I'm not very familliar w/ stereos, so maybe someone can clue me in. Is there any reason I can't have an amp hidden under a seat, maybe even the back seat, and then run a cable to maybe the glove box to plug in an ipod? I'm wondering, basically, if I can have an ipod set up without a stereo, keeping it removable. The plus to this would be that ipod has an accessory called an airclick,I think. It's a remote that works through walls and everything. It seems ideal. I'd only have to hide an amp which doesn't have to be accessible, and a removable ipod which would be easy to conceal anywhere, even some in-the-dash trick. Plus I'd have the convenience of a remote over fumbling for controls that are difficult to reach. Not to mention there's nothing to steal out of the car, cause i could take the ipod out with me. The main problem might be connecting an amp to the player, especially in such a way that it's not permanant. Let me know if I'm missing any steps or if this sounds like it could work. Thanks all.
im no expert on audio, but it seems you would have to have a head unit inline before it goes to an amp... whats wrong with an AM radio?
6 staight pipes ending two inches in front of the doors...exhaust and stereo both done at the same time...
Fiddyfour: Damn, i was hoping to avoid a head unit, just to keep it simple and hidden. I still think an ipod with a remote is a great virtually hands-free method. I'll keep thinking. I guess i could hide the head unit under the p***enger seat, still run the mp3/remote. Cadillac kid: Thanks for the cutting edge tech tip, but I'm not sure that's the best audio setup for a 40 Plym sedan.
Yes you can. You need to get ahold of SEAN on here...he works with Ipods and has done this on a couple of the strangers cars.
Thanks Brewsir, I'll make it a point to get in touch with him a little closer to the time I do this. Sounds like he's the guy I need to talk to. I didn't buy the ipod yet, but I'm thinking it will be the perfect way to keep it hidden and cut some costs, cuz the player would kinda be a multi-tasker. Anyone else?
there is an attachment for the ipod that allows it to broadcast on "unused"fm stations, no wires needed. put it all in the trunk, and if the ipod is not more than like 20 ft. away you got sound.
I think all you need is the ipod, amp, and speakers really. Make sure the amp you use has RCA's in. Then buy the adapter for your ipod that converts your headphone out to RCA's. Connect the ipod to the amp using an RCA cable between the two. Wire up your speakers like any other system and I believe you are good to go. If the remote you are talking about will work in the car then it sounds like you would not need a head unit. Also, my MP3 player has an FM tuner built in. I don't know if ipods have this but if they do, now you have FM radio to boot! Of course, that feature really doesn't work so well on mine so if i seriously wanted FM or AM for Fiddy I would get a head unit.
I don't know anything about IPOD's. But, there are several manufactures of totally hidden stereos that run by remote. They operate off of RF signals and do not need a direct line of site to function. I run a secret audio unit in my 32 with everything under the seat. I did mount the small head unit under the dash on a retractable hinge, but you do not have to do this if you use the remote. Doc.
Just get some headphones and hide the IPOD in your pocket. Guess there are any number of ways to set up a hidden stereo, why not just put a laptop in the trunk? What a lot of guys do is hide a stereo head behind the dash. If you look around a bit there are any number of companies that sell inexpensive MP3 players just for your ride, you can hook one of them to an amp then get yourself some boomin woffers and be a manace just like the tuner guys.
Thanks for the input. Pork and ******: I'm not trying to have some booming system, or make my car hitech. I just figure, if i get an mp3 player anyway, it'd be easy to just plug it into the car and go. My big thing is keeping it hidden. My music will be about the only thing not period correct, but I'm not about to have big ugly speakers all over. Anything that can't be hidden will be worked in smoothely. Doc.: Thanks, I knew there was some remote stuff out there. Might still go that route, but I'm thinking one system for everything including the car would be great. Plus I could save some money. Newsithlord: That's what i wanted to hear, I think that adapter would be the trick. That's what i was mostly wondering...connectivity, I guess. 53sled: From what I hear out of the technerds, The FM transmitter gives some spotty sound quality.
