PAC AP4-GM71 W/ Kicker GM Sub

[john151ama]

Starting to get everything together for my install.

For a 2024 GMC Sierra AT4 with Bose, I’m using a PAC AP4-GM71 with a KICKER KEY200.4 as previously mentioned.

I’m trying to confirm the speaker wiring from the PAC to the KICKER.

The KICKER speaker outputs are:

• 5 = Left Front
• 6 = Right Front
• 7 = Left Rear
• 8 = Right Rear

Does anyone know exactly which AP4-GM71 harness and speaker wire/color connects to KICKER outputs 5, 6, 7, and 8?

Specifically, I’m looking for:

• KICKER 5 (LF) → PAC Harness ___, Speaker ___, wire color ___
• KICKER 6 (RF) → PAC Harness ___, Speaker ___, wire color ___
• KICKER 7 (LR) → PAC Harness ___, Speaker ___, wire color ___
• KICKER 8 (RR) → PAC Harness ___, Speaker ___, wire color ___

I have Harness A (Speakers 1–3) and Harness B (Speakers 4–11), but I want to confirm the actual speaker assignments before I connect anything.

Thanks!

I have since changed out the sub but this diagram I drew for my system shows the OEM wire colors for every speaker in the truck. I ran all new wires so I could separate each tweeter and woofer on to their own channels. OEM has 1 channel feeding each tweeter/woofer. I have the AT4X with 12 speaker Bose. Is that what you are looking for?

I cut the speaker wires coming out of the Bose amp, ran into my amp/DSP combo. Then new speaker wire out to every location.

 

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[The_DJH]

I have since changed out the sub but this diagram I drew for my system shows the OEM wire colors for every speaker in the truck. I ran all new wires so I could separate each tweeter and woofer on to their own channels. OEM has 1 channel feeding each tweeter/woofer. I have the AT4X with 12 speaker Bose. Is that what you are looking for?

I cut the speaker wires coming out of the Bose amp, ran into my amp/DSP combo. Then new speaker wire out to every location.

I have the standard AT4, with I assume the 7 including the center sub.

The PAC unit has harnesses with a bunch of colored wires. I’m not sure if they match the factory wires.

The two hardness will eventually

 

[john151ama]

I have the standard AT4, with I assume the 7 including the center sub.

The PAC unit has harnesses with a bunch of colored wires. I’m not sure if they match the factory wires.

The two hardness will eventually

Yes, the chart you just shared matches the same as the speaker wire colors on my diagram. You don’t have the A pillar speakers but that is shared with the door woofer/tweeter combo in your set up. All colors match up with the OEM speaker wire which is in my diagram.

Is that what you needed?

 

[The_DJH]

Thank You, Here is what I'm trying to figure out. Bare with me as I'll probably mention stuff you know, but helps me when trying to explain..

Sorry, that last post was half ass from my phone, i moved to my pc

The Key200.4 has the adapter below..

The AP4-GM71 has multiple harnesses, but i assume we only use A and B.

This is where my brain gets broken.

These adapters are taking the speaker wire and bypassing the Bose amp and the directly into the Key200.4. The speaker leads connect to White, Grey, Green and Purple.

So do I attached all front left (door and tweeter) from the truck to white and all right front to grey?

What happens to the console sub?


EDIT:

Where I also get confused...

The PAC does not have a blue and brown/blue to match that color chart. Nor a yellow for that matter.

 

[john151ama]

Thank You, Here is what I'm trying to figure out. Bare with me as I'll probably mention stuff you know, but helps me when trying to explain..

Sorry, that last post was half ass from my phone, i moved to my pc

The Key200.4 has the adapter below..

View attachment 39171

The AP4-GM71 has multiple harnesses, but i assume we only use A and B.
View attachment 39172


This is where my brain gets broken.

These adapters are taking the speaker wire and bypassing the Bose amp and the directly into the Key200.4. The speaker leads connect to White, Grey, Green and Purple.

So do I attached all front left (door and tweeter) from the truck to white and all right front to grey?

What happens to the console sub?


EDIT:

Where I also get confused...

The PAC does not have a blue and brown/blue to match that color chart. Nor a yellow for that matter.

