I'm installing a new Pioneer X380BT headunit on my Discovery II 2004 SE. I've got my wires soldered together, I've clipped in the factory harness to my Metra adapter harness, and then I realize, this doesn't quite match up with the Pioneer X380BT and there's nowhere to plugin the RCA's:


So can I strip the RCA plugs on the Metra harness and solder them to the wires coming from my Pioneer headunit?

 

that metra harness you are using looks to be the 70-1786, made for a head unit that has line level outputs that go to the factory amp.
You do have the option of stripping the RCA plugs and attaching, just remember, the speaker output wires from the pioneer are speaker level output and if you are utilizing the factory amp, you may need to get the adapter.
Scosche SLC4 Line Output Converter Convert speaker connections to line-level preamp connections in mobile audio applications at Crutchfield.com

 

The image isn't loading for me, but I'll assume that you have the metra harness connected to the gray (I think) connector that supplies power and switching, etc. and the brown one that feeds the speakers. The metra then has RCAs coming off the speaker side that are supposed to go to the head unit, but the head unit doesn't have RCAs to plug into?

If that is the case, yes, you can strip the RCAs from the metra and solder directly to the head unit wiring. Another option is to get RCA females and solder them into the wires coming off the head unit, then connect them to the metra. I like the direct solder method better, though, because there's less wiring to deal with in a tight space.

 

All right, I ordered that Line Output converter to be safe. I'll post back when I get it in and hooked up. Thanks for the tips guys!

So would there have been anything wrong with cutting off the RCA wires and soldering them to the line wires coming out of my head unit? Is there a difference in the wire types?

 

I did this without any trouble. The RCAs aren't anything special – they're just two electrical contacts, same as the wires. It's probably slightly more robust to solder them together instead of using the RCAs, but either way will work. I think there's a version of the Metra harness with just wires and no RCAs. I mistakenly got the RCA one and ended up cutting the wires near the harness after stripping off the heatshrink, then soldering them up.

 

There are 2 harnesses, like you said. Both cheap. The RCA one is for integrating the factory amp when your head unit has both types of hookups.

 

Take a look at this comment from one of my previous posts:

"The DIN Kit is in fact the Metra 89-9400. Be sure to check if you have an OEM system with an amplifier (the Harmon Kardon system) because that fitment requires the 70-1786 Metra harness with RCA connectors. If you have a non-amplifier system you will need the older "VW Type" 70-1784 Metra harness without RCA connectors. The 1784 harness utilizes the amplifier in your DIN and hard wires to the Disco's speakers.

If your vehicle has dual diversity rear side window antennas you will have two antenna plug wires in the dashboard harness, only one of which will fit into the antenna port of your aftermarket head unit. Wrap the unused antenna lead in a piece of soft cloth with a zip so it does not rattle behind the dashboard and stuff it out of the way."

Link to original post:
https://landroverforums.com/forum/di...-stereo-71576/

 

Two things, he has the OEM amp, so he needs to have line level output. His aftermarket stereo does not have line level outputs so he will need the convertor which normally has RCA outputs.
So wire the aftermarket speaker wires to the convertor and plug in the RCA on the metra to the convertor output. Otherwise he will have amplified signal going to an amp, and will have distortion.
This is the diversified antenna adapter I used:
Landrover RANGE ROVER 04 2004 ANTENNA ADAPTER Y SPLITTER 2 FEMALE 1 MALE

 

I sat down with the converter and connected all the wires, except the ground wire, which I'll have to solder to my ground wire connection that I already soldered and heatshrinked that's between the Metra harness and the headunit.

This is new to me: How do I add another wire to the wire I've already soldered and heatshrinked, since there are no ends to strip, it being a single wire, connected on each end to something? Do I have to just cut the wire somewhere in the middle, strip both ends, and then join them back together with my new wire?

I went ahead and got the steering wheel interface controller (PAC SWI-RC) so that I could be done with all modifications after this. We'll see how programming that goes.

 

Everything's hooked up, connected and soldered, and everything works great, except... Buzzing. Dadgum buzzing that comes on with the engine and accelerates with the engine. It's pretty high-pitched too. I have my black ground wires all attached to the factory amp ground wire. Any ideas?