Yes, it's really easy to do. Just install an external amp, using the power source of your old head unit. That way it's keyed and you won't drain your battery. Depending on the amp you plan to use, say a dual RCA input for example, you'll need acouple of "y" adapters to split the signal into all 4 channels. With a standard 2 channel amp all you'll need is a 1/8th to RCA cable. I usually install the amp in the trunk and route a long 1/8th to RCA cable under the carpet to the front seat or under the sill plates up to the dash. In my brothers Cad, we ran the cable up and through the dash and have the iPod resting in the ashtray. If you wanted, you could modify a 12 volt iPod power supply by cutting off the cigerette lighter barrel and hardwire that into the system as well. Then we mounted an AirClick on the drivers armrest. Works really well. The iPod will work as your pre-amp, since it has it's own volume and EQ control. When tuning your system, set the iPod to max volume and the amp output volume to zero. Slowly increase the volume of the amp to find the right max volume for you system. This way if you can protect yourself from blowing the speakers and your ears. You could also install an external inline pre-amp and EQ for more control between the iPod and your amp. Hope it helps.
This is right. I've never done this but I've played with my share of audio stuff. I don't know how much voltage comes out of the Ipod's headphone jack, but you DON'T want to over-drive your amps input. You would probably know you're overdriving it if it begins to distort. You may want to buy an amp with an adjustable input sensitivity. This will give you added control. If you already have an old amp, just hook it up and see. Just like the post below says...1/8" stero jack to two rca's....plug them into your amp.... I used to do this with the older portable CD players and (showing my age here) c***ette players.....worked great! cheap....
FY: Sounds like if I buy the right components, I'll be alright, then. That's what i wanted to hear. With the ipod being relatively new, I didn't know what was available for it, but given all the right cables and connectors, it looks like it's a go. I think i'll go ahead and buy the ipod, and use my car as an excuse to my wife...it's pretty good when your car IS your excuse, huh?
Hey I wasn't bustin your chops, just seein' if your were awake. A couple of years ago V-Dub had a system that you could plug your ipod into I don't doubt that there is after market stuff that does the same thing. I probably don't listen to trad music either, I never did care for the whole rocabilly thing. I'm more of a Jefferson Airplane or Dylan fan myself, to each his own.
There is an entire industry built around the iPod (not MP3 players, but specifically the various models of the iPod). There is no lack of acessories for them. FWIW, the FM transmitters for them (allow you tp play the iPod thru an unused FM frequency) are a bit dicey. They work great in some cars, OK, in others, and absolutely **** in still others. I'm real pleased with the iTrip when I use it in my wife's 04 Explorer. Sounds like a REALLY good FM broadcast, but nowhere near CD-quality. But it has been pretty lame in everything else I've tried it in. Also, newer iPods have a Line Out handled through the main (dock) connector (as opposed to the headphone port) that some would argue gives better sound than the 1/8" headphone jack. But in a car, there is enough ambient noise (especially in a hot rod!) to make this debateable at best. Here's something I've been considering for my car.
I know I've been saying I'm going to do the same thing for a long time, but it is coming! I bought an amp and 2 6x9s. Just got the iPod and a 1/8th to RCA. BTW, all the music at the Pileup before and in between bands was courtesy of my new iPod. Slide, that direct thing is solves everything!
That looks great, if you're running it through a head unit. Have you seen the Alpine adaptor? You can use your head unit to control the ipod that's hidden away. I've been checking out some ipod forums, and the only drawback is that you can't scroll quite as quickly, and the file name doesn't fully display unless you have a display with two lines of text. Niether would be a dealbreaker to me. I definitely want good sound quality, even if it's not obnoxiously loud, and yeah, I'm going with the ipod. If I end up with a head unit, I'll check out that option and yours as well. It seems like they both focus on sound quality.
