Hi All,

Just wondering if anyone has seen this in an Empeg install.

I've just taken delivery of my new car (Golf GT TDi), and have gone for a two head unit install.

I have the Empeg in the lower slot, and a Kenwod KDC-8090R in the upper. The front pre-amp output of the Empeg is connected to the AUX-IN of the Kenwood.

Everything works fine when playing MP3s, the sound quality is great.

Unfortunately, when I listen to the tuner in the Kenwood, there is a lot of white noise interference on both AM and FM bands. This interference goes away if I remove the Empeg from it's cradle.

Interestingly, the interference is worse when the Empeg is in standby, then when it is playing.

I have got an antenna adapter fitted to power the VWs bee sting aerial, so this is not the problem.

I've also tried re-routing the wiring (as best as I can) to no effect.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Andy.

Sounds like the Kenwood isn't well shielded against RF interference. Probably not much you can do.

Assuming that the antenna wiring is all properly shielded, the only other suggestion I'd make is to try reversing the order of the two units in the dash. Maybe that will reposition the RF-sensitive components in the Kenwood.

Oh, hey I just thought of another possibility. You said you've got an aftermarket antenna adapter for the VW powered antenna. Maybe that aftermarket adapter is what's not well shielded. Perhaps there's a way to shield, move, or reposition that.

Ground the two units together, at the same point on the chassis.

-ml

I have the same problem with Alpine equipment. Bad interference on the AM band, nearly unnoticeable on FM. Only in standby mode or during boot-up. Units are located at least 1 1/2 feet from each other and ARE grounded to the same point. Factory type shield on ant wire.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

I'm going to pull it all apart at the weekend, and see what improvements I can make in the wiring, and it's positioning.

Unfortunately, the space behind the dash is pretty limited, so I'm not sure what I will be able to achieve.

I'm also going to speak to the car hi-fi shop who sold me the antenna adapter, and see if they've ever experienced problems like this.

Thanks to all.

Andy.

Maybe the antenna adapter is the culprit. Try without it. There's a lot of crap among those adapters (I should know, I have my own car-hifi shop )

Frank

Yeah, but on a VW, the antenna adapter is needed to supply the signal booster at the antenna base.

He could TEST it without the adapter on a really strong local station where the signal booster isn't needed. But even if that gets rid of the noise, he couldn't run it that way all the time.

Correct, but did he get an oem adapter from VW? (actually made by Votex for VW) or some cheap stuff like RTA for example.
I'm not saying it * is * the adapter, just suggesting it *might* be.
Simply a matter of unplugging it to find out.


Cheers,
Frank