The primary function of a car amplifier is to deliver the extra power required by your subwoofers in order to produce bass and improve sound quality. The speaker or subwoofer will not play bass if your car amp has power but no sound from the subwoofer, and you will not enjoy the sound. Even if your amp is turned on, there is no sound coming from the sub.
Car Amp Turns On But No Sound From Subs
In this scenario, there are two possibilities: the stereo’s subwoofer control has been cranked all the way down, or you’re using a defective RCA cable. If your amp turns on but no sound emerges from the sub, don’t assume it’s blown out or faulty right away. Instead, continue reading to learn how to find and correct the problem yourself, saving yourself the hassle of visiting an amp expert or purchasing a new amp that you may not require. Learn how to diagnose and resolve this issue.
My Amp has Power But No sound to Sub
In this article, we’ll find different solutions to this issue.
Car Amp Turns On But No Sound From Subs
Troubleshooting an Amp that has Power but No Sound from the Subwoofer
Several users have reported that their car amplifier goes on but the subwoofers are silent. While this may be aggravating, there are a few actions you can take to troubleshoot and resolve the issue like a pro. The following can cause issues with your car audio system:
- Overvoltage
- Overheating
- Overcurrent
Our editors have described frequent automobile amplifier issues that result in subwoofer sound that is of poor quality in this article.
Car Amp Turns On but No Sound from Subs
Some amplifier shows the problems that are common:
- sound distortion
- No sound at all
Causes of no sound from subwoofer:
The problems produced by amplifiers, such as subwoofers not producing sound or other issues. This issue could be caused by a faulty amplifier, which should be addressed right away. However, if your amplifier is adequate, and it is turned on with a high level, some underlying problems could be the source of the problem.
How to check the car amplifier for no sound?
- First, make sure the amplifier’s power button is turned on. Many amplifiers have a light that turns on when the device is turned on. It has two lights: red and green. A red light indicates a blown fuse, while a green light indicates that everything is well.
- Double-check that all of the cabling to the amplifier is connected properly. Check whether the remote wire’s red and black cables are connected. Also, check whether or not other components, such as woofers, are connected to the amplifier.
- If you don’t hear any voice coming from the subwoofers, check the wiring settings to see if they are connected properly. Make sure the amplifier is switched on.
How to fix Car Amp for no sound?
Our writers have discussed how to fix your car amplifiers for no sound in this section of the text. This section discusses everything for today’s topic, which is car amp goes on but no sound from subs.
Fix blown fuse
You can solve this problem by locating and replacing the blown fuse. This section is essential reading for today’s question, Car Amp Turns On But No Sound from Subs:
- First, ensure sure the car is turned off and not running. Always remember to turn off the power before removing the fuse.
- Double-check the fuse to see if it is covered by any form of wire. Take that wire out of the fuse and tidy it up.
- Now, using a millimetre, check the fuse to see if it is okay or not.
- If you discover an issue with the fuse, replace it. And if you want to get a new one, they are readily accessible in car shops. Choose the appropriate fuse for the amplifier; a low or high power fuse may cause harm to the amplifier.
- Insert the fuse into the amplifier and turn it on. While the amplifier is on, listen for music. If it blows out again, the issue is most likely with the amplifier’s wiring.
Power wires testing:
- Remove all wires and check that the protect light is still on: if it is, the fault is in the amplifier. If the light goes out, the wiring needs to be changed.
- Examine all wires with your naked eyes to ensure they are free of any damage. If you notice any physical damage to a wire, do not touch it before turning on the power because it could cause current.
- Check the wires with a millimetre; if they exhibit voltage, it signifies they contain some voltage and are not damaged.
- Replace any damaged cables with new ones. If your new RCA cables operate properly, it signifies your old cables were faulty, and you will no longer have any issues.
- Replace the cables with new cables. New RCA cables if it works properly it means your old cables were faulty and now you will not face any problem.
Fixing sound cracking:
- Remove the wires or coloured RCA wires from subwoofers to check the sound. If the sound of the subwoofer is gone after removing those wires, it suggests the wires were faulty or broken. This problem can now be resolved by changing or replacing fresh wires. If the sound remains consistent, there could be a problem with other components or a malfunctioning amplifier that needs to be replaced.
- Always check the amplifier’s amperage rating against the subwoofer’s. You should buy subwoofers with slightly greater amplifier amperage ratings. Amplifiers with too high or too low amperage ratings will not meet the impedance of your amplifier.
- When dealing with a car amplifier that turns on but produces no sound from the subwoofers. You should connect the cables in a series or parallel configuration so that other wires do not touch the subwoofer and cause distortion. Its wires should be kept separated from metals.