I think I understand what you are doing now.

Short answer is not going to work

You went with the PAC to fully bypass the OEM amp. You are pulling all connections from the OEM amp and running all signal inputs to the PAC instead.

From the PAC it takes the factory signals and separates. You should be using RCA’s from the PAC to your amps (front, rear, sub typical). The PAC only has 6 outputs (2 front) (2 rear) (2sub).

But you got a 4 channel amp. Your kicker key should be getting output from the PAC via RCA outputs (front and rear signals) amping the signal, then going out speaker wire to 4 speakers because it is only 4 channels.

That’s where you have a problem. Dash speakers and sub arnt going anywhere and you do not want to try to split those on your 4 channels coming out of your kicker amp. It will change the total resistance of each channel and sound like crap.

You need more amps for more channels. You can use the kicker amp to power the 4 door speakers but you need another amp for your dash speakers, then one for a sub (you really don’t want to bother trying to add a amp to feed the factory sub. That sub is garbage and will self destruct if you try to send it more power).

The PAC you got also does not separate dash from (front-doors). On our trucks there are different signals going to the dash speakers from the door speakers.

I think you need to rethink what you are trying to achieve.

You really don’t need the PAC and that is messing you up here. Leave your wires in the OEM amp and skip the PAC. That will keep signal going to your dash and sub.

Cut your door speaker wires coming out of your OEM amp. Run those 4 channels into your kicker key as inputs, then tie your 4 channel outputs from the kicker amp to the other end of the wires you cut that run to your doors.

Now you will have the primary door speakers amped and that is 90% + of your sound. you want your music coming out of the larger door speakers that can handle power. The dash 2.75” mids are not designed to pump the sound like the 6x9 and 6.25. You will still have the dash and OEM sub powered by the OEM amp.

I kind of did that. I wanted surround sound and not the dash heavy OEM sound. So I left my dash speakers on the OEM amp, and took the door speaker signals to my 8 channel amp with DSP then ran new speaker wires out to those 8 speakers (my tweeters and woofers are sprayer in the AT4x and I power and control each separately on their own channel now. I have my aftermarket sub on a separate amp.

That lets you blend the volume of the dash with the doors to get the soundstage you want.

Your PAC and kicker key amp are also redundant. The PAC separates and processes the factory signal. The kicker key also processes signal (DSP) so you are doing it twice.

Does that seem to line up with what you are seeing? Does that help?

 

[The_DJH]

I think I understand what you are doing now.

Short answer is not going to work

You went with the PAC to fully bypass the OEM amp. You are pulling all connections from the OEM amp and running all signal inputs to the PAC instead.

From the PAC it takes the factory signals and separates. You should be using RCA’s from the PAC to your amps (front, rear, sub typical). The PAC only has 6 outputs (2 front) (2 rear) (2sub).

But you got a 4 channel amp. Your kicker key should be getting output from the PAC via RCA outputs (front and rear signals) amping the signal, then going out speaker wire to 4 speakers because it is only 4 channels.

That’s where you have a problem. Dash speakers and sub arnt going anywhere and you do not want to try to split those on your 4 channels coming out of your kicker amp. It will change the total resistance of each channel and sound like crap.

You need more amps for more channels. You can use the kicker amp to power the 4 door speakers but you need another amp for your dash speakers, then one for a sub (you really don’t want to bother trying to add a amp to feed the factory sub. That sub is garbage and will self destruct if you try to send it more power).

The PAC you got also does not separate dash from (front-doors). On our trucks there are different signals going to the dash speakers from the door speakers.

I think you need to rethink what you are trying to achieve.

You really don’t need the PAC and that is messing you up here. Leave your wires in the OEM amp and skip the PAC. That will keep signal going to your dash and sub.

Cut your door speaker wires coming out of your OEM amp. Run those 4 channels into your kicker key as inputs, then tie your 4 channel outputs from the kicker amp to the other end of the wires you cut that run to your doors.

Now you will have the primary door speakers amped and that is 90% + of your sound. you want your music coming out of the larger door speakers that can handle power. The dash 2.75” mids are not designed to pump the sound like the 6x9 and 6.25. You will still have the dash and OEM sub powered by the OEM amp.

