So I have a 04 Buick Rendezvous with 8 speakers (2 tweeters in front, front and rear door speakers, and 6x9's in the far back - all factory). According to Crutchfield this makes my car a Bose amplified system.
So here is my dilemma; I am trying to install a JVC KW-AVX820 in-dash dvd player, and an external amp to power two 10" subs. I have used the GMOS-04 harness because that is what is recommended by Crutchfield for my car. When I hook it all up, There is hardly any sound coming out of the rear 6x9's. The original factory set up sounded pretty good. With the new unit, when I unhook the subs, the sound system does not even come close to sounding like the factory set up. I assumed that once everything was hooked up, it would sound similar to the factory set up except it would have the extra punch the subs provided. Plus the new system doesn't go nearly as loud. I was never able to turn the factory radio up all the way, as it would hurt my ears (yes I know, I must be getting old). However the new radio, I can turn it up all the way, and it isn't all that unbearable. It seems as though the door speakers are ok it is just the 6x9's that might as well be disconnected with the new set up.
My guess is that the factory amp is not turning on or is non existent. Yes I do have the remote wire from the radio connected to the GMOS-04 and I know it is functioning because it is also turning on my other amp. Crutchfield says that my factory amp is located in the knee panel of the car. I opened it up and can not find an amp. I assume that it would look like a typical amp, right? Am I looking right at it and not even knowing it, or is it not there? Does anyone know where I should specifically be looking or what it looks like? Is Crutchfield incorrect about my factory amplified system? Should I have used the GMOS-01 instead (wiring harness for non amplified systems)? If so, can I simply cut the RCA heads off of the GMOS-04 and hook them directly to the high output wires of the radio?
I also noticed that on the 24 pin connection from the car, every one of the 24 pins has a wire going to it, but on the GMOS-04 only about half of them are being used. Does one of these control the amp or the rear 6x9's? Also with the GMOS-04 there is a way to turn down the gain going to the factory amp in case you hear any unwanted noise. Do I dare turn this up? I haven't tried, is it even possible?
Or is it a setting within the new radio itself? I have tried changing every setting around to different configurations, and all of them seem to give me the same results. Although since everything is connected through the pre-outs I'm not sure how much of a difference some of these settings make.
Right now the system is working, and thanks to the subs, sounds all right. I was just expecting more out of it, and feel like I am missing out. If anyone has any suggestions as to what the problem might be, and how to fix it, I would greatly appreciate the advice.
One other quick questions. Out the back of the radio there is a orange and white wire labled illumination. On the GMOS-04 there is an orange and white wire labled dimmer, and an orange wire labled illumination. Should I connect orange and white wire on radio to orange wire on harness (illumination to illumnination) or to orange and white on harness (illumination to dimmer)?
Sorry for the long post, but thanks in advance for your help!
Wiring info is here.
Recommend you contact CF technical support if you bought any of the system from CF.
It really sounds like the factory amp is not turning on, but it could just be the gain control on the GMOS.
hcschuldt:I assume that it would look like a typical amp, right?
Usually, it will look like a rectangular metal box (maybe with cooling fins, maybe not) with a wire harness plugging into it. Not really like a typical amp.
Should I have used the GMOS-01 instead (wiring harness for non amplified systems)?
I don't think so.
If so, can I simply cut the RCA heads off of the GMOS-04 and hook them directly to the high output wires of the radio?
Ermmm, no ....
Also with the GMOS-04 there is a way to turn down the gain going to the factory amp in case you hear any unwanted noise. Do I dare turn this up? I haven't tried, is it even possible?
I would recommend trying to turn that up.
Although since everything is connected through the pre-outs I'm not sure how much of a difference some of these settings make.
Shouldn't matter whether it goes through the pre-outs or the speaker outputs.
Out the back of the radio there is a orange and white wire labled illumination. On the GMOS-04 there is an orange and white wire labled dimmer, and an orange wire labled illumination. Should I connect orange and white wire on radio to orange wire on harness (illumination to illumnination) or to orange and white on harness (illumination to dimmer)?
Illumination to illumination - dimmer was for really old dial type aftermarket radios that could dim the incandescent illumination with the dash dimmer - newer (1990's up) radios with LED's don't use this.
Hope This Helps!!!
2002 Ford Focus Sony CDX-GT410u Sony XT-100HD HD Tuner Stock speakers, no amp, no subs
Also, I forgot to mention ...
My car did not have a factory amp - so I got a decent boost in volume when I added the aftermarket head unit.
With a factory amp in the system - the amp puts out what it is rated at regardless of the head unit, so the BEST you can hope for is the SAME volume level (you may gain some clarity and sound control, though).
BOSE often uses 1-ohm speakers though - so often that is the best you can do unless you are willing to replace all the speakers and maybe add an external aftermarket amp as well.