Replace Stereo/headunit or update entire system

diggin2day1

06Rinker270

Yea I tried all those switches on the amp, nothing worked.  The speakers are now back to working all over when I have just the FM radio going.  CD player is bad so I cant test that.  

I am not sure.  I know the two that I plug into only play in Cabin.  The other two produce no sound when aux cord is plugged into them. 

diggin2day1

This is the spec sheet for your radio... See the rca connections, where it says black/red & black/white? Full range or sub.... That may be it. Here is the complete owners manual link: 
http://www.clarion.com/us/en/MungoBlobs/306/41/M455,1.pdf

diggin2day1

Okay, sorry for the multiple posts but I think I may have found it.... SELECTING AUX IN SENSITIVITY.... Makes complete sense that when you switch to AUX you are hearing it but very faint.... Follow instructions to adjust the AUX sensitivity  

Mike_G

Yes.. so it's like I was saying.  The "rear" RCA output is for either full range or Sub out (LPF).  There are only TWO pairs for connections to the amp.  The third set of RCAs is for INPUT, not out to an amp. @06Rinker270 Double check your connections and settings (if you haven't already).

I'm betting I was right on target there.  I hope so, because then I feel like I've contributed for once!! vs. just asking questions most of the time.    -=Mike G.

06Rinker270

wow you guys are great.  So that I am on the same page.  

@diggin2day1 I am going to try that this weekend.  Now the "faint" sound before was what you fixed by the switch on the amp.  And now all the speakers work for FM.  Its when I am in AUX that the cockpits still arent working and I havnt checked on if there is a sound at all. Think it needs to be adjusted to HIGH?

@Mike_G I sorta follow what your saying but want not sure what my next step would be.  Should I switch on of the "pairs of RCA" that go to the amp.  Replace one set with the current set that is being used?  I will check the settings as described by diggin.  

Really guys, thank you very much. 

partlowr

Mike_G said:

OH. I forgot.. @partlowr Where did you put your marine Bazooka tubes?  I want to add some bass to my boat, but I cannot find a good place to put them.  I don't want to cut holes in my boat (for some 10" Polk Audio marine subs I already purchased) because I might sell the boat in a year or two (to move up).  Self-amplified Bazookas would be perfect.  -=Mike G.

I have a 232 with the U-shaped rear seating area, the left and right sides of the "U" has under cushion storage and dropped on 8 inch marine Bazooka on each side. I had to use a dremmel to trim the opening into the storage well by about a quarter inch but then they dropped right in, I probably could have fit 10's in there with slight modification. The bazookas come with a couple of nylon straps to secure them in place that I screwed in with stainless screws. My boat is back over at the Storage facility due to the crappy spring weather we are having here in Chicago but I will post some photos when I pull the boat out of there again. I didn't go with the amplified Bazookas as mounted a couple of amps to the back wall of my cabin. The Amplified Bazooka's are a little bit longer than the non amplified ones but the same overall diameter. The amplified ones are perfect for what you are talking about, easy in and easy out and no major cutting or wiring issues to have to deal with.

diggin2day1

06Rinker270- yes, and I would also check the "setting LOW PASS FILTER" section in the picture too... Make sure it is set to "rear".

06Rinker270

Thanks @diggin2day1 I will try both and try all.  Now I cant freaking wait until this weekend to try this out, hate having the boat so far away!    

Mike_G

@partlowr How does it sound with the seat cushions in place?  I'm assuming they are just enclosed under the seats (no way for the bass to exit the storage cavity). -=Mike G.

dropout

I went with the 10" amplified Bazooka and couldn't be more happier with the sound and performance. My storage compartment kinda opens to the engine room and built in garbage can, so bass does exit the storage area. I also store two bags of life jackets and other items, it does sound better with it empty though.

Cableguy Greg

One set of the RCA's on the back of the Clarion 455 is an input. It shows up as an AUX input on the front of the unit. The Red wire RCA's are the AUX input. The Black wire RCA's are the rear or sub line level output. The Grey wire RCA's are the front line level output.

http://www.clarion.com/us/en/MungoBlobs/306/41/M455,1.pdf

Cableguy Greg

The link is for the owners manual.

06Rinker270

Messed with AUX in and LPF and nothing.  Make it even worse I tried the "new" system off eBay and it doesn't work either.  I'm annoyed.

@Mike_G mind explaining to me what your thought was? Didn't really follow.

Thanks again everyone.

MarkB

Can you summarize again what the problem is with the old unit and how it's the same with the new unit.

06Rinker270

Everything works with my system except when I attach an aux cord.  I ultimately am going to use the aux jacks for bluetooth but am testing them with an aux cord before I purchase the BT adapter.  I am only getting sound in my cabin speakers and not in the cockpit.  I have tried all sorts of settings that everyone has so kindly suggested and still nothing.  I am seconds from updating the entire system but I believe its a very simple fix.  Be a shame to toss the whole system that works if I can just figure this out.  

New unit off Ebay is a non issue as it wont even power on.  Returning it.

MarkB

When you switch to auxillary do the sound settings default to that setting. For instance is the fader back on? 

06Rinker270

Yes at first.  Then when I switch to Tuner I am able to play the radio and the aux at the same time.  Is that what your asking?

06Rinker270

I have read and been told the same thing Al.  I think if I get this one issue fixed my radio has a lot of life left in it.  Speakers sound good for their age.  

Al, maybe you have an idea of whats wrong?  When I plug in my aux cord to the RCA input jacks in back, I am getting sound in my cabin speakers but not in cockpit.  FM works all over the boat.  Tried channels, various settings...nothing.

Thank you

raybo3

06Rinker270 you could be plugging in stereo jacks into a mono input. On an amp I had this was the same problem. The 2 mono's still gave me stereo sound. Check to make sure you have the right cord. 

