Would it be feasible to completely remove my stock radio, replace it with gauges, and then simply wire a small amplifier to the door speakers, and use an rca->3.5mm to get audio from my cell phone?
Wiring the amp would be cake, just get a harness for a new radio, and wire the speaker leads to the amp...
Would I run into any trouble doing so? I don't think the radio serves any importance other than entertainment, so ditching it is no problem.
Just think.. guages or cupholders.. or both... and no radio to get stolen when the top is down!
The radio head unit also serves to tune and adjust, if your into that. Some of the older units use to play "CDs" or compact disks, if you will. Or so Ive heard.
Yep. That's a tiny amp, not really 500 watts but the concept is right on. Heck, you even get the cable. As for tuning for better sound, my iPud and I assume most other MP3 players have some rudimentary tone controls like loudness, concert, hall, stadium, live, voice etc.
I plan on doing this for a while since someone decided to slash my top and steal my radio and amp. Don't have the money for a radio and amp so I will be just getting an amp for now.
I'm also planning this. Ditching the headunit and placing a small amp behind the seat / in the dash and then using the iPhone as a headunit. Less likely to get some hobo breaking in / cutting the roof trying to steal the headunit.
Don't stick it under the seat as it could get wet. If it's a small cheapie amp, stick it in the tunnel and keep the power and signal wires (the little cable to the iPhone) separated.
it works my. cuz did this to his jeep. did a 400w jensin 4 Chanel amp. ran a headphone>av jack and pluged his iphone to his apm. works well. come to think about it i kinda want to do this to my saab so i can use Pandora.
This setup works really well. I mounted my older sony amp in my truck and ran a RCA/AUX to the Arm rest compartment. I ran the speaker wires from the AMP on the tranny tunnel to the factory speaker wires. Works perfect. Now I can park with the top down and not worry about having my radio jacked. Since it looks like there is no radio since I'm using a blockoff plate.
Sure seems like a viable way to go nowadays. I can't remember the last CD I bought and I'm not sure radio is even relevant for many people anymore. Don't some MP3 players come with FM radio anyway?
If you don't want a NAV screen head unit with DVD movie playback and all that crap, why even have a head unit anyway? Seems like a cheapo iPod would work great. If it gets ripped off, who cares?
I think it would be nice just to have a cradle for today's superphones that ties in to the audio gear (not just through the little headphone jack either), charges the phone, plays MP3s, streams Pandora like a radio, reads out email and text messages, provides hands-free calling and turn by turn nav if needed then into your pocket when you exit the car.
Somebody's making an App radio now, Pioneer? Anyway, it's just a fancy front end for a superphone. No CD player or anything. It just uses the apps on your phone for radio and nav and puts it all on a big, touchscreen display. Neat concept if you want to install a head unit at all. I get a laugh seeing new head units with CD players. Just like seeing an 8-track in a Pinto anymore.
I run this. I just use my Itouch for volume adjustment and equalizing. BUT! Make sure you run a remote wire to turn the amp off. AT LEAST to the car so it will not drain the battery when the car is off. I put a switch on mine so I could turn it off if I didn't want the hum of the speakers.
Also, put caps in the lines to take the bass signal out or you will blow your speakers with the low frequencies. Personal experience.
I did some market research for Sony and a TON of people want this. Our phones do everything now (including navigation) so all these redundant sound systems are a waste. Naturally, Sony ignored them for another idea but it seems clear that a lot of people want an integrated mount (phone or even iPad for larger cars) and a simple amp.
That said... Who buys used stereos with the wires cut? I mean, I know crackheads used to steal radios and all (in the 90's) but what kind of person buys a stereo off a crackhead?
I've got the mitzu amp on order now. it'll be a little while before I get to try this though because i'm deployed. cant wait to try this and clean up my interior even more
I have this setup with my ultra oldschool mtx 4200 amp and it sounds great. I either have Pandora on my phone or the nano I use for the gym playing. The flat panel where the headunit once lived is perfect for switches or non essential gauges. Make sure to add a clock though. It's the only thing I really missed (added one recently)
I did this recently as I needed a place for my wideband gauge and some switches and didn't feel like giving up my air vents. I also hate the way aftermarket head units look in our cars.
After doing some research, I picked up a "Y cable" from RadioShack for under $10 and plugged it into the amp. The cable is just an earphone jack on one end and two RCA's on the other. The "dynamics" of the sound are not as great but it's possible there's an app for my android that would help that.
Like others have said, the only thing you need to remeber is that your amp has a 12 volt "trigger" wire from your head unit that turns it on that needs to be taken care of somehow. You can ether switch it with a toggle, (I'm doing this so it's totally not on at the track) or connect it to a keyed-hot wire so that the amp's only on when the car's ignition is on.
-Jason
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