Bad preamp?

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calex
calex Posts: 7
edited May 2011 in Car Audio & Electronics
New to forum...found out about it when registering my PA660. I don't know much about wiring this stuff but believe I hooked up everything correctly but decided I need pointers from you experts. When I plug in the RCA preouts from the HU into the 660, the volume drops off. Without the RCA jacks, it sounds great.

Background:
New Pioneer DEH-6300UB HU.
New 660 4 channel.
Rockford Fosgate 6x9s rear
Alpine 4x6 front.
Kicker AMP install kit.
No sub.

I hooked up the power, ground, and remote turn on. Ran the speaker wires from the HU to speaker input jack on 660. There is an extra black wire here that I can't find mentioned in the manual so it sits unhooked and may be my problem. The output speakers feed on the 660 feeds my speakers directly. I added a #4 extra battery ground wire from the battery to the firewall (stripped paint underneath). Stripped paint underneath the amp ground as well. Amp feed and ground are both #4 wire. Tried every possible SW settings on the HU with same results.

I beginning to think I have a bad pre-amp in the 660. I got it at Best Buy and the box was open but had a sticker on it that said it was inspected by Best Buy. When I got home, I found the mounting screws in the bag were all loose (not in the little bag) and were SS instead of black as the manual says (leading me to believe it was or was planned to be a marine install). One of the rubber grommets was missing as well as the spare fuse so I believe it was a return.

Tried to explain everything. Any ideas what might be going on? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I plan to return it today if it is the amp.

Thanks in advance.
Post edited by calex on
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  • calex
    calex Posts: 7
    edited May 2011
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    I should also add that at first I only ran the preamp rca cables to the amp and the output was nada, zip, zilch. Then I ran the speaker wires from the HU to the amp and I got sound but it wasn't amplified. Then I disconnected the RCA cables and it worked. I thought I only needed one or the other (speaker wire or RCAs).
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  • calex
    calex Posts: 7
    edited May 2011
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    Nevermind guys. Couldn't figure out how to delete the thread. I disconnected the speaker wires to test HU settings with just the RCAs and it worked without changing anything. Don't know why. Something must have been disconnected or set wrong on the HU. Thanks anyway.
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  • Vital
    Vital Posts: 747
    edited May 2011
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    They do need either one or the other, def not both.
    Disconnect speaker wires from HU to amp, u want to use RCAs here, not speaker wires and play around with RCA locations.
    Make sure sure to match them up correctly and make sure your RCAs aren't cut or damaged.
    Also - what brand RCA do u use?
    2008 Nissan Altima
    Kenwood DNX 5140
    Arc Audio IDX and XEQ
    Polk Audio SR6500 active and SR124-dvc sealed
    Polk Audio PA500.4 and PA1200.1
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  • Vital
    Vital Posts: 747
    edited May 2011
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    Well, nevermind my post then lol
    2008 Nissan Altima
    Kenwood DNX 5140
    Arc Audio IDX and XEQ
    Polk Audio SR6500 active and SR124-dvc sealed
    Polk Audio PA500.4 and PA1200.1
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  • calex
    calex Posts: 7
    edited May 2011
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    Vital wrote: »
    Well, nevermind my post then lol

    Thanks for the response Vital! As you know I got it figured out but the RCAs were from the Kicker 4 channel AMP install package.
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