Audio aficionados

[76bayflite]

The boat I recently picked up has 6" speakers and 10" subs and a cd deck and an amp, I think. I'll have to get a deck because the detachable face plate is missing but other than that I'd like to leave everything in place cause it'll be easier. There's also an alpine distribution center? Something like that hooked up. SO, do I have to get a new deck? Do I have to wire in a 2nd battery? Is there an easy way to check if it works?
Is this an amp?

[WetRaider]

Looks like an amplifier.  ADS, too.  They use to be real good.  I haven't seen an ADS product in a while. 

If you've got an ipod at home, and a headphone-t0-rca (the red & white co-ax audio) connections, you can connect it to the amplifier ... you'll need power from the battery, too.  Amplifiers and radios generally have a "turn-on" or "remode" lead.  The generic color code would put that at a blue wire behind the deck (or a blue wire to the amplifier).  This wire allows the power wire to stay connected, and the turn-on wire is connected to the ignition - so that you have to have the key in and turned on to turn on the radio/amplifier.  On a boat, most people use a switch for the remote wire.  This way you can flip the switch on while you're anchored and on the beach and use the radio.  The only down side is that it's possible to leave the radio on even when you take the keys out.  - I've heard people trailering down the road with the boat still blasting tunes. 

Based on the physical size, next to that speaker grille, there doesn't need to be another battery.  My first guess was that the amplifier runs the subs and the mids and highs play from the head-unit ... but on second look, there appears to be a front and rear set of rca wires plugged in (lower right of amplifier).  The blue, red & black wires on the left are power (red), ground (black), and remote/turn-on (blue). 

Alpine is a great product.  Especially for head-units.  To check the amplifier, you need 12V power, and an audio signal source on the RCA outputs (here's where you can use your iPod since the face is missing from the deck) ... the speakers appear to be connected already.  If you're using your iPod with a headphone adapter, you'll hear the music loud and clear with the amplifier.  If the amplifier is not working, you'll still hear music, but not well - the amplifier in the iPod doesn't have the power behind it to push a full-size speaker.

[thedeuceman]

I could give you hand sometime checking it out, and I think I know where there's a head unit floating around here that we could put in.

[Burnin Daylight]

You're a nice man Joe.  I'm looking forward to meeting you at Rathbun.

[WetRaider]

I need to edit my statement a bit, after re-reading this morning ...
The remote turn-on is not the same as the ignition lead on the head-unit.  The remote turn-on for the amplifier is connected to the remote turn-on for the head-unit ... this way, the amplifier will only be on and drawing current if the radio is on and sending a signal.

[76bayflite]

Thanks Dan, I was counting on you chiming in on this.  Hey Joe, thanks for the offer I'm kind of a haul for you up in Big Lake.  I'm hopefully going to get the engine in this weekend. I really don't have a timetable for the stereo and other stuff, just something to work on during the week.  I still need a trailer and propeller too, luckily my neighborhood lake still has ice on it so I'm really not missing out.

[wiliermdb]

ADS were the cream of the crop back in the day. I believe the went out of business several years ago. I installed a six channel ADS in my '94 Z28 and it drove four 6 1/2 Boston Acoustic and a 10" sub great for 8 years before it died.

If you plan to use it a lot or want to when not running I'd install a battery just for the system. That amp pushing a sub will draw some current.

[WetRaider]

Those mid-90's six-channel amps were surfboards ... haha.  ADS was one, USAmps was another.  I think Orion had a big six-channel, too.  You almost needed a yakima bike rack for some of those. 

That spade fuse on the amplifier looks green in the picture.  That would make it a 30 amp fuse.  This doesn't mean you're always drawing that much current, just that you can.  Depending on the volume you like the play at, you might have a steady draw of 5-10 amps, with 15-25 for higher volume and musical peaks (Metallica is one group that plays with heavy peaks that draw out, Book of Love is another).  You should have another 30 amp fuse in-line within about 12 inches or so of the battery connection.  If you've got a multi-meter, you can measure the current draw at the amplifier power terminal.  Crank it up to where you like to listen, with the type of music you plan to listen to and see what the draw is.

[wiliermdb]

Actually, the ADS six channel I had was only  9 x 11 x  2 1/2. It was a solid 35 watts per channel and was super clean power. I was running mine as a five channel using two channels combined to drive the sub.

[76bayflite]

Hey Dan, the RCA connections are on the alpine distribution center, can I hook up the iPod to that? I'll charge my boat battery tonight and see if the amp and speakers work tomorrow.

[WetRaider]

What is the model of the Alpine unit? 
Maybe it's a hi-low converter, taking the amplified speaker output from the deck and reducing the signal to RCA/line-level?  Those were used sometimes when there were no RCA pre-outs on the head unit/deck ... or for keeping a factory stereo in place but putting in an aftermarket amplifier.

If you have the headphone-to-rca cable, most likely it is a male RCA end ... just unplug a pair at the amplifier and put them there.
You'll have to get juice on that blue remote/turn-on lead, too.  Without the face in that radio, the amplifier will not know to turn on.

[76bayflite]

I'll have to get some more pictures and look at it tomorrow, it's raining on and off today.  At least I got the transom assembly in.

[Rosscoe]

Yup, ADS amp. I have the same one or similar in the V163. Not large at all. Its mounted to the back of the dash. Its only driving two channels for now. Its still a bit weak for out on the water but I rarely turn it on and never when moving.

[76bayflite]

So I hooked up my iPod and I heard quiet music from the stbd speaker only and some crackling from the stbd sub only. It didn't matter which of the Chanel's I hooked up the rca's to. Anyone know what that means? Bad amp?

[thedeuceman]

I would test the speakers first, disconnect from amp/head unit and connect them directly to yer ipod, it wont me loud but it will drive them enough to see if they work (when you pick up the prop i can give you a cord with clips i use) or just make one.
if they dont make sound, or sound distorted (scratchy) they are bad.
you can also gently press on the cone of the sub, or the woofer of the 2-way's, and if you feel any rubbing that would also be in indicator.
then when you know the speakers are good, you can verify the operation of the amp.
seeing as it was under water i would suspect the speakers are bad.

[76bayflite]

Thanks a lot joe, 3 of the 4 speakers work. Sound pretty good too, is there a way to check the amp? Also, your 19p has a spun hub. I got 40 gps @ 4600 with the 17p.

[wexrocks]

Easiest way to test it is probably just to hook it up... connect the speakers as they should be, and connect your ipod to the input RCA's as described a few posts back. check to make sure you have positive and negative main feeds, and run a hot to the "remote" turn on to tell the amp to turn on. should be able to control the volume with the ipod. I saw in the pictures that there may be some loose wiring there (looks that way in the picture) once you get everything tested and it's all functional, I'd recommend tying all that together and anchoring it all. wires being shaken and bounced can eventual begin to break the wire strands (like bending metal back and forth till it breaks) they sell cool zipties with screw eye anchors at Lowes in the electrical supply section, neat pieces for anchoring wires, cables, hoses, etc.

[76bayflite]

Yeah, I tried that and the music was quiet and scratchy.  I'm guessing it's shot I just don't want to throw it out if I'm not sure it's bad. I have some of those zip ties with screw holes...I've re-wired a lot of the boat already. Finally getting to the stereo and the summer is almost over, ugh!