WS-420 install

So I'm not a wiz on stero install, and have a few questions on installing my WS-420. The instructions are a bit lacking.

1. The orange wire, labled rem. Is that to hook the remote from the head unit into? If so, do I attach the head unit wire to the eq along with the wire to the amps?

2. Which output from the head unit should I use, the sub, front or rear?

Thanks for the help.

Wire the orange wire to the remote turn on from the deck. Yes you will run the remote wire from there to the amps. Use the front output from the deck to the main on the eq. Get ready for some seriously annoying noise issues with this thing.

nu bu -

What do mean by "annoying noise issues?" I just ordered one and was planning the install next weekend. Do you not like yours?

Please clarify.

You will be chasing down noise you never had before, popping, clicking, fuzzy static, etc... I got rid of it all accept the loud azz static coming from all the speakers when the volume is at zero. Yes the gains are adjusted properly.

Nu Bu -

Damn, not what I was hoping for. How did you get rid of your interference? Was it a grounding issue? Is you stereo stock or aftermarket?

By the way, when are we ever going to be able to use our boats here in Seattle. I have 5 inches of snow on my sundeck from last night. This is getting tiring...

I don't know but I got 6 inches at my house last night, this is crazy. I feel bad for those people that de-winterized their boats and are sitting outside in this.

As far as the 420 goes, just hook it up and see what it sounds like. I recommend not going over 4v on the line driver of this thing, it's way to sensitive and introduces to much noise into the system. So don't adjust the main input gains on the eq over 1/4 of the way up. I run a sony deck with 3 4v pre-outs. My system sounds crystal clear without the 420. If you're having the popping or clicking sounds after the install of the 420 try running a new ground for your deck and the eq. Next check all of your rca cables, make sure they are as far away from power sources as possible. This eq will pick up everything and magnifies it.

Nu Bu, you got 6" at your house last night? Did ya lube up first at least?

So is your system better or worse off after the 420? Any chance the 420 designation is tied to it's originol meaning?

Seriously 6" of snow no joke, leave it to you to go gay with that. I don't swing that way, not sure about you though. It's almost gone now after all the rain. Nope I was talking about the EQ, don't partake in the traditional 420 meaning. My system is 100% worse off with the 420. To be fair I'm sending it back in after talking to wetsounds. The right channel is shutting off when the in boat speaker knob is turned all the way up, you back it off a little and it comes back on. They think it might be defective. I've got a nasty hiss coming out of the speakers, especially the towers, but I've heard another system with the 420 which has the nasty hiss with 0 volume. I hooked everything back up to the deck without the eq and it sounds awesome. I actually think I'll just sell the 420 when they send me a new one.

(Message edited by 05mobiuslsv on April 19, 2008)

Yah the snow is so retarded! Hey don't go tellin' my wife I'm gay she'll freak out again. With regards to the 420 that was for the people at Wetsounds. I too am pass on grass all the time. People always trip when I tell them I have never tried it. For those that don't know that's pretty tough to do up here in the great northwest with fertile grounds here and BC bud being just and hour and a half away.

I've never been much of an EQ man (more of a boob guy)and can't really understand the fascination with them here on WW (EQ's that is). I can't imagine needing one of them on my boat.

i run the an arc audio peq and have to problems with it
have the pre-outs set at 8v running to cadence amps
sounds like you just a eq with bad internal grounds
i have heard a lot of people having problems with feedback using the 420

Crap! i just bought one of those!
i dont want to go thru all the trouble and expence of installing it just to discover it is noisy and needs to be removed.

Nu Bu,

Is the noise evident with the motor on or off? I have a 420 and it sounds great, but I have not tried it with the motor running.

I have the hiss too. We've done everything to try and get rid of it with no luck. I really like the idea of it, but the hiss at 0 volume is annoying.

I don't have the 420 but I would never put a boat system with tower speakers together without EQ's. I have two half-din EQ's stacked on top of each other controling my system, one controls the tower and the other, the cabin speakers. The system would be second rate without em'.

(Message edited by wake upppp on April 20, 2008)

I am hoping Tim from Wetsounds chimes in on this feedback issue.

Yo I feel you guys with this weather 80 one weekend, snowin the next- not cool at all.

Sparky Jay, I (and anyone else who's listened to my system) must not have very discriminating ears because when I listen to it, it sounds really good. Then again I have always been able to accept mediocrity.

Hopefully I can get my problem fixed, I like the idea of using this 420 but I won't put up with any noise that it seems to be making.