I kind of did that. I wanted surround sound and not the dash heavy OEM sound. So I left my dash speakers on the OEM amp, and took the door speaker signals to my 8 channel amp with DSP then ran new speaker wires out to those 8 speakers (my tweeters and woofers are sprayer in the AT4x and I power and control each separately on their own channel now. I have my aftermarket sub on a separate amp.

That lets you blend the volume of the dash with the doors to get the soundstage you want.

Your PAC and kicker key amp are also redundant. The PAC separates and processes the factory signal. The kicker key also processes signal (DSP) so you are doing it twice.

Does that seem to line up with what you are seeing? Does that help?

Well, damn! You nailed it!

I had figured the PAC was the best way to keep everything intact and loose the Bose amp (mine is always loosing sound at startup).

So scratch the PAC and go straight amp? Is there a 6 channel that has the “listening” dsp feature like the key200.4 that won’t break the bank? I only ask because if I'm going this far, I figure all speakers should be controlled by the aftermarket amp. If I do that will I loose the chimes?

Or am I still misunderstanding?

For the kicker sub, I’m ok with it and just want to make sure I have it on the proper connections.

Appreciate your help, I’ll be asking more and running ideas past ya to make sure I’m fully understanding what I’m doing.

 

[john151ama]

Well, damn! You nailed it!

I had figured the PAC was the best way to keep everything intact and loose the Bose amp (mine is always loosing sound at startup).

So scratch the PAC and go straight amp? Is there a 6 channel that has the “listening” dsp feature like the key200.4 that won’t break the bank? I only ask because if I'm going this far, I figure all speakers should be controlled by the aftermarket amp. If I do that will I loose the chimes?

Or am I still misunderstanding?

For the kicker sub, I’m ok with it and just want to make sure I have it on the proper connections.

Appreciate your help, I’ll be asking more and running ideas past ya to make sure I’m fully understanding what I’m doing.

If you can return the PAC and the Kicker amp and get the 8 channel JBL (or Infinity - they are the same and same company) you will be in for less money and get what you are wanting.

Keep the OEM amp in place and hooked up. Cut the speaker wires from the OEM amp and run in to the JBL/Infinity 8 channel. Then use the 8 channels to go out to all your speakers (except the OEM sub - leave that alone). You have 4 channels for the door speakers and 2 for your dash speakers so you will only use 6 of the 8 channels in your set up. All factory tones are still present and work just like stock since the signal is coming from the OEM amp. Your just cleaning it up and adding power and sending on to your speakers.

1. Leave OEM center console sub wires alone
2. Cut dash, and door speaker wires at OEM amp and run those into your JBL/Infinity as inputs.
3. You can run an additional lead from the front door speaker wires to your kicker sub amp you already have. You can feed the input to both the JBL and Kicker amp, you are getting the signal only not power consumption from these. I believe you are already using the front right channel as the input to your kicker amp/sub. Don’t know where you captured it at, but if you tapped the signal near the front door, that will now be amped by this new set up. You want the signal as it is out of the Bose amp to feed your kicker sub.
4. Use the outputs of the JBL to the other end of the speaker wires you cut.
4. The JBL/Infinity amp has DSP and all the same anti roll off features as your kicker key. Run the JBL program and hook the JBL amp up to your computer to set up the equalizer settings. You can set up cross over and all settings for each channel. This will allow you to dial down the dash channels and raise the door channels and also adjust timing to get the exact soundstage you want and send the right frequencies to each speaker.
5. That’s about it. Just the 1 JBL amp and using 6/8 of its channels. (About $500).
6. JBL is rated at 40watts per channel RMS at 4 ohms. I think you replaced your speakers already. Factory Bose speakers are I believe 3 ohms. I replaced mine with Infinity in the doors and PNW in the dash all 2.7 or 3 ohms so you are getting about 50watts RMS per channel from the amp (about triple what OEM amp is sending). I also have separate tweeters and woofers and have them all on their own channel so stock was maybe 15 watts split between door speaker and A pillar tweeter. I now have 50watts to the tweeter and 50 watts to the woofer RMS which will crank them and I have had no faults with the JBL amp running hard.

