Slight alternator noise with ICE>Link

[btrvalik]

I just installed an ICE>link and even though I have the new cable I'm still getting a little alternator whine in quiet parts of songs. I've seen the tech bulletin that talks about swapping the ground pin. On the newer cable there is a jumper that connects these two locations together. So naturally I tried all combinations of the jumpers. I was able to increase the noise signficantly by going back to the older configuration.. and that was much worse but not able to eliminate it.

1) Does everyone still have a little alternator whine?
2) Do people that are using the radio harness have any whine?
3) Could a choke on the power lead help?
4) Could an isolation transformer on the signal lines help?
5) Does the factory kit have this problem?
6) Does the aux cable have this problem?

Even though it is faint, it still bugs me and kind of reminds me of after market car stereos of the 80s. These cars are just too damn quiet! Any help welcome.

[Carbo56]

When I first installed mine, I didn't mount the cradle right away. I just laid the cables in the back and stuck the crade and iPod inside the coiled cables so it wouldn't move around. It made the same whine that you descibed.

A few days later, I mounted the cradle and neatly rearranged the cable harness and the whine went away. I'm not sure if it was coincidence or if where the cables were sitting made a difference.

[UCrewX5]

Try this fix before doing anything else - http://www.xoutpost.com/pdf/Dension/b...cbl_repair.pdf

[btrvalik]

The fix listed above is only for the older cable.. but I tried it anyway

[UCrewX5]

Originally Posted by btrvalik

The fix listed above is only for the older cable.. but I tried it anyway

Let me know if you find a solution, as I also have a very slight issue with mine as well. Not enough to not use it, though.

[Tom G.]

Originally Posted by btrvalik

I just installed an ICE>link and even though I have the new cable I'm still getting a little alternator whine in quiet parts of songs. I've seen the tech bulletin that talks about swapping the ground pin. On the newer cable there is a jumper that connects these two locations together. So naturally I tried all combinations of the jumpers. I was able to increase the noise signficantly by going back to the older configuration.. and that was much worse but not able to eliminate it.

1) Does everyone still have a little alternator whine?
2) Do people that are using the radio harness have any whine?
3) Could a choke on the power lead help?
4) Could an isolation transformer on the signal lines help?
5) Does the factory kit have this problem?
6) Does the aux cable have this problem?

Even though it is faint, it still bugs me and kind of reminds me of after market car stereos of the 80s. These cars are just too damn quiet! Any help welcome.

Have you tried adjsuting the voltage on the gain?This can be accessed in your SETUP menu of the ice>Link, default is 2V. You can try dropping it down to 1V.

Some vehicles require the use of a Ground Loop Isolator if the source cannot be found.

[btrvalik]

I have tried all voltage settings.. 2V seems to be the best setting as well as eq settings on the ipod. I would like to determine if this is a ground loop problem that is coupling noise into the audio path. I'm out of town currently but I was thinking I could try unplugging the audio connector from the ice-link ( 6pin connector I believe) and connect a set of headphones to the ipod. If this eliminates the noise when listening over the headphones, it seems to me that an isolation transformer on the ice-link audio connections should fix the problem. I could then modify the icelink cable to include an isolation transformer.

[el_duderino]

Originally Posted by btrvalik

I have tried all voltage settings.. 2V seems to be the best setting as well as eq settings on the ipod. I would like to determine if this is a ground loop problem that is coupling noise into the audio path. I'm out of town currently but I was thinking I could try unplugging the audio connector from the ice-link ( 6pin connector I believe) and connect a set of headphones to the ipod. If this eliminates the noise when listening over the headphones, it seems to me that an isolation transformer on the ice-link audio connections should fix the problem. I could then modify the icelink cable to include an isolation transformer.

FYI... any transfomer I've ever tried to put in an X5 that wasn't shielded picked up EMI noise out of the air. Noisest car I've ever seen.

The only ones I've used successfully have been the Iso-Max CI-2RR. MSRP is $200, you can find them for less, but anything like the normal $20 Radio Shack units will make it worse. I've actually held a tweeter to my ear and moved the GLI around and heard the noise change with position.

[btrvalik]

looks like a quality transformer.. thanks for the info. First I need to see if isolating the audio will eliminate the alternator noise or is it just coming in on the DC.

[btrvalik]

Just picked up the iso-max ci-2rr. I have not installed it in my X yet.. I also picked up one for my home system. Wow this is a really high quality little box! At home my amp and pre-amp are separated by about 20 ft. Even though they are wired to the same dedicated circuit I was having a ground-loop problem. Currently, I've had to float the electrical ground on one side to eliminate the loop. Now with the ISO max I can ground both pieces of equipment. My home amplifiers are conrad-johnson tube gear.. I notice no difference in the sound quality (I'm real picky) and I feel much more comfortable that these high voltage amps are now properly grounded. Now to try the other one in the X. Once again thanks for the pointer Ken!