Monsoon Replacement - No Sound?
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Teching In
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26
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Monsoon Replacement - No Sound? I know this topic has probably been beaten to death, and it certainly seems that way from all the posts I've read. But, I'm stumped...
I replaced the Monsoon head unit in my 2000(ish) Z28 with an Alpine ILX-W650 and a KTA-450 amp. As best I can tell, the radio is outputting a signal to drive the speakers, but I'm not getting any sound. Things I've checked so far:
1. Amp & head unit both have power
2. Head unit pre-outs sending ~1VAC (varies with tone/volume setting) signal to amp
3. Amp speaker outputs sending VAC to factory speaker harness (varies with tone/volume setting)
4. Plugged the factory Monsoon head unit back into the dash harness and verified speakers work
Does anyone have suggestions on further troubleshooting? I'd appreciate any pointers.
PS: The "2000(ish)" is a complete powertrain and wire harness from a 2000 Z28 that has been installed in a 1989 RS.
I replaced the Monsoon head unit in my 2000(ish) Z28 with an Alpine ILX-W650 and a KTA-450 amp. As best I can tell, the radio is outputting a signal to drive the speakers, but I'm not getting any sound. Things I've checked so far:
1. Amp & head unit both have power
2. Head unit pre-outs sending ~1VAC (varies with tone/volume setting) signal to amp
3. Amp speaker outputs sending VAC to factory speaker harness (varies with tone/volume setting)
4. Plugged the factory Monsoon head unit back into the dash harness and verified speakers work
Does anyone have suggestions on further troubleshooting? I'd appreciate any pointers.
PS: The "2000(ish)" is a complete powertrain and wire harness from a 2000 Z28 that has been installed in a 1989 RS.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
How do you have this wired? It sounds like you might have used RCAs to your aftermarket amp but then connected the aftermarket amp to the factory speakers through the factory wiring for some reason. Is there a reason you didn't run your own wiring for the speakers? Where did you tap into the factory harness... at the Monsoon amp connector or behind the head unit? The confusing thing is how you could plug the factory HU back in to test the speakers if the factory wiring has been spliced to the new amp. Any additional details you can provide would be helpful for diagnosis.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26
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Ahhh... I can see where that was pretty unclear. Let me try to "draw it out":
[ILX-W650] -> [RCA's] -> [KTA-450] -> [Metra 70-1858 Adapter Harness] -> [Factory Wiring Harness]
Does that clear things up a little?
[ILX-W650] -> [RCA's] -> [KTA-450] -> [Metra 70-1858 Adapter Harness] -> [Factory Wiring Harness]
Does that clear things up a little?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,329
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
So you're amplifying twice? Is there a reason for that? I suspect that is the problem since we know that restoring the factory HU works, proving that the Monsoon amp, wiring, and speakers work. Have you tried taking the Alpine amp out to see if the standard way of connecting an aftermarket head unit to the Monsoon system works?
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Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 26
Likes: 2
No real legitimate reason. I just recalled other headunits being int he 40-50W range and thought that the 16W rating of the ILX-W650 head unit wouldn't cut it.
I can absolutely try taking the KTA-450 amp out of the equation. It's going to require some rewiring, but should be doable.
I can absolutely try taking the KTA-450 amp out of the equation. It's going to require some rewiring, but should be doable.
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