stereo problems

**SPTNSX** · 04-13-2012, 20:37

My stereo head unit does not play FM stations loudly, in other words, it's very quiet when I turn to FM stations. I turn the volume all the way and you can't barely hear; no bass at all. CD's and AM plays perfectly fine. Anyone know what's wrong?
Thanks a lot in advance
-Scott

**Dynamic-uzed-auto** · 04-18-2012, 17:25

hmm thats pretty odd. Did you check the antenna cable to make sure shes plugged in all the way?

**DocL** · 04-18-2012, 17:42

Mine did the same thing and then one day all I got was static on th FM. The weird thing was that I got AM perfectly. I bought a used one from the marketplace and I have great FM reception now.

**comtec** · 04-18-2012, 18:22

Sounds like those damn pesky capacitors again.

Mike

**PHOEN$X** · 04-18-2012, 20:15

Hmm. I disconnected the antenna on both my NSXs, but in the silver car FM stations will intermittently go out as I pass under bridges, etc. I may have to install the Shark II antenna on it. The reception in the blue NSX is just fine.

**comtec** · 04-19-2012, 05:55

Originally Posted by PHOEN$X

Hmm. I disconnected the antenna on both my NSXs, but in the silver car FM stations will intermittently go out as I pass under bridges, etc. I may have to install the Shark II antenna on it. The reception in the blue NSX is just fine.

Did you disconnect the antenna or just the power to it?

Mike

**PHOEN$X** · 04-19-2012, 08:26

As far as I know, just the power.

Here's the only connector that is unplugged:

Everything else looks intact, here's a couple of cell phone camera pics:

**nsxtasy** · 04-19-2012, 08:55

Originally Posted by PHOEN$X

I disconnected the antenna on both my NSXs

Which of the two antennas in each car did you disconnect - the power mast antenna, or the diversity antenna in the back window?

**comtec** · 04-19-2012, 09:03

Originally Posted by PHOEN$X

As far as I know, just the power.

I wouldn't worry about it being a problem. Sounds more like the tuner in the blue one probably just has a higher sensitivity then the one in the silver.

Mike

**PHOEN$X** · 04-19-2012, 09:13

Originally Posted by nsxtasy

Which of the two antennas in each car did you disconnect - the power mast antenna, or the diversity antenna in the back window?

Only the grey plug in the trunk (see pic above). Where is the diversity antenna even plugged in?

Anyway, I have a Shark II antenna so I can try using that to see if it helps with the reception.

**PHOEN$X** · 04-19-2012, 09:15

Originally Posted by comtec

I wouldn't worry about it being a problem. Sounds more like the tuner in the blue one probably just has a higher sensitivity then the one in the silver.

Thanks Mike. I know the previous owner replaced the stock stereo in the car so it may have something to do with it too. He gave me the original stereo, but it needs to be repaired.

**nsxter** · 04-19-2012, 09:57

Originally Posted by PHOEN$X

Only the grey plug in the trunk (see pic above). Where is the diversity antenna even plugged in?
The rear window antenna is plugged into the head unit

Anyway, I have a Shark II antenna so I can try using that to see if it helps with the reception.

When we get together, we can fix it. Have you thought about putting a switch in the power line to the mast antrenna? then, when reception is bad from the rear window antenna, you flip the switch and the mast extends. I have done this on my car, run with just the rear window antenna, then, on out of town drives (like to Wickenberg

) Or the reception is poor, I extend the mast antenna.

**PHOEN$X** · 04-19-2012, 10:01

Originally Posted by nsxter

When we get together, we can fix it. Have you thought about putting a switch in the power line to the mast antrenna? then, when reception is bad from the rear window antenna, you flip the switch and the mast extends. I have done this on my car, run with just the rear window antenna, then, on out of town drives (like to Wickenberg

) Or the reception is poor, I extend the mast antenna.

Don, I'm no real life MacGyver like you.

I'm just a pretend-wannabe with an engineering degree.

