
 

lol how was there lack of info? I provided as much info as possible and in between my steps I made a mistake and fully apologized after for wasting any time and thanked everyone for their help. Not sure what you're on about?


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Glad you got it working. :tiphat:

Thanks :)


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