I was just reading the manual of my car-kit and I found out why my phone-mute doesn't work on the empeg; from the manual :

so it means in standby, the yellow wire(XCRM) is not grounded and car radio
works normally, but during a call, line is grounded an car radio is muted


the manual suggests a relay of some kind to switch 12V on or off.
Should this be really necessary; isn't there another solution?

The car-kit is a nokia CARK-91

Frank van Gestel

You could try this one. Rather messy but works.

http://www.eriksen.no/muter


TommyE

Simply fit a resistor (10K should do it) between the mute input and 12V, then configure the empeg to mute on 0V. Take care to insulate all the connections.

Rob

I'm glad it's not just me who can't get the mute to work. Where do we need to put the resitor exactly?

Blue 40Gb + Amber 36Gb

The resistor goes between the phone mute line and the constant +12V
line. If you're using the ISO connector I'd see if I could coerce
(carefully) the individual 'plugs' out of the plastic connector
(I had to do the same as I installed my MkI in my VW as VW reverses
pin 4 and 7, switched and constant +12V, as well as splicing in
another connector for the CD/Radio deck) and solder the resistor to
the outermost end of the 'plugs' and the reseating the plugs in the
connector. Then cover the exposed legs of the resistor with for
instance electricians tape - I'd also use that to told the resistor
against the connector body, keeping it out of harms way.

If you solder, be careful not to overheat and melt stuff...

A simpler approach is to use those crimp connectors that let you tap a
new wire into an existing run - the existing runs would be the wires
for +12V and mute sense, the new ones the legs of the resistor.
Cover with electricians tape or shrink tubing. I don't know how well
these connectors would work with a solid wire like the legs of a
resistor - I don't think they work all that well even with normal wire.

/Michael

Thanks for that Michael. I've just had the sled out and done it and it work. Or should I say that the phone mute now works, so thanks for that. However I now have a continuous screaming noise from the speakers that is not related to the volume. It sounds like an earthing loop problem. I've tried restoring the wiring to the previous configuration but it is still there. It it is not doing this in the house at the moment, but I did actually ship the unit straight back to Empeg for this exact same problem (but in the house) before I even installed it in the car. I'm in despair here. I love my two Empegs but i nearly ready to throw this one against the wall! Anyone got any ideas?

Blue 40Gb + Amber 36Gb

Occasionally, I'll get this problem too when the engine is running. Most of the time, it is perfectly quiet.
If I connected my Alpine CD up, I get no whine at any volume.

I traced the problem down to the pin in the connector on the sled not being seated properly, creating a ground loop condition. I'm not very knowledgable about electronics so this is only my speculation.

If you removed the sled and check the pins, hopefully, this will fix your problem.

Be careful though because I actually severed the wire from the connector when I was playing with it and had to re-crimp the thing.

I've been meaning to order a new sled just to avoid this in the future given my breaking the original factor connection.

Sounds like something got interrupted during the operation...
My Mk1 occasionally does the same in the car, reseating it solves it,
cleaning the contacts of the connectors makes it less frequent.

Check the harness so that you didn't pull a wire loose?

/Michael