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installed aftermarket radio now audio is quiet - Please Help

Colebustinmasonacs

Full Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2015
Messages
21
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Hope this is the right place for this question.  I had some wiring issues installing a SiriusXM radio to my aftermarket radio.  I got everything working again but now there is no volume control.  level 1 and level 30 are the same and I can hardly hear anything.  I can definitely hear the radio, it is just very quiet.

Have an '02 2500 and I am not bypassing the amp (at least not that I know of).

:help:
 
So lets start out with what you have hooked up and what type of factory audio system you replaced.

If you have a factory amplifier you will need a special adapter to use it. Which will also depend on if your head unit has line outs only or powered outputs.

 
On 2002 if your using the factory speaker wires from the new head unit to the speakers in the doors then you have to by-pass the factory amp behind the glove box..

Get the Metra 70-2021 bypass that is made for another GM vehicle and re-pin it like the diagram shows and you will have sound.

http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,148074.0.html
 

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Rodney - okay, as for what I replaced, that should be a moot point, here's why.  I replaced it about a year ago and everything worked fine.  I had a sirius that played through the FM and it worked fine . . . for the last year.  I purchased a new SiriusXM radio to get the extra channels.  When I was hooking up the new one, I sparked a wire and started all my issues.  I have since got everything back working except for the volume.

Randy, I understand what you are saying but want to make sure I was clear.  I am getting sound.  My radio goes from 0 - 30.  At 0 I can still here the music, it is quiet but NOT FAINT as I can definitely hear it.  At 15 I can hear a tiny bit better but it sounds more like it would be at 5 or 6, not 15.  At 30 I can hear it a little better still but not much.  Going up to 30 at around 24 I start hearing some pops and static (speakers are fine, new speakers last year and used existing wire) but sounds more like 8 or 9, not 30.  Amp fuse is fine. I guess I could bypass it and see what happens, but I want an amp so if it is fried I just assume replace it.

My concern is that I fried my factory amp and the fact that I get any sound is simply because it is wired properly.  But, maybe if the amp was fried I wouldn't get any sound at all.  I don't know enough to know that answer for certain.

One other thing of note.  The volume issue is all the time.  By that I mean that if I turn off Sirius and tune to a radio station it is the same thing. So it isn't the new Sirius.  So I continue to  :E:
 
Is the volume for the entire radio low or is it just when using satellite radio?  On my truck I used the metra kit that kept my doorbell chimes and it has a potentiometer that controls volume.  If I turn that down then I wont here anything though my speakers no matter how much I turn it up.
 
Do you have access to the wiring on the rear of the stereo?

I would try connecting speakers directly to the deck and see if it works.

It is possible you burnt up a wire but before we get too excited we need to isolate what is broken.

If you do as Randy states you will bypass the factory amp and will know for sure.

Guessing at this point that the bypass goes at the amplifier.

If you bypass the factory amplifier you SHOULD get cleaner sound as well even if it is less volume.

The other issue is did you use an interface to match the amplifer to the head unit?
I know in my '03 vehicle an after market head unit would not match up right to the factory amplifier without an adapter volume wise.
 
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