Stereo not what it used to be
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Southern Indiana
Stereo not what it used to be My stereo just doesn't sound like it used to and I can't seem to figure out why. I put in an Apline CDA-9851 head unit last summer and it sounded better than the stock monsoon that was in it. Well my friend just got a formula with monsoon and it sounds sooooo much better than mine (kinda like mine used to). Way better bass. We've swapped speakers and monsoon amps and nothing changes, they both sound like they did before the swap. Any ideas on what to check next?
Sound "memory" is really terrible, but it sounds like you have a very clear A-B comparison to your friend's car. And it is absolutely true that all else being equal, an aftermarket deck should result in better sound quality.
I am assuming that your systems are 100% matched, except that you have an Alpine deck installed and he is 100% stock. Both coupes, both TA's, etc. Please verify this is true.
If it is true, this is what I can think of to check:
1.) Have you changed any of your factory wiring? The deck should be hooked up just right at the dash using a standard harness. If you bypassed the monsoon amp then that is the problem right there, most likely. The monsoon amp is stronger than a head unit amp.
2.) Are your head unit connections out of phase? (-/+ swapped).
3.) Does your radio have any high-pass filter settings or other things which could trim bass?
I am assuming that your systems are 100% matched, except that you have an Alpine deck installed and he is 100% stock. Both coupes, both TA's, etc. Please verify this is true.
If it is true, this is what I can think of to check:
1.) Have you changed any of your factory wiring? The deck should be hooked up just right at the dash using a standard harness. If you bypassed the monsoon amp then that is the problem right there, most likely. The monsoon amp is stronger than a head unit amp.
2.) Are your head unit connections out of phase? (-/+ swapped).
3.) Does your radio have any high-pass filter settings or other things which could trim bass?
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Southern Indiana
Both cars are firebirds (mine is a TA and his is a Formula) with the same original equipment. I haven't changed any wiring since the original head unit install. I don't know about it having any filters so i'll have to check on that one. Is there anything that could have come loose anywhere causing this? Does the monsoon amp have a fuse that could have blown allowing the stereo to still work just not as well? Thanks in advance.
If the original head unit install was just a regular harness install (being that you didn't explicity re-wire everything to avoid using the monsoon amp), then the problem must be in either your head unit output/settings or the monsoon amp itself.
I don't think it is very likely that the monsoon amp would be "weak". Either it is working or it is not, though you could have a dead channel or two. For example if one of the sub channels was dead or something that would explain it.
I don't think it is very likely that the monsoon amp would be "weak". Either it is working or it is not, though you could have a dead channel or two. For example if one of the sub channels was dead or something that would explain it.
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About the only thing left the is your head unit settings. Looking up some details on the 9851 it seems to have a parametric EQ. Are your bass settings messed up?
If you killed your battery your loudness and tone settings might have reset.
Not trying to be insulting, I know these are simple things. Just trying to help. There's absolutely no other reason for problems if you've swapped out drivers and amps already with no change - unless there is a wiring problem that is just making a speaker or two not work at all.
If you killed your battery your loudness and tone settings might have reset.
Not trying to be insulting, I know these are simple things. Just trying to help. There's absolutely no other reason for problems if you've swapped out drivers and amps already with no change - unless there is a wiring problem that is just making a speaker or two not work at all.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Southern Indiana
No offense taken, I just noticed something else that was messed up that I don't know whether or not would affect my stereo. A while back (maybe when my stereo started sounding bad, who knows) I was having problems with the rear defrost not working very well and I read on here to change the breaker to a fuse so I did that. It worked great for the defrost with no problems that I was aware of. Well I just looked at that fuse and it was completely melted and fused together so it wouldn't pop if it drew too much power (30A). I don't know if this could cause problems with the stereo or not but I figured I would throw it out there.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: Southern Indiana
Yeah we swapped amps and they still sounded the same. I'm thinking about switching head units today to see if that makes a difference. The system just sounds like the monsoon amp isn't turning on at all. Also I don't know what the hell to do about the defrost thing. 
