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Head unit or amp bad?

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Old Oct 25, 2012 | 08:41 AM
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Default Head unit or amp bad?

My drivers side sail speaker only puts out very low sound, I tried another speaker but same result. So its either the amp or the head unit, how can I tell? thanks
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Old Oct 25, 2012 | 08:48 AM
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If you have the monsoon system your sails are meant for low freq they are dvc subs.
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Old Oct 25, 2012 | 12:18 PM
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there is NO SOUND coming out of the driver side...i'm not sure what you are posting about?
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Old Oct 26, 2012 | 10:33 PM
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Do u have a stock stereo and amp?
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Old Oct 30, 2012 | 08:48 PM
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Well I replaced the amp and still no sound from the rear speakers. I guess the radio is next.
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Old Oct 31, 2012 | 07:12 AM
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Before you go replacing parts for no reason, perhaps some testing and diagnostics are in order. A new head unit won't help because you are still getting sound from the other left side speakers. The HU has only four channels which the Monsoon amp splits and filters for the eight speaker locations (assuming from your screen name that it is a Camaro). Since you didn't mention problems with the left door or left hatch speakers, we can assume they're working so both the left front and left rear channels of the HU are working.

First I would swap the working right side sub to the left side and vice versa to eliminate the speakers as the problem. If the problem switches sides then you know it's the speaker. If not then you'll probably have to trace the left side speaker wires between the sail panel and the amp to find a possible break or short due to damaged insulation.
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Old Oct 31, 2012 | 11:59 AM
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At 1st it was the drivers sail that quit, now both sail speakers are dead...gotta be the radio. Replacing the amp changed nothing. Replacing both speakers changed nothing.


The amp splits the radio frt channels to the frt and rear hatch, The amp must use the radio rear chaneels for the sails. I'll find out as soon as fed ex drops the new radio off. amp only cost me 35 and the radio 50.....no brainer there. How could you test the radio or amp at home? So for 85 bucks it will bee fixed.
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Old Oct 31, 2012 | 12:39 PM
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No, the amp does not split the front channels to both door and hatch. The front channels go to the doors and the rear channels go to the hatch. The sail panel subs are the ones that get combined/filtered signal. Simply moving the fader control will demonstrate the front/rear split.

Last edited by WhiteBird00; Oct 31, 2012 at 01:01 PM.
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Old Oct 31, 2012 | 01:36 PM
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all fixed problem was the braided wire in the speaker cone where it attaches to the terminal.

Last edited by Camaroo1; Nov 1, 2012 at 09:20 AM.
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Old Nov 1, 2012 | 09:18 AM
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Originally Posted by WhiteBird00
Before you go replacing parts for no reason, perhaps some testing and diagnostics are in order. A new head unit won't help because you are still getting sound from the other left side speakers. The HU has only four channels which the Monsoon amp splits and filters for the eight speaker locations (assuming from your screen name that it is a Camaro). Since you didn't mention problems with the left door or left hatch speakers, we can assume they're working so both the left front and left rear channels of the HU are working.

First I would swap the working right side sub to the left side and vice versa to eliminate the speakers as the problem. If the problem switches sides then you know it's the speaker. If not then you'll probably have to trace the left side speaker wires between the sail panel and the amp to find a possible break or short due to damaged insulation.
Well you gave good advice, after i replaced the radio the system worked ok for a few mins then the right rear speaker stopped working!. I thought WTH now! I didn't have another set of 2 ohm speakers to try so I pulled the speakers and carefully tested them with a ohm meter.

What I found was just crazy, the ohm reading on the speakers was all over the place high and low??? I never seen anything like it before. This is why the speakers were cutting out and were noisy. After careful testing what I found was the braided wire leading from the cone to the terminal was worn at the terminal where it attaches. ALL 4 of them! I carefully unsoldered them from the terminals and cut them back a tad to good braiding and resolded them onto the terminals. System sounds great now!

Thanks for your help.
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