Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Audio HELP! Are my tweets broken?

I just received my speakers for my install that I am currently in the process of performing. I've finally worked out wiring and mounting issues and started connecting everything up in the first door. I connected the crossover and then the woofer and tweeter. I turned on my HU and listened to the woofer and tweeter to make sure the terminals were hooked up + to + and - to -. I noticed when listening closely to the tweeter that it was hissing rather loudly, considering I hadn't turned up the volume much yet. I thought I got the connections switched around, and changed them, but the hissing persisted. I adjusted the balance and fader so it was only the front driver's speakers and the hissing continued, masking almost all of the sound the tweeter might otherwise be generating. I turned it up to normal listening volume and the hissing got louder, to the point where if I sat in my car with the door closed and the engine off, I know I could hear it all the time. Are my tweeters ruined? Perhaps more importantly, did my handling (which was gentle) damage them before I had even hooked them up? I would think that if that was the case, it would be impossible for them to hold up while driving.

I am going to call PE in the tomorrow and see what they have to say, but in the meantime...

Are you SURE that you hooked up the crossover and got it's settings correct? I think I would look there first.

What kind of tweeters are they?

Per your suggestion, I checked and rechecked all my crimps and connections and even switched around the + and - connections a whole bunch, all of which made no difference. However, with more careful observation with the door closed (less background noise from the heater and other things) and moving the tweeter around further away from my head (not 3 inches from my face), I don't think its defective after all. When I tried it with normal bal/fade adjustments, there was a lot less hissing and its not audible when its further from my head, even though the engine wasn't running. Of course, when I am actually driving, it will be completely drowned out by the glorious Zetec buzzing. Thanks for the recheck suggestion.

hope your install goes well, could you take some pics of the whole process