Visit our Popular Forums

garry · 01-06-2008, 12:06 PM

Very interstring problem.
Somewhere somehow I suspect there is a bad ground connection that is radiating it may be from anything electrical and the RF noise is being transmitted and picked up in the wiring. Auto radios have a lot of protection from this type of interferance but outside the radio little protection.
I have had to resolve many of these issues and they can be very time consuming with most ending up being a poor ground or poor sheilding at a power source.
Sounds like you are on the right track but if all else fails.

The outside the box question. Are these AS 30 amp or 50 amp? I have traced problems to "noisy" circuit breakers & panels and since the problem is on so many units it could be a factory wiring poblem at the breaker?

I wish you luck.

Garry

Gunnyusmc · 01-09-2008, 05:18 PM

I just replaced the original with a JL model 6w3v34 6" woofer and a Kicker model 06ZX1502 amp.

I can now rock the world and no noise when playing DVD / CD or radio.

Next step is too put the Flat Screen thru the amp/radio. This I will have done by Custon Sound in Austin, TX. but it will have too wait till deer season is over.

Gunny

hshovic · 01-10-2008, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunnyusmc

I just replaced the original with a JL model 6w3v34 6" woofer and a Kicker model 06ZX1502 amp.

I can now rock the world and no noise when playing DVD / CD or radio.

Next step is too put the Flat Screen thru the amp/radio. This I will have done by Custon Sound in Austin, TX. but it will have too wait till deer season is over.

Gunny

ARRR! Sounds like that is the way to go. But I can't give up yet. I called the dealer and he said he will send me a couple of ground loop isolators. I will let all know. And then maybe its new equipment time. I like my music reaalllll soft in the morning (for the Wife's sake), and can't have this rumble grumble stuff...

norsea · 01-22-2008, 08:11 PM

Sorry for the time between my last post and this. We are finding decent wifi to be a real issue in most campgrounds.

Any rate, I have received my noise filter but have not yet installed it because the connectors I want to use have not yet arrived.

But, I have leaned something new since my last post.

The sub woofer in our unit had power to it ALL THE TIME. I was amazed to find that the power to the sub woofer did not go off when the radio was in the OFF mode.

Simply amazing. I am now on a crusade to determine the wiring for the power to the sub woofer. Once that is known I will know what I am to do.

It seems to me that the power to the sub woofer should be off when the radio is off.

While this is probably not a huge drain on the 12V DC electrical system is definitely must draw some power.

Depending on how the sub woofer power is fed I may just install a switch and relay when I install the noise filter that will have to be turned on/off along with the radio if we want the sub woofer to participate in the sound system. I'm working on the assumption that the power lead to the sub woofer goes nowhere near the radio itself; I could be wrong.

More later when I know more...

Jim

airmac · 01-23-2008, 12:15 PM

i have the same problem with a 2008 / 27. nice to see all the solutions , but it seems to be a factory error. going to give dealer + airstream a shot at a fix. hard to swallow that no one at factory ever tried a dvd on this system. did anyone just get it fixed by dealer or airstream?

jsiemieniec · 02-13-2008, 01:21 AM

You are right , Airstream installers never even listen to the units which they install. We have a new 2006 25' safari SS with the same woofer problem. A low noise hum heard only when watching DVD's. When our Airstream was delivered the 10 CD changer didn't work (which they replaced) but as you said , should have been checked before delivery.

airmac · 02-14-2008, 09:51 PM

the stereo/dvd in my 27' is now working well. the ground loops from radio shack on all long audio lines + a kill switch,on subwoofer , are the solution. +some wires were not connected. airstream emailed me a wiring diagram. i went thru the rats nest + the whole thing was fixed in an hour. good luck. i got most of the info from other posts. my dealer is 400 miles away so he will be glad to know the answer, as he has other people with the same issue. i have found many 1 hour, simple fix errors on the trailer .i think if i was king at airstream, i would put my best man on a real systems test ,before delivery.the trailer is wonderful but someone needed to spend a couple of hours testing some common sense items. all in all ,i think the airstream is great. while your at it reroute your jack + brake elec lines

from under the propane cover.[simple stuff].

norsea · 05-22-2008, 06:56 PM

It's been a while since I posted anything to this thread; lots of other "stuff" going on.

Earlier this week I finished my testing and completed my wiring and now have a system that does NOT hum or buzz.

While I was convinced that the problem was with the power to the sub woofer and my secondary speaker system, it was not.

I don't remember who posted the initial info about a dealer recommending a ground loop isolator and I'm being lazy in not looking, but that was the final solution.

I purchased two of these from Radio Shack:

RadioShack.com - Car: Accessories: Car A/V accessories: Ground Loop Isolator

I installed one under the couch where the sub woofer is located. This solved the remaining problem with the buzzing/hum from the sub woofer.

I thought a noise filer on the 12V DC power line to my auxiliary amplifier and speaker system would solve that issue but it did not. Another ground loop isolator without a noise filter on the 12V DC line solved that problem. I installed it between the line out lead at the Speaker Out Switch and my auxilary amplifier. I now have a sound system that will work on either 12V DC or 110V AC for the speakers without any buzzing and/or humming.

Keep in mind that this was done in addition to all of the other things that I mentioned in previous posts in this thread.

Now, if only we could get Airstream to install these on the new units prior to their departure from the factory. A real bonus would be their installing some decent speakers that are not located right next to your ears when sitting on the couch. This is, of course, in addition to another suggestion that was made for the factory to do some testing prior to shipment; a somewhat novel idea, eh?

Jim

jayray5 · 05-22-2008, 08:52 PM

Powering the subwoofer from the power antenna lead isolates it as well It still takes two ground loops for the rest

RedSHED · 05-22-2008, 09:10 PM

You have upholsterygeist.

