canuck
Part of things
if it aint broke, fix it till it is!
Posts: 114
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Feb 28, 2006 21:37:27 GMT
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Evening all!
So, if you check out the readers rides section you'll see my new toy... A seriously lowered and stiffened Victor estate... Now, at the moment it has nothing by way of a sound system - and while its not the most important thing to me by any means - I'd love to have something to listen to while cruising to the shows this summer... But I don't want a new looking head unit spoiling the dash...
As its so ridiculously harsh a ride - I'm thinking that a CD player will just skip and jump all over the place - so here's what I was thinking...
Speakers fitted, but with the wires leading towards the dash, and connected to some sort of audio jack (bear with me, sound systems are not my strong point!!) where I can plug an MP3 player - no moving parts, no skipping - right?
Or am I missing something really obvious? Like will the speakers need to be powered somehow?
Any info greatfully recieved!
Matt
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If it aint broke...Fix it till it is!
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Feb 28, 2006 21:47:19 GMT
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ask tonycocacola hes a stereo freeek
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2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
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Feb 28, 2006 21:48:23 GMT
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You will need an amp of forms to drive a decent set of speakers, yes, you can buy self-build amp kit that'd be suitable, with a simple line in that could be run off an appropriate jack off the docking station of an iPod, or a headphone output provided you could get high enough gain (although wether it'd sound good or not is questionable). Or, you could fit a period FM head unit, have it driving a decent amp, then simply use a (techincally illegal) iPod iTrip or similar device to broadcast too it, saving the wiring hassles and meaning you can take the MP3 player away easily to upload new stuff to it, whatever I think that's right-ish. Suggestions?
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Mr K
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,993
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Feb 28, 2006 21:51:27 GMT
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Evening all! So, if you check out the readers rides section you'll see my new toy... A seriously lowered and stiffened Victor estate... Now, at the moment it has nothing by way of a sound system - and while its not the most important thing to me by any means - I'd love to have something to listen to while cruising to the shows this summer... But I don't want a new looking head unit spoiling the dash... As its so ridiculously harsh a ride - I'm thinking that a CD player will just skip and jump all over the place - so here's what I was thinking... Speakers fitted, but with the wires leading towards the dash, and connected to some sort of audio jack (bear with me, sound systems are not my strong point!!) where I can plug an MP3 player - no moving parts, no skipping - right? Or am I missing something really obvious? Like will the speakers need to be powered somehow? Any info greatfully recieved! Matt you cant just plug speakers into a mp3player, bearing in mind head phones run off a very low voltage compared to car speakers. You could try using a small amp from somthing like cheapy computer speakers, wired in 12volt (check it works on 12volt) then put the outputs to your car speakers, and the plug your mp3 payer into it. i don't know if u could use a car amp with a jack plug on the input instead of a head unit, you would also need to put somthing on the 'remote' pin to make the amp fire up. don't know if it will work. hope that helps Nick p.s. lewis has beaten me to it!
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Last Edit: Feb 28, 2006 21:53:11 GMT by Mr K
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Feb 28, 2006 21:57:37 GMT
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Just as an aside - I got given an iTrip to use in car and it really does work, great little thing! If there's a convoy to RCS next year you can all listen to my tunes ;D
<legal disclaimer> But I'd never use an illegal device, oh no. I don't even have one. <runs>
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Mr K
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,993
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Feb 28, 2006 22:02:32 GMT
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Just as an aside - I got given an iTrip to use in car and it really does work, great little thing! If there's a convoy to RCS next year you can all listen to my tunes ;D <legal disclaimer> But I'd never use an illegal device, oh no. I don't even have one. <runs> hehe, they are good, i had one with my ipod, but it wasnt strong enough to work over several cars, just a weak signal if you tailgated the car with it in. I sold it with my ipod after my ipod broke for the 3rd time, as soon as i received it back i popped it on ebay as a ipod just back from an 'apple service'. lol, got good money for it and no complaints. i now have a thing i bought from ebay that transmits, but its not as clear as the i trip. shame, but its still pretty good. Nick
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Feb 28, 2006 22:12:54 GMT
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I have a couple of MP3 players a flash memory one I use on my bike and a 30GB Creative hard drive I use in my garage and my car. Depending on which car I use and the type of stereo fitted I either use an FM transmitter (99P plus £5 postage of Ebay from China ;D ) which is pretty good quality for use in the house but varaible in the car. A line in connection or a cassette adapter. Personally if you only want to use an MP3 player I would look for a head unit with a cassette player or a line in. But if you want to keep it looking standard you might be better of hiding it in a glovebox or somewhere else. Or alternatively get a boot mounted amp to drive your speakers and just use the MP3 as a line in feed for that
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Feb 28, 2006 22:13:06 GMT
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My everyday cans have a several hundred ohm impedance...So I sit with the volume on full.
