The Gong

vtm3 · 01-14-2009, 04:54 AM

I just upgraded to a pdx 4.100 for all my mids and will be adding another amp and sws 8's shortly. With just the pdx added the speakers sound really good, you can tell the subs are weak running off the oem amp. My question and concern is the GONG warning alarm. I found where to turn it down on the oem radio, but it seems extremely obnoxiuos since i put the new amp in. Is there anything else to do to it without causing other problems? I also hear a very faint crackling sound as the gong is going off. I don't know if it was there before, becasue I don't think I paid that much attention to it.

Technic · 01-14-2009, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vtm3

I just upgraded to a pdx 4.100 for all my mids and will be adding another amp and sws 8's shortly. With just the pdx added the speakers sound really good, you can tell the subs are weak running off the oem amp. My question and concern is the GONG warning alarm. I found where to turn it down on the oem radio, but it seems extremely obnoxiuos since i put the new amp in. Is there anything else to do to it without causing other problems? I also hear a very faint crackling sound as the gong is going off. I don't know if it was there before, becasue I don't think I paid that much attention to it.

How is your connection done between the OEM HU/CCC and the PDX?

A/J · 01-14-2009, 08:29 AM

how do u turn down the gong in the oem radio?

vtm3 · 01-14-2009, 07:34 PM

Technic,
A 4 channel line out converter. I also notice a hiss when you enter the vehicle. Whatever power kicks on when you enter or hit any button on the key, also powers up the amp. Any ideas.

vtm3 · 01-14-2009, 07:35 PM

And the gong is turned down with the audio button and it is almost all the way to the right.

Technic · 01-14-2009, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vtm3

Technic,
A 4 channel line out converter. I also notice a hiss when you enter the vehicle. Whatever power kicks on when you enter or hit any button on the key, also powers up the amp. Any ideas.

I would guess that you do not have iDrive, and much less the Premium Sound. So if that is the case...
- remove that LOC.
- get a pair of these: http://mobile.jlaudio.com/products_c...l.php?cat_id=5

Connect those cables straight to the OEM HU speaker outputs, and then connect the RCA's directly to the PDX... it accepts differential signals. Adjust PDX gain to "gong"/music taste. Use OEM remote signal to turn on your PDX.

That should fix all your issues. If hiss still is a problem after removing the passive LOC then consider adding a proper differential line driver between the OEM HU and the PDX, adjust the line driver gain and leave the PDX gain at absolute minimum.

vtm3 · 01-14-2009, 09:24 PM

Correct. I have base audio. Thanks. I will try it tomorrow.

vtm3 · 01-31-2009, 05:31 PM

Finally! A bad PDX replaced and I have great sounding mids. I now want to use a 2nd pdx 4.100 for the subs. I already have the amp, what should I do?
1. For now run the OEM subs from two of the four channels with the plan to replace with the sws 8's? Then bridge the amp to run 200w rms.
2. Or run the current subs off two channels of the pdx at 100w rms and have a rockford fosgate P3L-S12 in the truck off a bridged 200W channel?

Technic · 01-31-2009, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vtm3

Finally! A bad PDX replaced and I have great sounding mids. I now want to use a 2nd pdx 4.100 for the subs. I already have the amp, what should I do?
1. For now run the OEM subs from two of the four channels with the plan to replace with the sws 8's? Then bridge the amp to run 200w rms.
2. Or run the current subs off two channels of the pdx at 100w rms and have a rockford fosgate P3L-S12 in the truck off a bridged 200W channel?

Wow... I used to have a bad PDX as well.

Either option will be great, just be gentle with the OEM subs while you get the SWS-8. The PDX 4.100 in reality puts out around 120W RMS per channel...

ismelllikepoop · 01-31-2009, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Technic

Wow... I used to have a bad PDX as well.

