I would like to start off by saying that you guys rock !!! I am just learning about all of this complicated car audio crap. I have found a wealth of information by surfing you message boards. My problem is I have a little system 4 JBL 6 " 180 watt speakers hooked up to a Pioneer 250 watt AMP. The problem is I lose about 6 bars of volume when my car is running compared to when it is turned off. When I am driving the stereo is not half as loud and it cuts out a lot.
Nope I will have the car sitting still have it maxed out so that the AMP is cutting out. As soon as I turn the key back so that the engine is off. The system kicks in and stops cutting out. Not only does it stop cutting out but I can then turn it up even further.
nah this isn't road noise. something is wired improperly, causing problems with the amp. this isn't good, in general terms. you need to (or have someone else) go over the wiring for both head unit and amp, and perhaps the amp to speakers as well and look for a pinned wire or cable, or something miswired. when the car is running a ground wire may be actually connected to an ignition line.
Could her battery/alternator not be putting out enough?
Try turning your car on (as in running) with the air and your lights and everything else on-see what happens. Then turn EVERYTHING off, save for the ignition. See if this makes a difference.
I could just be blowing smoke out my bum(had to go back and edit this...:-\) though.
if it were the battery, she'd have the same problem even with the car off. if it were the alternator she'd see other problems like her dash cluster gauges going crazy or lights not working properly.
Thank You Glass wolf I was at the stage of thinking that it was my alternator or battery too. Thanks for setting me straight I will get them to give it another once over. To see if they can find anything they may have missed. I thought maybe the road noise comment was directed at my minature system compared to the others on here. If it was Ha Ha good one !!!
nah, road noise has a big effect on volume, honestly. In my jeep, when I leave the driveway, I have teh volume around 9. when I come home after getting conditioned to the engine, road noise, noise from wind through the windows, etc, it's usually around 15. I don't notice till the next morning when I get in the car and jump at the loud volume heh.
Also with the volume up when you have the stereo cranked louder, your ears will close off a bit to reduce damage to the eardrums, so things tend to seem less loud after a while.
anyway none of this is your problem. yours sounds more electrical in nature.
Yeah I am going to have to bite the bullet and pull it all out and start again. I was disagreeing with the guy who put it in. I was shopping around for a 4 channel and he assured me that I didn't need a 4 channel. That he could wire all 4 speakers into a two channel. From what I am experiencing I think he was wrong. He also has it mounted in the trunk which could be causing it to over heat. I don't know much about this stuff so I can only say what is going on I have no idea why it is happening.
Just know I look like a fool when I start cursing at my stereo because I love a certain song and the piece of #$%# keeps cutting out everytime I try to turn it up. I know what you are saying about the volume thing too. That's why I don't want to go to big, have no self control. I will deaf within a week.
I know you are a hot commodity on this message board thanks for taking the time to help me out !!
if the amp drives front and rear component speakers, I'd definately go 4 channel with the amp. that'll let you use the fader to tone down the back speakers. Then you can add a mono amp later to handle a sub if you want it.