Anyone have a clue why it does this ?

I am running two amps. 4 guage from the battery to the boot and then connected to two amps through a distro block.

When the engine isnt running, i can turn it up really loud and it doesnt even distort but when the car is running, it sounds terrible.

I am running 2 10" 250WRMS JBL's and the amp is an old California Gold 400W x 2.

Anyone have a clue why it does this ?

I am running two amps. 4 guage from the battery to the boot and then connected to two amps through a distro block.

When the engine isnt running, i can turn it up really loud and it doesnt even distort but when the car is running, it sounds terrible.

I am running 2 10" 250WRMS JBL's and the amp is an old California Gold 400W x 2.

did you do the wiring yourself?

Its a California Gold amp... Not too high spec...
It does in this case sound like a Wiring problem..
May be possible that your Power wire and Ground wires may be too small ??

Get a Volt meter and measure the input voltage on the power wire on the amp..

did you do the wiring yourself?

Yeah i did the wiring my self. I bought an amp kit after i got yelled at for using an extension cord lol. Funny thing is, that with the extension cord is sounded fine :nuts:


@ magnat, Ill check my ground connection again. Its a pain when you have 2 amps because wires are everywhere and fault finding can be a pita.

Yeah i did the wiring my self. I bought an amp kit after i got yelled at for using an extension cord lol. Funny thing is, that with the extension cord is sounded fine :nuts:


@ magnat, Ill check my ground connection again. Its a pain when you have 2 amps because wires are everywhere and fault finding can be a pita.

hahhaha, extension cord!! ahahhaha try speaker wire perhaps? :P
check grounds....what exactly do you mean by sounding like crap?

probably isn't getting the amount of power it needs. is it like, raspy static sandy sorta sound? or just plaing muddy, no bass.

yeah it just distorts really bad and sounds boomy and muddy. Its a little more sunny and warm today so i can go and check it out now :)

Do you have an Exhaust on your Car ??(aftermarket, like a Lukey or a Cannon)
This may also be affecting your perception of bass..

Low frequencies like Road noise and Exhaust noise can hamper your ears ability to here the low notes.. Best fix is more power, Sound deadoning and More subs !!

Where is your ground wire for ur sub amp? How long is it? What gauge wire?

Where r ur RCA's running? (unlikely as this will be more noticeable with higher frequencies.)