Hi all,

So I installed some audio stuff in the rx8 and only the driver's side front speaker is working. What could be the issue?

If this helps, I have the following items installed:

Front:

Set of Kicker QS65.2 Components

Rear:

Alpine 6x9's

Subwoofer:

JL Audio 12W6V2 in a JL Audio Prowedge Sub Box. (Damn thing can't fit behind the seats!! It's about half an inch too tall. I have to lay it on its back or put it in the hole in the trunk!!)

Headunit:

JVC R900 BT

Metra Kit

Rockford Fosgate 4 gauge amp wiring kit.

Alpine PDX V9 5-channel amp.


I ran RCA cables from the Headunit to the Amp. Channels 1 & 2 go to the front speakers and Channels 3 & 4 go to the rear. Then obviously the sub channel for the sub.

So the amp powers the entire system. So when I start the car, the stereo comes on normally, but i only get sound from the driver's side speaker (Channel 1) and the sub. I check the Fad/Bal and its set to the middle. I checked all the connections are they are hooked up securely. Does the car have to have the same wiring throughout? I have the amp grounded to the side of the trunk. What is even weirder is that the remote bass level control that I installed won't adjust the bass. What could be the issue? Please help.

Could the amp be defective? I bought the amp brand new. The Alpine amp comes with its own speaker connector plugs. Could they be faulty? Am I missing any info here?

 

Did your RX8 have the Bose system? How exactly did you run the Alpine amp's outputs to each speaker?

What color is the amp lighting up? Blue or red? Red would indicate a problem.

Make sure all settings on your amp are solid. HP Filter multiplier set to 1X and the crossover **** at ~100-120Hz. Channel input switch on 3/4. Filter for channels 3/4 you can experiment with a bit. HP set to 80-100Hz would be fine, but I'd also try that bandpass (BP) setting as well...set around 100Hz. I personally don't like all that high-end coming from behind my head. Subsonic filter around 20Hz and the LP filter for the sub around 100-120Hz. Subwoofer input obviously set to subwoofer since you have a dedicated SUB in. Other than that, make sure the gains on all channels are set correctly (google it if you need help).

Lastly, I've just gotta make sure..... ensure all connections both at the amp and at each speaker are isolated from each other and any metal. If even one strand of wire is touching metal in the car or another speaker wire, you're amp will likely shut down that channel (Many amps would just fry, the PDX is too sexy for that). Being that only the driver's side speaker works and not the front passenger leads me to believe something like this is going on. The front right and left speakers connect to the same spot, are the same RCA cable and share the same settings on the amp. So kind of odd one side wouldn't work.

You can use a tone generator or 9V battery on each speaker wire (when disconnected from the amp) to help you get audio from each speaker. If you get nothing out, then you aren't even connected to that speaker. Try an ipod connected directly to that amp using a 3.5mm headphone jack to RCA cable. If you still don't get audio out, then you know your problem is downstream. Audio out would mean your problem is with the JVC.

 

My RX-8 has the Bose system. The amp lighting is blue. It became red and one point then I disconnected it from the battery. It turned blue again after that.

I will try to do all of the above and see what happens.

Thanks guys!

 

I followed your advice on this matter and new matters arise. Now, the speaker that was originally working does not emit sound anymore. However, the rear and the front passenger speaker work now. I noticed that when I played with the fad/bal, i could hear the front driver's side speaker when set at Max Front (Fad) Max Left (Bal). But it is very faint though.

Another issue that has come up is when I turn up the volume on my stereo, the amp (Alpine PDX V9) emits the red light and dies out. Is the amp not enough to power the whole system? What would cause it to die out? Is it a bad grounding point (grounded to the side of the trunk)? Loose connections? From a max volume of 60, I can only turn the volume up to about 11 before it dies out. The gains are currently set at about 3/5 of the max. But even when I turn down the gains to about 1/4 of the max, it still dies out.

What could be the issue? Any input on how I can resolve the speaker problem (only 3 of 4 working) as well as the amp dying out (when volume is increased) would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Checked for other forums online and it turns out some other people had the same problem with the PDX amp going into protect mode. It turns out that one person had a bad tweeter and that was causing the amp to go into protect mode (red light). Could that be the issue? My components are bad? But they are brand new? WTF?!?!