A little update. Pioneer shipped me the new map DVD's already. Stick one in, and it loads a software upgrade.

So the bad news....

I started getting alternator whine. and it got worse, up to the point that one of the door subs started cycling in and out, full XMAX. What was happening was the amp was repetedly going into protection, then resetting. Tracking the problem back, I first tried swapping in other interconnects. nothing.

It turns out that the HU was outputting DC from the RCA's. I figured this just about when smoke started coming from my tube amp.

I pulled the deck, and returned it today. I had a no hassle exchange for another one.

I didn't open it because it was under waranty, but I'm 100% sure that one of the output transistors died, and shorted rather than open.

Fingers crossed that this was a freak incident.

John C.