Q I have a '96 Ford F-150. My system consists of a Sony CD in-dash, Sony amp and a US Acoustics amp in mono for the sub. My problem is I cannot get rid of the alternator noise; the WHINING is driving me crazy. My power wires and speaker wires are on opposite sides of the truck, as are the interconnects. I am not sure what else I can do. I ran 8ga to a distribution block then 10ga to each amp, and each amp has its own ground. Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciatedElton HaywoodVia the Internet
A The first step is to find out how the noise is entering your system. By your description of a "whine" I would first consider the noise to be alternator based instead of ignition based. Begin by making up some RCA connectors that are shorted between the center pin and the barrel. Unplug your audio cables and plug these connectors into the inputs of the amplifier that supply the whining speakers. If the noise is still there with the car running, you either have noise entering the power leads of the amplifier or the speaker wiring is in close proximity to a noise source like other vehicle wiring. To confirm that it is not power line noise, connect the power wires to the battery of another car that is not running. If the noise is still present, relocate the speaker wiring.
If using the RCA plugs eliminated the noise, then reconnect your audio cables and connect the plugs to the front end of the cables. This will usually require female-to-female RCA adapters. If the noise persists, your audio cables are likely too close to a noisy wiring harness or a body ground path. Move the cables to see if there is any effect.
If there was no noise from the front of the cables, then your head unit is the noise source. Connect its power leads to the battery of another car that is not running. If the noise is gone, then it was entering through the power lines and can usually be filtered with a noise suppressor. If, however, the noise remains, then it is radiated noise entering the casing of the head unit. See a professional installer for the necessary repairs.
Q Hello, I wanted to know who to contact regarding LEAP software. Also what is the price tag for someone who is not in the car audio business? If you could e-mail me with any information, that would be greatly appreciated.Thank you.Name not provided
A As a LEAP user, I commend you on your goal of tackling one of the most industrial speaker enclosure design software packages available. LEAP gives me the most accurate results of a speaker's performance in real world conditions. Its incredible power is matched only by its industrial price tag. LEAP is available from LinearX at a price of $1195 for the Full Version and $395 for the Base Version.
I find LEAP to be well worth the money if you know how to use it, and even more valuable if you use the LMS analysis equipment that complements the program. Check it out at www.linearx.com.
If you are not sure if you can use LEAP, feel free to try out a simple box design program that we provide to our students. If you can use MobileDesign without any difficulty, then you may be ready for LEAP. If, however, you don't understand absolutely everything about MobileDesign just by looking at it, then you may want to consider one of the more "user friendly" software packages on the market. MobileDesign can be downloaded free of charge via the "Toronto" button at www.mobiledynamics.com/software.html.