Anyone Using Secret Audio?

[SuperHart]

I installed a Secret Audio head unit and 6 CD Changer in my Cobra and followed the instructions to the letter including the wire to a constantly powered circuit to maintain the radio memory. Ever since I did the installation I find that if I let the Cobra sit for 3 days the battery is drained. There doesn't seem to be a problem if I run the car more often or if I plug the battery into a trickle charger. My battery is an Optima RedTop. This doesn't seem right at all but everything seems to be working just fine.

I'd like to hear from anyone who also is using the Secret Audio setup. Thanks.

[Snak Iyz]

Superhart,

I have the Secret Audio set-up with the 10-disc changer. I have not had any battery problems whatsoever. I did have to go back a few times and re-situate the cd player to avoid excessive skipping, but other than that no problems to speak of.

Sorry I could not be of more help.

- Snak Iyz



~~~~~~~~~~~
Paul

[Mr.Fixit]

Could it be your amplifier draining the battey?

[BMK]

Perhaps someone is sitting in the Cobra listening in the garage there when your not about??



Bernie

[SuperHart]

Good theory, Bernie, except I have a master power shutoff and I am the only one with the key to that. I shut off the main power when the car is in the garage and take the switch key with me. The only item that remains connected to the battery is the wire to the radio memory. The fuse for that circuit is rated at 1 amp. Yet, if I allow the car to sit for more than 2.5 days without running the motor the battery is as dead as a doornail.

[SuperHart]

Good theory, Bernie, except I have a master power shutoff and I am the only one with the key to that. I shut off the main power when the car is in the garage and take the switch key with me. The only item that remains connected to the battery is the wire to the radio memory. The fuse for that circuit is rated at 1 amp. Yet, if I allow the car to sit for more than 2.5 days without running the motor the battery is as dead as a doornail.

I last ran the car on Sunday and when I went to use the CD changer all I got on the display was ERROR. The Cd unit wouldn't even release the CD cartridge. I am beginning to believe what others have said, that the Secret Audio setup is a piece of CRAP. I can't believe I spent over $400 and this is what I get. Anyone have any legit suggestions? Thanks.

[westchester]

Superhart & SnakeIyz.... sorry, have no solution...but I've thought of installing the same secret Audio unit in my Cobra, but put off by the 140 watts power. I'm no kid looking for "wake-the-neighbourhood" volume, but is the unit powerful enough to be heard over the rumble of sidepipes ?

[DonC]

Superheart:
Can't give you any insight as to the performance of the Secret Audio since mine won't be in for a day or two yet. I can, however, tell you that the first cd changer I received didn't work, the second was a refurbished which also didn't work but the third bench tested o.k.
I'll try to let you know how mine works out.
Westchester:
140 watts divided between 4 channels is probably not enough push to be heard over the pipes. I'm adding an amp to my setup to push it up to 60 watts per channel. Even then it may not be enough to be heard over the pipes and wind noise at speed. I wasn't really planning on it being too useful at speed but wanted to be able to use it in city driving.
Again, I'll try to keep posted once mine goes in.
DonC

[Snak Iyz]

I, too, do not want to be blowing the doors off the Cobra with a loud stereo, but I do want to be able to hear it.

On the LA freeways doing 60-80, I can hear the music, but not all of it. You definitely do not get the finer points. AND, if you want bass from the stock system, forget it. I am definitely considering getting an amp, just to hear the music better. Not sure about putting a sub-woofer in the Cobra though. My only concern is, will the SA speakers be able to handle the amp'ed power..... we'll find out since I am already into this thing for a few dollars......

I can't help but feel I could have ended up with a much better system on my own, by purchasing a Pioneer/Kenwood/Alpine head unit w/a remote, better speakers, amp., etc and doing the same thing. Plenty of audio shops have encased molds for speakers. You could even build your own speaker enclosures for the same effect.

The quality is defintely not top grade (head unit, speakers and 10-cd player), but I would not say it is total garbage either. The times I have had to use their Customer Service, they have been very nice and helpful.

One last comment..... $70 for an iPod/MP3 cable...... c'mon guys..... Ouch. After all the skipping issues (which ended up being install related, not product related) I thought of going the iPod route, but you have to still keep the cd player and run that super nice $70 cable via the cd player......

Hope this helps. I will post more as I change out components.

-Snak Iyz

[harley]

While I am not familiar with the Secret Audio product - the easest check would be to connect an ammeter in series with the battery. If the current draw is really under 1 amp - a 50 amp-hour load should not deplete the battery unless the battery is defective or not fully charged to begin. A current to maintain memory is normally very very little - milli amps range (.001 amp)

If the draw is under an amp i would check the condition of the battery if over an amp i would try and find the power user. I would guess something is maintaining a draw - i.e the power amp is always on - good luck -

jim

[SuperHart]

