CactusGeorge

I just installed a Soundstream EGA-5700 five channel amp and a pair of Focal 690CA speakers in the rear deck.

The amp has a 4 gauge power cable to the battery (per rotarygod's thread). A 4 gauge ground wire (4 ft long) is bolted to the side of the trunk. The amp remote wire is connected to the accessory plug in the console.

At this point the amp is only running the rear deck speakers. Inputs are taken from the input connector of the now disconnected Bose amp.

System sounds good. However, everytime I turn the key from Off to ignition, a loud pop is sent to the speakers (not good for the ears or the speakers!) I would expect the amp to have a power-up delay, but apparently this is not the case.

Anyone know how to cure the start-up Pop?
(rotarygod mentioned putting in a diode or something, but where/how?)

CactusGeorge

I'm going to tap into the HU connector with the hope of keeping the cleanest possible signals.

This probably won't fix the popping problem, which is probably either a ground loop or power-on delay issue, but hopefully will provide better quality audio than the harness wiring.

Attached is a doc of the HU signals (as best as I can tell after reviewing the posted schematics.)

tommy12g

You have a bad ground, make sure the connection for the ground is on to bare metal not painted metal, you might want to take a dremmel and scrub it until it shines ie completely stripped metal

CactusGeorge

Thanks for the suggestion tommy12g.

I cleaned the metal at the ground point (see attached picture), but the popping at ignition turn on is still there

Perhaps the head unit and amp must be grounded at the same point?

A Stinger pop-stopper is on its way--I think this is just a relay with a power-on delay for the amp remote wire--should be here Monday. One of these solutions should work (I hope...)

CactusGeorge

Just installed the Stinger SPSON pop stopper and this seems to have done the trick.

I ordered the part from SoundDomain.com (part # STISPSON) for $16.95.
Note: When I called SoundDomain, the sales person did not know of any product to stop ignition-on pops--just happened to find this item by searching through their web site...

CactusGeorge

Just wanted to clarify: The picture that I posted on this thread is for the connector at the back of the HU, not for the connector at the rear (deck) amplifier...

rotarygod

Unfortunately the turn on pop is fairly common with using the accessory power wire as a remote turn on. Using a relay will generally do the trick.

Did you think the power wire was run in a decent way? I found it to be the easiest way to do it. It only takes a few minutes to unbolt everything and reinstall it.

CactusGeorge

Hello Rotarygod:

I ran a 4 guage wire per your thread instructions: direct from battery to waterproof inline fuse (about 8 in. from battery), through the firewall and to the amp.

Ground is secured in the trunk via a 4 ft 4 guage wire bolted to clean metal.

If I wasn't so eager to get my car put together, I'd take the HU apart and look to tie into the power-on switch. ..

The Stinger pop-stopper works well, except when I restart the car again after a short stop--must be that the delay circuit doesn't have time to fully discharge.

How would a relay help with the problem? I have one around and would be happy to try that solution if you could provide me with details...

rotarygod

You use 4 of the 5 pins on the relay. I don't have one in front of me and I have forgot the numbers but you can figure it out.

1 wire is constant power in, 1 wire is accessory power in. The accessory in triggers the relay to open to the constant power wire. This is sent to another pin that is power out to the amp. The 4th pin is going to be a ground. There will be one left over. I just can't recall the numbers on the relay right now. This has worked for me in the past. Look at the diagram on the relay. It is self explanatory.

CactusGeorge

Rotarygod: Thanks for the info. It occurred to me last night that the relay will take a few milliseconds to turn on, and this delay is probably enough to reduce the pop. Originally I thought some sort of delay circuitry would be required...

So one side of the coil goes to Ignition, the other to ground. The common terminal goes to B+ and the NO terminal goes to the amp remote input.

CactusGeorge

Rotarygod: I re-checked all of the B+ and GND runs and learned that the screws for the inline fuse and amp connections don't do a good job of making a connection to bare 4 guage wire--when tightened, the screws seem to displace the wire but don't make a solid physical connection.

So I decided to solder the ends of the 4 guage wire, then insert the ends into the connectors and screw them down. I'ts not clear that this made a difference in my setup because I'm not running a subwoofer and I don't crank the system, but it seems like this is a good method for making the connections.