Hiss in Tower Speakers?

[philwsailz]

I know, disconnecting the RCA from the tower outs revealed that the problem is the EQ, correct?

Ding ding... We have a winner.

Back to my last post: while I am not going to point simply to the EQ as the culprit, it might be, (Wolfe, I know what you are thinking) but bottom line, it is at best passing through the voltage from your iPhone and not providing any amplification while at the same time is contributing at least some noise at its noise floor threshold.

A basic head unit will deliver 1-2 volts out at the RCA line outputs. A high-end head unit might deliver 5 or even more. Your iPhone might be putting out a quarter-volt. There just is not enough difference between the output sound from the phone and the noise floor sound of the EQ.

With a 2x line driver you theoretically will increase the voltage from a quarter to a half volt. Still not a lot but that is 3dB. 3 dB right Dave? As a result you can lower the gain of the amp by a corresponding 3 dB and in a perfect math world means you lower the relative hiss by half.

I am really teetering on the line here, so I am trying to be as objective as possible. Kicker makes a device that essentially makes your phone a source unit and has the voltage output to keep amp gains lower than you currently set them. As a bonus, the audio comes out of the 30 pin connector, and charging goes in. When plugged in your phone won't go dead.

The device is our PXi50.2. I will stop there as any more information takes my objective statements to subjective; something I avoid. Google it or ask more questions here but know it might be a solution that will allow you to keep using your current EQ.

Hope that helps

Phil
Kicker