Radio reception needs improvement-->amplified adapter?

[hccyong]

It seems like my radio reception (at least FM, haven't really tried AM) is worse than stock when using my Rockford 9110G. The stock antenna amplifier is working, but the signals are just weaker overall, which seems to be the case for many people using an aftermarket unit. I am considering getting an amplified antenna amplifier. Has that helped for those who have tried it? Also, should I not power up the stock antenna amplifier in this case, or should I double up the amplification? Thanks.

[porsche_virus]

I had the same problem when installing my Sony head unit. There's an easy fix: hook up the WHITE BMW wire from the dash to your head unit power antenna lead. I know it doesn't seem right, but that WHITE wire provides signal to the electronic "FM booster" for the antenna that is stock. At least that's what fixed my reception problems.

KC

[hccyong]

Thanks. I did hook it up. I didn't hook it up before, and it was all just noise. Now that it's hooked up, it helps, but it's still not up to stock performance.

[Adam at AUtil07]

ok, as much as i think rockford is complete crap and how everyone should go with alpine or pioneer depending on tastes, iv heard of that happening in other units, except pioneer and alpine, if you had put an adaptor on to make the stock connection work with aftermarket, you may have just gotton the wrong on, it may not have the correct gauge to mhz you need, which i won't explain, go with the cheap fixes first, check wiring conections etc, otherwise id go to highend store that carries the same headunit, ask what they woud use, if its something diffrent, i would trust the pro who makes a living off of i, as opposed to same 15y/o at bestbuy who drives a classic 1997 huffy bike

[hccyong]

If you could explain the gauge and bandwidth requirements, that would be great. I can't see an adapter being developed that would not even have these parameters designed properly, but I guess anything could happen...

[Adam at AUtil07]

ok im trying this again and so help me if aol cuts me off again im gonna go and 8.0 ****ing aokl time warner, so here goes, basicly, the point of an adaptor isso that you can transfer the signal, power, whatever from 1 application to another, now inside, they basicly get a wire or whatever to take each indivual function and transfer it to whatever your putting it to, i.e you headunit, so let say they use a guage of wire to big, that means theres extra space to be filled inside the wire, and so there are just certain lawsa of nature that can't be broken, the extra space means the sigal or power, which your taking both speads itself out thoughout the whole wire causing whats kindi like damning a creek to make a lake, exept the lake doesn't really get bigger, the extra electrons just kindi go in, float and come out, which can cause static or low volume basicly because your nt getting what its giving you, depending on what grade copper or type wie it can also create extra electro magnetic fields within the wire which will in a space-age type of sense, "bend" and "twist" the signal making it not what its suppose to be, now lets see they gauge wire the use is 2 small, making more of a creek with a damn in it upstream, all the water thats coming at it simply can't get though, this ALWAYS results in low volume and a volume limit baicly, simply because the signal cannot be feed though the wire, with a stock system, the antennia or the headunit and whatever is designed around everything eles designed to work with everything eles, i know it sounds like im overshooting it like hell, but i can't soud little buzzy civics who fobs who think they know crap, so i gotto set everyone staight, nothing is equal, not even wire, everything works in concepts and theorys not trial and error, damn i had a lot of free time over a few summers