Radio/Speakers problem

[marin8703]

hi everyone.

i have a pioneer z1 in place of the stock radio installed. everything else is stock. from a month or so ago, many times when the volume level on the radio is below 1/4 or so of the full volume my front left speaker stops working, and at that moment if you increase the volume some the speaker starts working.

can some audio savy person tell me if this is a head unit/speaker/amplifier problem. or point me to where i should look for trouble. cant take to teh dealer since its aftermarket. but if its the head unit i will send for repair.

if no one knows what it could be im gona have to tear everything out and check where the problem could be. I have no idea how to test if the stock amp is bad.

also the problem with tearing everything out and testing is that its not all teh time its intermitent(spelling???) so its gona stay apart maybe for days.

thanks

[Wisha Haddan H3]

The first thing I'd check is the electrical contacts. If they're loose or dirty, that increases resistance to the speaker, which requires more current (higher volume) to overcome.

Don't know how it was installed, but if you didn't use a factory harness adapter, make sure all connections are clean, sautered and shrink-wrapped. Don't trust electrical tape or wire nuts in vehicle installations. Tape melts and fouls the connection. Wire nuts vibrate loose and have higher electrical resistance. Some swear by crimp connections, but I don't like them. Even with a sleeve, they're vulnerable to dirt and condensation.

Here's a short guide to 12v electrical splices

If you do have electrical tape somewhere, clean the wires off with rubbing alcohol and brighten them with steel wool (cut and strip to new copper if you have to). Then solder and use a shrink sleeve when you re-splice.

Good luck finding the problem

[marin8703]

Originally Posted by Wisha Haddan H3

The first thing I'd check is the electrical contacts. If they're loose or dirty, that increases resistance to the speaker, which requires more current (higher volume) to overcome.

Don't know how it was installed, but if you didn't use a factory harness adapter, make sure all connections are clean, sautered and shrink-wrapped. Don't trust electrical tape or wire nuts in vehicle installations. Tape melts and fouls the connection. Wire nuts vibrate loose and have higher electrical resistance. Some swear by crimp connections, but I don't like them. Even with a sleeve, they're vulnerable to dirt and condensation.

Here's a short guide to 12v electrical splices

If you do have electrical tape somewhere, clean the wires off with rubbing alcohol and brighten them with steel wool (cut and strip to new copper if you have to). Then solder and use a shrink sleeve when you re-splice.

Good luck finding the problem

thanks. i did the install myself, and most of the connections in the back are soldered. i think i did a pretty good job but will recheck. also i did use shrink wrap but alot of tape too in some places. will check that too. today i noticed my front left tweeter sputtering and has noise, so it looks like you may be rite.

as long as its not the amp, speaker, or unit itself, im happy, dont mind redoing my work.

thanks for the help.

[marin8703]

hey its me agian.

i checked all the connections with the ohm meter and for sturdiness and they are pretty much ok.

Anyone have any ideas on what could be the problem.

How can i test if speakers are bad?
How can i test if sub is bad?

thanks

[lance-n]

i think you were given some good advice to check all connections. especially if you are hearing some static.
if the system sounds fine att medium to high levels, then you may have the same issue we have on our boat.
one thing to keep in mind is that some audio systems do not deliver audio signal to some of the speakers until a predetermined volume level is reached.
i didnt know about this before, but the sytem on our boat was driving me crazy because at low level only the aft speakers produced sound. turn it up a little and then all speakers functioned.
i was sure it was a bad connection, but we had every wire and connection rechecked. i even called the installer at tiara and they knew about this issue.
if you would rather the front speakers have sound at all levels, then simply switch the front and back inputs.
hope this helps!

[wpage]

Since you already took a stab at the connection issue which does sound like the most probable point of trouble. Call the Pioneer 800 help line and see if there are any issues with your version of the system.
If that does not work I agree with the last post that you should swap out the connection with another speaker and see if the problem moves. That will prove out wether or not its in the head or speaker direction.

[marin8703]

thanks for the help guys. spoke with pioneer, their cs is horrible. they never admit to knowing that any issue exists, like with the back up input on the z1. but anyways.

i have the dash apart now and am waiting for this to happen again. the problem now is it wont happen. but i'll drive like this for a while to see if something happens.

migth take it to a local stereo place if it doesnt stop working soon.

[MUD4ME]

I know the Z1's were having some problems. My buddy had issues with his and sent it back, they gave him a Z2 and problems over.

[Crash ?]

You have a Monsoon Sub in back or aftermarket..??? What other amps do you have..??

The fact you can correct the problem by just touching the volume would kinda say to me it's in the head unit though...

Next time it happens, rather than playing with the volume directly, adjust the balance all the way to the right and then back to the right and see if it corrects.. If that corrects the problem as well.. Next time just slap the top of the dash firmly with the palm of your hand and see if that works..

I used to have a Blaupunkt that you had to punch with your fist every so often to get the front left speaker to work.. Nothing like the effect of an obviously pissed off, longhaired kid, sitting in a TransAm listening to MegaDeath or Slayer, cranked up on 250 watts (REAL ORION WATTS) screaming obscenaties at the top of his lungs, beating the hell out of his radio with his fist while sitting at a red light..

[marin8703]

Originally Posted by Crash ?

You have a Monsoon Sub in back or aftermarket..??? What other amps do you have..??

The fact you can correct the problem by just touching the volume would kinda say to me it's in the head unit though...

Next time it happens, rather than playing with the volume directly, adjust the balance all the way to the right and then back to the right and see if it corrects.. If that corrects the problem as well.. Next time just slap the top of the dash firmly with the palm of your hand and see if that works..

I used to have a Blaupunkt that you had to punch with your fist every so often to get the front left speaker to work.. Nothing like the effect of an obviously pissed off, longhaired kid, sitting in a TransAm listening to MegaDeath or Slayer, cranked up on 250 watts (REAL ORION WATTS) screaming obscenaties at the top of his lungs, beating the hell out of his radio with his fist while sitting at a red light..

yes i have the monsoon setup in the truck. everything other than the head unit is stock.

i have tried the balance thing before and that didnt turn the speaker on, volume seems to be the only way.

i havent tryed hitting it, but that will be the next step. it hasnt done it in the last several days since the dash has been apart. but once it happens i will try the balance thing again, and if that doesnt work then i'll try the hitting thing and if that doesnt work i'll go crazy on it.

thanks for the help