[MOSFET]

(so probably not an amp issue)
- if I just touch the post on the rca cable to the inside of the jack on
the
amp, there is sound. Even though the outer part of the cable is not yet
in
contact with the jack!


Mlewis is exactly right, your amp is grounded and therefore has it's own
negative potential whereby electrons are sent back through the car body back
to the alternator if car is on, battery if car is off. This is the case
with EVERY electrical device in your car. So yes, with most amps I have
ALSO observed that giving it the RCA center pin only (the positive side)
WILL give you sound as all other non-postive circuits in your amp including
the body of the amp itself are gounded through the car and therefore have a
negative potential to send BACK those elctrons that are being sent TO your
amp via the positve center pin. Basically, what I'm trying to say is that
the fact your amp does this is NOT indicative of a problem with your
amplifier or HU. I believe mlewis was making the same point.

And, again, mlewis is exactly correct, you would NOT want to connect your
RCA's this way OR, as was common in the past, speakers (the negative
connector) to the chassis of the car although it may "work" or produce
sound, you introduce a rats nest of problems including dangerous impedences
presented to your amp (if speakers) and noise problems if talking about
RCA's, well, and speakers as well.

Going back to your original question, frankly I haven't written anything
back as I didn't really have anything of value to say. If your iPod works
when connected to your amplifier, and I mean both channels works. Then we
can exclude the amp as you already surmised. As you OBVIOUSLY must have
realized by now the problem is either your RCA's connecting the HU to the
amp, OR the HU itself. And again, this is probably redundant from the FAQ
troubleshooting flow-chart, but the NEXT thing you would do is connect a
small stereo to your HU using the HU RCA outputs as a source. MANY
boomboxes have AUX inputs these days with the popularity of the iPod.
Simply getting your hands on one of these and connecting that to your HU RCA
outs will tell you if there is a problem with those outputs. If THEY work
just fine over a boombox, then clearly you have a wiring problem with your
RCA's that run to your amp.

Again, A) you have probably thought through the above or have already
performed this and B) I'm quite sure this is covered in the troubleshooting
portion of our FAQ. That's honestly why I haven't responded, not to ignore
you, but to spare you boredom.

If there is ANOTHER problem your having, then we will need more info. I did
CAREFULLY reread your first post and if there is flat out NO SOUND when your
RCA's are connected, then you either have bad RCA's or a bad HU. It's
really that simple as we can rule out the amp.

Now, if the issue is NOISE, well then that's a different kettle of fish
requiring different stratagies as there are differnet types of noise that
can enter a system (ground-loops, EMI, ect.). Again, the FAQ has an
excellent portion dealing with induced noise issues and how to combat those.

Well, I'm sure I didn't help you at all, but I didn't want you to think I
was blowing you off.

Good luck,

MOSFET