I can't get any sound from my new head unit.
The new one has the standard ISO connectors and I bought an audioleads adapter which left the speaker connections as phono connections. So I made some little pieces of wire with a female phono at one end and spade connertors (for the ISO box) on the other. When all fitted the head unit works perfectly but no sound at all comes out.
Any ideas before I bite the bullet and pay for fitting?
p.s. Tried shouting/screaming at it.....nothing.
New head unit trouble
Moderators: IMOC Moderators, IMOC Committee Members
Re: New head unit trouble
I had this problem mate, make sure the ariel is plugged in (i know sounds daft but mine wudnt work without it!) and i'm sure i had to cut and join in another wire somethin to do with the remote out...
Neil
Neil
Re: New head unit trouble
Cheers, the ariel was attatched, but i've not checked the rest of the wires.
I don't suppose you wrote down which colour wire did what? There looks like there's a lot of stuff back there....
I don't suppose you wrote down which colour wire did what? There looks like there's a lot of stuff back there....
Re: New head unit trouble
Firstly, check the basics,
1. have you turned up the volume
2. are you playing a CD (if CD headunit) rather than trying to listen to radio. - ensures you have sound to play
3. check that the system is set to default fader and balance
If this is all fine, the wiring should be fairly straight forward. All of the speaker wires go through 1 of the 2 ISO connectors. The speaker wires are pairs of wires one being a solid colour and the other the same colour with a balck stripe the whole length of it. You should have the same coming out of your headunit though the colours themselves do not have to match. It should be a matter of following the wires. Once they're all connected, you can play with the balance and fader to ensure the spearkers are connected in the right order.
1. have you turned up the volume
2. are you playing a CD (if CD headunit) rather than trying to listen to radio. - ensures you have sound to play
3. check that the system is set to default fader and balance
If this is all fine, the wiring should be fairly straight forward. All of the speaker wires go through 1 of the 2 ISO connectors. The speaker wires are pairs of wires one being a solid colour and the other the same colour with a balck stripe the whole length of it. You should have the same coming out of your headunit though the colours themselves do not have to match. It should be a matter of following the wires. Once they're all connected, you can play with the balance and fader to ensure the spearkers are connected in the right order.
Re: New head unit trouble
I "think" the remote wire is blue mate, on mine there was nowt till i connected this a different way
Re: New head unit trouble
you sorted this yet?
if not what headunit are you running .. and where did you get your ISO Connector?
if not what headunit are you running .. and where did you get your ISO Connector?
Re: New head unit trouble
No, not sorted yet, been a bit busy. I have got a blue wire spare, with a bullet connector on it, but I can't see anywhere it could connect?
The head unit is a tevion one that aldi were doing a few weeks ago (mp3 cd player £50!) so there is the chance that it is knackered (that's the next test!).
Spent ages checking that it had standard connections and there way nothing special about it, then find out that MR2's are about as unstandard as they get.
The ISO block came with the stereo and I got the audioleads connector from a local audio place.
I'm making such hard work of this......
The head unit is a tevion one that aldi were doing a few weeks ago (mp3 cd player £50!) so there is the chance that it is knackered (that's the next test!).
Spent ages checking that it had standard connections and there way nothing special about it, then find out that MR2's are about as unstandard as they get.
The ISO block came with the stereo and I got the audioleads connector from a local audio place.
I'm making such hard work of this......
Re: New head unit trouble
I put the bullet end into the ariel feed and sat back to enjoy the sounds! Thing is I can't remeber the colour of the ariel wire Local ICE should know or someone on here...
Re: New head unit trouble
Ariel is always a lot thicker than any of the other wires ... or are we talking another ariel wire ... ie ... remote ariel up thingy ... that is usually blue or blue with a white stripe.
speaker leads are easy to figure out ... there's usually 4 pairs of colours .. one solid .. and one with a stripe
main power lead (12v)... usually igition switched ... almost always red .. with an in-line fuse
memory lead (12v permanent) usually yellow .. again with an in-line fuse
earth .. aways a stiff black cable
remote amp turn on lead .. usually blue or blue and white ... to be honest.. both the arial and amp wire do the same thing more or less.
you may have a pink wire ... or orange wire spare .. often used for controlling the dimming of the stereo when you turn your lights on.
