Car audio question: hooking together two head units

[KingNothing]

Right now my car (1995 Geo Prizm) has the stock double-din HU, Infinity speakers, and a Kenwood amp in the trunk. Since my stock HU doesn't have preouts, the installation guys used the line-level inputs on the amp instead.

I've found a guy selling this Jensen CDH1000 head unit, although he says the CD player skips a lot. That's fine, I never play CDs anyway. I'm more interested in it for the FM tuner since the reception on mine isn't that great.

To fill the other slot, I'm considering getting an unknown Blaupunkt or Rampage (waiting for more info) tape deck from him solely for being able to use my car kit + laptop to play MP3s. He says both of those have preouts as well.

My question is, can these two head units coexist in my car and if so how?

 

[minendo]

Does the tape decks not have AM/FM tuners? I really dont see the need for two headunits.

 

[Mill]

It may work but WHY would you do something like that? You are rigging a bunch of crap up and you will be left with crap.

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: KingNothing
Right now my car (1995 Geo Prizm) has the stock double-din HU, Infinity speakers, and a Kenwood amp in the trunk. Since my stock HU doesn't have preouts, the installation guys used the line-level inputs on the amp instead.

I've found a guy selling this Jensen CDH1000 head unit, although he says the CD player skips a lot. That's fine, I never play CDs anyway. I'm more interested in it for the FM tuner since the reception on mine isn't that great.

To fill the other slot, I'm considering getting an unknown Blaupunkt or Rampage (waiting for more info) tape deck from him solely for being able to use my car kit + laptop to play MP3s. He says both of those have preouts as well.

My question is, can these two head units coexist in my car and if so how?

Why not just get a Double Din HU on ebay or something

you can pick one up for like under 150

you can prolly get a new no name brand for like the same price

 

[KingNothing]

Originally posted by: Millennium
It may work but WHY would you do something like that? You are rigging a bunch of crap up and you will be left with crap.

I want a cheap way to send my amp a preout signal, a good FM tuner, and a tape player, all in a package that uses up a double-din slot. I don't want to spend a lot on the audio in my car, I'll wait for a nicer car to do that. For the HUs I'm talking about, we're talking ~70 for both.

 

[0roo0roo]

car kit? iew. just get a headunit with a line in jack on the front. clean input, not cassette crap
that and a new unit will have preamp o uts

 

[KokomoGST]

Forget two units... you can just get a HU with an aux input and you're good ta go... no need for a tape kit. Unless you actually wanna use a tape *shock/horror* :Q

 

[minendo]

Why not just get a mounting kit or a double din deck? Pioneer makes decent double din decks and can be found for fairly cheap.

 

[Beau]

I wouldn't do it. I'd save and buy a combo double din unit. Remember, you can always take it out when you get a new car.


On a related topic: I recent bought a Porsche 924, and the sound system in it only has 3 speakers (a front center, and rear left & right). Would it harm the head unit if I was to hook both front left and right channels to the same speaker (obviously I'd put a beefier speaker in to be able to handle the power)

 

[bmacd]

it's very possible to have both head units simultaneously hooked up, however, you're probably going to need a switch.

Beau: why would you do that?

-=bmacd=-

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: bmacd
it's very possible to have both head units simultaneously hooked up, however, you're probably going to need a switch.

Beau: why would you do that?

-=bmacd=-

If I didn't, wouldn't the audio be unbalanced? I guess I'd still have left and right from the rear channels, but the front would be gone. What would you suggest? I guess I could try to mount some aftermarkets somewhere, but I'm not really sure where I could.

 

[ATLien247]

Originally posted by: Beau6183

If I didn't, wouldn't the audio be unbalanced? I guess I'd still have left and right from the rear channels, but the front would be gone. What would you suggest? I guess I could try to mount some aftermarkets somewhere, but I'm not really sure where I could.

If you can't install a front left and right, I would just leave the front center disconnected and rely on "beefier" rear left and right speakers...

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: ATLien247

Originally posted by: Beau6183

If I didn't, wouldn't the audio be unbalanced? I guess I'd still have left and right from the rear channels, but the front would be gone. What would you suggest? I guess I could try to mount some aftermarkets somewhere, but I'm not really sure where I could.

If you can't install a front left and right, I would just leave the front center disconnected and rely on "beefier" rear left and right speakers...

I guess I could do that, the rear speakers are only 10" or so behind the front seats, and they're ear level. Would just setting the fade 100% to the rear make it so that it wouldn't damage the fron channel? (I swear I read somewhere that you're not supposed to operate it without speakers attatched). Also, its a 4x40 watt reciever, but if I don't use the front channel, the power from it is not routed to the rear channel, right?

 

[bmacd]

Worst case scenario Beau is that you put a couple of 6x9 boxes in the back seat and use those as your rear speakers. As for splitting the front center channel, i'd pass on it.

btw...i could NEVER go back to two speakers again.

-=bmacd=-

 

[0roo0roo]

i think a mono front would be a bad idea unless you listen to am radio exclusively hah

 

[isekii]

Pioneer
No Name
WTF IS LEGACY ?


Aiwa

Although Aiwa isn't the best brand out there ... it's detachable face is more than enough to attract me to it.

I dont think the others have a detachable face..

I dont know of many double din units that do that..

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: bmacd
Worst case scenario Beau is that you put a couple of 6x9 boxes in the back seat and use those as your rear speakers. As for splitting the front center channel, i'd pass on it.

btw...i could NEVER go back to two speakers again.

-=bmacd=-

Yeah, I thougt of putting a couple truck boxes in the back, but I really don't want to do that. Thinking I may just try to do a stealth install with some speakers under the dash. May be possible. I'll check tonight.

 

[mrchan]

i bet the reception problem has more to do with ur antenna than your HU. dont buy jenson.