Bad vibration from rear speakers

[Wasatch Rebel]

I have the stock radio in my 2000 4runner. I won't upgrade to an aftermarket stereo because I've had too many vehicles broken into to steal them...well I have installed an aftermarket cassette player in my Accord because I figured if the thieves were paying attention, they wouldn't bother stealing that because no one would buy it from them.

Anyway the one in the 4runner has both a cd and tape built in to it. In the past in my Accord, I've used one of those tape adapters to play mp3s off of a diskman. It went well. But now, in the 4runner, I've tried both a newer MP3 player, my old diskman, and now my laptop hooked up to the tape adapter. With about half of the songs, I get a very bad vibration coming from the rear speakers, so much so that I can't stand listening to the songs--almost like they've been blown out. But when I listen to the radio, AM or FM, that doesn't happen. At first I was thinking it was the speakers and that I need to replace them, but if it were the speakers, wouldn't that sound happen when I'm listening to the radio as well as MP3s? Does anyone know if those tape adapters have been known to have such issues as this? Or do you definitely think it's the speakers? I would think if it was the adapter, I'd also hear the sound from the front speakers, wouldn't I?

 

[kdawg532]

I have the stock radio in my 2000 4runner. I won't upgrade to an aftermarket stereo because I've had too many vehicles broken into to steal them...well I have installed an aftermarket cassette player in my Accord because I figured if the thieves were paying attention, they wouldn't bother stealing that because no one would buy it from them.

Anyway the one in the 4runner has both a cd and tape built in to it. In the past in my Accord, I've used one of those tape adapters to play mp3s off of a diskman. It went well. But now, in the 4runner, I've tried both a newer MP3 player, my old diskman, and now my laptop hooked up to the tape adapter. With about half of the songs, I get a very bad vibration coming from the rear speakers, so much so that I can't stand listening to the songs--almost like they've been blown out. But when I listen to the radio, AM or FM, that doesn't happen. At first I was thinking it was the speakers and that I need to replace them, but if it were the speakers, wouldn't that sound happen when I'm listening to the radio as well as MP3s? Does anyone know if those tape adapters have been known to have such issues as this? Or do you definitely think it's the speakers? I would think if it was the adapter, I'd also hear the sound from the front speakers, wouldn't I?

Sounds to me like the volume on the device is to loud(which would cause it to clip). Try turning the volume down on the devices and up on the radio. That should make a difference.

 

[Wasatch Rebel]

Sounds to me like the volume on the device is to loud(which would cause it to clip). Try turning the volume down on the devices and up on the radio. That should make a difference.

Thanks, kdawy532. That did the trick. There's something still wrong with the sound though, like the instruments in the songs are so loud I can't hear the vocals, but maybe that's just that I need to tweak both the volume on the device, and on the car stereo to get optimum sound quality.

 

[kdawg532]

Thanks, kdawy532. That did the trick. There's something still wrong with the sound though, like the instruments in the songs are so loud I can't hear the vocals, but maybe that's just that I need to tweak both the volume on the device, and on the car stereo to get optimum sound quality.

Youre welcome!!! It's just because you're basically converting a digital audio signal to an analog audio signal. This will cause some sound distortion and quality loss. It is typical for a car kit to do this. You may be able to improve it by adjusting the settings on the radio, but, it won't be as good as if you could directly connect it to an aftermarket head unit.

 

[Wasatch Rebel]

Youre welcome!!! It's just because you're basically converting a digital audio signal to an analog audio signal. This will cause some sound distortion and quality loss. It is typical for a car kit to do this. You may be able to improve it by adjusting the settings on the radio, but, it won't be as good as if you could directly connect it to an aftermarket head unit.

I was actually able to improve the sound substantially by turning up the sound on the device, not all the way, but some. I think it's a matter of balance between the volume on the radio, and the volume on the attached device. So, there is a certain optimal level--I just need to find it.

 

[kdawg532]

I was actually able to improve the sound substantially by turning up the sound on the device, not all the way, but some. I think it's a matter of balance between the volume on the radio, and the volume on the attached device. So, there is a certain optimal level--I just need to find it.

Awesome!!! I'm sure there is, toying around and fine tuning it will eventually find the happy medium!! I'm glad to hear you have it working for the most part!!