How to deal with extraneous sounds from the speakers

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Many drivers often face the question of how to get rid of interference (whistling, noise from the speakers), which often occur in car acoustics.

This problem can occur in any stereo system, regardless of what category the equipment belongs to, whether it is budget Chinese, mid-budget or premium. Therefore, we recommend that you read this article for a more accurate analysis of potential sources of bad sound and ways to eliminate it.

Basic installation rules:

• First rule. In order for car audio to be as clear as possible, it is necessary to purchase the highest quality power cables and speaker / interconnect wires. With limited funds, the main focus should be on interconnect cable connectors. During the operation of the car, its electrical system inevitably creates electromagnetic fields that are diverse in quantity, power and frequency characteristics. They are the main cause of noise that penetrates poorly made shields of RCA cables.
• Second rule. Interconnect cables should be laid in such a way that they are located as far as possible from other elements of the vehicle's electrical wiring. And also they should not be close to the power wires leading to the sound system. Note that noise penetration will be reduced if the intersection of speaker wires and power cables is mounted at a right angle.

• Third rule. Never purchase RCA cables that are oversized. The shorter the length, the less likely it is to generate electromagnetic pickup.
• Fourth rule. A well-designed installation of a car audio system provides for the grounding of all elements of the system at only one point. Otherwise, when components are grounded in randomly selected places, so-called "ground loops" appear, which are the main cause of interference when playing music.

In more detail about how to properly connect the amplifier, we examined "here".

Ground Loops and Installation Considerations

The fourth rule above says that one of the reasons why there is extraneous noise in the speakers is the presence of "ground loops". Their presence in several places causes the generation of different voltages in certain parts of the vehicle body. This leads to the appearance of additional noise.

The car body, in fact, is a large mass of metal, which is used as a "ground" for electrical circuits. Its electrical resistance is minimal, but it exists. It has no effect on the operation of the electrical equipment of the transport itself, which cannot be said about the sound system. Since there are voltages of different potential between the points of the body, microcurrents arise, to which the filling of the speaker system is very sensitive.

To prevent the presence of sound noise, you should use the following rules:

• The grounding scheme is created so that all components of the "mass" converge to one point. An excellent solution is to use the negative terminal of the battery or a point on the body where the negative terminal of the power supply is grounded. When choosing wiring, emphasis should be placed on stranded high-quality wires, the production of which uses deoxygenated copper. The place of contact of the cable with the body must be cleaned from paint, dirt and rust. It is recommended to terminate the cable by crimping or soldering a special tip in the form of a ring of suitable diameter. When creating ground and power wiring, buy gold-plated connectors and terminals;

• The metal parts of the audio system must not come into contact with the vehicle body anywhere. Otherwise, when installing acoustics with your own hands, the car owner will provoke the appearance of a ground loop, with all the ensuing consequences;

• Once all the wiring is connected to the radio and two pairs of speakers, check its performance. Turn on the stereo system and test with the antenna disconnected. Ideally, there should be no noise;
• Next, you need to disconnect the stereo ground from the body. If everything is done correctly, the sound will disappear, the radio will turn off. This is direct evidence of the presence of a single ground point and the absence of loops. No one will give a 90% guarantee of the absence of noise, however, you will protect yourself by XNUMX percent.
  
  It also happens that when installing an audio system, it is not possible to ground all the elements at a single point. The solution to the problem is the selection of another point for connecting the mass. This case is effective only when the voltage difference between the base and additional ground points does not exceed 0.2V. Alternatively, the amplifier is grounded to the rear of the car, and the equalizer, radio and crossover are on the body partition between the engine and the passenger compartment.

I would also like to note that a good filter in the system is the presence of a capacitor.

How to get rid of noise?

We figured out the causes of noise and advice on the proper installation of wires and equipment. Consider further what tactics should be followed in cases where, for example, the engine is gaining momentum, provoking the appearance of noise and interference?

Solutions are described below:

• Disconnect the head unit from the audio system. If there is no noise, the latter should be grounded to a common point on the body, which is used by other acoustic components.

• If the noise persists, and the cells are grounded in different places, take a multimeter and check the voltage between the ground points of all components and the grounded battery terminal. If you find a difference in the results, you should equalize the voltage between all components. A good solution in this case is to ground all the components in one place, or find an alternative place where the voltage between the components will not differ. There must be a minimum voltage level between all enclosures in the system. Readings are checked by measuring the difference in voltage between the shields (braids) found in RCA cables in any combination.
• If you find an absolutely minimal result in the voltage difference during the test with a multimeter, noise from interference can appear for a number of other reasons: The first of these can be the proximity of the RCA wires to the power cables. wiring. The second reason may be the parallel and close location of the acoustic wires to the power cable, or the non-observance of the right angle of intersection. And also make sure that the amplifier case is properly insulated. In addition, a poorly grounded antenna can create loops and cause interference. The last reason may be the contact of the acoustic wire with the vehicle body.
  

  

  Conclusions

In the event that whistling or additional problems are observed in the operation of the speakers, be sure to check the speaker layout in your vehicle. Failure to follow the recommendations, the use of low-quality or damaged materials is guaranteed to create big problems in the operation of the stereo system.

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