Alternatives to Rear Seat Audio ?

[Scott in AZ]

Doesn’t seem like this is already discussed.

Update | Ignore everything below here if you have 6” X 2” rear seat personal audio audio headphone player without rear HVAC controls at the aft end of the center console. Keep it intact. Don’t replace it with a cubby. The head unit feeds this panel with rear audio channel signal UPSTREAM OF THE OEM AMP, and in series with the OEM amp. So if you break this cable (pics below) you lose rear audio in the rear doors and rear pillars, and subwoofer. Don’t ask me how I know this.

Deep in my brain I thought about this when I was disconnecting the rear seat personal audio player, but it should have been obvious when I saw 2 of each of the same color wires on the connector. Rear audio channel goes INTO the personal audio headphone controller and then COMES BACK OUT and goes to the amp. So this could be a good place to bypass the factory amp for line-level signal for rear channels and subwoofer only from the factory head unit. But I’m still using the adequate factory amp for rear doors and rear pillar ….so I re-wrapped and re-connected the wire bundle under the console box and fortunately my rear audio channel is working again.

Some pics added so you’ll see what I should have seen.

Does anyone have nifty ideas to remove the rear seat audio and replace with something more functional? A USB-A and USB-C charging block that is wired to the ignition-on would be ideal.I have not checked if my new head unit will even send a signal to the rear seat audio, need to check.I don’t think the rear seat headphone Audio has even been used in the 22years I’ve had this truck.

 

[Sam Harris]

You can get a cubby to fill the gap when removing the rear audio controls from a 2500 / 3500 truck IIRC (possibly a 1500 as well). It would be very easy to wire in some USB ports of your choice. Something like this:
ICESPRING 2 Ports Dual USB 3.0... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MY1WDIU?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
You’ll also need to drop the voltage down, so can do that yourself if you’re handy with electronics, or buy something like this:
Autek DC Converter Buck Module... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BMIVFK8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

 

[Scott in AZ]

I found a cubby for the front console cassette player and that turned out great (pic below), but can’t find a cubby for rear audio controls. Will keep looking.

If anyone has a link to a cubby for rear seat audio controls please link, thanks in advance.

 

[Sam Harris]

I found a cubby for the front console cassette player and that turned out great (pic below), but can’t find a cubby for rear audio controls. Will keep looking.

If anyone has a link to a cubby for rear seat audio controls please link, thanks in advance.

Here are my notes on this, I think they’re pretty tough to find. Best bet is the junkyard:

15070480 or 15189381 not available. Find in 1500 or 2500 silvy (2003/2007)

ETA: I was very fortunate, and bought one from @NoReverseYukon , and it’s pristine. Not sure if he has any left.

 

[S33k3r]

Maybe this?

03-06 Silverado Suburban Tahoe Sierra Yukon Center Console Rear Cubby

 

[Sam Harris]

Maybe this?

03-06 Silverado Suburban Tahoe Sierra Yukon Center Console Rear Cubby

Yep, that looks like it.. here’s mine, still waiting to be installed.. lol.
Too bad that one is missing the rubber mat.

 

[S33k3r]

Too bad that one is missing the rubber mat.

Agreed. I thought I was the only perfectionist.

 

[Scott in AZ]

Mine is the smaller rear seat audio without rear HVAC control. My rear rear HVAC is in the overhead. I’m going to 3D-print a black snap,in face plate that is sturdy enough to hold a dual USB-A and USB-C charging block. I’ll power it from the same 12 VDC that supplies the rear seat audio. That‘s overkill - I could just stick a USB charger in the adjacent cigarette lighter but it will be nice to have a charging block that runs switched off the ignition and not wired to battery like all the cigarette lighter sockets are.

 

[ivin74]

Mine is the smaller rear seat audio without rear HVAC control. My rear rear HVAC is in the overhead. I’m going to 3D-print a black snap,in face plate that is sturdy enough to hold a dual USB-A and USB-C charging block. I’ll power it from the same 12 VDC that supplies the rear seat audio. That‘s overkill - I could just stick a USB charger in the adjacent cigarette lighter but it will be nice to have a charging block that runs switched off the ignition and not wired to battery like all the cigarette lighter sockets are.

Hit up @NoReverseYukon to see if he has any more cubbies for that center console, I purchase a couple from him.

 

[Scott in AZ]

Updated the OP, up top. Don’t disconnect the rear seat personal audio controller. Should have been obvious …. The rear channel audio signal runs thru here on the way to the factory amp. Disconnect this controller and you lose rear channel audio to rear doors, subwoofer and pillars.