Either option will be great, just be gentle with the OEM subs while you get the SWS-8. The PDX 4.100 in reality puts out around 120W RMS per channel...

hmm i've been waiting to upgrade my system, but are the pdx's really not that reliable? i want the stealth setup with it in the little cd-changer compartment but if there is a chance of inducing hiss there's no way i would want to do it

Technic · 01-31-2009, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ismelllikepoop

hmm i've been waiting to upgrade my system, but are the pdx's really not that reliable? i want the stealth setup with it in the little cd-changer compartment but if there is a chance of inducing hiss there's no way i would want to do it

In my case, I have bought three PDX (one 4.150 and two 4.100) and so far only one was bad. And it is no coincidence that the one that was bad did not have an official "birth sheet", a piece of paper that certify that the amp was tested by Alpine and showing the power output results. So most probably it was a vendor remanufactured/reshuffled PDX to look like new.

That bad PDX was returned to vendor for "warranty" work and after two months of not knowing what was going on with it I just cancelled the credit card charges and bought a new one from a much better vendor. So far my system have very little hiss but it is coming from the Cleansweep (expected when its Master Volume is not used) and not from either of the PDX installed.

vtm3 · 01-31-2009, 07:57 PM

I don't know how to respond to this. After much trouble my system sounds great. I had a bad amp that took a long time to figure out the problem. In the end I would say it has been worth it.

01-14-2009, 04:54 AM	#1
vtm3 Private First Class 13 Rep 179 Posts Drives: 08 aw/cf m3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Richmond iTrader: (0)	The Gong I just upgraded to a pdx 4.100 for all my mids and will be adding another amp and sws 8's shortly. With just the pdx added the speakers sound really good, you can tell the subs are weak running off the oem amp. My question and concern is the GONG warning alarm. I found where to turn it down on the oem radio, but it seems extremely obnoxiuos since i put the new amp in. Is there anything else to do to it without causing other problems? I also hear a very faint crackling sound as the gong is going off. I don't know if it was there before, becasue I don't think I paid that much attention to it.
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

01-14-2009, 08:29 AM	#3
A/J Private First Class 114 Rep 118 Posts Drives: G22 M440I on order Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: London iTrader: (0)	how do u turn down the gong in the oem radio?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-14-2009, 07:34 PM	#4
vtm3 Private First Class 13 Rep 179 Posts Drives: 08 aw/cf m3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Richmond iTrader: (0)	Technic, A 4 channel line out converter. I also notice a hiss when you enter the vehicle. Whatever power kicks on when you enter or hit any button on the key, also powers up the amp. Any ideas.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-14-2009, 07:35 PM	#5
vtm3 Private First Class 13 Rep 179 Posts Drives: 08 aw/cf m3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Richmond iTrader: (0)	And the gong is turned down with the audio button and it is almost all the way to the right.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-14-2009, 09:24 PM	#7
vtm3 Private First Class 13 Rep 179 Posts Drives: 08 aw/cf m3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Richmond iTrader: (0)	Correct. I have base audio. Thanks. I will try it tomorrow.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-31-2009, 05:31 PM	#8
vtm3 Private First Class 13 Rep 179 Posts Drives: 08 aw/cf m3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Richmond iTrader: (0)	Finally! A bad PDX replaced and I have great sounding mids. I now want to use a 2nd pdx 4.100 for the subs. I already have the amp, what should I do? 1. For now run the OEM subs from two of the four channels with the plan to replace with the sws 8's? Then bridge the amp to run 200w rms. 2. Or run the current subs off two channels of the pdx at 100w rms and have a rockford fosgate P3L-S12 in the truck off a bridged 200W channel?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-31-2009, 07:57 PM	#12
vtm3 Private First Class 13 Rep 179 Posts Drives: 08 aw/cf m3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Richmond iTrader: (0)	I don't know how to respond to this. After much trouble my system sounds great. I had a bad amp that took a long time to figure out the problem. In the end I would say it has been worth it.
	Appreciate 0 Quote