- Put it where there is no air pressing, so it’s in the ideal spot to prevent extra shaking and farting from the subwoofers.
- Secure the woofers to prevent them from moving. If your woofers are held in place by screws, tighten the screws to prevent them from rattling.
- Keep the woofers well-mounted so they cannot move. If your woofers have screws holding them in place, make tighter the screws to stop them from rattling.
Error in amplifier that causes the sound problem or no sound in subwoofers is very common in cars. Because amplifiers can be broken down by time. I also suffer this problem many times in my car because I am a music lover so I fix this problem very easily by checking its power wires and remote wires or sometimes by changing its blown fuse. I fixed it easily.
Fault in power system of the amplifier
There could be a problem with your amplifier’s power system if it is on but not producing output to your subwoofer. If the amplifier wires are properly connected, check whether the remote’s power button is on or not.
Remote wire fault:
The power button on the remote can sometimes prevent subwoofers from receiving output. Similarly, if your remote is turned on but the wires are not powered, it will not provide electricity. In this system, the remote cables are critical. The remote wires come from the radio, which means that if your radio is turned on, it will connect to the amplifier; otherwise, no output will be provided. Wires may be connected incorrectly, resulting in electricity being turned on but no output owing to poor wiring. Only the FM option provides output in this situation, while the AM option does not. Subs may also go silent as a result of this.
Power wire fault:
Another thing to look for is a problem with the power wire if the remote cable is fine. The power wire could be shorted or broken, preventing the amplifier from receiving enough current. Any corrosion or looseness can create this problem because this cable is thicker than remote wires.
Ground wire fault:
If all wires are fine but the amplifier still does not work or does not operate well, check the ground wire to see if it is connected properly. It is either connected or it is not connected. The amplifier will not work correctly if the connection is inadequate or non-existent. If all of these things are in excellent working order, the power wire is properly attached and in good condition, the remote wire is in good working order and has supplied voltage to its head unit, and no fuse has blown, you are most likely dealing with a faulty amplifier.
Impedance mismatching:
It can also be caused by a lack of sound or distortion from the subwoofers owing to impedance mismatching. When your car’s subwoofer and amplifier are mismatched, the amplifier will produce a farting sound due to overwhelm or underpower.
How to check problems in the amplifier?
Our editors have described frequent automobile amplifier faults that result in no sound from the subwoofers in this section.
Protect mode lights ON:
Some amplifiers contain a protect mode button that helps prevent additional harm if there is a hazard to the amplifier. When these lights illuminate, it means you have faulty woofers, subwoofer cables, or other components linked to it. If the lights turn off when you pull the woofer cables from the amplifier, it suggests the fault is with the woofers, and you should replace them.
Visual inspection can be used to verify both the speakers and the woofer separately. This allows you to determine which woofers are malfunctioning and then replace them. Other subwoofers can be used to solve the problem. If the voltage is good, verify the ground wires with an ohmmeter before using the same woofer wiring. If you notice any changes in the wires, replace them with alternative cables or woofers and connect them to an amplifier.
Subwoofer sound like amplifier clipping
An amplifier causes clipping, which is an uneven type of voice. It’s a symptom that the amplifier isn’t getting enough juice. When the amplifier does not have enough power to drive the subwoofer, it produces clipping, or cutting, sound. It’s because your amplifier isn’t compatible with your subwoofer model. Or the software you’re using isn’t designed for use with a subwoofer, which is why you’re seeing clipping.
This amplifier needs to be replaced. Upgrade your sound system. Whether your subwoofer is clipping, check the power rating of the amplifier to see if it is sufficient. If the amplifier’s power is sufficient, the fault must be with the woofers or speaker wires; check those as well to solve the problem.
No sound coming from woofers:
If your amplifier is on but not producing an output, disconnect the RCA cables and reconnect them properly. If everything appears to be in order, check that the head unit is working properly and that the volume is turned on to a high level, as well as the input device, such as a USB or CD drive. If everything works OK without the RCA cable, all you have to do now is change the RC wires.
If the sound emanates from only one side, the issue is with your head unit, not the amplifier. Whether you still don’t have any output after these steps, remove the amplifier and check to see if it’s working properly. If the amplifier is in good working order, examine the wiring to ensure that it is properly connected and that the ground wiring is in place.
Distortion from the Subs
If the output of your automobile subwoofer is distorted, investigate the amplifier carefully. Check the wires and patch cable. When head unit or amplifier wires are connected to the power cord, it creates an interface that might produce woofer distortion.
