DMM to troubleshoot a channel

[Maddenkid2011 3]

Am I able to use a DMM to see if the rear channel on my 4 channel amp is working? I've wired it several different ways and i've yet to get anything from the rear side. I'm assuming that there wouldn't be a reading if the channel wasn't working, but I really don't have a clue.

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

turn DMM to AC volts.  stick one probe on the inner part of the rca and one on the outside.  If the voltage dances with the music then your rca is fine.  If so hook the rca to the amp and to the same at the out put of the amp.  if no voltage then that channel is not working

[Maddenkid2011 3]

turn DMM to AC volts.  stick one probe on the inner part of the rca and one on the outside.  If the voltage dances with the music then your rca is fine.  If so hook the rca to the amp and to the same at the out put of the amp.  if no voltage then that channel is not working

Thank you for the reply.

 

So hook an rca to the front channel, switch the amp to 4-channel, and put the leads on either the right or left input on the rear side? I'm borrowing the dmm and i've never really had experience with one.

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

yep, the signal coming from your head unit is nothing more than AC voltage and the amp does nothing more than increase that voltage.

[Maddenkid2011 3]

yep, the signal coming from your head unit is nothing more than AC voltage and the amp does nothing more than increase that voltage.

 

yep, the signal coming from your head unit is nothing more than AC voltage and the amp does nothing more than increase that voltage.

Alright. I'm going through my head unit's manual to see if there is a setting that turns the rear pre-out on and off. I have a Kenwood Excelon x696. Maybe the problem is my head unit.

[Quentin Jarrell 671]

like I said above you can stick the meter probes on the RCA output on the headunit.  one on the inside one on the outside and it should be putting out voltage.

[Maddenkid2011 3]

Thanks for your help. Hopefully there will be a positive update.