Best place to mount RCA connectors on dash?

[Viper GTS]

I have parts coming to mod RCA connectors for my car stereo, I'm debating where to put them.

I have this pocket coming + a pair of bulkhead RCA jacks. Originally my intent had been to drill holes in the back of the pocket & mount the connectors there, with the pocket serving as storage for the cable + device that's being used. The pocket will go in the green area. My two concerns are 1) the jacks will be hard to reach, though 99% of the time the cable would stay connected and 2) the pocket would be nice to have when there's no cable/device riding in it. Obvious advantage of this is I'm not modifying anything OEM.

My second thought was the red area (same picture). Right out in the open, easy to access. It does require damaging the OEM piece though, & cable management wouldn't be as tidy.

Third idea was the back of the ash tray. It's currently full of change but I think there's enough room in the back for the jacks. Cables + jacks would be very well concealed when not in use (close the ash tray), plus it's not as deep as the pocket so they should be slightly easier to get to. Disadvantages again modifying OEM equipment (not that I'm ever going to use the ash tray for its original purpose).

I don't do much in car audio, what's the "normal" spot to put them?

Viper GTS

 

[MercenaryForHire]

I'll vote for the pocket.

- M4H

 

[flot]

Go with option #1

If you want to be less ghetto, don't use RCA jacks - that's pretty foolish in the first place. Use a 1/8" headphone jack instead. The headphone jack you'll hardly see when nothing is plugged into it, and it is every bit as useful as the RCA jack. (I'm assuming all you'll really want to use is a 1/8 to 1/8 headphone cable anyway) You could even put it into the "red area" and not regret it later.

Edit 1: I think you can still get flush mount 1/8" jacks at radio shack, just drill a small hole, solder leads on the back, and voila you're done.

Edit 2: Actually, this is getting easier and easier the more I think about it. Use your pocket, and drill a hole at the back. Get a coiled (like a telephone handset) headphone cable. Snake it through the hole you made in the back of the pocket so that only 3-4" of coiled cable sticks out. Super VOILA, now you have a retractable audio cable that will stay out of the way on its own. Get a male or female end on it and just keep the appropriate converter in your glove box, so that it'll plug into/accept anything.

 

[Viper GTS]

Originally posted by: flot
Go with option #1

If you want to be less ghetto, don't use RCA jacks - that's pretty foolish in the first place. Use a 1/8" headphone jack instead. The headphone jack you'll hardly see when nothing is plugged into it, and it is every bit as useful as the RCA jack. (I'm assuming all you'll really want to use is a 1/8 to 1/8 headphone cable anyway)

Several reasons for sticking with RCA:

1) The IP bus adapter I'm using terminates in RCA connectors. I don't particularly want to clip its leads or deal with excessive adapters.
2) Bulkhead headphone jacks are hard to find + they would have to extend very far in one direction to accomodate the two connectors. I could obvoiusly do a flush mount jack & solder leads on the back, but if I can avoid destroying the IP bus adapter I'd prefer to go that route.
3) I prefer to have separate grounds for each channel. Is it really going to make a difference in this application? Probably not. But it gives me peace of mind + flexibility (two separately addressable channels).

These are the connectors I'm using... How are they any more/less ghetto than an 1/8" minijack?

I will definitely be using a coiled extension cable, but long enough so that a passenger can easily hold the source in their lap.

Viper GTS