White Noise from Tower Speakers

[cpropes2005]

I have been chasing a noise problem in my stereo ever since I installed tower speakers. Basic symptom is that I get white noise through the tower speakers. It is very noticeable when the volume is set to 0 or when the music is paused but it is still there if you turn up the volume, it is just masked by the music. It does it with the engine off so it isn’t alternator noise. Other weird thing is that it is present on both channels but it is much louder on the left channel.

My setup consists of the factory fusion hu and the factory option for the kicker km800.5 to power the in boats and sub. When I added the tower speakers I started with a cheap crappy amp but recently upgraded to a kicker km400.4 thinking that might help solve my issue. On both the old amp and the kxm400 I had to utilize the high level inputs since the factory fusion hu only has one pre-amp out and I really wanted to keep the zone control functionality of the stock hu/transom remote.

So far I think I have traced it all the back to the hu and specifically the speaker level outputs. First thing I did was swap the inputs on the amps so the in boats was using the high level and the tower was using the factory installed low level. The noise went away in the tower speakers and appeared in the in boat speakers so that narrowed it down to the high level output signal coming from the hu. I was thinking maybe the way I routed the wire for that signal up and around the bow of the boat was picking up something so I disconnected that wire and just ran a temporary signal wire from under the dash through the cabin and directly to the amp so that I could be sure it wasn’t routed near a power cable but the noise was still there. The last thing I tried was installing a kicker line out converter right at the hu and then running an rca to the amp so that the amp would see a low level input but noise is still there. I did notice that htere were some adjustment screws on the line out converter but I havent had a chance to play with those yet.

Any suggestions? Ground issue with the hu? I have the factory dual battery setup and when I added the second amp I just used the power and ground blocks that are located on the amp mounting board. I have played with the gains but maybe I need to turn them down further? Make adjustments to the tone from the eq on the head unit? Would it matter which pair of speaker outputs from the hu I used for signal (I think I used front left and front right)?

[BrettLee3232]

I have same issue. Was wondering if ground loop isolaters would solve it?


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[BrettLee3232]

I've used this before on a commercial speaker install and fixed the humm

http://www.walmart.com/ip/48806857?w...294018&veh=sem


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[trayson]

Personally, I stay away from high level outputs like the plague. I would insert a WS420sq or an Exile ZLD to keep your zone control.

That said, if you insist on using your high level inputs, are you turning down the gain on the amplifier that it's going to? I'd imagine that could help.

[MLA]

GLI's mask the issue, rather than fixing it, so steer clear for now.

1st, where did you connect the new amp's B+ (power) and ground cables and does the boat have a dual battery setup? Its is ABSOLUTELY important that ALL the stereo equipment share the same battery reference.

Next, can you give me a run down on the amp settings and RCA configuration?

The fact that you can move the hi-lever to the in-boat amp and RCAs to the tower amp and the noise moves with the cable swap. tells us a lot, thats a good start.

Beyond the noise, I would highly consider the Kicker ZXM-RLC dual zone volume control. It not only gives you fingertip volume control, but it solves the single RCA output of the 205, without splitting the RCAs. Its a line driver as well. But lets try to resolve the noise before adding new gear.

[David Analog]

I would not hesitate to use a raw high level HU output going to a subwoofer provided that the amplifier input range could facilitate that much voltage. But this is usually problematic when running fullrange or highpass.
If you are using a high to low level adapter, the long wires should be speaker wires and the adapter should be located closest to the amplifier inputs. The adjustment on a hi to low level adapter is an integral part of this component so it is essential that this is correctly adjusted.
Ground loop isolators have their application but not normally in this circumstance. They function by creating an AC-only link between the two audio components so that DC cannot pass down the ground shield. I wouldn't think this is applicable to white noise (hiss).
For a low noise floor, one of the worst things you can do is take a roller coaster ride in up and down line voltage. Since you only have a single pair RCA, and it is likely very weak voltage, you should use a line driver (like MLA suggested). This should solve your noise problem and will restore you zone control.