Other ways to do this but this way is effective and relatively cheap.

 

[The_DJH]

If you can return the PAC and the Kicker amp and get the 8 channel JBL (or Infinity - they are the same and same company) you will be in for less money and get what you are wanting.

Keep the OEM amp in place and hooked up. Cut the speaker wires from the OEM amp and run in to the JBL/Infinity 8 channel. Then use the 8 channels to go out to all your speakers (except the OEM sub - leave that alone). You have 4 channels for the door speakers and 2 for your dash speakers so you will only use 6 of the 8 channels in your set up. All factory tones are still present and work just like stock since the signal is coming from the OEM amp. Your just cleaning it up and adding power and sending on to your speakers.

1. Leave OEM center console sub wires alone
2. Cut dash, and door speaker wires at OEM amp and run those into your JBL/Infinity as inputs.
3. You can run an additional lead from the front door speaker wires to your kicker sub amp you already have. You can feed the input to both the JBL and Kicker amp, you are getting the signal only not power consumption from these. I believe you are already using the front right channel as the input to your kicker amp/sub. Don’t know where you captured it at, but if you tapped the signal near the front door, that will now be amped by this new set up. You want the signal as it is out of the Bose amp to feed your kicker sub.
4. Use the outputs of the JBL to the other end of the speaker wires you cut.
4. The JBL/Infinity amp has DSP and all the same anti roll off features as your kicker key. Run the JBL program and hook the JBL amp up to your computer to set up the equalizer settings. You can set up cross over and all settings for each channel. This will allow you to dial down the dash channels and raise the door channels and also adjust timing to get the exact soundstage you want and send the right frequencies to each speaker.
5. That’s about it. Just the 1 JBL amp and using 6/8 of its channels. (About $500).
6. JBL is rated at 40watts per channel RMS at 4 ohms. I think you replaced your speakers already. Factory Bose speakers are I believe 3 ohms. I replaced mine with Infinity in the doors and PNW in the dash all 2.7 or 3 ohms so you are getting about 50watts RMS per channel from the amp (about triple what OEM amp is sending). I also have separate tweeters and woofers and have them all on their own channel so stock was maybe 15 watts split between door speaker and A pillar tweeter. I now have 50watts to the tweeter and 50 watts to the woofer RMS which will crank them and I have had no faults with the JBL amp running hard.

Other ways to do this but this way is effective and relatively cheap.

Since I've had it for a bit, I'm not sure if the return window is still open, I'll have to check into that. (Update, Nope had it for over a month)

The wires that I cut will be all 6 speakers or channels. They connect via the RCA going into the JBL, then I wire each channel to match the output..

Channel 1 in LF Tweeter, Channel 1 out LF Tweeter, ect..?

Leave Center console sub alone. I actually have the Kicker Sub attached to that, BUT can still attach to the front right speaker.

The JBL Program/Computer. This is where i liked the Key as the little speaker helped tune it all up. By no means do i understand all that, but willing to learn.

Yes, I did AudioControl PNW-275 Tweeters and JL Audio C1-690x for the front, i left rear stock. I can always upgrade those too.
Thanks!

 

[john151ama]

Since I've had it for a bit, I'm not sure if the return window is still open, I'll have to check into that. (Update, Nope had it for over a month)

The wires that I cut will be all 6 speakers or channels. They connect via the RCA going into the JBL, then I wire each channel to match the output..

Channel 1 in LF Tweeter, Channel 1 out LF Tweeter, ect..?

Leave Center console sub alone. I actually have the Kicker Sub attached to that, BUT can still attach to the front right speaker.

The JBL Program/Computer. This is where i liked the Key as the little speaker helped tune it all up. By no means do i understand all that, but willing to learn.

Yes, I did AudioControl PNW-275 Tweeters and JL Audio C1-690x for the front, i left rear stock. I can always upgrade those too.
Thanks!

Correct, sounds like you got it!

