Alpine's manual stinks. It assumes you know what you're doing! I got my system running tonight. Big accomplishment for me. But I've got some odd behavior from my CDA-9887 as I go about trying to tune it up.

I thought my set-up called for the 4.2 channel setting (not the 3-way) on the HU but I'm starting to think I'm either wrong, my HU switch is mis-marked, or (most likely) I just have no clue. I have the Front RCA pre-outs going to a 2-channel amp, crossovers, and then to door separates. I have the Subwoofer RCA pre-outs going to an amp and then to a sub. I have the roll hoop speakers powered by the HU (in what I assume is the Rear position). The Rear RCA pre-outs are not used.

When I adjust Subwoofer volume from the HU (just press the knob, first setting) it affects my Front separates but NOT my subwoofer?! The fronts are somehow faded by this control. Same deal for the HU cross-over settings (not hearing any effect on Sub using the Low Left/Right settings and anything other than flat settings hurt Front sound). I also think it may not be sending low enough frequencies to the Front. I'm thinking my separates are capable of more bass than I get. Staring at the manual's diagrams, it may be that the 3-way setting would get me that mid-bass. Also the front/rear fade control doesn't balance to the roll-hoop speakers but rather to the Sub! Weird, like I got the RCA's wrong. But I triple-checked those (D'oh anway?).

I've tried it with the internal amp (roll hoop speakers) off and it makes no difference, just a little less fill.

Anyone know what's going on? It will be a royal pain to pull the HU to flip the switch to 3-way or move the RCA's (not the removal, getting it back in!).

 

Hmm..def sounds like the RCAs are setup wrong. But you say you triple checked those... Wish I could give you a hand (but, cross country T/S can be a bit difficult)

 

Definite "D'oh" moment. I thought of an easy test. I just swapped RCA's on the amps. Everything works pretty much as expected now. D'oh, but par for my course...

Now I just need to extend the sub signal line to get back to a hidden routing.

 

ROFL...so it was the RCA's, just on the Amp side?

 

Well, I must have swapped the intended lines when I ran them to the head unit (wrong wires to HU RCA's) because the lengths were correct as-wired. I even bought two different brands of cable to make it harder to goof up. Never underestimate the power of stupidity.

 

lol...it happens.

When I first got my CD7200 hooked up, I wired the radio ant out of the deck to the remote line (blue to blue, right)... Quite confusing why the amps would turn on with the radio on, but not for any other source...lol