Clarion CMD4 sound problems

J

jca1971

New Member
Apr 2, 2008
18
Tampa, FL
Boat Info
2007 200 Sundeck, 2007 Tundra Crewmax
Engines
5.0 MFI A1
My Clarion CMD4 will no longer play at loud volumes. The highest setting of 33 is about the same as 7-8 prior to having these problems. Did a search in the Electronics and Electrical Stuff Section and found one other person with a similar problem. However, no resolution was found so far. I just assumed my radio was bad so I went on eBay and purchased a new CMD4. However, after installing the new unit I still have the same problem. It doesn’t matter what source I select (AM/FM, CD, Aux, Sat, etc.) the sound is still very low. My stereo setup is the stock Sea Ray option with 4 speakers and Sirius.

Anyone else have a similar issue and found a resolution? I'm very frustrated, especially now that I have purchased a new radio and still have the same problems.

Thanks.
 
I have a XMD3 and a similar problem. I also purchased another radio and hoped to install this weekend. I read somewhere that the stereo has a overload protection. If the wires short then the power is reduced. If the stereo swap works then I won't worry about it. If not then I will be unplgging the speaker wires.
 
Groucho said:
Did you check to see if the amp is working??
Click to expand...

Is there a separate amp on a stock 2007 200 Sundeck CMD4 setup? My understanding was the CMD4 powers all 4 speakers. I did not see a separate amp when I removed my radio. There was no turn on lead or extra pair of RCA cables plugged into the back of the CMD4 so I am assuming Sea Ray did not include an amp. Perhaps if you have the subwoofer option you get an extra amp. I checked my original Sea Ray invoice and it does not list an extra amp.
 
HavingFun said:
I have a XMD3 and a similar problem. I also purchased another radio and hoped to install this weekend. I read somewhere that the stereo has a overload protection. If the wires short then the power is reduced. If the stereo swap works then I won't worry about it. If not then I will be unplgging the speaker wires.
Click to expand...

I purchased a new CMD4 and swapped it out with the original one. It did not fix the problem so perhaps there is a short somewhere. I've checked all my fuses and none were blown so I don't know where else to check for a short.

Please let us know if swapping your radio fixes the problem.
 
Go to the speakers and unplug them one at a time. This is the easiest way to see if one of the speakers is shorted. If this does not work disconnect one speaker at a time at the head unit.

I believe the unit has a build in 50 watt per channel amp internal. If I recall, there is also a way to turn the internal amp off to use external amplificaiton. Check the user manual???
 
Ok – I found the problem with my XMD3. My second battery was weak and was not sending enough power to the radio. I didn't think about this because the battery was strong enough to trim the out drive and run the radio at weak levels. It wasn't till I gave up after trying a new radio and cutting a lot of wires that I went for a ride. I noticed that my trim was responding slowly. I thought – great something else is broken. Then I turned the battery switch to both batteries and the stereo came to life. I got a new deep cycle battery and the radio is good as new. The new radio will be going back to Amazon.
 
mfreez said:
Go to the speakers and unplug them one at a time. This is the easiest way to see if one of the speakers is shorted. If this does not work disconnect one speaker at a time at the head unit.

I believe the unit has a build in 50 watt per channel amp internal. If I recall, there is also a way to turn the internal amp off to use external amplificaiton. Check the user manual???
Click to expand...

I will try this next weekend. Just got back from the Fla. Keys and won't have time to troubleshoot again until next week. Thanks for your reply.
 
Thanks to all those who responded to my initial post. I have finally solved the problem. Turned out to be a bad antennae. I would have never figured as I could still receive AM/FM stations.

I took the boat into MM and explained to the tech all the troubleshooting I had done. He said he thought it might be the antennae and when he replaced it, problem solved!
 
Okay, my BS meter is going off. Somebody tell me how a bad antennae can effect the volume of a CD?:huh: Which antennae was it (Sat or AM/FM)?


jca1971 said:
My Clarion CMD4 will no longer play at loud volumes. The highest setting of 33 is about the same as 7-8 prior to having these problems. Did a search in the Electronics and Electrical Stuff Section and found one other person with a similar problem. However, no resolution was found so far. I just assumed my radio was bad so I went on eBay and purchased a new CMD4. However, after installing the new unit I still have the same problem. It doesn’t matter what source I select (AM/FM, CD, Aux, Sat, etc.) the sound is still very low. My stereo setup is the stock Sea Ray option with 4 speakers and Sirius.

Anyone else have a similar issue and found a resolution? I'm very frustrated, especially now that I have purchased a new radio and still have the same problems.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

jca1971 said:
Thanks to all those who responded to my initial post. I have finally solved the problem. Turned out to be a bad antennae. I would have never figured as I could still receive AM/FM stations.

I took the boat into MM and explained to the tech all the troubleshooting I had done. He said he thought it might be the antennae and when he replaced it, problem solved!
Click to expand...
 
chuck1 said:
Okay, my BS meter is going off. Somebody tell me how a bad antennae can effect the volume of a CD?:huh: Which antennae was it (Sat or AM/FM)?
Click to expand...

It was the AM/FM antenna. The SIRIUS Antenna is fine. BTW, prior to replacing the antennae the volume did not work properly on any source. Didn't matter if it was AM/FM radio, SIRIUS, CD or iPod. Must have been something internally in the CMD4 that limited the volume if the antennae was bad.
 
What happens if you just unplug the antennae?
 
chuck1 said:
What happens if you just unplug the antennae?
Click to expand...

Didn't make a difference. I tried that myself when I initially started troubleshooting. I guess there is something in the CMD4 antenna connection that controls the volume or the amount of current the amp puts out to the speakers.
 
I'm having a hard time getting my arms around the antenna being the culprit too. Anything else change like the battery was charged or a loose connection to an amp corrected during the swap?
 
checked all my connections and it seemed to be a battery issue. Switched from battery 1 to 2 and everything is all good on the lake.
 
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