For this type of problem, good quality wires should be used and adjusted at a 90-degree angle to avoid distortion or interface issues. Examine the cables carefully, and if they are properly organised but the distortion sound persists, unplug the wires. Check if the sound is no longer distorted; if it is, you have fixed your problem. To avoid distortion, rearrange the wires in a neat manner.
Check the Amp’s Input and Output
If the car amp has power but no sound, check the head unit input. Examine the amplifier-to-receiver RCA cords. If your stereo has many RCA outputs, try each one to hear the sub. RCA wires carry stereo signals to the amp. If they’re disconnected or in the wrong ports, the amp won’t play. If the RCA cable is fine, the problem may be with the head unit. Play music from your phone by plugging a 3.5mm-to-RCA adaptor into the amp.
If the subwoofers and amplifier function, check the head unit. You need another subwoofer to test the amp’s output. Connect the test sub to each channel to test your amplifier. This should uncover output issues. Visually inspect cables for problems. Before turning them off, check for damage without touching them. Check for voltage with a multimeter. Replace damaged cables to test your subs’ sound.
Check the Power of Your Amplifier
Check the Power of Your Amplifier
Your amp may still turn on despite not receiving enough voltage or power. When the amp receives less voltage, it will appear to operate, but the subs won’t. Check the amp’s negative and positive connections with a voltmeter. Check 12 to 14 volts. A functional amplifier should read this. Low voltage might occur if the voltmeter reads less than 12 volts. Check battery connections, ground and power cables at the fuse block, grounding bolt, and any other loose power system points.
A bad grounding wire connection won’t operate. Remove any built-in fuse switches and check their continuity. If the fuse is good, your multimeter should read almost 0 ohms. If your amp’s fuse blows, replace it with the proper one because the wrong one can damage it. If the new fuse blows after installation, there may be a wiring issue. Before removing or installing a fuse, turn off the electricity.
When troubleshooting your amps power system, you should ensure that you check:
- The remote cables: These wires come from the radio and are crucial to your sound system’s operation. They will not provide the subs the correct output if they are damaged or wired incorrectly, resulting in no sound.
- Damaged or shorter power lines are unable to supply enough current to the amp.
- Impedance mismatching: When your subwoofer and amplifier have different impedances, the result might be a grating or distorted sound.
Check if The Subwoofer is Short-Circuited
One of the most common reasons of subwoofer and speaker issues is this. Any metallic object touching the negative and positive rods at the sub’s terminal and cone will cause the system to short out. Short-circuiting is a difficult problem to discover. When you turn on the amp, you’ll just see it, but there’s no sound from the sub. Connect your sub to another amp to rule out a short circuit. If there is still no sound, the wires may have burned and no electrical signal is being transmitted to the sub.
Check the Electromagnetic Coil and the Cone Seal of Your Sub
If your amp turns on but subs are silent, examine the electromagnetic coil and cone seal. This is a delicate and thorough test. Open the subwoofer. Once inside, check how the cone is linked to the container. The sub’s cone produces the final sound. It oscillates, pushing and pulling air. Broken or loose seals prevent proper movement and sound production. If the sub’s electromagnetic coil is burnt or misaligned, it won’t create a powerful electromagnetic field to operate with the magnet to make sound.
Check Amp’s Input and Output Signals
First, check amp-to-headunit cords. Make sure the amp receives a signal from the head unit via speaker level or RCA inputs (low-level inputs). Disconnect the input cords and use a new set to test. Turn increase the head unit’s volume. If fresh wires work, the old pair was bad. Connect the amp to another testing speaker, one channel at a time. If the amp works on all channels, the speaker is bad. Wiring or a poor connection can cause this. If test speakers provide no sound, the amp is malfunctioning.
Check Subwoofer Settings
Most aftermarket stereos have separate subwoofer controls that we can mistakenly switch off in the settings. As a result, make sure the sound output is turned on and the dB level is more than 0.
Make sure Amp is Mounted to a Non-Conductive Surface.
After that, be sure that no portion of the amplifier comes into contact with any metal in the vehicle. This can result in a variety of issues, including signal clipping and the amp entering protected mode.
Check Amp’s Ground and Power Wires
An amp will not enhance audio signals if it does not receive the requisite power from the system in the first place. A voltmeter can be used to verify that your system is providing enough power to the amp. Connect the voltmeter to the amp’s positive and negative terminals to accomplish this. When the engine is turned off, you should get 12V and when it is turned on, you should get 14V. If this isn’t the case, check the power and ground wires for any loose connections.