I know what sound nu bu is talking about..i have 4 pro 60 hooked up and when volume is at 0 there is just like kindof a staticky soumd but not very loud at all though ,,,but it doesnt bother me...it also could be becuz i never have my volume at 0...i am n lov with mine

Hate, thats great YOUR system works how you like. The EQ's that Tim at Wetsounds recommended for MY setup were the answer for the adjustability that I needed with MY system. How do you turn something I said about MY system into something about yours?

It's easy I'm manipulative. Actually, I thought you meant that any system would be second rate without an EQ but I see you have edited it you crafty ol'vet. Dude, seriously I'm not easily offended unless you say my ass looks fat in my jeans. To be honest with you I'm never happy with my system so I'm always spending money on it which my wife loves.

Tom, I was thinking the same thing. I thought we would of heard from Tim by now. I'm sure he'll chime in...

I hope he (Tim) was out on the water having a good time this weekend. We up here in the great Pacific Northwest have been digging out from a nice spring snow storm. Our weather SUCKS!!!!!

Nu Bu,

Thanks for the help. I got the EQ in today, but ran out of time to install the amps.

I hope I don't hear the buzz you are talking about. Never thought a simple question would generate the kind of response it has gotten. Can anyone suppply a positive response to the WS-420? Before this post, I had heard nothing but good about the unit.

P.S. If anyone cares, it was in the 80's in North Texas.

Hate N Pain, its easy enough....trust me.... haha

Good luck with the install Brian, hope you don't have any noise issues. You'll really like the EQ it's pretty cool.

Sorry guys, been out of town as usual. We are already working with NuBu on swapping his WS 420 out. His is a bad unit. We have also found a bad batch out of this production run. Most are 100% perfect with no noise. Some have a tiny bit. As with any EQ though, they will amplify pre existing issues. Even if you couldn't hear them before, they may have been there just not too loud.

So don't worry about it. And as with any Wet Sounds product. As most of you know. We stand behind our products 100% and will do whatever we need to make sure you are satisfied.

Tim
Wet Sounds

tim is there a way for us to know if we have one from the bad batch? i would rather not spend alot of time chasing my tail.

tim is there a way for us to know if we have one from the bad batch? i would rather not spend alot of time chasing my tail.

Tim thanks for coming on here and addressing this issue and clearing some things up. It's nice to know you guys have identified the problem and are taking the steps to correct it. Geyver was very helpful on the phone and after a very lengthy conversation he decided I should send mine in. I'm sure you coming on here really put some peoples mind at ease that were getting ready to install or purchase the unit.

All,

Try this. Unplug the microphone from the system. And see what that does. After doing some more testing, the few from this batch seem to be getting the noise from the microphone side. No mic, no noise. I have found a way to add a different resistor to the mic internally and no noise. I need to do some more testing. But anyone who has one and has noise, please try that and e mail me and gyver@wetsounds.com and let me know if it works. And then we can go from there. As it may just need a new mic and not a new eq for yours.

Also, grounding is very important. Make sure to gound the black wire to the battery. Same with the head unit. Also, try to add a chassis ground to the EQ. And even the head unit. You can add a wire with a crimped ring and screw it into one of the holes that is used for the mouting tabs.

Tim
Wet Sounds

Tim -

Thanks for getting back to us on this. I knew the Wetsounds customer service would get right on this issue. I just ordered my WS-420 thru Wakeside, which stated on their website that they would not get a new batch of these items until the week of April 21st.

My question is: Are you holding shipments of new WS-420s to your distribution chain until this problem is fixed?

Thanks again.

No, since this is only an issue on some of them and the fix is very simple for now. (Unplug the mic) (we will then have new mics for those who have any noise) But we have only gotten a few back compared to how many have been sold and installed. So they should have inventory. As we have a ton of them in stock and ready to ship.

Tim
Wet Sounds

Tim -

So the resistor change is in the handset of the mic and not on the CCA located in the headunit? Therefore, if I did get noise with the mic installed, all I would have to do is get a new mic from Wetsounds?

Tom, yes you are correct the change is in the handset and not the eq itself. So if unplugging the mic fixes it, then we can just send you a new mic. I will have to do some more testing and then build up some mics. It is so weird as 99% of them dont do it.

Tim
Wet Sounds

Thats what I love about this site and community it's small enough that owners of company's (WS, NVS, BULLET, SANGER) get on here and answer questions and solve problems. Customer service and quality product sells me every time over price. Kudo's Tim for standing behind your product.

Tim,
Will the new mic be able to be turned up higher. I get feedback if I put it over 1/4. I too will try unplugging the Mic because I have the dreaded hissssssssssssssss.

Let this be a lesson to all customers. When you purchase a product make sure you factor in the service you will recive to the price. If this was any of the big five audio we would all be scratching are heads and getting the run around.
Tim my hats off to you. I personaly think it is awsome that you give your customers this kind of service. thank you for being a buisness owner that cares about his product and his customers.

