Help with new install - 06 Tahoe with Bose system (no sub)

[Wigzter]

Hey PP,

I just bought a mint 06 Tahoe with the Bose system in it with no subwoofer. So naturally I wanted add my system to it. Same setup as the Honda, LOC with Ti2 Bass knob.

So I get it all hooked up right? But my subs are quiet as hell and don't even hit. It's almost like the factory radio is trying to push them. I can hear them but not much at all.

I checked the power and ground. Looks good. The only thing I can think of is I maybe tapped into the wrong wires for the LOC. But if that were the case, wouldn't I not be able to here the subs at all?

Help!! And thanks

[Weaklink]

If you use the speaker wires post amp they are crossed over. There sould be a black 4 wire plug under the cup holders. It is the signal for the fac sub that is in the front of the center console. If it's still quiet with those wires you probably got one of the inputs out of phase. Just swap pos and neg of one side. And don't use the wires out of the back of the radio. They are full volume, volume is colt rolled in the amp. Hope this helps.

[Wigzter]

Ok so I went and tried what you said and now instead of getting very low volume out of them, I don't get anything. Is my factory HU different because I don't have the sub in my factory system? I did find the wires though but it seems they are dead.

[Weaklink]

Maybe the way you had it was fine then if no fac sub. You may have had one of the inputs out of phase then swap the pos and neg of one of the speaker inputs. Does the 06 have the double din radio or the din and a half? I can't remember.

[Wigzter]

I believe it's a double din. With the vent controls right below that

[Weaklink]

Then I'd use the rear speaker outputs. They should be dk blue-lt blue and brown-yellow with the dark wires being positive. Only prob might be if the radio adjust the eq as vol is turned up. Gm did this to try and protect the speakers at higher volumes.

[Wigzter]

Thanks for all your help Weaklink!! I got it fixed today! You were right the first time about tapping into the sub line. I just hooked into the wrong wire so that was my fault. I'm so relieved now because I started to give up hope and thought my amp went out on me or something lol. Thanks again!!

[Weaklink]

No problem. Glad it's all working for you.

[Wigzter]

Yeah after installing the system I decided I probably am going to replace the head unit. Now either you do installs for a living Weaklink or maybe you have a similar Tahoe personally. Whatever the case maybe, I appreciate the help you've been giving me.

Now say I do replace the head unit. Do I need a special wiring harness since it is a Bose system?

I love the way the speakers sound, very nice high quality but the receiver has to go, that thing you were talking about where it adjusts the EQ at high volumes makes tuning the subs rather annoying and just doesn't sound great.

Anyways, I hear that if you don't have a special wire harness you lose features of the radio like OnStar and XM Radio. Which is fine because I have no use for either one of those. I just want something that will get me a radio playing, sounding good and maybe keep the steering wheel controls if possible, if not. No big deal since I'll have a remote with a head unit.

But being new to car audio, I have never replaced a head unit before and I know how to remove the radio, its quite simple. But I don't know what exactly all I need to do this.

If I could bother you for some help one more time that would be awesome! Thanks in advanced

[Weaklink]

I got a new job a year ago but before that I installed for 16 years. So there is 2 paths to take. One is if you like the fac radio you could get the gm add an amp from pac audio part # c2a-gm24. It gives you a non eq RCA output and turn on. It is a t-harness that plugs into the back of the radio. If you choose to replace the radio you will need the gm class-2 data adaptor. Pac audio part # rp5-gm11. It comes with the steering control interface. Not too bad to wire and install. I'd you do a double din break out the little plastic triangles behind the radio down low and the plastic centered low. It will be about 100 times easier to get the radio in place. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.

[Wigzter]

I picked up a Sony HU today and wiring harness and antenna adapter.

I'm so fail at this haha thank god I fix furniture for a living and now electronics lol. Pretty descent with wood working though.

Anyways, on the wiring harness. I have all the colors matched up and I have a extra red wire that came with the Sony HU that I can't figure out where it goes. It has a quick disconnect female end on one end and a bare wire on the other.

There is also an orange and orange and white wire that doesn't seem to match up with anything else either so I just crimped a closed connection on them for now.

Turns out I do NOT have the amplified system. Everything in the truck is Bose, but no amp or sub. I thought there was some little 2 or 4 channel amp to the regular speakers. My bad.

Anyways there's also a ground on the wiring harness that has a spade connector on the end too. I just pulled the dash and grounded it to a metal spot with a bolt.

No power to the HU, I'm assuming it has to do with the red wire but I don't know where to put it?

[Weaklink]

The red wire should be the keyed power. Turn the radio on-off. It should hook to a red wire on the harness. Depending on what harness you have it might be hooked to a relay. The orange wires are illumination wires. If there is not an illumination wire on the sony you did the right thing capping them off.

[Wigzter]

Damn you're the shit dude. I ran it to the fuse box and shoved it in the ignition fuse, works like a charm now! Thanks man.

I'm still playing with all the EQ and tuning and such.

I'm gunna bother ya for one last thing. Haha. Everything is hooked up and sounding great, until I get to very low volume between 1-3. Then it kinda scratches and is staticy a little bit. When I'm by myself it's no big deal cause I listen to it pretty loud.

But I have a 7 month old son so when he's in the truck I turn it way down and kill the subs with the LPL knob. So when he's in the truck, we can listen to it fine, but it scratches and there's a little scratchy pop sound when going from vol 0 to 1.

Any clues as to what this might be?

EDIT: Also my amp seems to be turned up a lot higher in the Tahoe rather than the Accord, which was a 4 cyl. But to get the bass out of the amp, it's dialed around 75%, where as in the Honda it was slammin the same around 60% on the gain. This is so confusing lol

[Wigzter]

If you ever come to Tampa, PM me in advanced and I'll buy beers. Haha the least I could do for all your help

[Weaklink]

Ok so the pop is the noise gate kicking on and off. As for the gain I suspect that the sony is a 2 volt rca out. As for running the keyed power to the fuse box that doesn't sound right. Did you buy a class-2 data buss adaptor harness? If not I recommend you get one. That truck can do some weird stuff if the radio is out of the data loop. I had a customer that had random windshield wipers till the right adaptor was installed. Not saying it will damage anything but I wouldn't take the risk. They are kinda expensive at around $100. The static sounds like maybe a ground issue but hard to tell without being able to hear it myself.

[Wigzter]

Ugh lol. Alright maybe I'll just take it to my usual audio shop and see what they can do haha. This stuff is so confusing. I have a whole new respect for peoe in car audio. I had no idea it would be this difficult.