Remote Wire Fault
The head unit uses a turn-on wire (also known as a remote wire) to signal the amplifier to switch on – normally when you turn on the vehicle. It’s commonly a blue wire with a white stripe (not to be confused with a solid blue power antenna, which is only for radio). To test it, connect your head unit to a source other than the radio and use a voltmeter to measure the voltage between the amp’s remote turn on contacts and the ground. There should be no issues if the voltage is about 12V. But if it isn’t, switch back to the radio and see if you can obtain a reading. If you do, you’ve simply connected the power antenna cable and not the remote wire. If no voltage is present with any source (including the radio), there is a problem with your turn on wire.
Check the Amp’s Power
It’s worth noting that your amplifier may switch on even if it doesn’t have the required working voltage. When this happens, the amp appears to be functioning, but the subs are silent. At 6-10 volts, many amps turn on. On this low voltage, however, they are unable to enhance the sound signal and transfer it to the subwoofer. Check the voltage of the amp’s positive and negative terminals to make sure this isn’t the issue. A correctly working amp should have a voltage reading of 12-14 on a voltmeter. If the metre reads less than 12, inspect the power and ground wires at the fuse block, battery connections, grounding bolt, and any other point along their path where they could become loose. Some amplifiers include built-in fuse switches, which you should check for continuity after removing them. If the fuse hasn’t blown, the multi-meter result will be close to zero ohms.
Check the Amp’s Input
If the amp is working properly but no sound is coming from the subs, check the amp’s input to the head unit. Examine the RCA cables that were used in this connection. Check the additional RCA outputs on a header with numerous RCA outputs. Check another set of RCA wires if the sound is still not working. If these steps fail to address the problem, it’s likely that the issue is with the header unit rather than the amplifier. Play something with a 3.5mm-to-RCA adaptor plugged into your phone and the amplifier. If the subs come to life, it means your amp and subs are in good operating order, but a header has to be repaired.
Check the Amp’s Output
You must inspect the amp’s output after inspecting the input panel and confirming that it is working properly. It’s simple to check the amp’s output. For the testing, all you’ll need is another subwoofer or speaker. Begin by connecting the test sub or speaker to each amp channel one at a time. This trial testing will reveal whether there is an issue with the amp’s output or whether you need to investigate the downstream (the sub and its connections). The three components listed above will assist you in determining if the problem is with your amplifier or the header unit. If these tests and checks reveal that your amplifier and header unit are in good operating order, you should consider subs.
See If The Subs Are Short-Circuited
One of the most prevalent concerns with subwoofers and speakers is short-circuiting. Any metallic object that connects the positive and negative poles at the sub’s cone and termination will cause the sub to short. Many times, users are unaware of the shorting until later. They only find out about it when the amp is turned on, but the sub produces no sound. Examine your subs in relation to other amplifiers and stereo systems. If there is no electrical signal being delivered to the sub, this indicates that wires have been burned.
Inspect the Cone Seal and the Electromagnetic Coil of the Sub
When your amp turns on but no sound comes from the subwoofer, this test is the last resort. This is also one of the most in-depth and delicate tests we’ve covered thus far. You’ll need to open the subwoofer and look inside to see what’s there. First, look at the sub’s cone and how it’s attached to the enclosure. By moving back and forth and so pushing and pulling the air, the cone is responsible for producing the ultimate auditory output. Its seal can become loose or broken, preventing it from moving properly and producing the needed sound.
Furthermore, you must examine the sub’s electromagnetic coil. If the coil has burned spots or appears to be out of place, it is not producing the robust electromagnetic field required to interact with the permanent magnet and produce deep-base subwoofer audio. Before we go, we’d like to point out that many times amps are turned on, but subwoofers are silent due to a setting error rather than a hardware problem.
The majority of aftermarket stereos, as well as some of the most recent standard head units, offer a distinct subwoofer control in the menu. That setting must be checked. You won’t be able to hear anything from the subs if the subwoofer output is switched off or set to an inaudible decibel level. As a result, double-check that the subwoofer settings are right.
Conclusion
Alright. These are some typical reasons your subs aren’t creating sound despite your amp being on. As I said, there are several causes. If you follow the aforementioned procedures, you’ll find the cause. If you’ve encountered any other sub issues, please comment below. While driving, everyone appreciates music. Even the most reputable devices can fail. If your amplifier turns on but no sound comes from the speakers, you may be unprepared.
If you’re new to car audio, get professional help. This is one challenge you may face as a car audio enthusiast. Multiple parts make car radios tricky. When one component fails, it impacts the others. Car amplifiers boost subwoofer signals. Speakers transform this signal into sound. If the amplifier fails, you may not hear anything. A blown speaker makes a low, distorted sound. Some people believe a faulty or blown amp causes no sound from the subs, but this isn’t true; improper RCA cables and amp gain mismatch can also cause this.