Expert: Peter G. Lee - 1/2/2007

Question
i have a major alternator whine that i still have a problem fixing but it is not as bad as it use to be ne way to my question. before i purchased isolated filters for my RCA i would plug my speakers in my amp and i would get like a helicopter noise but when i turned my music up it would go away but when i turned my car on u cant even listen to it cuz of the whine, then when i plug the isolators in 90 of the noise is gone but when i turn up the volume i am getting an echoing sound when the music is playing and there is no bass at all i know u know don't want to much bass to ur speakers but there is none at all it is loud and it hurts my ears cuz of all the high notes. but when i unplug the filters and turn my car off and get the helicopter noise my speakers sound really good with bass and no echoing is it the filters that is causing the echoing and no bass  

Answer
Hi Jeff,
If a system is correctly installed there should be no need for any filters and there will no whining (from the alternator) or popping or echoes.
I recommend a separate battery in the trunk for a amplified system with a 75amp split charge relay.
I would suggest stripping it all out and reinstalling properly from scratch. Nice heavy duty cable from a fuse at the battery terminal directly to power on Amps, ground with same weight cable as near as possible to amp directly to chassis/body, ensure earth strap from engine to chassis is 100%.
RCA from head unit to amps and new oxygen free speaker cables from amp the speakers which should be rated at 50% over max amp output.
set input on amps to about 75%
If this is done the you should be able to run radio CD at 100% without problems, I do.

I have an old Pioneer DEH900rds with remote RDS tuner and 10 stack CD shuttle, output via RCA rear via an Alpine fader to a 4 x 125w Soundlab to 2 x 8" three way 200w Alpines and a 300w 10" sub and RCA front to a 2 x 125 Soundlab amp to 2 x 6 1/2" Pioneer 180w two ways and a pair of 2" tweeters and all in a small gull wing sports car, Boom Boom