Problems with the Wetsounds WS-420...

[flaudia402]

So started wiring everything up today, got the amp rack made as well as the sub box. Bolted the amps in, and got the tower speakers up. Put the Wetsounds WS-420 EQ under the dash just to get everything hooked up and ran into some issues. I'm almost certain its a faulty unit. Everything on it works except the tower input. Hooked everything up to the EQ, all the other speakers worked (bow, rear, sub, etc.). Heard a weird sound almost like a vacuum coming from the tower speakers at first...then nothing. Decided to trouble shoot some and actually hooked up everything to the Clarion headunit and everything worked. I wanted to make sure it wasn't the tower speakers, and I wanted to make sure it wasn't the Kicker ZX850.4 amplifier giving me the issues. Then decided to do some switching out of cables and still the same issue...no noise at all from the tower speakers. Even ran the tower speakers off of the different selections on the EQ just to see if all the other inputs/outputs worked and it was fine.

One thing I read on a few other websites, Malibucrew.com and wakeworld.com, was the WS-420 actually has given some more issues than none. Mine seemed to be the same issue, but I tried some of the remedies--turn all the gains down, set the EQ gains to equal, etc. Still no luck. I'm going to call Wakeside.com where I ordered the unit from and see if they can get me an exchange. Pretty disappointed because I was really hoping I would have everything up and running by today. Oh well, looks like it'll have to wait!

Any suggestions? Tim, would be great if you could chime in and give me your input. Thanks again!

[wetsounds1]

Sorry to hear about that. I am sure you meant the tower "output" not input right? Just making sure.

Most of the issues you have read about have been install issues and gain issues. It is a complex piece and we have had very few issues from the dealer end. All of the posts about issues you have read have been from self installed units. As it is a bit more complex to install given the high voltage capabity and the gain settings etc..But yours may just be one of those things. Not sure.

Give the office a call at 877-938-7757 and ask for Gyver in tech support. He can walk you throguh it and see if it is something wrong with the unit. If it is, he can swap it out for you, no problem.

Tim
Wet Sounds

[Mikeski]

Make sure all of your stereo system component's source power and ground are coming from the same points. Most guys leave the head unit on the stock wiring harness then wire the EQ and amps to the battery. This puts the components at a different voltage potential, say 11.5V at the head unit and 12.5V at the EQ/Amp. When your Clarion only puts out a 1 or 2V audio signal. Another trick is to use twisted audio cables, the twist tends to resist noise induced from outside sources.

After working on stereo systems for 30 years I have found most instances of noise interference to be the result of installation error, not faulty equipment.