2013 Mobius LSV Stereo Issue

[rje-3]

2013 Mobius LSV with factory stereo install as follows:

- Sony CDX-M60UI Receiver
- Kicker ZXM700.5 Amp (Powers Sub & Bow Speakers)
- Kicker DX300.2 Amp (Powers Tower Speakers)
- 3x Kicker Remote Bass and Volume Control
- 6x Kicker 6.5 Speakers in boat
- 2x Roswell Tower Speakers
- 1x Kicker KM10 Sub

Everything worked fine when boat was winterized last October. Had the boat detailed earlier this month. When I picked it up and parked it at the lake I noticed that none of the lights, accessories or stereo worked. I found that the Main Dash Power Circuit Breaker was tripped. I reset that and everything seemed to work, although I didn't fully check the stereo system at higher volume. My guess at the time was that the CB button got pushed when the detailed was vacuuming in that area by the main battery. I didn't try anything again until putting the boat in the water last Friday.

Once the boat was in the water on the lift my son tried playing the stereo. With the boat not running, but using battery power, any volume greater than ~35 the sound is extremely distorted from all speakers. With the boat engine running there is no sound from any speaker, just a high-pitched whining sound that does not change with the volume control. It's the same results whether an AM/FM station is selected, CD input or an iPod is connected using the Aux cable.

I've double checked everything. No CBs blown anywhere. Both amps have all the expected lights showing and factory settings. Ground to the receiver is still connected and I checked all of the connections to the Sony receiver, plus the 10amp CB on the back of the receiver. I also accomplished a reset on the Sony receiver per the manual, with no change. I also checked to ensure we didn't pinch a speaker wire in the tower when it was raised.

I have a factory dual battery setup, with factory battery conditioner. I tied both batteries individually and got the same result. The boat is kept in a garage over the winter and was connected to the factory battery maintainer all winter. Both batteries check good now.

I'm not a sound expert, so I am hesitant to start pulling cables and changing things around. Thought I'd check here first to see if anyone has seen something similar or has any suggestions. I have not found anything useful in the manuals, other than the check the ground with engine alternator noise.

My suspicion on the stereo is that the factory Sony receiver has gone bad. It powers the four cockpit speakers directly and provides the pre-amp outputs going to the Kicker Amps.

The only other problem with the boat is the wake plate control on the streering wheel does not work. The boat had that actuator replaced last Spring and it worked fine all year. I don't know if this is related to the stereo problem or not and I haven't tracked down the CB for that quit yet. That's my next challenge after the stereo problem is resolved. Otherwise, everything else in the boat works as expected.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be welcomed. Thanks.

Rick

[MLA]

With 2 amps driving 2 different zones and all speakers exhibiting the same issue, id say its certainly upstream of the amps. This leaves Head unit, RCA cables, water damage to head-unit or both amps and battery voltage. After checking voltage, looking for signs of water intrusion, physically inspecting the RCAs, Id take an RCA x 3.5 and MP3 type music source and go diectly to each amps inputs and see what kind of sound you get engine off and engine running. Just dont unplug or plug up RCAs with system on.

[rje-3]

Thanks MLA. I don't think water damage is an issue. The boat was indoors for all but a week since coming out of the water last fall. It was dry in the compartment where the head unit and amps are located, which is also where the main battery is. Those all work, so I don't think it's a water issue as the head unit sits above everything else in there.

I will try the RCA plug from another device direct to amps and see what happens there. Thanks.

[rje-3]

FWIW, my problem described above was ultimately traced to a bad Kicker Remote Volume Control Module. This is the module that plugs in near the receiver head unit and has wires running out to the remote volume controls, usually installed near the helm. I have two volume controls, one for the tower speakers and one for the cabin/bow speakers. I also have one for bass control, but it was the one tied to the tower speakers that ended up being the problem. It was probably shorted out. When it was replaced, everything works fine all around.

The wake plate issue ended up being the circuit breaker tripped back in the engine compartment. It took a while to locate this, but once reset, everything works fine.