Not Done · 05-23-2008, 12:27 AM

I have about 20 years experiance with commercial and professional sound systems but no above average knowledge of auto (or trailer) systems. With that in mind... Sounds heard through a sound system can come from two and a half places, an audio source within the system, the electrical system associated with the system, and noise being induced to the electrical system. Noise from the power supply feed can be heard in the audio systems. Other posts are correct to consider the AC supply as this is very common. With a little thinking about sound you're hearing you can rule the AC in or out based on the frequency hear through the speakers. A 60Hz sound is an easy call but an AC problem could be heard at multiples of 60hz too ie 120hz, 240hz, and so on (60Hz might be heard in the "subs"). If this is your situation it can only be one of three things, grounding, grounding, or grounding. Again, a DC power source is not something I've had to deal with much but I would start with grounding. The concept here is to have minimal resistance between the sound system ground and the power source for the sound system. As far as the possiblity of induced noise sipmly shut of other power sources and see if any of those are being induced onto your electrical system, I suspect this is not the case though.

yakman · 06-08-2008, 10:32 PM

I had my trailer at the mothership last week and complained about strange noises from the subwoofer, (cat purring etc.,) and referenced that this is a common occurrence with the new trailers. They state that they couldn't hear anything and so nothing was done. ?? I haven't had it back out camping yet so who knows if they did something under the radar, but there seems to be a simple solution for a common complaint that a lot of us are experiencing. I'll be really chapped if I put the movie in and it starts up right away. We shouldn't have to pay out of pocket to fix this problem.

yakman

hshovic · 06-09-2008, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yakman

I had my trailer at the mothership last week and complained about strange noises from the subwoofer, (cat purring etc.,) and referenced that this is a common occurrence with the new trailers. They state that they couldn't hear anything and so nothing was done. ?? I haven't had it back out camping yet so who knows if they did something under the radar, but there seems to be a simple solution for a common complaint that a lot of us are experiencing. I'll be really chapped if I put the movie in and it starts up right away. We shouldn't have to pay out of pocket to fix this problem.

yakman

Yakman,
Check this out. It solved the problem with the sub.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f450...xed-39321.html

yakman · 06-09-2008, 09:38 PM

Thanks Hank,

I was hoping that AS would step up to the plate and fix the problem while I had my trailer there for other work orders. Looks like I'll need to keep it unplugged or spend the $20 and fix it myself.

Regarding the fix, do you have to buy male to female adapters? I'm assuming the Radio Shack item installs right next to the subwoofer on the floor there?

-yakman

cosmotini · 06-09-2008, 11:15 PM

Yakman,

I got this one from Crutchfield. Plugged in down by subwoofer.

hshovic · 06-10-2008, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yakman

Thanks Hank,

I was hoping that AS would step up to the plate and fix the problem while I had my trailer there for other work orders. Looks like I'll need to keep it unplugged or spend the $20 and fix it myself.

Regarding the fix, do you have to buy male to female adapters? I'm assuming the Radio Shack item installs right next to the subwoofer on the floor there?

-yakman

Yakman,

No adapters needed. The dealer, when I had it there for some other warrantee work, installed yet another one. There is still a little mechanical whine coming from the DVD player, but not a problem. My newest problem is that the "Line out" doesn't work. Time for another call!

Aage · 06-10-2008, 03:21 PM

Wow, what a saga! One would think that trailers selling in the $40-$70k range would have had those bugs worked out long ago. Glad to hear that the answer is fairly simple. Disappointed to hear that Airstream lets units out with such flagrant faults!

The only two sources that I expected to hear complaints about didn't really show up. Dimmer switches and flourescent bulbs are notorious for creating extraneous noises in sound systems. So, either your trailers aren't equiped with either of those items, or people having them didn't read the thread.

Thanks for a great read.

Aage

Jimandrod · 06-17-2008, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by norsea

... snip... Well, the sub woofer is powered independently from the radio..... snip.... Jim

Independently indeed! My sub woofer was powered through the ceiling lights! When we turned on the ceiling lights the sub-woofer came on! Go figure!

This thread has been really helpful. We also have the same rumble. Jim, all of your information has been really useful.

Also, our bedroom speakers shut off when a DVD is inserted. It makes it impossible to flip the TV around to watch a movie in bed. Does anyone else have that problem?

Westfalia · 06-17-2008, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimandrod

Also, our bedroom speakers shut off when a DVD is inserted. It makes it impossible to flip the TV around to watch a movie in bed. Does anyone else have that problem?

Actually, the rear speakers don't turn off but switch to rear channel mode for the Dolby Digital decoder for surround sound. Highly annoying, I agree and I haven't found out a way to change this back to stereo mode. I don't want or need surround sound in a trailer, at least not the way the the current speakers are setup.

campadk · 07-12-2009, 06:53 PM

Old thread.. but what the heck. Thought I'd offer my two cents after FINALLY FIXING our stereo burping and buzzing.

Firstly it seems that our whole problem was due to the fact that we boondock, and use a 12V to 120V inverter for the TV (stereo works on 12V but not the TV) which generates noise passed into the system via the audio out on the TV.

After spending $70 Cdn on two of the Radio Shack isolation transformers (including two packages of female-female audio jackers) we finally are noise free!

Had to put one islation transformer on the audio out lines of the TV and another transformer at the subwoofer.

Thanks to the many people who have worked on a solution over the years

My wife will be a happy camper the next trip out, in a week.

Cheers!

PS. What a spaghetti mess behind the Sony DVD/fm/amp unit! I had already tossed out the CD changer (who uses those these days?). Lots of cables that didn't do a thing.