Help with Metra 03/04
 

Hey folks.

Will keep this as short as possible.


08 HHR LS - Stock Stereo.

aka, Stock deck, Stock 6.5" components (front), 6.5"(rear).

Onstar, and using front mini jack for Sirius.



I'm upgrading the living heck out of the audio:

Kicker KS602 6.5" Components (front)
Kicker KS600 6.5" (rear)
MTX Terminator Dual 12"s Loaded Enclosure (TNP212D) for the lows

I have all necessary amps, wiring (4g) and whatnot.

My question is this, and yeah - it's a bit weird.

If I do not want to buy a new head unit, want to keep the onstar, chimes, etc.

(ie go from stock head unit - to amps) can/do I use the LAN-04 or the LAN-03 or something else entirely?

I have a guy willing to overnight me either one, for an install Saturday (May 03)...just need to know if either would work for said application...or I need to find something else.

Thanks!

- Sherm

From reading other posts I beleive the lan-03 is for the base system and the lan-04 is for the pioneer premium system. You need one of these to retain chimes/turn signals/onstar control when changing the head unit. Im sure someone who has done a switch will be along to confirm.
But if you are not changing the head unit, why do you need a harness? Just use the wires going to the speakers and a lineout converter.

I was told in order to go from stock (base) system to amplifiers, I'd need a harness in order to retain onstar etc.

However, would line converters work if i want to go to two (or three) amps? 4 chan for doors, and either a single dual chan, or two monoblocks for subs?

If so, are they fairly easy to lay hands on on short notice?

(edit - forgive the crazy questions, but I was told with line out converters, you loose fade/balance? true?)

Just use a JL Audio CleanSweep.

or the rockford fosgate 360 is my personal pic

You do not need either of those harnesses. You will need a line level adapter for the front speakers channels from the radio and one for the rear speakers channels from the radio. The door chimes, onstar, etc.. will still work, but they will be somewhat louder now..heeheee. Another way to do this would be to line level only the rear speaker outputs from the HU and run them to the front, rear, sub amps via "Y-adapters", and buy a very small enclosed speaker (like what comes with Escort SRX radar detectors) and wire this speaker to the factory radios left front output (tan+/grey-). The little speaker would be a lot quieter than the amplified speakers and go un noticed during music playback. The stereo would still mute the amplified system during OnStar conversations(since the amps would get the signal from the rear outs of the radio and the rears are simply muted OnStar) The drawback is no fader with this method, but a well tuned system will not need a fader control.

A lan-03 will make the insallation very easy.