...Then I plug in 2ohm earphones and nearly kill myself.
*n
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Top grammar tips! Bought = purchased. Brought = relocated Lose = misplace/opposite of win. Loose = your mum
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Feb 28, 2006 22:28:07 GMT
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Or, you could fit a period FM head unit, have it driving a decent amp, then simply use a (techincally illegal) iPod iTrip or similar device to broadcast too it, saving the wiring hassles and meaning you can take the MP3 player away easily to upload new stuff to it, whatever The problem is that a working FM radio unit of the right period for the FD won't be cheap - I've been looking for one too for exactly the same reason!! When / if I get round to sorting out a stereo in the heap, instead I shall be using an extremely 80s Blaupunkt tape deck hidden under the dash. Even if it's found, no one will want to traveller it & also I can run either an ipod* or a discman into it with a tape adaptor so no voltage / amp issues to deal with as I know very little about car stereos. * Mine too is at Apple - hard drive failure! Think this means a new one
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Last Edit: Feb 28, 2006 22:28:48 GMT by Paul H
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Feb 28, 2006 22:31:23 GMT
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i do! my escort always has (even before ipods were even heard of) been running my ipod and no headunit, for at least 3 years now. stereo used to go where the dials are see that white thingy? thats the charger / rca out to the amp, means i plug one cable into the bottom of the ipod and it does charging and sound out to the amp. this stuffs all a few years old now like, ive got a few more tricks up my sleeve when i can get round to it. having video out from a video ipod running off to a set of tv screens mounted int he sunvisors is a start. plus little faff like that.
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Feb 28, 2006 22:46:59 GMT
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buy a cheap amp - i got one off ebay for £3 that powers 2 speakers at 50w a channel
that got binned for a jbl 75.4 (75x4w RMS per channel amp) that powers 2 component speakers and a sub. do not let anyone tell you you need more speakers than that, you don't! 2 components and a sub is the best setup possible, i refuse to hear otherwise ;D ;D
you need an ipod charger and audio out (look on ebay, belkin will be sure to make one) which normally goes into the cigarette lighter, but as i don't smoke, i just took out the old lighter, and replaced it with the ipod charger (only there so i can see when its on (little light on the end of it)) and it could be hidden away under the dash or something.
run a cable from the ipod charger pre-outs to the amp via an RCA lead and a phone > RCA adaptor . and run the remote amp lead from an ignition live, this means the amp will come on with the ignition, you could wire it to a switch or something aswell, but i was happy with this.
and then fit an amp as you would normally etc.
you have to run all speakers from an amp, the 75.4 runs 2 components (75W RMS a channel) and a sub (bridged @ 2ohm at 280w RMS) which gives a nice solid quality sound (providing theres no rattles on the old car!) nothing too loud, just right i think.
£20 for the charger
i paid £100 for the amp (but you could get one for pennies up to thousands depending on what you wanted)
£50 for the sub, built the box (don't need one tbh, but even if you do, pennies to grands depending on what you want)
£50 for the components (alpine jobbies), once again, can use standard door speaks, or pay for something a bit spesh. please buy some components, and not horrid 2 way coaxial jobbies!
