I didn't realize until too late that upgrading car audio is a slippery slope. In a quest to improve the sound in my 03 EB Expedition (with in-dash CD changer and stock DVD), I first decided to put in new speakers: Infinity 575.5s, which fit well in the door panels. Then I decided to upgrade the amp, not realizing at first that there isn't much room to install an amp stealth in the Expedition. I ended up putting in a Zapco amp that fits perfectly in the compartment where the jack is stored. So far so good, right?

The problem is that the sound is pretty bad: even with good CDs, the stereo hisses like an old tape deck. The highs are pretty harsh, and I seem to have no bass! On top of this, I discovered that somehow the DVD audio level control got bypassed, and now the volume of DVDs can't be controlled (I had the install done at a shop in NYC).

At this point I wish I had stuck with my factory setup, which at least wasn't painful to listen to.

My theory is that hiss is caused by amplifying the signal twice, first at the HU then at the amp (I am using a line output converter).

So what do I do next, upgrade the head unit? Seems like this is the weak link. Someone told me that it's tricky to get a new HU to work with the factory DVD player. Is this the case? I also want to keep the steering wheel controls. If I do upgrade the HU, what should I look for? I would like to be able to use an MP3 player with it... Does anyone have suggestions for a HU that will look more-less like it belongs in the car? Also, has anyone upgraded the sub stealth?

Any and all ideas appreciated.

 

It sounds like there is alot of magnetic/electrical interference thats getting into the wires somehow. You can do a couple of things. First is make sure that all the connections are clean and none of the wires are stripped and grounding themselves. Next you could get a noise filter. This helps take out all the junk that gets mixed into your sound. These are normally pretty cheap, and should help. If you go to crutchfield they will probably have the proper wiring and head unit that will work with your dvd player, but if your origional amp worked then i doubt its the head unit, but it could be. Hope that helped you out.

 

The first thing I'd do is take it back to the shop that did the install and ask them what they intend to do to make this right. Talk with the manager if you must...prepare to be firm.

If you don't get anywhere with them, and feel you have to tackle it yourself, take a look at this new product:

http://www.jlaudio.com/press/CleanSweep05.html

I spoke with a JL exec the other day; they're really big on this product.

You can also check all the connections (though I think your problem is more than just a loose connection), and consider upgrading your interconnects if you think you may be getting alternator noise into the sound system.

I'm not sure what to do about your DVD player...you could run the audio through a product like AudioControl's HPX, but that's starting to get a little involved.

Good luck...

 

I was thinking that the upgrade to the speakers and amp revealed flaws in the HU, but this doesn't seem to be the case. Rather, it seems that the installation was faulty. I'm taking it back in tomorrow. We'll see what happens (I've lived in NYC for 11 years, and I know how to get my way).

 

Yeah I would definetly go back to the shop, sounds like they ran a poor ground or two and didnt run interconnects on opposite sides. Any reputable shop should say they will fix it free of cost (probably just re-run all wires, and work it out from there), if not, then as you said you've lived in new york for 11 years and know how to get your way. I would not recommend getting a new deck, although it will sound a lot better it will not work well with your dvd player, and I really like the stock look on the new expys (personal opinion, I have a 99 eb expy with an eclipse in it and wouldn't have it any other way). Good luck with everything, let us know how it all turns out.

 

Well, it worked out well. When I took the truck in, the guy at the shop gave me a new Zapco amp and new, high-quality line converters. He then spent some time adjusting the gain, which seemed to be cause of the hiss. Now everything sounds great.

BTW, the installer also advised me not to replace the HU -- too much work and money to get everything working. Now the only weak link is the bass: it's not easy to replace the crappy stock sub, apparently. I think I'll leave the system as is for a while.

I do recommend the Zapco 360 amp: it fits perfectly in the jack compartment on the new Expeditions. With that and new speaker, you get a petty big improvement.