Mike,

It depends on the boat. All mics will feedback. If it is near a speaker etc...So your max volume will be your max volume in your set up.

Also, make sure to turn the mic volume all the way down when not in use. This elminates the hiss in most systems. For those with hiss, try that first, then unplug the mic. Most of the time, it is just turning the mic volume down and the hiss goes away. As with the mic volume up, you have the mic bleeding over.

We have been testing a few today that we had people send back and are finding no noise when set up properly. So all are no problems found.

So it seems that most of them are issues with the gains up too high as number one cause. Second is keeping the mic volume up when not in use. Third is not good ground. And then the few that are, had the mic issue as mentioned above.

So what I am doing is re writing the manual with a better step by step install guide and also how to set the gains on the line driver etc....

Tim
Wet Sounds

liljohn,

Thanks. I truly appreciate it.

As anyone can send a product overseas and copy it, as we have seen A LOT lately. It takes a completely different company to not only have the know how to engineer and design cutting edge products but to have the ability to stand behind the product and support it.

Anyone can sell some speakers or such. But to build a brand means you not only must have great products but great customer service. I want to make sure every single person is 100% happy with our products and we do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Tim
Wet Sounds

Tim,

Me and my brother both have ws-420's. We are both running Alpine PDX amps and wetsounds pro80's, and we are both having huge noise issues with the unit plugged in. We are both racking our brains trying everything suggested above with no results. Should we both send the units back?

Call up wetsounds tech support first and ask for John Geyver. He'll have to give you an RA number to return it anyways.

OK so who isn't having problems with this unit? unless i can hear some "i love it and no problems" i am not buying one.

I am having no problems with mine and love it!

To All,

We have sold hundreds and hundreds with very few noise issues. Those that did have noise issues. We swapped them out and have tested the ones we got back and 99% have no issues found.

The noise issues are related to the install and not the WS420. Anytime you run a line driver, you are amplifying what could be pre existing issues.

James, I know Adam Curtis from here had some issues with noise on his boat and pdx amps. He was NOT using our eq but an eq from someone else. I am not sure if his was amp related or what the final deal was.

The biggest issue we are seeing is a combination of the following.

1) eq gains are set too high
2) bad grounds for eq, for head unit and for amps
3) bad rca's or cheaper rca's that are picking up noise
4) having the mic volume set high at all times when not using the mic

So make sure you eq and head unit and amps are all grounded at the battery with good wire. Make sure you have good rca's and they are not run next to power wires. Make sure to set the eq gains about mid way or a tad less than mid way.

And please email gyver@wetsounds.com or call us at 877-938-7757. Gyver can walk you through the proper install and set up.

Tim
Wet Sounds

As I have stated in previous threads, I run this unit and have been EXTREMELY happy with it. Most on this site know I am an audio freak and would not be happy with any type of equipment that brought a hiss with it. Triple check your gains/grounds and I think you will be very happy with the 420. For multiple amp systems, it is probably not plug and play (nor is any EQ). You will likely have to re-tune to some extent, but it will be well worth it. Where else can you exactly tune any type of music so that is sounds perfect in the boat and on the tower speakers in a few seconds?

I hope I have the same luck when I get the new one.

NuBu- I bet you will, I didn't really have any issues chasing noise. I bet you just got a bad one. Still unfortunate to have to waste all the time troubleshooting etc. , but I bet once you get the new one dialed, you will think it was all worth it

Looks like we have several 420 experts here.. hope no one minds me asking a quick few Q's before I buy?

Am I right in thinking you can adjust the eq output to the boat and tower separately? so I could have minimal bass going to my tower speakers but considerably more to my boat speakers? and how would you do this?

Also, what happens to the subwoofer level as you turn the dial between tower and boat - say we wanted a quieter boat but the rider wanted tunes so I turned the dial to be fully on the tower - would the sub cut out or stay at the volume level dictated by the headunut? - is it totally independant of where the boat/tower dial is or does it follow this in anyway?

Thanks guys

Brit everything is independent and you will have the ability to adjust everything. Tower separate, boat speakers separate, sub separate. Go to their website and check it out, you'll get a better idea by looking at it. It's a sweet unit and can't wait to get it back.

hey Brit, nu bu is right. You can adjust or tune all of them seperate. as far as the sub goes it`s volume stays with the boat out put. so when you turn the boat output down and the tower output up the subwoofer will be down. hope that helps. personaly I like my 420. wouldnt trade it or the customer service.

Brit, check out the pdf:

http://www.wetsounds.com/media/products/ws420/Wet%20Sounds%20WS420%20User%20Manual.pdf

Brilliant! I'll get some ordered this week