06Rinker270

@raybo3 which one do you think I should plug into? Here is a picture of the back.  The Black wire is going to the amp.  The Grey wire is the one I am using to get sound only in cabin.  The Red wire produces no sound at all.  

Mike_G

From reading what @diggin2day1 posted, the red wires are your input.  These are what you would connect your "aux" device too (MP3 player, phone, tablet, etc).

The gray wires are the output for your front speakers and the black wires are the output for the rear speakers.  The black and grey wires should all be connected to your amplifier for "4-channel" operation.  This is how my 260 is connected.

Now... if on the 270, the cabin speakers are powered by the head unit, then Rinker might have only used the black wires (for rear output) to the amp, and left the grey wires disconnected.  It might only be a 2-channel amp that they used.  Still... you would only use the red wires to connect your device.  You would then need to switch to the appropriate "source" on the head unit to hear the "aux" input. 

Can you get a picture of your amp?

For reference.. on my 260... all 4 RCA outputs are connected to a 4 channel amp.  The cockpit speakers are all run off of the "rear" outputs (2-channels for 4 cockpit speakers).  The cabin speakers are run off of the "front" outputs (the other two channels of the amp.  Nothing is run directly off of the head unit.  -=Mike G.

06Rinker270

I believe it's a 2 channel amp and cabin speakers run off head unit, cockpit off amp.  

When I plug into red RCA I get no sound period.  I'm going to run through all the settings this weekend while aux plugged into red input RCA.  Maybe fuses like handy mentioned.

I guess when I plug into gray RCA cables that's why I am getting sound only in cabin.  

I'll get some photos of amp.

Cableguy Greg

Cableguy Greg said:

One set of the RCA's on the back of the Clarion 455 is an input. It shows up as an AUX input on the front of the unit. The Red wire RCA's are the AUX input. The Black wire RCA's are the rear or sub line level output. The Grey wire RCA's are the front line level output.

http://www.clarion.com/us/en/MungoBlobs/306/41/M455,1.pdf

Here are the outputs and the manual for the 455.

06Rinker270

So should th grey wires be plugged into the amp?  I don't recall seeing anymore space on the amp but I'll check again this weekend.

I get no sound when plugged into the red AUX.  Again going to try and run through all possibilities while plugged into the correct aux RCA this weekend.

Thanks @Cableguy Greg

MarkB

Red RCA wires are definitely the auxillary in.

Grey RCA wires are definitely the front speakers.

Black RCA wires are definitely the rear speakers.

On my 260EC I have 2 speakers in the cabin and 4 speakers on deck.  The 2 speakers in the cabin are my "front speakers" and the 4 speakers on deck are my "rear speakers". I believe my amp is a 4 channel.

If your radio is wired up to a 2 channel amp, this is how it should be done. Remember you have a harness and you have the RCAs on your head unit.

HARNESS:

The cabin speakers should be wired to the harness Grey/Grey Black (Right +/-) and White/White Black (Left +/-).

The yellow, red and black wires on the harness should be connected to power (12V).  Possibly the Blue/White wire connected for remote turn on.

The purple and green wires should be taped off - NOT used (as you are using the black RCAs to feed the amp, and the amp powers the cockpit speakers).

RCA's:

The red RCA wire should be connected to your auxillary accessory. Make sure the accessory is working!

The grey RCA wires should be taped off and not in contact with one another (remember you are using your front signal via the harness, so you don't want pre-out interference from the RCA's).

The black RCA wires should plug into your amp.

AMP:

You should have 4 speakers connected to this unit (assuming you have 4 speakers on the cockpit), which means 8 wires (+/-).  If you have a 2 channel out amp, the wires should be paired (both right speaker wires twisted together, and both left speaker wires twisted together).  The pairs should be plugged into the amp right and left channel output. If you have a 4 channel out amp, then no need to pair, just hook each speaker up to its own output (right and left, front and rear).  Make sure you hook up one at a time and ensure both front left and rear left drive the left speakers, and vice versa.

When testing on Auxillary, make sure the head unit is switched to AUX.  Check that the fader is set to middle.  Check balance is set to midde. Check that the black wires out are set to normal and not LFE.  The sound should then come out of all speakers, iff it doesn't work, then the red RCAs are either not working, or the device you are connecting to the system isn't working (test it somewhere else).

Note that the reason you heard sound when you connected your RCAs to the grey wires is because you were pushing sound from the grey wires to the grey and white wires on the harness to the cabin speakers. The little bit of amps that were coming out of your device was driving those speakers (which is why they sounded soft).

Mike_G

@MarkB 260EC guys to the rescue!!!    -=Mike G.

diggin2day1

Lets explore one more thing.... you are trying to play your iPhone/iPod on the AUX inputs correct? Can you post a picture of the adapter you're using.... Is it a 35mm to RCA adapter? Is it a stereo or mono adapter? Or something different? Have you tried using that adapter anywhere else like your home stereo?

06Rinker270

Sorry for the late reply guys and thank you for the great info.  

Mark thank you for the detailed response.  I believe everything is wired correctly as I am getting sound when FM is playing just not AUX in the cockpit.  I will follow your info Mark to make sure everything is correct, also make sure settings are correct.  Issue is I can barely see my amp and the wiring.  I will also tape off the gray wires.  If all this fails I guess the only answer is bad RCA. 

For testing purposes I am using my iphone with a cheap, but new, aux cord picture below.  I have used it on my home stereo system and works fine.



  

jme097

So as a summary you cannot play music through your cabin speakers when you are plugged in your aux in rca input on your head unit?

If so - My old Clarion head unit was like this as well. One of the reasons why it was replaced.