.. have I missed any?
.. this is all from memory .. not fitted one for a few weeks now - just get yourself a muti-meter .. can't go wrong!
cheers
Dave
speaker leads are easy to figure out ... there's usually 4 pairs of colours .. one solid .. and one with a stripe
main power lead (12v)... usually igition switched ... almost always red .. with an in-line fuse
memory lead (12v permanent) usually yellow .. again with an in-line fuse
earth .. aways a stiff black cable
remote amp turn on lead .. usually blue or blue and white ... to be honest.. both the arial and amp wire do the same thing more or less.
you may have a pink wire ... or orange wire spare .. often used for controlling the dimming of the stereo when you turn your lights on.
.. have I missed any?
.. this is all from memory .. not fitted one for a few weeks now - just get yourself a muti-meter .. can't go wrong!
cheers
Dave
Re: New head unit trouble
remote amp turn on lead .. usually blue or blue and white ... to be honest.. both the arial and amp wire do the same thing more or less.
That could well be the missing link!!
Thank guys, i'll keep you posted
Re: New head unit trouble
When I fitted my stereo, I never had the Autoleads ISO block as they had none on the shelf and I had t ohave it fitted then!!
Soon discovered about balanced system. In short, front speaker wires are always in pairs (white/white with stripe and grey/grey with stripe), rear speakers (green/green and stipre and purple/purple and stripe), amp/aerial remotrew power is blue (can be blue with white stripe), dimmer is usually brown or orange. When you come to the original wiring however, this is something that even the Sphinx couldn't know.
Assuming you can get the unit to power up, but have no sound, it could be that the speaker cables aren't connected properly, which could be a result of the factory fitted pre-amps behind the passenger side panel trim.
I know this is daft, but did you have a working stereo in before you tried to fit the new one?
Having just read your post properly, have you tried running the phono connectors into an amp? Normally phono leads carry a voltage which, and please correct me someone if I'm wrong, would probably not do the standard amps any good.
Try to connect to an external amp and connect some speakers to that (with low volume so as not to blow them). If you get a sound then, then you need an amp.
Soon discovered about balanced system. In short, front speaker wires are always in pairs (white/white with stripe and grey/grey with stripe), rear speakers (green/green and stipre and purple/purple and stripe), amp/aerial remotrew power is blue (can be blue with white stripe), dimmer is usually brown or orange. When you come to the original wiring however, this is something that even the Sphinx couldn't know.
Assuming you can get the unit to power up, but have no sound, it could be that the speaker cables aren't connected properly, which could be a result of the factory fitted pre-amps behind the passenger side panel trim.
I know this is daft, but did you have a working stereo in before you tried to fit the new one?
Having just read your post properly, have you tried running the phono connectors into an amp? Normally phono leads carry a voltage which, and please correct me someone if I'm wrong, would probably not do the standard amps any good.
Try to connect to an external amp and connect some speakers to that (with low volume so as not to blow them). If you get a sound then, then you need an amp.
Re: New head unit trouble
It sounds to me like your external amp/s are not getting the activation signal, perhaps you new head unit is not designed to go with external amps. If your new unit has amplified outputs then you can get adapters to reduce the signal to a level suitable for the amps. I tried that and found it was sh*te and a waste of money. Better to run in some new wires either to each of the speakers or just to where the existing speaker wires connect to the amp and then connect them there (much easier, and you will retain the existing sub-woofer). I found that the sound was much much better than the old setup (old radio and amp = pants) and the previously un-noticed sub came to life. See this:
http://www.ashworthonline.org.uk/mr2/MR ... Aerial.pdf
I have some before and after wiring diagrams of my installation if you want them (best drop me an e-mail - see profile).
http://www.ashworthonline.org.uk/mr2/MR ... Aerial.pdf
I have some before and after wiring diagrams of my installation if you want them (best drop me an e-mail - see profile).
