1. Welcome to Tundras.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tundra discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other Tundra owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

JL Fix 86 Round 2.....Fight!

Discussion in 'Audio & Video' started by Juanjoolio007, Jul 22, 2018.

  1. Jul 22, 2018 at 3:42 PM
    #1
    Juanjoolio007

    Juanjoolio007 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2017
    Member:
    #6618
    Messages:
    2,085
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    George
    Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2019 Silver Sky Platinum Crew Max
    Bed Rug, Tonneau cover, Window visors, Console organizer, Weather Tech's
    OK so a while ago I posted a thread on how to fix your static with your Fix 86... I was going to update it but I thought just start a new one.

    Shortish back story I found with the software and the laptop that if you dial back the output of the fix you can greatly reduce the static. The problem here is that the Fix is programmed to default to 100% output. The bandaid to this is to purchase either of the DRC knobs JL sells to control the output. I had originally wanted to set the output at about 75% and leave the DRC knob under my passenger seat and continue to use the stock HU volume as the master volume. In emailing Jl they said that could be done. So thats what I did. It helped but wasn't perfect.
    Fast forward to about 6 weeks ago and randomly i lost all output from my speakers. Checked the Fix and recorded a video of what the lights were doing. Emailed the video to JL and they said the power supply had failed it needed to be replaced. Thank god it happened when it did because it was out of warranty in about another month. Sent it back and got a new one.
    I installed it yesterday and while doing so remembered the emails between JL and I. So I calibrated it at volume level 49 and left that HU volume knob alone. After hooking up the RCA's and the DRC knob. I set that thing at min so it wouldn't turn on at full volume. When I turned my stereo back on I was shocked.....100% no freaking static....not even a little bit....not even at min volume and the radio on. Son of a B!tch... in my being hard headed with them I didn't think about it from a calibration stand point. I wanted to control the input by using the HU volume even though it was only calibrated from 1 spot...that I would never get to. By leaving the volume set at the calibrated point and controlling the output of the fix I have no more issue....other then the annoying second knob.
    Its taking some getting used to and now I need to mount that knob permanently but man does that stereo sound amazing.

    My goal with this thing was to prove it could be done and sell it to help offset my HU upgrade...well life got in the way of that plan again and it is pushed down the road even further but at least now i am 100% satisfied with this Fix for the first time in almost 2 years.
     
    Black Wolf likes this.
  2. Jul 23, 2018 at 7:09 AM
    #2
    Bytes_U

    Bytes_U New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2016
    Member:
    #4717
    Messages:
    16
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2017 Silver Tundra SR5 CrewMax
    I never did understand the static complaint from guys using the stock HU, but my Fix was setup almost the same as yours (constant HU vol@50) and mine always sounded fantastic. I did freak out one time I thought the sound was getting distorted, but found out the wife had mistakenly turned up the volume via the HU. Turned HU back down to '50' and the system sounded perfect once again.
     
    Juanjoolio007[OP] likes this.
  3. Jul 23, 2018 at 7:52 AM
    #3
    Juanjoolio007

    Juanjoolio007 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2017
    Member:
    #6618
    Messages:
    2,085
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    George
    Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2019 Silver Sky Platinum Crew Max
    Bed Rug, Tonneau cover, Window visors, Console organizer, Weather Tech's
    I don’t think it’s out there as “common knowledge” maybe. The other big complaint is you have to spend another 80-100 bucks on a new volume knob. I hated that damn fix for almost two years(up until last Friday) because it didn’t seem to “fix” the issue 100%... made it tolerable at best. Now I have no issue other then trying to remember not to use the HU or steering wheel volume control. Once I mount that knob that might make that better though. I also will need to show the wife how to use it as she will probably start driving it daily in about a month.
     
  4. Jul 23, 2018 at 8:54 AM
    #4
    Danimal86

    Danimal86 Looks clean even when its dirty!

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2017
    Member:
    #9321
    Messages:
    4,721
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Daniel
    Sacramento, CA
    Vehicle:
    2017 White Tundra SR5
    I'm trying to follow along, but i'm a little confused. So you:
    Calibrated with no rca's or drc connected and the head unit at 49 (is that about 3/4 volume?)
    Plugged in rca's and drc, and set the drc to min.

    No static and you control the volume from the head unit? That what you are saying?
     
  5. Jul 23, 2018 at 10:24 AM
    #5
    Juanjoolio007

    Juanjoolio007 [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 4, 2017
    Member:
    #6618
    Messages:
    2,085
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    George
    Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2019 Silver Sky Platinum Crew Max
    Bed Rug, Tonneau cover, Window visors, Console organizer, Weather Tech's
    Yes up to the drc to min part. I only did that at first so when I turned the HU back on it wouldn’t be insanely loud right away.

    I leave the HU at 49(roughly 3/4) and control volume from the drc. Absolutely 0 static.

    The last time we talked about this I did it the other way. HU @49, calibrated, drc knob set to roughly 75% and left under the seat, controlled volume from HU. This helped get rid of most of the static but not all.
     
  6. Jul 23, 2018 at 10:39 AM
    #6
    Danimal86

    Danimal86 Looks clean even when its dirty!

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2017
    Member:
    #9321
    Messages:
    4,721
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Daniel
    Sacramento, CA
    Vehicle:
    2017 White Tundra SR5
    ohhhhhh. I see what you are saying now.

    You are using the fix/drc how it was designed (as confirmed by JL audio support). The master volume is no longer controlled by the knob on the head unit, but by the drc. I thought about cracking open the head unit, and trying to pull the back of the volume knob off (the part that actually sends the volume signal to the processor in the head unit), and glue on the drc potentiometer to the back of the stock volume knob, but it sounded like it would be too easy to mess up (and would loose steering wheel volume control).

    I ended up finding a happy medium of using the drc and the volume knob in conjunction. I put the head unit volume at the lowest that i normally listed to music at (something like 5-6), and turned the drc down till i no longer hear any hiss (ended up being at 50-60% on the drc). Now i just use the HU volume/steering wheel controls for the master volume. When i'm running all 5 windows down cruising along the freeway and want to crank it, i'll put the HU volume up about 50-75% up and start cranking up the drc as needed. Works well for me.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top