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Audio sucks after hard top removal

72K views 192 replies 101 participants last post by  shilo1465 
#1 ·
I can't seem to find the thread about
Putting the jumper in the connection
After removing the hardtop
Anybody remember the process?
 
#4 ·
As far as the audio sucking after hardtop removal. What did you expect? You completely changed the acoustics. There is now nothing for the sound to reflect off.

And the other questions I have no idea. :rolleyes:
 
#7 ·
he is correct and we will have to find the thread. in a nut shell when you pull off the hard top an audio limiter comes into the circuit limiting the systom output so as not to disturb the neighborhood.

its in the wiring harnes that you unplug from the hard top and you can fool the system by jumpering after unplugging.
 
#10 ·
found it on the jk forum: i take no credit for this at all.....



This is the diagram of the hardtop harness.

This is the plug that goes into the hardtop.

DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU RUIN YOUR JK!
With that said, I took a test light hooked it to a ground (I used the ground on the trailer wiring) and was checking the different pins in the plug to find out what was causing the radio output to change. I found that when the violet w/ white stripe (CAV3 in diagram) is grounded the stereo cut out for the half second and returned back to what a call normal output if the hardtop was on (stronger output of sub and sport bar speakers).

I'm just gonna make a jumper wire that will connect the CAV 3 and CAV 6 (black wire) together. But the best fix would be to buy the other half of the plug and properly connect the the wires to make the circuit.

P.S. Some of you have said that they've removed the hardtop with no radio change and some have had the change like me. I do not know what models and years are effected. All I can tell you is that my Jk was born December 07 and purchased January 08. I do have the speaker popping problem when playing CD's but have not received the amp re-flash due to comments of diminished power output.
 
#14 ·
What a coincidence this thread was started this morning. I've had my hardtop off for about two weeks now and was just thinking to myself yesterday that the stereo didn't seem to have the same output as when the top was on, but just assumed it was because of the changed acoustics with the top off.

I've got a 2008 and this should be easy enough to test with a volt meter or test light. If it is in fact true, this is a great find. I'll let everyone know if I can recreate the results in the post above.
 
#15 ·
I checked the violet wire with my volt meter and there is a 5-volt current going across this wire, but I did NOT notice any change in my stereo output when I bridged the violet wire with the black ground wire.

My 2008 was originally purchased in 04-2008, but I'm not sure when it was built. It has the Infinity 7-speaker w/subwoofer & CD-changer. Not sure if stereo type makes a difference.
 
#16 ·
I just tried this in my 2010 JK Sport. I have all stock audio equip. I used a bit of copper wire with the insulation snipped off the ends. I stood there and connected and disconnected the bridge several times with volume up at 16 and bass at 4 on the stock stereo. I had a hard time noticing a difference but I left it in anyhow.

I went on the highway where my Bikini top usually makes a good amount of flapping noise and with the volume still at 16 I could hear it better. Before I would have had to have it at about 18 to 20 for it to really sound "right."

I guess it's worth it but not a big improvement by any stretch, at least to my ears. I waiting for the weather to get nice... (supposed to be 71 here today, but its still 43 and foggy) and then see how it sounds with the top off all the way.

I'll try to report back later today or tomorrow. Supposed to be 81 here on Sunday.
 
#20 ·
They have been making convertible vehicles like the Jeep for years. Why have we never heard of this on anything but a JK? I’m just not sold that this is doing anything. There are so many factors that affect the JK sound system like the acoustics with the top on or off, the rear seat installed or not, or even the weather the day you took your top off and noticed it was louder.

I think we might want to hire these guys:
 
#23 ·
Another way to test this would be to disconnect the harness and keep the hard top on. That way you're not changing the acoustics. I thought having the hard top off was causing my stock radio to sound like crap with the top off, but this could be a contributing factor.

I think I'll try this later. I have a '12 Sport, with the stock radio (just with Sirius), and no sub. Needless to say the sound sucks!
 
#153 ·
I have tried exactly this before I removed my hard top for summer. I have a 2010 JK Sport 2dr with the Infinity system. I COULD NOT HEAR ANY DIFFERENCE.

:confused:
 
#25 ·
it may not be a voltage change, voltage may stay constant and current changes. tube amplifiers used to increase wattage by a voltage change, most solid state amplifiers increase wattage by increasing current .

some amplifiers increase both ... it all depends on the design of the amplifier.

you have to know what type of amplifier you have.
 
#28 ·
^^ I don't know.. I just know I always set the gains on amplifiers using AC voltage.
gain controls are not volume controls. gain controls effect sensitivity.

you can raise the voltage up or down to match the sensitivity of your components so the master volume control works them evenly but that has no bearing on how power is controlled..


whether you open your gain control all the way or close it down the systems power output stays the same.

opening up the master volume control may increase current flow but leave the voltage setting in your gain control unchanged.

if you think of water we can set a pressure we want to maintain in our hose ,thats the voltage and gain control.

but as far as controlling the actual amount of water we will get that depends on how much the source is providing.
we can maintain that pressure but by using a bigger hose we can pass more water at the same pressure if the source could provide it .thats our volume control and the water is the current.

pressure is one thing , thats our gain control adjustment but actual amount of water flow is current and thats our volume control. .

like i said though some amplifiers do control power by altering both voltage and current and others by altering only current once you set your reference voltage with your gain control.
 
#38 ·
This!

When I jumper I hear the audio cut out for a second, so it must be doing something I can't hear - after inventing car boom so many years ago and now have less than stellar hearing.
 
#29 ·
Interesting discussion on the connector.

Though, since the speakers are a fixed resistance, how do you alter the current without altering the voltage?
 
#32 ·
I will have to try it again, but before winter I didn't notice a difference at all. I have the infinity sub, in addition I tapped off the wires and added a subwoofer too.. Could not tell a change with or without the top, expect for the fact everyone else can hear with the top off :)
 
#33 ·
Closed myself in the cargo area of my JKU the other day, connecting and disconnecting the harness. Played various different songs at different volumes over and over, some with bass, some with nearly none. While the sound does cut out when the harness is dis/connected, I didn't hear any notable difference in sound quality.

Might try again with me in the front and someone else doing the harness, but I don't expect to hear anything different.
 
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