58 replies to this topic

[HPTDoh]

Thanks for your quick response, Slater...

Mark me down, for sure!

[Slater]

OK, I made a cable and it worked perfectly. It took waaay longer tham I thought as the pins on the DIN plug are smaller than I imagined and it wasn't exactly easy to solder all of the pins. I did finish eventually though and tried it tonight.

It works great except that I am getting engine niose when the radio is off. I think I may have a ground loop. Can anyone help diagnose where the problem may be.

Here's the ground setup:

The DIN plug going from the amp had a 12v+ power and ground in addition to the audio channels. I just connected the amp ground to the radio ground (so they are sharing the same ground - the stock radio ground on the stock Volvo radio harness). Also, the RCA cables have a ground (the shielding) which I grounded to the DIN plug itself. So all 4 RCAs ground to the metal outside of the DIN plug itself. Which as you know plugs into the AMP connector from the amp.

So I have a feeling there's a ground loop because the RCA plugs plug into the DIN plug going to the AMP and also plugs into the head unit's RCA outputs. Then the AMP connector itself is grounded to the DIN plug which grounds itself to the factory amp where it plugs in. Then the official ground from the amp and radio are connected together at the same location.

Does that make sense?

I was thinking of keeping the radio and amp ground seperate and just grounding the amp to the chassis. Another option is an "RCA ground loop isolator" that you can get at any stereo place (Best Buy, Wal Mart, Circuit City, etc).

Any ideas?

- Slater

Good news. I found the source if my ground niose and modified the cable accordingly. It works perfect now and sounds great! It sounds better than having the speakers hooked directly up to my 4x50w Pioneer head unit!

I need a total of the people that want adapter cables so I can order the appropriate parts. The price will be $20 shipped. Why is it higher than I originally thought? The cable takes longer to make than I first thought and I have to recoup my shipping costs to have the source parts shipped to me. I originally thought $10 + ~$3 or $4 shipping was enough but my time is worth more than that. I'm making $5 on these to cover an hour of my time on each cable. Each cable will come with instructions and all connections are labeled clearly.

Either email me or PM me or reply to this thread if you definitely want one. I will place my order for the parts next week.

- Slater

[HPTDoh]

Not sure if i should reiterate my request.. but just to be safe... "Mark me down"

[Hum Jim]

Count me in too I could use one real soon.
PM me about payment and shipping

Thanks

[lightsandsirens]

I'll take one too plz. Of course I'll cover extra shipping to the great white north.

[Slater]

Adapter cables are finished and ready to ship.

PM or email me if you want one.

- Slater

[JeffW]

Just sent my payment!

Slater, you rule!!!

[lightsandsirens]

Payment sent as well.

[HPTDoh]

The text on the front of my stock radio led me to believe that there was an amp somewhere in my car.. yet there isn't ! So I have an extra amp cable if Slater can't keep up w/ the demand... pm me

[Slater]

The text on the front of my stock radio led me to believe that there was an amp somewhere in my car.. yet there isn't  ! So I have an extra amp cable if Slater can't keep up w/ the demand... pm me

BTW, speaking of demand. I ran out of parts after the first batch of people and had to order more. They came and the second batch of cables went out today!

Sorry for the delay...

- Slater

[golhon]

Who would be interested in a custom adapter to hook up the factory Volvo amp to an aftermarket radio with preamp outputs? This would have a female 6-din plug on 1 end and 2 pairs of RCAs on the other as well as a remote power and ground. All shielded cabling with noise filters on the RCAs. The length wouldn't need to be long since everything is right there at the radio location - maybe 1-2'?

God bless you man... Count me in, I'll take two cables (one for my S80 and one for possible future needs).


PS Do you know when you're going to have them?

Thanks
Andrei

[Slater]

So has anyone gotten their adapter and hooked it up? How'd it work?

C'mon guys, give us an update!

[jwmerrill]

So has anyone gotten their adapter and hooked it up? How'd it work?

C'mon guys, give us an update!

Got mine. They don't do anything. HAHAHAHA just kidding, they aren't hooked up yet!

jwm

[x.data]

Hooked up my adapter w/ new HU today. works great but im gettin a nice amount of engine noise in the speakers (ground loop noise). Slater im going to need the isolated ground apadter/cable you said is possible in your instructions. tried grounding to chasis, and radio harness. dont know where to try on the HU b/c the HU is 2 pieces. In dash monitor and the brain unit. this is the kenwood kvt-815dvd. niether have a clearly marked ground anywhere, although i did try on pretty much all the screws on the brain and it didnt help.

[Slater]

Hooked up my adapter w/ new HU today.  works great but im gettin a nice amount of engine noise in the speakers (ground loop noise).  Slater im going to need the isolated ground apadter/cable you said is possible in your instructions.  tried grounding to chasis, and radio harness.  dont know where to try on the HU b/c the HU is 2 pieces.  In dash monitor and the brain unit.  this is the kenwood kvt-815dvd.  niether have a clearly marked ground anywhere, although i did try on pretty much all the screws on the brain and it didnt help.

OK, check PM.

The HUs that need isolated grounds are oddballs and comprise about 1% of all HUs out there.

