Technical Stereo - in Mono???

[biaggi]

Sorry for posting another OEM stereo question but I've just picked up another Dynamic and the stereo is driving me nuts!

I didn't get a audio manual with this one (will order one but takes forever!) and all the radio stations appear to be in mono - a very weak tinny sound. I've been through all the menu's and settings I can find but nothing makes a difference. Sound quality through the CD and cassette player is fine.

I've reset it by removing the fuse, removed it completely and checked all the connections. If you remove the aerial connection at the back of the unit it looses the signal completely as well as if you unscrew the aerial itself - so that appears to be in working order.

Some stations are displaying the stereo icon (double 'O' linked together) but there is no improvement in the sound quality.

Any ideas? I'd rather keep the factory unit if possible.

 

[biaggi]

No replies :-(

Tonight I borrowed a manual from a neighbour. Having checked the connections at the back I found, or so I thought, was that the power aerial lead in connection 5 was missing.

So I popped down to Halfords and brought one of those power leads for the aerial - plugs into the aerial port and then connects power to terminal 5 - but still no difference.

Anyone? I'm stumped.

TIA

 

[activematt]

Im guessing you've played with the various bass and treble settings on the radio? Other than that...........are all the speakers working?

 

[biaggi]

That's what I thought to start with but sound is coming through all the speakers. Adjusting the bass, treble and GE settings makes a tiny but neglible difference.

Play a tape or CD and it's fine.

I wondering if it's the aerial - maybe the connection at the top under the oval cap is corroded or something? (any ideas how it comes off?)

I think I'll try that diagnostic test and see what the signal strength is like first.

 

[activematt]

dont suppose you've got anyone with an aftermarket head unit you could try? may be a prob with the actual head unit?

 

[biaggi]

Now I'm really stumped!

I've just done the diagnostic test and these were the results:

Signal strength - 1.6-1.9 volts with headunit out but 2.9-3.1 with it re-installed.

Comms test - all OK
Checksum - all OK
Display - all OK

Short & open circuits - initially this returned an 'antenna open CCT / short circuit fail' message - brilliant, it's the aerial I thought but then when I removed the aerial power module it returned a pass result - and this was a consistent message -pass/fail when the module was in and out (and now it's out cos I broke it when removing it for the final time!).

So signal strength is good, head unit diags all passed yet the reception is still crap - anyone?

 

[blackJTD]

faulty head-unit?

 

[biaggi]

Yep dodgy headunit - scored another one off ebay fitted, entered code and waited with baited breath - wahoo we have decent sound again!

Trouble is it won't reconise my CD player and I don't have the code for that - oh well making progress. Just need to source the CD code and we'll be back in business.

Hope this helps someone in the future.