[cpropes2005]

Yes I do have dual batteries and the power and ground for both amps are hooked up to the distribution block that came from the factory in the passenger side storage. I haven’t looked but the batteries are only a couple feet away so I am guessing the + comes off of the battery switch and the – goes back to one of the batteries? I will take a closer look at exactly how they are wired. Not sure exactly how the hu gets power since it is on the other side of the boat.

I will re-arrange the hi low adapter to where it is closer to the amp instead of the hu. Is there a defined process for how to adjust these things? The one I got didn’t come with any instructions (Kicker KISLOC). Just turn the screws and see if it makes a difference? I think I actually have a gli at home so I might just try it to see what it does but still work on solving the root of the problem.

Honestly I know deep down that a line driver is the way to go for the best audio quality but I am trying to fight it. I had one on my last boat and it worked well with no complaints but I actually really like the simplicity of how the fusion unit does zone control and the bigger issue is that I don’t want to lose the ability to control volume/zones from my transom remote.

To do list for me: 
1. Re-locate hi lo adapter to near amp
2. Play with adjustments on hi lo adapter
3. Turn gains way down on amp and see if noise goes away
4. Take a picture and/or record my amp settings
5. Figure out exactly how everything is getting power

[cpropes2005]

Side note, why on earth did fusion only put 1 rca out on this unit?? I cant imagine it costs much for them to add another pair of outputs and I would guess most boats that are using these would like to have more than one amp.

[BrettLee3232]

Yes I do have dual batteries and the power and ground for both amps are hooked up to the distribution block that came from the factory in the passenger side storage. I haven’t looked but the batteries are only a couple feet away so I am guessing the + comes off of the battery switch and the – goes back to one of the batteries? I will take a closer look at exactly how they are wired. Not sure exactly how the hu gets power since it is on the other side of the boat.

I will re-arrange the hi low adapter to where it is closer to the amp instead of the hu. Is there a defined process for how to adjust these things? The one I got didn’t come with any instructions (Kicker KISLOC). Just turn the screws and see if it makes a difference? I think I actually have a gli at home so I might just try it to see what it does but still work on solving the root of the problem.

Honestly I know deep down that a line driver is the way to go for the best audio quality but I am trying to fight it. I had one on my last boat and it worked well with no complaints but I actually really like the simplicity of how the fusion unit does zone control and the bigger issue is that I don’t want to lose the ability to control volume/zones from my transom remote.

To do list for me: 
1.Re-locate hi lo adapter to near amp
2.Play with adjustments on hi lo adapter
3.Turn gains way down on amp and see if noise goes away
4.Take a picture and/or record my amp settings
5.Figure out exactly how everything is getting power

I used the zone controls (bow, cabin, tower & subs)

The transom remote still controls main volume but if someone is in the bow or cabin at anchor I can turn those zones off and just do tower speakers for when were floating in the water.

I love having 4 zones!!!!

[BrettLee3232]

Yes I do have dual batteries and the power and ground for both amps are hooked up to the distribution block that came from the factory in the passenger side storage. I haven’t looked but the batteries are only a couple feet away so I am guessing the + comes off of the battery switch and the – goes back to one of the batteries? I will take a closer look at exactly how they are wired. Not sure exactly how the hu gets power since it is on the other side of the boat.

I will re-arrange the hi low adapter to where it is closer to the amp instead of the hu. Is there a defined process for how to adjust these things? The one I got didn’t come with any instructions (Kicker KISLOC). Just turn the screws and see if it makes a difference? I think I actually have a gli at home so I might just try it to see what it does but still work on solving the root of the problem.

Honestly I know deep down that a line driver is the way to go for the best audio quality but I am trying to fight it. I had one on my last boat and it worked well with no complaints but I actually really like the simplicity of how the fusion unit does zone control and the bigger issue is that I don’t want to lose the ability to control volume/zones from my transom remote.

To do list for me: 
1.Re-locate hi lo adapter to near amp
2.Play with adjustments on hi lo adapter
3.Turn gains way down on amp and see if noise goes away
4.Take a picture and/or record my amp settings
5.Figure out exactly how everything is getting power

I used the zone controls (bow, cabin, tower & subs)

The transom remote still controls main volume but if someone is in the bow or cabin at anchor I can turn those zones off and just do tower speakers for when were floating in the water.

I love having 4 zones!!!!


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