I figured I would try your method today (using 2 ZISLs), cutting the harness and ditching the huge LOC and all I can say is
The AA-GM44 LOC is genuinely a POS. Using the ZISL I could instantly tell the signal had cleared up significantly. I did have to use 2 pairs of female couplers from the ZISL to my 4-channel RCAs. My sub amp is using the 4 channel pre-outs and the sub now recognizes frequencies that it merely glanced over using the AA-GM44 LOC. Even with the levels turned fully up on the AA-GM44 LOC I had to adjust the gains on the 4-channel amp. With the ZISLs connected, I had to turn the gains back down. The front speakers gain is as low as it can possibly be, while the rear speakers are turned up approximately 1/8.
I wasn't expecting such a drastic change. I don't know how PAC managed to FUBAR this. The harness is great, the LOC is a POS.
On the other hand, using the blue wire on the PAC harness is indeed a remote turn-on. If you look, the blue/white wire is in the PAC harness but has no wire associated with it on the vehicle side. The remote wire has 12v when the radio is on or the vehicle needs to alert you (i.e. leaving the headlight switch in the on position).
With that being said, PAC is exactly what I thought they were...POS. The harness is great, if you modify it. If you plan on using the PAC LOC, prepare to deal with signal quality degradation.
So...