It'll work without the fancy gadgets...... The quality is better out of the line out, because you're amplifying a constant level of sound. When you amp the headphone out, your'e amping up the distortion from the ipod. For example, when the headphone signal has some distortion in it (blurred sound), the amplifier boosts whatever signal it has coming into its input.......guitars and noise both get amplified, thus making it sound even more distorted. You'll like it, don't worry about it. If you use the line out, then you will need something like a head unit to vary your volume........unless your amp has a volume control and you want to reach under the seat or in the truck to change the volume..... buy the ipod, buy the RCA adapters, buy the amp and speakers, and love it...you'll be very surprised......I'm guessing.. I dream of the day I have a sinister looking coupe or truck down in the weeds, and listening to "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor".......
Seems like i can skip the head unit if i use the headphone port, but not the dock. Is that right? I'll try to run without the head unit, If i have to get one for better sound, it won't be a problem to add one. Thanks, you've been very helpful.
You could use a data port converter like the "PocketDock" from SendStation to get access to a line level out. It will give you a cleaner source, but to really hear the difference in your car, don't skimp on the quality of amp and speakers you use. I agree with Slide, that you most likely won't hear the difference in your car using the headphone out VS. a dock out solution. The one thing I would suggest would be to make sure all of your MP3 files are encoded at a high bit rate, above 192k. This YOU WILL hear, more than a couple of DBs of distortion from the head phone amp colorization. But, if your worried about it the PocketDocks only run about $30 each and you can get them configured with either a FireWire or USB port along with the 1/8th out. So you can still use a car charger. I work for Apple in iTunes/iPod software dev. If you have any questions concerning the SW please feel free to ask.
I would go with a head unit hidden behind a dash block off plate or something similar. But thats easy in my 57 chevy wagon. Just put a hinge on it. Also there are about 5 companies that have made head units that can access your ipod playlists and controll you music just as easy as picking a song off of the ipod itself but through the head unit. They will read all song data and playlists that you have created. Check out Pioneer, Alpine, Eclipse for starters. Screw the amp unless you have a noisy car or need to push some big speakers. Modify your ashtray to hold you Ipod an no one would be the wiser. Just my 2 cents!
My current hot rod has 8 speakers and 2 amps... you couldn't see out of the rear view mirror when it was cranked... ever since I added the big cam and 3" exhaust, I can't hear it. I like it better that way
I was in my local Walgreens today and while waiting for my meds to be filled, I was looking through the mags on the rack. I came across this months issue of LowRider Magazine. They had an article on controling your IPod in your project. They had everything from a simple plug in unit to a complete head unit that gives you a control interface right in the head.
Thanks guys. So many setups, i've got some thinking to do. Thanks Sean for offering your help. I'm sure I'll be getting in touch with you at some point in the near future. By the way, I have no old head unit, no old anything but an AM radio. It's a mostly original 40 Plymouth that hasn't had much done to it other than to keep it on the road. I'm starting from scratch here, so i figure that's a blank canvas in terms of options. Thanks again.
I am SO out of the loop on I-Pod stuff. I had no idea so much was available already, and so many offer cool and invisible solutions for hot rodders. Thanks to all who contributed on this thread. I've got some homework to do. Scotch~!
Yeah, Scotch, I think it's the wave of the future. It'll be a great way to keep things hidden, have a remote, and not get your stereo stolen. I'm sure it's the way i'll go, I just have to wade through the many setups and accessories.
With a Walkman or an iPod, using the low-level Line Out connection instead of the headphone jack byp***es the IC that serves as the power amplifier. When it comes to audio circuitry and sound quality, anytime we add something to the signal path we run the risk of adding distortion. When you have a revealing system, everything matters. By the way, I've set aside some vintage JBL Signature woofers and midrange drivers (a**** the last made with Alnico magnets) for the system in my coupe. Dave http://www.roadsters.com/
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