Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2007 08:21:12 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson@GORGE.NET>
Subject: Elementary ? about Van sound systems..Long.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"
I've just been messing with installing a sound system into my van. I am no
audiophile and my electrical circuitry skills are laughable, so I've been
dinking around with this for a week or so, but I am 'spinning my
wheels'..just too many possible connections, etc.
Could anyone clue me in on a few basics?
Background: The system is aftermarket, from my previous vehicle, removed
and boxed for about 5 years. I tried to mark all the wires as I removed it
from the 'soon to be' racecar, but obviously I didn't do a very good job.
This set-up was extra, up there in my barn loft, and the one in my van was
awful, so I thought it would be worth trying to re-install it. I do have it
working now, sort of, but I need help getting it right. In the previous
vehicle, it was very high-end stuff, sounded really super, in the van...not
so super, yet.
The hardware is a Sony MD (Mini-Disc) player/radio head, 11 speakers
(counting the big sub-woofer box) and an auxiliary amp..Pioneer 2,3,4
channel, big. The aux amp has 6 co-ax plug sockets and 16 terminals for
speaker wire connections..
So, what I've got, so far, is all the speakers mounted into the Van..A
couple of them in the doors (the same ones that were in the doors of the old
Porsche) and the rest under the rear seat/bed.. Before I mounted the
speakers, I had the whole mess on my worktable in the shop with many
alligator clips and some 12v batteries, trying to get it to make music..It
did, but with some 'faults'...
First, the speakers were/are wired into "cross-overs", in pairs, and then
attached to the auxiliary amp a bit oddly..The amp. terminals said "bridged"
and the left and right speaker wires were cross-connected oddly...I tried to
re-connect them according to the markings I'd put on as I removed them, 5
years ago..but the markings were faded and I cut some wires during removal,
so I probably didn't get it right. 16 terminals with 4 "channels" make for a
lot of permutations..
I got the whole mess working 'sort of properly 'in that the sound was very
good, but the aux amp began cutting out after about 2 mins..It was 'cycling'
off for a few seconds, then on, then off. It was getting quite hot to the
touch after about 5 mins also.. So I thought.."Ok, this is beyond my
capability to wire into the system properly, I will leave it out and just
use the Sony (the radio/md head unit in the dash) amp, alone...and perhaps
leave off the big bass.." Which I have done...
So now it all sounds pretty good, but it lacks power to make enough
volume for the noisy Vanagon when I am at speed with all the window down,
etc.
I would like to get the extra amp working, if I didn't "fry" it by
cross-connecting it, in my ignorance.. Is there a way to bench-test
something like that, so I can see if it works, still? There are two fuses
on the amp, neither one blew..but that 'cycling' of function and the heating
up didn't seem like a good thing...
I am also not comfortable with the capacity of the Sony head unit to power
all those speakers..Some of them are fairly big..(6" co-axials) and some
powerful. The Mini-discs are coming out of the player at quite warm
temps...making me think I may have too much load on the head unit (player)
or something else perhaps wrong..
Is it possible that I've cross-wired the speakers, somehow, and am creating
heat that way? Is there a way to check the polarity (?) of the speaker
wires? I have a good (but simple) digital multimeter and I'm not 100%
positive that every connection ended up right, after a few days of trial and
error, routing under mats and behind dashes, connecting and disconnecting,
etc etc. Is there a way to check, somehow, that all the terminals are at
least + to + and - to - ?
Or should I just "punt" and take the van to some 'stereo-install' shop and
take my chances that I might get an honest tech to help me out? I can hear
em now..."Hey, this stuff is old tech, we can sell you a _____, for only
______ that will be perfect in this van"...But as I said, up front, I am no
audiophile...I don't give a hoot about 'the latest MP3..or whatever" I had
this stereo and the matching home unit to cut mini-discs and I like the
'format" so I want to make this one work for public radio and long trips...
BTW...The mini-disc format...It didn't seem to get much acceptance over
here in the USA, but I understand in Europe and Japan it was/is pretty
popular..The little discs hold about 1:20 of music/data and you can cut em
over and over. On my home machine a recording can be done at 4 times normal
speed...You can transcribe a CD onto an MD in about 15 mins...or erase the
MD in a second and re-record..The discs are about 2.5" square and enclosed
in a plastic case, so they are auto-environment friendly...
Anybody want to advise? Speaker polarity? Load on the Sony? Test for
the aux. amp? Dunce-do able? anything more?
Thanks, Don Hanson
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