Maestro RR / Pioneer AVH-W4400NEX low volume

Hey all, I just wired up a maestro RR to a AVH-W4400NEX using the TO2 harness. This is in my 4 day old 2019 Wailua Edition Tacoma. Everything works that I tested (steering controls, backup camera, etc), except that I have to turn up the volume to full to hear a whisper of sound from the speakers.

I flashed the maestro with the factory amp setting on, and then with it off, and there's 0 difference.

The only thing I've found from googling is the suggestion to cut off the RCA plugs from the pioneer harness and wire directly, but I can't see how the plugs could possible prevent the signal from traveling down the wire.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

Without even looking at the wiring schematics I'm going to suggest that RCA connections on the Pioneer are either low voltage outputs or AV inputs, and you didn't mention an external amplifier so I'm thinking a couple things like [tina turner] What's RCAs got to do with it?[/tina turner]

I haven't installed a Maestro, so IDK, but I'm thinking the speaker outs on the HU connect to your speakers via the normal method through the adaptor harness and aren't routed through Maestro. Is the amp defeat enabled on the Pioneer?

Does the Wailua edition come with an external OE amplifier?

 

You need to cut off those RCA tips and wire up the speaker wires in the radio harness. The RCA’s are low voltage and can’t run the speakers themselves

 

Hey destin_meeks I’ve done enough searching in here to know you know what you’re talking about. But can you expand on that? I can’t find anything about low voltage RCA plugs. If I cut the plug off and go the wire directly, why would this have an effect on the voltage? RCAs are only used in low voltage applications, but I’ve never heard that they actually lower voltage.

Again, I believe you I’m just scratching my head on this. I’ll go try chopping the plugs off. Thanks for the help!

 

RCA outputs typically run between 2-5 volts A/C, and not made for the resistive loads of a speaker.
Speaker wire outputs are powered by an internal amplifier, typically 10+ volts A/C, and capable of handling the resistance a speaker creates.

 

Ok, I just got off a scheduled call with Crutchfield and after talking in circles with the guy for a bit we figured out the problem. The Maestro RR instructions say to use the wires out of the main pioneer harness. These are connected to RCA Plugs, and are obviously pre-amp. The instructions do not say to use the second pioneer harness for access to the speaker level wires (which is where they are located).

That was my confusion, I couldn't see why cutting the plugs off a pre-amp output would affect the voltage. Knowing I'm meant to use different wires entirely... clears things up significantly. Thanks for the help!

 

Yeah the RCA’s that get cut off are on the Maestro side. Then those are color-matched to the pioneer speaker wires