Stereo gurus please chime in!

Firstly my understanding of sound systems and associated terminology is very basic so go easy on me:-) As I often do I jumped into my 08 210 today to pump up the sounds and enjoy some of my favorite tunes from the factory Clarion & Polk audio setup. Since day one the system sounded great to me and has performed flawlessly.....until now that is:-( The sound emitting from the cockpit and tower speakers at low volume was ok, distorted at mid volume and unbearable at a higher volume. What would cause this to happen so suddenly (incorrect amp settings, blown amp(s), speakers or faulty head unit/connections??) Also what do the crossovers do and how do you set these up correctly? Any help is greatly appreciated!

If the problem relates to different speakers driven by different amplifiers (your system will have two if it has a subwoofer) then you have to look at common causes. In this case I would inspect all major supply and ground terminations for secureness and look for any evidence of corrosion. Then you have to verify that you have a healthy voltage. Check to see what the resting voltage is at the primary terminals of the amplifier.
Its unlikely that settings have changed on their own.
If you have a singular amplifier then disconnect it temporarily and listen only to the bow speakers which are probably driven by the source unit power. This may isolate a problem with the source unit (water damage for example) or possibly eliminate it as a cause. Then use a 3.5mm to RCA adapter so that an ipod or MP3 can play the amplifier directly to isolate the amplifier(s).
Similarly you can isolate and eliminate one component at a time. Since the problem is global as described I doubt you'll have to go into much more depth to find the culprit.

David
Earmark Marine

Originally Posted by david_e_m

If the problem relates to different speakers driven by different amplifiers (your system will have two if it has a subwoofer) then you have to look at common causes. In this case I would inspect all major supply and ground terminations for secureness and look for any evidence of corrosion. Then you have to verify that you have a healthy voltage. Check to see what the resting voltage is at the primary terminals of the amplifier.
Its unlikely that settings have changed on their own.
If you have a singular amplifier then disconnect it temporarily and listen only to the bow speakers which are probably driven by the source unit power. This may isolate a problem with the source unit (water damage for example) or possibly eliminate it as a cause. Then use a 3.5mm to RCA adapter so that an ipod or MP3 can play the amplifier directly to isolate the amplifier(s).
Similarly you can isolate and eliminate one component at a time. Since the problem is global as described I doubt you'll have to go into much more depth to find the culprit.

David
Earmark Marine

Awesome David... my system has two amps so will start by looking at all the major connections you describe. Is it possible all the speakers have blown and how do you check for this? The manual says there is built in protection to stop this happening. How do I check for a healthy voltage (volt meter?) and what should it be? Is this voltage anyway related to battery condition? Is it ok to disconnect both amps to listen to the bow speakers and isolate the head unit? When you say isolate and eliminate one component at a time, assume you mean disconnect one amp to diagnose the other and vice versa? Finally assume I need to disconnect the battery before disconnecting/making any connections? Sorry if any of these questions sound retarded..as I said my technical knowledge is limited. Thanks man, some great advice and EASY to understand!!

Bevan,
Its hard to believe that you torched every speaker on the boat without realizing it. But all it takes is a couple of blown speakers to ruin the entire sound. So isolate various speakers with the balance or fade. Once you have isolated a bad speaker or channel you can also rotate RCAs and speaker wiring in order to determine if the problem is upstream or downstream in the signal path. But always clearly label every wire before making any changes so that you leave bread crumbs.
Yes an inexpensive multimeter is an essential tool. With that and a couple of jumpers you can diagnose most any problem.
After winter/summerazation grounds often get left off. The system can derive a ground from alternate interconnecting sources that will allow operation but only up to a certain current level.
Resting voltage on a healthy and fully charged battery should be 12.6 to 12.7 volts. Everything should play fine at 12 volts. Around 11 volts and below can allow the system to play but it can start misbehaving.
If you are going to remove any amplifier primary supply cables you will want to disconnect the battery first via the switch, breaker, fuse or terminal. If you are making any other disconnects like remote turn-on leads, RCAs or speaker connections then you only need to make sure that the source unit is turned off first.
If you are getting confused then you might draw up two illustrations, one of the signal path and one of the power path of your system. This will keep things straight and uncluttered.
Other than that you are just going to have to roll up your sleeves and invest the effort. Check the voltage first, all physical connections second, and then start the process of isolation and elimination.

David
Earmark Marine

Once again David...great advice! Time now to roll the sleeves up as you say and get amongst it. Cheers!

Turned out to be a simple issue with the batteries. Thanks again David for your help...I learned a lot!