SOme good points have been raised here. When I first had the unit installed ( professionally, by the way) the face panel for the head unit would remain lit even when the ognition was turned off. The head unit was returned to the factory and supposedly repaired. When it came back it seemed to work OK but then this battery drain problem popped up. The battery is a red top Optima, brand new. As of yesterday, now the CD deck installed in the trunk is on the fritz. The LED panel only displays CD ERR and the CD changer won't even eject the CD cassette. I can't return the items because like a fool I purchased the items more than a year ago and only now got around to having them installed. BIG mistake.

To answer the question about sound, I used a good pair of Blaupunkt 5.25 round speakers in the rear bulkhead and used Crutchfield foam baffles. Another pair of similar speakers are under the dash in housings. When the fader is adjusted to favor the underdash speakers the sound is adequate even at highway speeds. When I reach a stoplight, however, I feel a little selfconscious because the volume is too loud at idle. I wish the radio had a feature similar to my Mercedes, ie., volume increases with speed. I'd even be happy if the RF remote control worked well. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Something tells me I am going to get totally disgusted and rip out all the Secret Audio junk and buy a nice Sony unit or other high end unit. I will keep my present speakers, of course. They seem to be the only item that works well. It is obvious that others have also had problems with Secret Audio. It would be good for the factory guys to read these posts and take them to heart.

[cobralee]

I have a secret audio in my '65 Comet Caliente....and yes, when the battery runs down as the CD changer drains it. Worst yet, I lose my set memory stations on the radio. I also had mine professionally installed. The installer said he could disconnect the CD changer when the car is not running which would not drain the battery, however I'd automatically lose my radio stations and have to reset them every time. So, I chose not to change it, but do have a trickle charger on all the time, which takes care of the problem. I believe the overlal problem is the year of my car can't sustain a constant drain on the battery.

[SuperHart]

Thanks for all the replies. It seems to me that Secret Audio has some inherent gremlins that the company isn't too eager to address. The setup I have is the "older" design. I believe I have identified the problem with the unit. The battery drain is NOT due to the year of your car or any other defect other than the head unit previously supplied with the Secret Audio setup. I have discovered that when you turn off the key and the display seems to turn off, that is the ONLY thing that actually turns off. The head unit itself is actually still fully ON because of the power connection directly to the battery that is supposed to only draw a miniscule amount of current to maintain the radio memory, station sets, etc. In reality the current draw is exactly the same as if the head unit were turned on with the ignition key. That is the reason your battery drains in 2 days. One should NOT have to keep a car connected to a trickle charger in order to prevent this from happening. It is obviously a problem with the circuitry of the Secret Audio head unit itself. Yes, gentlemen, it is a product defect that the company seems unwilling to recognize or properly address and us chumps out here are out $450 for a head unit and CD changer that are both pieces of "horse manure". I attempted to contact the company 5 times about this problem without satisfaction. The head unit has already been returned to the company once already for supposed repairs and this is the way it was returned to me. Not to mention the fact that the CD deck failed after less than ONE hour of total play time. Secret Audio looks like it has changed the components from the looks of their ad now but who knows if they are still using the same garbage inside the shell.

Well, guess what I did? I completely ripped the Secret Audio system out of my Cobra last week and installed a SONY 8805X head unit and a matching 10 CD changer for more than $100 less than what I spent on the Secret Audio junk. This unit also plays mp3 CDs so I get around 180 songs on ONE 80 min. CD disk. The sound is phenomenal with my Blaupunkt speakers, same speakers used with the Secret Audio crap. No booster amp, no subwoofer, just the basic amp. I am so pleased I am jumping for joy. And GUESS WHAT? The battery doesn't drain anymore.

Let this thread be a warning to anyone considering using Secret Audio in their cars. I plan to pack up the old setup and mail it back to the Secret Audio company and tell them they can use their product as rectal suppositories for the idiots who designed and manufactured such trash. Am I POed? You betcha!

[driver]

this is the future so it may be hard to accept at first. I POD !!!!
NEGATIVES of conventional stereo
A. When riding with a friend , one rarely listens to music
B.CD`s in trunk are a pain
C. High cost of a good , functional hidden system
D. If you have it installed ,you could be dealing with a BOZO
POSITIVES of I POD 1. I downloaded 100 highly desirable songs in a few hours
2.I put the whole silver super trick device in my pocket
3 sounds incredible , with plenty of power
4. 5 hours play time or plug in to power outlet
5. super intuitive , very well designed
6. buy 2 for $500
7. buy any new song on line for 99 cents and I mean any song you can think of
8. can hold thousands of songs
9. you can use it elsewhere

NOW I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY, IT IS ILLEGAL TO WEAR THE EARBUDS, BS!! , EVERYBODY I SEE IS WEARING SOMETHING FOR THEIR PHONE.