As far as the chassis ground, all you need to do is test it by touching it to the metal radio cast housing itself to see if it will will ground. If the noise goes away, then just look for any screw that screws into the housing. I am not sure on the 2 piece HU - I've never seen a DVD unit personally. But I sould think the dash monitor just grounds to the brain. But it wouldn't hurt to try grounding the wire to the dash monitor for good measure. I woiuld have to have you try the new cable and it not work because you needed a chassis ground all along...

- Slater

[x.data]

Hooked up my adapter w/ new HU today.  works great but im gettin a nice amount of engine noise in the speakers (ground loop noise).  Slater im going to need the isolated ground apadter/cable you said is possible in your instructions.  tried grounding to chasis, and radio harness.  dont know where to try on the HU b/c the HU is 2 pieces.  In dash monitor and the brain unit.  this is the kenwood kvt-815dvd.  niether have a clearly marked ground anywhere, although i did try on pretty much all the screws on the brain and it didnt help.

OK, check PM.

The HUs that need isolated grounds are oddballs and comprise about 1% of all HUs out there.

As far as the chassis ground, all you need to do is test it by touching it to the metal radio cast housing itself to see if it will will ground. If the noise goes away, then just look for any screw that screws into the housing. I am not sure on the 2 piece HU - I've never seen a DVD unit personally. But I sould think the dash monitor just grounds to the brain. But it wouldn't hurt to try grounding the wire to the dash monitor for good measure. I woiuld have to have you try the new cable and it not work because you needed a chassis ground all along...

- Slater

yeah ive tried that and it didnt help. actually got a little louder. what seemd to help alot was (i know im gonna get some nasty feedback for this 1) ripping apart the factory harness, and seperating the battery, acc and ground wires from each other. wrapped them each and placed them as far as possible away from each other. the noise is much less now, but it is still audible. everything is grounded to the 2 grounds in the factory harness right now. should it all be moved to one of them? there are 5 grounds needed so hooking it all up to one small wire didnt seem like it was going to work

[jwmerrill]

Hooked up my adapter w/ new HU today.  works great but im gettin a nice amount of engine noise in the speakers (ground loop noise).  Slater im going to need the isolated ground apadter/cable you said is possible in your instructions.  tried grounding to chasis, and radio harness.  dont know where to try on the HU b/c the HU is 2 pieces.  In dash monitor and the brain unit.  this is the kenwood kvt-815dvd.  niether have a clearly marked ground anywhere, although i did try on pretty much all the screws on the brain and it didnt help.

OK, check PM.

The HUs that need isolated grounds are oddballs and comprise about 1% of all HUs out there.

As far as the chassis ground, all you need to do is test it by touching it to the metal radio cast housing itself to see if it will will ground. If the noise goes away, then just look for any screw that screws into the housing. I am not sure on the 2 piece HU - I've never seen a DVD unit personally. But I sould think the dash monitor just grounds to the brain. But it wouldn't hurt to try grounding the wire to the dash monitor for good measure. I woiuld have to have you try the new cable and it not work because you needed a chassis ground all along...

- Slater

yeah ive tried that and it didnt help. actually got a little louder. what seemd to help alot was (i know im gonna get some nasty feedback for this 1) ripping apart the factory harness, and seperating the battery, acc and ground wires from each other. wrapped them each and placed them as far as possible away from each other. the noise is much less now, but it is still audible. everything is grounded to the 2 grounds in the factory harness right now. should it all be moved to one of them? there are 5 grounds needed so hooking it all up to one small wire didnt seem like it was going to work

I'm going to install mine this afternoon. Hopefully I won't run into the same issue. I post my results later. FWIW, I'm going to hook up a KW Excelon DDX7015.

Jim

[Slater]

Hooked up my adapter w/ new HU today.  works great but im gettin a nice amount of engine noise in the speakers (ground loop noise).  Slater im going to need the isolated ground apadter/cable you said is possible in your instructions.  tried grounding to chasis, and radio harness.  dont know where to try on the HU b/c the HU is 2 pieces.  In dash monitor and the brain unit.  this is the kenwood kvt-815dvd.  niether have a clearly marked ground anywhere, although i did try on pretty much all the screws on the brain and it didnt help.

OK, check PM.

The HUs that need isolated grounds are oddballs and comprise about 1% of all HUs out there.

As far as the chassis ground, all you need to do is test it by touching it to the metal radio cast housing itself to see if it will will ground. If the noise goes away, then just look for any screw that screws into the housing. I am not sure on the 2 piece HU - I've never seen a DVD unit personally. But I sould think the dash monitor just grounds to the brain. But it wouldn't hurt to try grounding the wire to the dash monitor for good measure. I woiuld have to have you try the new cable and it not work because you needed a chassis ground all along...

- Slater

yeah ive tried that and it didnt help. actually got a little louder. what seemd to help alot was (i know im gonna get some nasty feedback for this 1) ripping apart the factory harness, and seperating the battery, acc and ground wires from each other. wrapped them each and placed them as far as possible away from each other. the noise is much less now, but it is still audible. everything is grounded to the 2 grounds in the factory harness right now. should it all be moved to one of them? there are 5 grounds needed so hooking it all up to one small wire didnt seem like it was going to work

Hmmm, well grounds seem to be a black art sorta thing. And they can be different for different setups, depending on your head unit, other equipment you/re using, where the stock harness ground terminates, the condition of your car's grounds, battery condition, alternator condition, etc etc.

The best advice is just to try multiple setups and see which combination works.

Perhaps bing or someone much more knowledgeable on car audio will chime in...

- Slater