Thanks to the many useful threads on here on DIY installs, I finally installed my Alpine CDA-9885 headunit and Infinity speakers. After the headache of re-learning how to solder again, I got everything done.

I have 2 concerns:
1. When the volume on the headunit is at 22 or higher, the sound cuts out. The display stays on, but the sound cuts in and out. It's very loud at this point, but I was just testing how loud it could go. I believe the unit is 50watts max with a 18watt RMS. The Infinity Reference speakers support 60 watts RMS I believe. Why is the headunit doing that? The volume bar is hardly 2/3's of the way up at 22. I was surprised that there was actually distortion at this level. I was expecting that it would go nearly to the top before I heard distortion. I didn't dare putting the volume higher than 25 to risk damaging anything.
2. The radio yields significantly more static than the OEM headunit. Is it because you're able to hear the sound more clearly, and it's simply amplifing the static that's always there? Or is there interference in the wiring? I did a bit of shoving to get all the wires tucked back there. When playing CD's there is absolutely no static.

Thanks!

 

you don't say which model of the Infinity Reference speakers you have,
but some of them are 2-ohm impedence, which is lower than most headunit
amps can handle. As you turn up the volume, the internal amp can't
supply the necessary current and goes into protecct mode.
as for radio static, did you hook up the "power antenna" wire? The antenna
has an amplifier and needs power even though it doesn't retract.