Remote bass knob / tech12audio

So i would like to hear from anyone who has a remote bass knob installed with there OEM non JBL head unit. Here is my story. I installed a system from James@ tech12audio. My stereo system consists of the following. Factory head unit remains, from james I have the JBL Club A5505 amp (5 Channel), 6.5" component Hertz speakers front and rear, and a 12" JBL sub in a custom box. I installed all of the components about 3 months ago including the remote bass knob that came with the amp. Write from the get go I have always had issues with the remote bass knob functioning the way it is intended to work. The remote bass knob does not adjust the bass at all. The only way to adjust the bass is to use the bass adjustment setting in the factory head unit. Don't get me wrong, James has been MORE than helpful and informative. He sent me another bass knob thinking the bass knob was faulty. When that didn't work, everything remained the same after swapping the bass knob. He sent me a new amp, same amp but different model. The amp he sent me is an Infinity 7005A, which is the same amp as the JBL Club. I installed the infinity amp and i still have the same issue, the remote bass knob does not adjust the bass. Although I will say the infinity amp does sound MUCH clearer than the JBL Club. No matter how i adjusted the bass on the Amp and or the bass on the factory non JBL radio with the bass knob installed everything is the same. I contacted Harmon (Amp manufacture) and explained the situation I was in. They did confirm that on some factory head units it will be NOT possible to adjust the bass via the remote bass knob. They said some factory head units over ride the ability for remote bass adjustments. They suggested I install an after market head unit with an EQ instead of bass / treble / mid adjustments. Has anyone run into this problem when installing a remote bass knob. Mind you remote bass knobs have different signal outputs, some are a voltage output and some are a resistance output. That will be the key difference. I believe the remote bass knob adjustment i have for the Infinity amp is a voltage output. Just curious if others have had the same problem with there remote bass knobs. Looking forward to hearing what others have to say.

 

I actually just removed the base knob out of my truck, it really on works as an off and on. All the way turned down it’s completely off and as soon as you turn it any little bit it’s basically full blast. I have the JBL factory head unit and the

$320 Rockford DSR1 8-Channel Interactive Signal Processor w/Integrated iDatalink Maestro Module

Rockford DSR1, I was just thinking it had something to do with the DSR1.

 

That is exactly how my my bass knob was working. I truly believe it has to do with the head unit. I am thinking on having the head unit changed. Glad I am not the only one with this issue.

 

Yeah brother you’re not alone.

 

What kinda head unit you thinking on?

 

Sounds like something is not correctly set up

 

No a lot there to “set up” all of James stuff comes with pretty detailed setting directions. @Catmann1972 has apparently tried 2 different amps.

 

I just set up an old amp I had laying around (Rockford Fosgate 200IX DSM) in my 2021 Crewmax...left the factory amps. I used a Audio Control LC2I with a bass knob, pulled the wimpy factory sub out, wired the input at the factory sub to the LC2i, ran the RCA's from the LC2I to the amp, bridged the amp to mono to run a single 12" JL 12TW1-4, and everything works great. Bass knob does exacy what it's supposed to.

 

I tried many variations of setting the system up with recommendations from James as well as parts replacement from James and I still had the same outcome. I have a background in electronics and electrical systems, so i understand how the system should work. It was just trying to achieve the proper bass adjustment using the remote bass knob and wasn't having any success. This is what brought me to contact the manufacture (Harmon) for there guidence in setting up the system. I explained to them everything that was happening. They responded to my emails very quickly and they were also familiar with James. They suggested a few adjustments and wiring changes, after going through there suggestions, I still had no change in the original issue. This is when they informed me that the OEM head unit would now be the issue, and suggested i replace it in order to get the remote bass knob to operate the way it is designed with the amp. They said the reason was due to some head units are not compatible with the remote bass knob option. They said if there was a way to turn off or disable the bass adjustment in the head unit that i should do so and try that option. But in our NON JBL head units there is no way to disable or turn off the bass setting, and turning all the way down, DOES NOT turn it off or disable it. Harmon said that it has to do with the output signal of the remote bass knob and the output signal of the bass setting in the head unit. They said it sounds like the head unit has the same output signal as the remote bass knob thus the stronger signal will take preference over the weaker signal output. It honestly makes a lot of sense to me. I am going to have the head unit replaced by one of the local stereo shops, one of these days. I want a Head unit that will maintain all of the factory systems on the stereo as well as a 2nd or maybe a 3rd input for a camera (Front - rear - trailer). Also would mind if the stereo was capable of monitoring some engine parameters (engine temp - trans temp - ect....). Don't get me wrong, the system still sounds great, I just have to adjust the bass via the setting in the head unit, which can be a pain in the butt. I currently have the bass set pretty good for the music i listen to, so i shouldn't need to make many adjustments. Usually listening to country, old rock, blues, jazz, easy listening soft rock. I'm older, so no more hard rock or anything like that.

So if anyone is having the same issue with there bass knob, this is what i have experienced and you may want to contemplate a new head unit upgrade to get the remote bass knob to work.

Cheers

 

I have a Helix DSP.3 in my 2020 sport non JBL and the bass knob works as intended.

 

I have an OEM HU + a DSR1 and I am running a base knob off of my JL 900 Series Amp. No issues what so ever.

 

The OEM head unit shouldn't have anything to do with the bass knob. The bass knob should go directly to the amp and impact channel 5 on your amp. At no point should the bass knob interact or pass through the OEM head unit.