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I thought I would ask the experts first before I start this project. Please let me know if this will work. Thanks!
I plan to use passive cross-overs by the way.
Member
Yes you can except you would need a line level converter to step down the signal output of your head unit. Some amps have line level converters onboard. I also recently did mine. My car wasn't specced with a Hi-fi system so I had to make one myself.
Great Teacher
Just do the amp bypass mod.
92-93 have the easy amp to mod.
If I were to give my Touring a first name, I'd probably name it "Alan".
Mostly because I like puns.
Mutual Admiration Society #5
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What type of aftermarket head unit doesn't have a pair of pre-outs these days? In the bad old days when at best you only had 1 channel pre out, but you wanted f/r split separate control I did ignore the pre-out and wire like your diagram and it works. You're risking a bit on interference, noise, and a lot of fiddling with level control doing it that way though.
The car I just bought has the worst head unit ever. Some sony which is good for aux/usb/bt, but it's really ugly and bright and does stupid colours. I killed the battery and started the shenanigans last night while sitting in the car and trying to switch off it's dumb flashing colour demo that was distracting and horrifying.
I'm thinking of getting the vdo continental, or I think I have in the shed a period correct, amber display panasonic radio cassette with 6 disk boot stacker I might try and find to fit. I bought it in 1994 and I have the stacker, just need to find the head unit - last seen 2 years ago somewhere. E: but that only has a single (front I think) pre out, so I'll be in the same boat as you
Last edited by fo3; 05-23-2017 at 12:29 AM.
Member
Originally Posted by fo3
What type of aftermarket head unit doesn't have a pair of pre-outs these days? In the bad old days when at best you only had 1 channel pre out, but you wanted f/r split separate control I did ignore the pre-out and wire like your diagram and it works. You're risking a bit on interference, noise, and a lot of fiddling with level control doing it that way though.
The car I just bought has the worst head unit ever. Some sony which is good for aux/usb/bt, but it's really ugly and bright and does stupid colours. I killed the battery and started the shenanigans last night while sitting in the car and trying to switch off it's dumb flashing colour demo that was distracting and horrifying.
I'm thinking of getting the vdo continental, or I think I have in the shed a period correct, amber display panasonic radio cassette with 6 disk boot stacker I might try and find to fit. I bought it in 1994 and I have the stacker, just need to find the head unit - last seen 2 years ago somewhere. E: but that only has a single (front I think) pre out, so I'll be in the same boat as you
I have the VDO Continental like you mentioned. https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...8#post29707368
It does not have pre-outs.
Member
That's a downer.
I've been looking for my old head unit since I posted. No luck as I had to let so many things go due to moving and stupid old business/tax records hogging most of my storage space.
So I think I lost my old head unit and was planning on getting the vdo continental, but I won't now. I guess I'll have to live with the crappy sony I have.
Like I said, it can work as I was doing it 25 years ago. But back then high level inputs into amps were common then as many head units didn't have pre outs. Does your amp accept high level inputs or do you need a converter like cirrusblau mentioned?
The last amp I bought with high level inputs was about 18 years ago, a generous plug and flying lead if you were desperate and that was the last of them and they were budget cheap amps. Does any high quality modern amp come with high level inputs these days?
Might be worth tracking down a vintage amp that has high level inputs rather than messing about converters that often degrade the sound quality too much
Last edited by fo3; 05-23-2017 at 02:41 AM.
Member
This is my head unit:
Matches the color of the OBC perfectly. It does not have pre-outs as well. I used a cheap level converter for now.
Member
The electronics hobbyist in me would want to hack the head unit off the op amp. But yeah, high level converters are pretty cheap and common these days as many people keep the built in head unit and no modern amps have high level input any more. So something like this https://www.sonicelectronix.com/item...VX-XFLOC4.html might be worth a try, with a modern more efficient amp.
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