New Pioneer head unit with factory Bose system sounds terrible.

[Fjs0001]

I have a 2005 Escalade with the factory Bose system. I just installed a Pioneer AVH-2550NEX head unit with the Axxess GMOS-4 wiring harness and steering wheel controls. I really enjoyed the sound from my factory head unit. The Pioneer isn’t nearly as loud and doesn’t sound as good. Do y’all have any suggestions?

 

[Doubeleive]

I have a 2005 Escalade with the factory Bose system. I just installed a Pioneer AVH-2550NEX head unit with the Axxess GMOS-4 wiring harness and steering wheel controls. I really enjoyed the sound from my factory head unit. The Pioneer isn’t nearly as loud and doesn’t sound as good. Do y’all have any suggestions?

sounds like you are using the wrong axxess adapter, from what I read the gmos-4 is designed for amplified radio's, what you need is a adapter that retains bose

 

[drakon543]

have you gone through all the pioneer settings aswell? pioneer has came leaps and strides with thier adjustability vs years ago when i used to use them. they are set low everything by default.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Can you provide more detailed information on what you define as 'terrible' sound? A more detailed description (less volume, more distortion, less lows versus highs, etc.) will help us assist you in getting to a solution.

 

[Fjs0001]

The factory Bose unit sounded clear at all levels of volume. The pioneer doesn't have much volume and it sounds muffled. I just remembered that the Axxess harness has a gain knob. I'm going to try adjusting that, but I dont know what to do about the muffled sound. I tried tuning the pioneer, but i couldn't get it to sound as clear as the Bose. I'm going to play with it some more when I get home from work.

 

[Fjs0001]

sounds like you are using the wrong axxess adapter, from what I read the gmos-4 is designed for amplified radio's, what you need is a adapter that retains bose

I just called Axxess and they said I bought the correct one. I didnt realize I was going to lose my rear audio controls and 5 cd disc player. I might return everything and go back to factory.

 

[Tonyrodz]

I just called Axxess and they said I bought the correct one. I didnt realize I was going to lose my rear audio controls and 5 cd disc player. I might return everything and go back to factory.

What does the Pioneer look like?

EDIT: Looks like a nice radio.

 

[Doubeleive]

I just called Axxess and they said I bought the correct one. I didnt realize I was going to lose my rear audio controls and 5 cd disc player. I might return everything and go back to factory.

as long as the deck is dual zone then a maestro rr will retain the rear audio & bose dsp, not sure on the disc player though, you can call and ask them

 

[Fjs0001]

I turned the potentiometer up on the axxess unit and it sounds great now. I’m still bummed that no one can’t hear my rear DVD player though. Maestro unfortunately doesn’t offer a kit for a 2005 Escalade.

 

[drakon543]

it would cut everything else out but you could just find the audio wires for the dvd player. connect those to the audio input on the pioneer if it has it. not the aux jack but the rca inputs on the rear of the radio.

 

[adventurenali92]

I just called Axxess and they said I bought the correct one. I didnt realize I was going to lose my rear audio controls and 5 cd disc player. I might return everything and go back to factory.

You will lose functionality of the cd changer regardless of which access module you use. The cd changer is controlled by the factory head unit. So if the factory headunit no longer is powered up in the truck, the cd changer will not work. That being said I have a pioneer AVIC-8500 NEX installed in my 2006 Yukon Xl Denali, and I have a module that retained my steering wheel controls and my rear DVD player. I will get a picture of it for you when I get home in a little bit with which module that is. I can’t remember what brand it is currently.
Edit this is the unit I have that retains my factory steering wheel controls, the onstar door chimes, all the Bose stuff, and the rear DVD player:

 

[EZ Money]

You have factory DVD in the rear? And you did or did not lose that with the wiring harness? That receiver has a built in DVD player. I am sure there is a work-around to get it to play while in motion on the front screen as well as the rear screens.