Whatever help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!

I prefer the look of the Shark antenna though, and since I already have one that I paid for, perhaps I should go that route..

**comtec** · 04-19-2012, 10:15

Originally Posted by PHOEN$X

Thanks Mike. I know the previous owner replaced the stock stereo in the car so it may have something to do with it too. He gave me the original stereo, but it needs to be repaired.

Your welcome.
That's just my best guess. The IC's in most electroincs devices rarely have identical characteristics. It would be impractical and too costly to do with most products. So they are built to perform similar within specs which is all that is required. Once you ran the stereo's out of spec (antenna down) the stronger tuner stands out. As a comparison, the OEM radios retail for $2600. We routinely install devices that are required to have nearly identical properties and they usually range between $30k-500k each and are about the same size as the stereo.

Fyi... Someone in the the "parts wanted" section is looking for a bad stereo just to get the knobs

.

Cheers
Mike

**PHOEN$X** · 04-19-2012, 10:23

Originally Posted by comtec

Fyi... Someone in the the "parts wanted" section is looking for a bad stereo just to get the knobs

.

Yes, I saw that.

I'm hanging onto mine for a spare right now as I'm a purist and will probably never go aftermarket. Hopefully with so many that have gone aftermarket, there will be another radio floating out there somewhere.

**nsxter** · 04-19-2012, 10:54

We can do whichever antenna you like...just throwing out ideas...

**IWantNSX** · 04-19-2012, 12:33

Originally Posted by PHOEN$X

Yes, I saw that.

I'm hanging onto mine for a spare right now as I'm a purist and will probably never go aftermarket. Hopefully with so many that have gone aftermarket, there will be another radio floating out there somewhere.

That would be me. Im working something out atm. Hopefully will work out good. I install the shark2 antenna and its great. I jump one of the pin on the harness and got full reception.

**comtec** · 04-19-2012, 14:48

Originally Posted by IWantNSX

That would be me. Im working something out atm. Hopefully will work out good. I install the shark2 antenna and its great. I jump one of the pin on the harness and got full reception.

I try to help when i can

.

Mike

**PHOEN$X** · 04-19-2012, 16:13

Originally Posted by nsxter

We can do whichever antenna you like...just throwing out ideas...

Thanks Don. I would love to take your mods and copy them to my car. We have very similar tastes.

**SPTNSX** · 04-24-2012, 21:38

I took it to my installer and he said its my head unit. I need to buy another head unit.....

**PHOEN$X** · 04-24-2012, 23:26

That sucks. Is there no one that can repair or rebuild these stereos?

**DocL** · 04-25-2012, 04:55

Originally Posted by SPTNSX

I took it to my installer and he said its my head unit. I need to buy another head unit.....

Keep a close eye on the parts for sale section. When these radios appear they are ususally gone within a day or so. Don't even haggle on the price, just buy it and get it shipped. It is much easier and cheaper than going the custom route, and to my ears the Blows stereo is good enough.

Good luck.

**nsxtasy** · 04-25-2012, 06:26

Originally Posted by PHOEN$X

That sucks. Is there no one that can repair or rebuild these stereos?

Yes, there is.

**PHOEN$X** · 04-25-2012, 06:34

Originally Posted by nsxtasy

Yes, there is.

That's funny Ken. I had initially linked to William's Electronics in my response but removed it as their NSX web page only contains FAQs for their amps. But you're right, their crappy web page does contain the following blurb:

We repair the:

Radio's sound and display fades out and flashes
Tape decks playing too fast
Bose Speakers
CD Changer Errors CD Changers
Additional Bose info in general

**etang789** · 04-25-2012, 06:48

Originally Posted by SPTNSX

I took it to my installer and he said its my head unit. I need to buy another head unit.....

I would send the original headunit to repair... there are a few places that nsxprime folks send to for repair...

Unless you want to upgrade to an aftermarket headunit at the same time.

Then look here
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?t=106622
http://nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php?t=157351