£20-30 for wiring (or cheaper if you have a maccess account, youll need autoleads PC4-27 wiring kit £14 in maccess, or £40 in halfords)
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Feb 28, 2006 22:52:57 GMT
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when i got my first car stereo robbed in 1996, (stereo cost a weeks work - i was part time at the time), i was mad, and resourseful, slung an amp in the boot under the tool trays, ran a jack plug and on off switch to the front, and plugged in a Sanyo CD Player!
it wasn't ideal, need eq or something and the volume was twitchy, and had to remember to switch off as i did an half assed wire job!
Put a CD player in recently but keep leaving glove box open to prove fronts removed, bored of refitting got another official ford radio to leave in. currently use a tape adaptor that knakered after a several uses, need to look at a decent transmitter thing now i recon. reccomendations?
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it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts
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Feb 28, 2006 22:56:11 GMT
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i had an itrip - i couldnt get on with it, sound quality was terrible.
but i spose sitting here listening to music through a valve amp and some bowers and wilkins speakers has spoilt me.
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Mr K
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,993
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Feb 28, 2006 23:26:05 GMT
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i had an itrip - i couldnt get on with it, sound quality was terrible. but i spose sitting here listening to music through a valve amp and some bowers and wilkins speakers has spoilt me. You want a phat ITL amp (hand made in portsmouth jobby) and some Tannoy 110watt studio monitors mate! sounds spot on! beats mum and dads B & Ws hands down and cost half as much!
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nah, cant obide by studio monitors tbh, sound too clinical, i was in a studio 5 days a week for 2 years listening to a grands worth of mk audio jobbies, everytime it came to mixing down i much prefered to take the DAT home and mix it down there, and although it sounded real nice, it was a bit too perfect for my liking, it lacked the warmth of these plus the valve amp. i always used to come back with amazingly mixed tracks too ;D
is that ITL amp a valve amp? cant beat good ol valves for some tasty warm sounds ;D
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Ed
Part of things
Posts: 600
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my bros wife has an ipod connected to an amp with a rca jack (i think) in her karmann ghia, works perfectly. no headunit, no worries
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Ignitin switched live with ot without a switch in is the best idea, if you just switch it into a live you might leave the amp on overnight and flatten the battery etc.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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yeah, i was going to do both though, wire it to ignition live and wire a switch in, incase i ever wanted it on when the ignitions not on, or i wanted it off with the ignition off.
youd prob have to get holld of a ground loop isolator too, oinly a few quid, just stops any intereference from the engine and the like (like a whistling noise that goes with the speed of the engine etc)
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if you earth the amp properly you shouldn't get ground loop noise.
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1941 Wolseley Not Rod - 1956 Humber Hawk - 1957 Daimler Conquest - 1966 Buick LeSabre - 1968 Plymouth Sport Fury - 1968 Ford Galaxie - 1969 Ford Country Squire - 1969 Mercury Marquis - 1970 Morris Minor - 1970 Buick Skylark - 1970 Ford Galaxie - 1971 Ford Galaxie - 1976 Continental Mark IV - 1976 Ford Capri - 1994 Ford Fiesta
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dp
Posted a lot
DP Race Tech
Posts: 1,044
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canuck in da house: Anyone use an MP3 player instead of car stereo
I do, well kind'a......
I have a Sony CD headunit with Sony speakers in the doors and a Pioneer active base under the passenger seat (it's a PickUp) and that works fine but it don't play Mp3's so I got a connection from Sony Ericsson so I can plugg in my Sony Ericsson W800i and with a 1 Gb Memmory Stick full of Mp3 it works real good.....
For a while before I got the Sony CD headunit I had plans on just installing the speakers, crossovers and an amp and hooking the W800i to that, would work just fine so why not just switch the W800i for an I-Pod or simillar.....
DP says: Less is more.....
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