I just installed one of those blitzsafe adapters for my 2003 TL stock HU. When I tried to hook something up to test it, the sound would be would be kind of faint and a loud annoying buzzing coming from the speakers. I had tried a PS2 and it just sounded horrible. I just plugged the output of the PS2 directly into the blitzsafe adapter. Am I doing something wrong? Please advise, thanks.

 

Anyone?

 

I have no idea...did you purchase the adapter used? Who did the install? Test a portable CD player, maybe it's the quality of the cable you're using? need more symptoms.

 

I troubleshooted as much as I can and it appears that anything that is powered by AC power either via an inverter OR an outlet from the house it generates that buzzing noise. For those who install PS2s into their cars, how do they bypass this? How do you guys hook up the audio output to the car?

 

The RCA adapter cables are shielded so I assume that is good.

 

sorry, no help...
ttt

 

did you try hooking up the AC invertor to a different source than the HU? Perhaps the cigarette plug is conencted to HU power and there are interferrence?

 

AC invertor can be ON and make no noise as long as it is not connected to (meaning powering the item) invertor.

 

then that means the noise is from the PS2 (or whatever the convertor is powering). Go to radio shack and they have some AC line filters that might help

 

I think they're called "noise isolators" NOT expensive at all. Radio Shack or Circuit City.

 

Ground Loop Isolators? I've read that they only cut down on it and not eliminate plus it degrades the sound.

 

So just to confirm, you're saying that anything battery powered (laptop, iPod, walkman, etc.) hooked up through the same audio cable sounds fine? Its only when you connect a device on AC power?

 

Yup! Any ideas on a solution?

 

Try this and tell me what happens:

1) Take one of the battery powered devices (i.e. iPod, Walkman, etc.) that works fine when it is just running on battery power. Plug it into the blitzsafe while running on batteries, and verify (one more time!) that everything sounds fine.
2) With the car still running and the music still playing, find its AC adaptor, and plug it into the wall outlet in your house. Tell me if the problem occurs.
3) With things still running, unplug it from the wall outlet, and plug in into the power inverter in your car. Again, tell me if the problem occurs.

I don't know the solution yet, but troubleshooting audio noise problems is a process of elimination....

 

1] It sounds fine

2] Buzzing

3] Buzzing

 

What device did you use for this test?

 

I used a cd player, laptop, md player, and ps2.

 

OK, so we know:
- The device itself isn't the problem. Odds are not high your laptop, CD player, etc. etc. would all go bad simultaneously
- The AC Inverter isn't the problem, because you said it works fine otherwise AND this problem happens when running on normal AC power

That leaves the common components of:
- The cable. Not likely, but possibly the problem. The only way I could think of the cable causing the problem is if it is near an AC power cable itself; i.e. you run the power cable and the audio cable parallel to each other for several feet. This can cause nasty cross talk, and you pick up the AC signal on the audio as a buzzing sound. I'm assuming you're not running them parallel, and since the system plays fine on battery power, the cable isn't likely the problem.

- The Blitzsafe. It is possible the blitz has a noisy ground; the AC waveform is somehow being fed into the ground on the blitzsafe. I can't think of any way this could easily happen -- you'd have to have the blitz touching an AC source somewhere.

It is also possible the blitz itself is bad, and it is picking up on the subtle harmonic waveform from the AC converted to DC. AC adapters aren't perfect; they don't output pure DC current, like a battery does. This shouldn't be a problem, but maybe the blitz is amplifying this subtle signal....

- The headunit. You hope this one isn't bad. If you have an otherwise stock system, you aren't likely to have done anything to the headunit. Then again, if you are installing a PS2, maybe your system isn't stock....

So, that gives you a lot of description and no particular answer. I don't have an answer yet -- this problem doesn't completely make sense. But if I were you, I'd do any or all of the following (in no particular order).

1) Take out the blitz, disconnect and reconnect everything. Make sure no cables are touching, etc. Run it with your dashboard torn apart while you fiddle.

2) See if you can get your hands on a new blitz, and swap units.

3) Get your hands on a new cable, and swap that.

4) If you don't have a stock system, start swaping components back to stock temporarily. Start with the amp.

5) Take it to a pro audio shop and let them fix it.

If you discover anything, or have any more questions, let me know.

 

I installed a Blitzsafe adaptor and the output is so much lower than the tape adaptor I was using .. has anyone experienced this..thanks

 

I installed a Blitzsafe adaptor and the output is so much lower than the tape adaptor I was using .. has anyone experienced this..thanks

 

I have never listened to anything in my car with a tape adapter. The nignal to noise ration for a cassette is around 50. It would be a weak link in my audio system. Output seems fine with Blitzsafe to me.