When you cut the speaker wires at the OEM amp you may need to crimp on a lenghth of speaker wire to make it to the JBL amp depending on where you locate it. I also think the JBL comes with RCA input adapters but you may want to check that. If not you can buy at Amazon. They allow you to take 1 channel positive and negative speaker wires and adapt it to a RCA plug. Just double check the inputs and supplies listed on the JBL owners manual and parts you can see that on Crutchfield. The computer set up is very easy. You can look at the crossover points on the speakers you installed and just select those on the JBL software. Having the software and being able to adjust everything gives you a while new level of performance. I sat in my truck with the laptop plugged in the amp, made changes, raised and lowered power to each speaker and really hit a new sweet spot. It is easy to understand and takes the sound experience to a new level. It does auto running like the kicker key, but gives you the additional ability to adjust everything. I have the kicker key mono amp on my sub so familiar with both.

 

[The_DJH]

Correct, sounds like you got it!

When you cut the speaker wires at the OEM amp you may need to crimp on a lenghth of speaker wire to make it to the JBL amp depending on where you locate it. I also think the JBL comes with RCA input adapters but you may want to check that. If not you can buy at Amazon. They allow you to take 1 channel positive and negative speaker wires and adapt it to a RCA plug. Just double check the inputs and supplies listed on the JBL owners manual and parts you can see that on Crutchfield. The computer set up is very easy. You can look at the crossover points on the speakers you installed and just select those on the JBL software. Having the software and being able to adjust everything gives you a while new level of performance. I sat in my truck with the laptop plugged in the amp, made changes, raised and lowered power to each speaker and really hit a new sweet spot. It is easy to understand and takes the sound experience to a new level. It does auto running like the kicker key, but gives you the additional ability to adjust everything. I have the kicker key mono amp on my sub so familiar with both.

Gotcha.

I feel kinda stupid buying all this and not being able to use it. Oh well, I’ll be able to sell it off!

Like I said, I have that kicker oem sub and just like how it’s put together.

When tuning with the app, should the sub be off? Is there a better location to pull the output from or just stick with the tap on the RF door speaker?

 

[john151ama]

Gotcha.

I feel kinda stupid buying all this and not being able to use it. Oh well, I’ll be able to sell it off!

Like I said, I have that kicker oem sub and just like how it’s put together.

When tuning with the app, should the sub be off? Is there a better location to pull the output from or just stick with the tap on the RF door speaker?

I mentioned the kicker sub connection above. Take a look at prior posts. Connect an additional lead to the RF speaker wire you cut coming out of the Bose amp. You don’t want to leave it connected at the RF door because that signal will be modified in the new set up by the signal coming from the JBL amp. So you will supply the RF signal from the Bose amp to both your kicker amp and the JBL amp if you choose to go that route.

Not sure on your kicker amp/sub combo but if it has 2 inputs I would use both left and right front channels to feed it. As I set up my kicker key mono amp for my 10” kicker solo sub I got the best results using both front channels for the inputs and mine had 2 channel inputs.

Yes on the tunning. I would get the JBL all set up and tuned, set your settings on the software and make sure everything is sounding good. Then connect or power up your kicker amp/sub combo.

 

[john151ama]

I mentioned the kicker sub connection above. Take a look at prior posts. Connect an additional lead to the RF speaker wire you cut coming out of the Bose amp. You don’t want to leave it connected at the RF door because that signal will be modified in the new set up by the signal coming from the JBL amp. So you will supply the RF signal from the Bose amp to both your kicker amp and the JBL amp if you choose to go that route.

Not sure on your kicker amp/sub combo but if it has 2 inputs I would use both left and right front channels to feed it. As I set up my kicker key mono amp for my 10” kicker solo sub I got the best results using both front channels for the inputs and mine had 2 channel inputs.

Yes on the tunning. I would get the JBL all set up and tuned, set your settings on the software and make sure everything is sounding good. Then connect or power up your kicker amp/sub combo.

Here’s a photo. Unplug the connector from the Bose amp and cut off tape. I cut the speaker wires in the area circled so I had a lot of tail to work with. I soldered on my extensions there and ran them to my amps. You would also do extensions from you amp back to the same area to the other ends of the wires you cut. You can always return to stock by cutting your extensions off and connecting the OEM speaker wire ends back together. The white wires you see are my new 2 channel wire bundles I ran all the way to each speaker to separate my tweeters/woofers so I did not tie back in to the OEM speaker wires.