Sony headunit wiring help

[Kronos]

So here I am with zero wiring experience trying to solder this headunit to properly work. I purchased from Best Buy and they gave me the appropriate adapter cables. Unfortunately that meant I had to solder.

So I come here (as I often do) in hopes to gather knowledge from my fellow, wiser forum goers. I’m hoping someone with more experience than me let me know if I’ve gone wrong somewhere.

My main issue . The audio sounds like a**hole so I think I messed up the blue wire (amp?). Sounds like it’s playing through a high pass filter. Zero bass. The audio also , on occasion will skip and also dip/de-tune, almost like an old record player

I literally just matched up all the colors. The blue wire coming out of the head unit had two blue cables I had to choose from. This is where I think I went wrong. But I wanted to ask while I had the headunit out if I made any other mistakes. Please take a look at the image, I tried to make all the connections as visible as possible in the picture

[Mr.ac]

Well,take that blue tape off, either redo your soldering and add some shrink wrap or good old fashioned black electrical tape. Add your soldering skills need work.
YouTube a few vids.

Apparent issues I see no ground (black wire) not connected. Also the blue (remote turn on) is not connected to the other blue wire.

Also don't match up colors. Read, read, and read some more on what color does what.

[Chimera]

Which unit is it, the manual should have a breakout. Ground is very.. Very.. Important.

Went I'm at a pc I'll find a Metra breakout and post that. Often the colors do match.. But not always.

[Kronos]

I attached the black wire with the claw looking end to a bolt attached to metal car frame. which I tightened it to behind where headunit sits. The manual said it was the ground and I think I grounded it right. Still not 100% tho. There is a black wire coming from the adapter piece as well you can see in the image. The bottom right adapter. Not sure if I should solder that the the black cable that’s coming out of the head unit?
The booklet image is if the headunit manual wire breakdown. The green packaging is for the two adapter cables I’ve soldered onto and has a wire break down .I must have missed something here.

It’s a Sony XAV-AX100

Edit* My soldering is really sloppy and I’ll probably re do it

[Chimera]

connect the blue wire from the head unit to both the blue wire on the antenna adapter and the blue wire on the metra harness, and the blue/white too. Grounding to the frame is fine/good. I used the harness ground, but your method here is valid.


solder is not strictly necessary. I don't always, but did for my Hu connections. stripe back about an inch a little less, hold the connections at 90 degrees, base to base leave a little space to move the tail later, and twist together to make a pigtail, solder the end of that if you like, twist this back on one end or the other, use vinyl electrical tape to cover the connection, or heat shrink if you have it. Head shrink will make a stronger connection, but TBH electrical tape is fine. you do not want to use the blue painters tape. connecting more than 2 can be tricky, like you will have to do with the blue wire for the amp on and antenna power. without the blue wire on the metra harness connected you are not powering the rear amp which is why your sound sounds bad... or atleast is a contributor.

[Kronos]

Many thanks!!! This is where I was stuck! So if I understand correctly, I will wire together all three if the blue wires. The blue/white from the headunit , the blue wire from the small antenna adapter (far left), and the blue wire from the 12 pin adapter (far right).

A second question about the black wire coming from the 12 pin adapter (far right). Should that be soldered to the black ground coming out of the head unit?

Picture included to help illustrate my two questions more clearly

And thank you for the soldering and taping tips. Very very informative

Originally Posted by Chimera

connect the blue wire from the head unit to both the blue wire on the antenna adapter and the blue wire on the metra harness, and the blue/white too. Grounding to the frame is fine/good. I used the harness ground, but your method here is valid.


solder is not strictly necessary. I don't always, but did for my Hu connections. stripe back about an inch a little less, hold the connections at 90 degrees, base to base leave a little space to move the tail later, and twist together to make a pigtail, solder the end of that if you like, twist this back on one end or the other, use vinyl electrical tape to cover the connection, or heat shrink if you have it. Head shrink will make a stronger connection, but TBH electrical tape is fine. you do not want to use the blue painters tape. connecting more than 2 can be tricky, like you will have to do with the blue wire for the amp on and antenna power. without the blue wire on the metra harness connected you are not powering the rear amp which is why your sound sounds bad... or atleast is a contributor.

[Leonardo]

Maybe I'm late for this tip....


via Imgflip Meme Generator


These are so easy to use. stick both wires in, push the button. They are gel-filled waterproof wire connectors that have an interior wire stripper. Meaning you don't have to strip the end; simply shove it in. And, the install looks clean afterwards too.




Box of 100 is $12.00.
https://www.computercablestore.com/u...g-pkg-100pcbox


Tip: Slip a piece of shrink tube on, before you soldier the wires together, then move it over the joint and shrink it down for a clean look.

[Chimera]

Originally Posted by Kronos

Many thanks!!! This is where I was stuck! So if I understand correctly, I will wire together all three if the blue wires. The blue/white from the headunit , the blue wire from the small antenna adapter (far left), and the blue wire from the 12 pin adapter (far right).

A second question about the black wire coming from the 12 pin adapter (far right). Should that be soldered to the black ground coming out of the head unit?

Picture included to help illustrate my two questions more clearly

And thank you for the soldering and taping tips. Very very informative

On my personal install I wired the HU ground to the Harness ground, black to black. This isn't strictly necessary, and some say just wiring to the frame is better. Ultimately, the ground needs to be "good" to prevent noise in your audio system. If you have pops, and a whine that gets louder as you rev the engine, you have a ground loop or a bad ground. if you don't, then don't stress it. either is a valid way to do it. wiring it to the harness is slightly easier to install and remove if needed.


That green parking brake wire. I'm not familiar with the Sony units requirements, but you may need to hook that up to a ground to setup Bluetooth. if its like the pioneer units it needs to be *double pulsed.* I don't know enough about Sony units to chime in on this unfortunately. You could try just grounding it. If you have issues (head unit says put car in park for your safety or something like that) the you will need a relay bypass, or to wire it up.. it is easy to do the right way.


you need a wire tap, see below for the type I use. pull the boot around the parking brake and you'll see a small switch and wire at the base, tap that and wire the green wire to the tap.


GOOD LUCK! once its all in there I'm sure it will be awesome, android auto is the best upgrade I've done to my car imo. (even over e85)


image credit: I stole it from the internet

[Kronos]

Hello fellas . I bring goods news that your help and advise has aided me to fix my wiring issues !

Joining all three blue wires has fixed my problems! Everything sounds full and rich now!