Issue With Stereo Install

[Bellato]

Rang the Aerpro dealer and he said to try reduce the input volume on my converter and compensate with higher input gain on my amp so I'll give that a try tonight

Funnily enough I just went through all this in the last 2 weeks.

Stage 1: Tapped into speaker wires at kick panels as all tutorials say, ran speaker wires directly to high level input of my Soundstream amp - I had crap sound, engine whine and hiss. NOT HAPPY.

Stage 2: Ran a $40 4 Channel Aerpro High to Low level converter - Better sound (via RCA), no engine whine (due to onboard isolator) but still the famous ICC hiss and pops.

Stage 3: Re tapped the wires from behind glove box (for FL, RL & RR) and under ICC (for FR) instead of tapping in the kick panels where all other previous threads all say. Ran these back under the centre console (where I also stashed the converter) and ran the RCA's to the amplifier without going down any sides of the car (where there is power). So they have a power interference free run all the way form the ICC to the amplifier.

Now I have crystal clear sound, no hisses, no pops, no loss of volume, nothing. The amplifier is running front and rear Type R's and a subwoofer. I work in a car audio place and we do heaps of BA/BF/FG's and by just doing that, I have now convinced other installers to do it that way for any installs maintaining Ford ICC.

I wonder what it is that's making the difference doing it this way? I tapped my wires in at the kickpanels and ran the inputs into the converter which sits in my glovebox, then rca's run down left side of the car along with the trigger and power runs down the right side. After trying what the aerpro rep said, might have to give this a try, but gee sounds like a lot more work lol

[k31th]

Unfortunately amplifying the signal at either the LLC or the amp itself does not help in any way, the general rule is that if you amplify at all, you will get stereo hiss.

I would love to know the difference between splicing at the locations specified by ALIAS and splicing in the kick panels...

[spinr33]

Logically you would have to think by tapping in closer to the head unit itself isn't getting any electrical interference and also running it down the centre vs running it down the side with the rest of the ford loom their fore isolating any potential electrical noise from the ford loom makes sense running down the middle isn't any harder then down the sides either

[k31th]

I understand this completely, but what I was referring to is my system which has 100% isolated wires from the splice point to the LLC, then short RCAs to my amps, and also isolated... This does not get rid of the alternator whine/hiss.

[spinr33]

So you have the line level converter directly behind the head unit ? He is susgesting this is the issue the normal speaker wires run with the power windows and normal main loom down the sides potentially getting electrical disturbance

[k31th]

Yes I'm sure that is what he is suggesting. Worth a try.

With mine, the far is mounted on the back of the passenger rear seat, speaker wires are spliced and run at least 5cm away from any other wiring, (except the tiny bit in the kick panels) and then the RCAs are short to my two amps mounted on the rear of the drivers side rear seat.

From the speakers amp back to the stock speaker wires, same deal, but as far away from any electrical source as possible. I'll have another crack at alias' suggestion anyway, to see if it makes a difference

[Bellato]

Well as K31th mentioned, tried what the guys at Aerpro said and no difference at all!

Next step might be to temporarily run shorter rca's through the middle of the car (just over the seats) to see if that makes a difference, otherwise it seems like the wires need to be cut closer to the ICC

Anyone else had this issue and even found a way to reduce the sound signficantly, if not completely?

Just really sucks buying like more than $1500 worth of gear to not get crystal clear sound

[k31th]

Unfortunately a $100 head unit would fix the problem, retaining the standard icc is the challenge. It probably can be done, but with difficulty

[Upinder]

u need a sound processor u can not get rid of it with out that
if your in melb come and take a listen to my car its run off the icc and has no hiss sound or anything it is clear as

[spinr33]

I carnt say that I have ever seen much success with any line level converter other then for subs only