Re: New head unit trouble
Thanks again people. I've been really busy (lazy) but am going to give it another go soon. Ashy, you could well be getting an email soon.
I'll keep you posted
I'll keep you posted
Re: New head unit trouble
Rick,
I have uploaded the pictures anyway.
http://www.ashworthonline.org.uk/mr2/7_ ... andard.jpg
and
http://www.ashworthonline.org.uk/mr2/7_spkr_no_amp.jpg
Just ask if you need anything clarifying.
I have uploaded the pictures anyway.
http://www.ashworthonline.org.uk/mr2/7_ ... andard.jpg
and
http://www.ashworthonline.org.uk/mr2/7_spkr_no_amp.jpg
Just ask if you need anything clarifying.
Re: New head unit trouble
Im no expert on this kind of thing but i had a couple of problems fitting a new headunit to my g-ltd. Im assuming your car has the active speakers with the 2 small amps? In which case the fact that you said you got a cheap headunit from aldi makes me think that it doesnt have any non-amplified pre-outs coming from the back? In which case i thought that it wont work properly with the speaker system? I bought a sony cdxf7500 mp3 jobbie with lots of preouts on the back and that works very nicely - got to say i think the quality and sound of the unit is excellent. I also had to swap a couple of the wires over on the harness, but cant remember which Blue one sounds familiar though...
Re: New head unit trouble
Not sure, mines a UK car, late 94 L (rev 3?). Where are the amps hidden? The stereo has 2 pre amp outs on it that I might try next.
Turning into an epic this, better get my finger out.
Turning into an epic this, better get my finger out.
Re: New head unit trouble
I think they're located on the passenger side behind the seat below the rear quarter glass, if you take the facia off you should see them (someones else like to comment on this?). Either way you'll need one of these leads:
If its active and needs unamplified pre-outs as an input into the speaker system: http://caraudiosecurity.com/catalog/pro ... ts_id+1634
And if its not and needs to go to an RCA: http://caraudiosecurity.com/catalog/pro ... ts_id+1635
If this isnt quite right im sorry - im not an auto electrics expert!! - I needed the top lead. What i suggest is what i did: just take it to a car audio place and show them the adapter that is present in the car and explain you're not sure whether the speakers are active or not and show them the stereo and see what lead they come up with, maybe even get them to try it and see if you get signal through? Hope that helps!
If its active and needs unamplified pre-outs as an input into the speaker system: http://caraudiosecurity.com/catalog/pro ... ts_id+1634
And if its not and needs to go to an RCA: http://caraudiosecurity.com/catalog/pro ... ts_id+1635
If this isnt quite right im sorry - im not an auto electrics expert!! - I needed the top lead. What i suggest is what i did: just take it to a car audio place and show them the adapter that is present in the car and explain you're not sure whether the speakers are active or not and show them the stereo and see what lead they come up with, maybe even get them to try it and see if you get signal through? Hope that helps!
Re: New head unit trouble
IT'S IN AND WORKING
I thought it'd never happen. I spliced the blue remote wire into it's opposite number and bought 2 'Y' connector leads to change 1 set of pre outs into 2. Had to pull a bit off the head unit cover so it'd sit in the existing hole.
Thanks for all the help along the way guys.
p.s. Just for info, I think the stereo is earthed via the ariel. There was no power at all until it was plugged in.
I thought it'd never happen. I spliced the blue remote wire into it's opposite number and bought 2 'Y' connector leads to change 1 set of pre outs into 2. Had to pull a bit off the head unit cover so it'd sit in the existing hole.
Thanks for all the help along the way guys.
p.s. Just for info, I think the stereo is earthed via the ariel. There was no power at all until it was plugged in.