Stock JBL Explorer System

[AndyManxx]

I'm having a little trouble with a stock system in my 96' Explorer. Every now an then (in some songs) and quite often (in some songs) a sound distortion will occur, sounds like a person blowing into a microphone. It seems to happen only on bass hits. I took my Explorer by a car audio shop, and the guy said, "these JBL explorer systems are pretty cheap. If one component goes bad, you usually have to replace every piece of the system, speakers, hu, amp and all."

First off, is what this guy says true, and second, any ideas on what might cause the sound distortion I'm hearing?

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

Welcome to the boards!!! You'll love this place!!

Does the sound come from all the speakers or the sub? If it's the sub, then the sub is on its way out. I'm sure someone else will chime in.

 

[X~FACTOR]

the guy said, "these JBL explorer systems are pretty cheap. If one component goes bad, you usually have to replace every piece of the system, speakers, hu, amp and all."

Sounds like a typical sales talk to me. I have the same JBL Premium system in my truck and let me tell you I abuse it a lot. 7 years and counting and it is still thumpin'. From what you described sounds like the 6" sub need replacing.

 

[AndyManxx]

The sound comes from the speakers, not the subs. And yeah, i had the stock jbl system on my previous explorer, and it still sounded great right up to when i sold it.

Was the sales guy right when he said "if you want to replace one component, you have to replace them all."?

 

[X~FACTOR]

It is best to replace speakers in pairs but that is it. If the HU, amp, and subs are okay, why replace it? The sales guy is giving you his sales pitch. He wants more money out of you by buying more than you need and want. Try going to a different shop and see what they say. I have a feeling this guy is being less than honest with you.

 

[drummergirl]

Mine does the same thing! 96 JBl stock system........ It's an awful noise, like an alien belching or something... It seems to happen when the signal coming in peaks out for some reason (a really low frequency loud bass note on a cd, for example) and the squelchy freaky noise sounds like the speakers are blowing up. The sound can come out of any of the speakers, or even multiple speakers. It also does it if I plug an external source in (like my MiniDisc player) through a cassette adapter and turn up the volume on the MD player a little too loud. Problem is, though, that it will do it on cd's too, using the stock cd changer.

I'm thinking it's the amplifier, and since the 96 JBL systems use a rear control unit with the tuner and amplifier in the back and not in the head unit, that I probably do have to replace the whole system. Not sure of the cost of a new RCU, but it's probably cheaper to just put in a new system, knowing Ford's prices.

Also, my cd changer just broke... Any cd I put in reads "Bad CD"... anyone have any thoughts on this or the alien noise?

Claire

 

[Saleen_SR71]

yeah my sub sounded bad too, so i disconected it right away and put in my own subs and amp. the stock door speakers sound a lot better now that the bass level is all the way down, they actually sound a bit louder and cleaner

my cd changer says bad cd too, it sucks i was just playing a cd yesterday. i was thinking of trying a lense cleaner before i did anything major about it.

 

[drummergirl]

The freaky sound isn't coming from the sub, it comes through the door speakers, and it isn't always the same speaker and sometimes its all the speakers. If I'm using an external device coming through the cassette deck I can stop the noise from firing off if I lower the volume on the device, but for cd's I'm SOL, since the changer doesn't have a volume knob on its own. It sounds like there's a gremlin in the sound system -- literally! I checked the speakers and they are not blown.

Let me know if the lense cleaner works... It's certainly worth a try!