Audio/elextrical gods please help

[Taistorm]

Ok so im looking at putting sounds in the soarer. I want the factory headunit to remain and have everything stock looking but be able to play my ipod and perhaps run a sub.

So far what ive done is purchase a high to low impedence converter with an aux line driver. This has a single rca out. As im being jewish i have also purchased a shitty mcshit 4 channel amp 45rms at 4 outputs.

1st question. Would i be able to run rca splitters to both amp low impedance to split it to the seperate channels or run the unsplit rca so i only have 2 outputs and just run the speakers in a parallel circuit?

Also I may look at getting a fusion basstube csat1100. Ive installed many of these before and is a cheap way of getting a decent amount of bass. Im not a fan of huge set ups.

Question 2:

If I was to run one would I be able to run this of the line convertor. Eg 3 sets of splitters 2 to the amp and one to the bass tube if thats possible.trying to kill to birds with one stone and not break the bank.

I r retard and want shit to look standard and not have to run a late model headunit.

Chur in advance for any advice.

Tai

[Bling]

No takers huh...

 

I'm no car audio guru, but posting anyway.

 

That sub thing can run off speaker input correct?

Does your mcshit 4ch amp have speaker input?

Does the standard headunit have 4 channels?

 

The splitting / RCA setup confuses me. But could you just run the amp and amp/sub combo off the current speaker outputs off the head unit?

 

As for the Ipod setup, not sure how to run that with the above combo of gear.

[Benno]

I'm shit at explaining these sort of things, so I made an average diagram. This is how I would do it in your case. Haven't actually run this exact setup, but don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. This way, radio plays through the head unit via the line-level selector to the amp. The RCA feed is split with one going to the audio amp and the other to the bass tube. To listen to the iPod/aux cable, press the RCA selector button to switch to the aux cable. You can probably hack this up and put the switch somewhere convenient/hidden.

 

By RCA selector I mean something like this, you should be able to find something cheap at Jaycar or similar. 

 

[coldturkey]

yep the above would work as you can quite happily run an ipod or similar directly into an amplifier (may pay to check impedence ratings etc), and that is effectively just the same but you are providing means to a secondary source (the original radio) via a selector.

 

Another option may be, if your original stereo has a tape player im pretty sure you can convert it into an auxilary input with a bit of ingenuity, im sure there was a guide to do that somewhere on this site but I cant seem to find it using the search function

[coldturkey]

I found a couple guides on the e-webs

 

http://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-first-generation/640543-convert-tape-deck-to-aux-input.html

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/Connect-an-MP3-player-to-a-tape-player/

 

So that should be doable (obviously you lose the ability to play tapes!), hell I am semi keen to do something similar cause I want to keep the original stereo in the cima too

 

Edit: 2nd link is probably better, its unclear but I think the first link is basically using one of them lame tape to mp3 converters

[Benno]

I've had a fiddle around with converting a tape player to take a 3.5mm aux input before, there are a few things you need to watch out for which aren't covered in that second article. The main issue is that soldering directly to the magnetic tape head is going straight into a high level input. Basically this is means it goes through several other amplification stages, so taking an input from an iPod etc will be very distorted. The other issue is that mp3 players can produce a DC offset, which if you feed into a high level input will cause issues both with the amplifier and the speakers. To do it properly you either need to find/make a convertor board to lower the gain and remove any DC offset. If you know a bit about electronics and don't mind fiddling you can possibly figure out the input for the next amplification stage and solder directly into that, but without a scope etc can be quite tricky. Your results may vary, but I wouldn't risk a good head unit and speakers with doing it that way.

[snapper]

I've had a fiddle around with converting a tape player to take a 3.5mm aux input before, there are a few things you need to watch out for which aren't covered in that second article. The main issue is that soldering directly to the magnetic tape head is going straight into a high level input. Basically this is means it goes through several other amplification stages, so taking an input from an iPod etc will be very distorted. The other issue is that mp3 players can produce a DC offset, which if you feed into a high level input will cause issues both with the amplifier and the speakers. To do it properly you either need to find/make a convertor board to lower the gain and remove any DC offset. If you know a bit about electronics and don't mind fiddling you can possibly figure out the input for the next amplification stage and solder directly into that, but without a scope etc can be quite tricky. Your results may vary, but I wouldn't risk a good head unit and speakers with doing it that way.

shit, any lazy genius will simply play tapes.  job done!

[Taistorm]

Cheers guys appreciate the input however im not keen on pulling the headunit apart and making an aux input. This is the unit ive picked up http://www.aerpro.com/list.php?pcode=APHL2&cat_name=CAR+AUDIO+ACCESSORIES+++++++++&cat_no=7&product_name=2+CHANNEL+HI+TO+LOW+LEVEL+CONVERTER+AND+LINE+DRIVER&cat_sno=

It acts as both a line convertor and rca selector. It only has 2 channel input for the speakers (L and R) and has the AUX input which is switchable so can swap inbetween the 2 whenever. However there is only 1 output so I can only run one channel on the amp or the single channel on the basstube. Would I be able split the RCA's 3 times so I can all amp channels and the sub or just have it split twice and run one channel to the basstube and the other on the amp and run and extra set in a parallel circuit (yes hori i know). I'm not overly fussed if I can run the basstube but it would be a bonus.

Here's some pics:

 

 

or

 

Cheers
Tai

[Benno]

Yup, your first one should work without any troubles. 

[BlownCorona]

provided your shity amp is switchable to 2 channel input

[Bling]

What is the idea behind 2 sets of RCA cables into the amp in your first pic, rather than 1 set as per second pic? Isn't it going to be two of the same signal or am I missing something?

 

L & R to the splitter (1 and 2 outputs produced)

Output 1 -> L & R -> sub tube

Output 2 -> L & R -> amp for speakers

 

I don't see the need for a 3rd set of RCA that's all. Must be some trick amp it if requires two inputs to output to 4 speakers.

[Ned]

They have the CD stacker in the boot? Just use the original gear and put a 3.5mm plug in line with the built in switch so it runs as normal unless you plus a 3.5mm thing in and then it uses that as the input for the amp. Google LS400 aux in