Amplifier Connection

[gedwards]

Okay, I have finally found some time to sit back down with my non-existant radio and try to connect all the wires I cut from the stock connectors (bad idea). If you want to follow my story, it starts here: http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=6799From there, I have actually gotten my new head unit power supplied from the battery and grounded it. The display comes on, I can insert a CD, and play with the controls. Unfortunately, I could not, for the life of me, figure out why my speakers weren't working. I thought I fried something and was going to need to replace the speakers. I disconnected what I knew to be the speaker wires to give the AA battery test and check if the speakers worked at all. Nothing.I then took another speaker from my Sony Shelf Unit in my house, plugged it into the new head unit and viola, music. Sweet, sweet music.Then it all came together. I paid extra for some great moon & tunes package that I had no clue what it included. An amp. So with the help of some previous posts mentioned above, I now understand that I need to connect my head unit to the amp in order to get sound out of my speakers.This is where I need help. Do I need to make sure the "MUTE" wire is connected? Do I need to connect another wire? How can I get my head unit to speak to the amp to say "Give me some stinking sound" ?Please help.George2004 Pontiac Vibe w/ Moon & Tunes Package - No Navigation

[Sub-Vibe-R]

It looks like the remote wire of your factiry amp. is not connected. You need yo give a 12v to the amp. to turn it on.

[joatmon]

Since he cut the wires from the stock head unit, it must be one of the wires running from the head unit to the amp. Looking at http://forums.genvibe.com/zerofile/1218/viberadio.gif, it could be either the mute signal or the antenna amp signal. I think the antenna amp signal is 12V when the head unit is on, if the new head unit doesn't have that it probably has a power antenna signal that will do the same thing. Not sure what signal is on the "MUTE" line, but you can try 12V or ground and see if it makes a diffference. I have no idea what the "sensitivity" line does.Probably best to try it with the volume on the head unit very low to start with, then turn it up.

[ragingfish]

If you look at the wire harness in the car, you'll find one pin that has two black thin wires coming out of hte same pin. I think it's between a green adn a gray wire. One of thsoe two black wires is the remote signal to turn the amp on. Connect it to the "remote signal" wire on your head unit harness, or whatever wire is indicated to turn on an amp or activate an electric antenna.

[NSimkins]

quote:Do I need to make sure the "MUTE" wire is connected?I left the MUTE wire unused when installing my aftermarket head unit. I was told it was not necessary for use with my specific system - not positive what it controls on the AMP, but apparently it's not critical.

[ragingfish]

I have an answer to what "mute" control does.Apparantly, if you have a factory installed CAR phone, the mute control sends a signal to turn off the volume to the speakers if an incoming call is detected. It then re-enables it when the call is complete.Mystery solved!

[gedwards]

You guys rock. I think this might work. I'm going to go try it and I will let you know. I'll test each of the three black wires in the accessory power part of my head unit harness. Hopefully that won't affect anything if I choose the wrong black wire. Cross your fingers.THANKS!!George2004 Pontiac Vibe w/ Moon & Tunes Package No Navigation

[gedwards]

YAY! That worked beautifully. I have a working car radio now!! The only thing is there is a loud hiss that is noticable when the volume is low. I think I saw some posts on it before. Let me know if you have the url's or an idea of your own. Thanks again for everyone's help.George