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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Interior & Equipment => Topic started by: 84 chevy guy id on August 15, 2010, 03:09:04 pm

Title: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: 84 chevy guy id on August 15, 2010, 03:09:04 pm
So lets say I didnt want to mess with my old stock radio and wanted to hook my ipod right to the 4 channel amp that goes to my speakers, anybody tried doing that?

TIA,
Mike
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: eventhorizon66 on August 15, 2010, 03:19:58 pm
How?
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: 84 chevy guy id on August 15, 2010, 03:53:04 pm
They have cables that plug in to the headphone jack and has rca ends on the other end. I dont have a cable yet but I know radio shack makes them, just havent had a chance to get to town to pick one up yet.
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: 78 Chevyrado on August 15, 2010, 03:53:36 pm
It'll work as long as the IPOD puts out enough power...  I assume you want to use a mini jack to RCA adapter, if so yes it'll work..  you'll have to use the IPODS volume control.
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: 84 chevy guy id on August 15, 2010, 04:15:30 pm
is there any way to control the fade or balance with the ipod? The amp has adjustable gain controls so maybe that will take care of that?
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: VileZambonie on August 15, 2010, 04:29:04 pm
http://www.gamebay.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=InvOf_1642&click=166
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: 84 chevy guy id on August 15, 2010, 04:42:17 pm
That cable plugs into the bottom rather than the headphone jack, is that a better way to do it?
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: VileZambonie on August 15, 2010, 05:06:29 pm
Yes
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: 84 chevy guy id on August 15, 2010, 05:54:34 pm
Is there a cable that also has a car charger end as well as the rca jacks?
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: Irish_Alley on August 16, 2010, 12:07:36 am
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400122555523
I got this for my droid to play sat radio. it plugs into the head phone jack and transmits a radio sig to what ever station you want on your radio then you can still leave your amp set up to your car radio and still use everything and the transmitter has a usb charging jack on the part that plugs into the cig lighter. But with this one every now and then it will pick up interference depends on what radio you have and were the wire is but I had it just plugged to my car battery and then transmit to a portable radio and all worked fine
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: pocket5s on August 16, 2010, 10:48:36 am
i've used the headphone jack to RCA plug and it works fairly well. I got it from an ebay store, don't remember which but it wasn't too expensive. You'll get better quality than going the fm transmitter route, especially if you live in any decent size town (interference).

I only used that in my car though. I eventually got a decent head unit for the truck with a USB plugin. much better :)
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: alfreema on August 19, 2010, 03:01:29 pm
I bought one of these for $14.02 (including shipping!) ... it hooks to your cig lighter and charges your iPhone/iPod and transmits to your FM radio, just like another poster mentioned.

Eforcity Universal All-in-1 FM Transmitter/ Remote Control for iPod/ iPhone (http://www.overstock.com/Electronics/Eforcity-Universal-All-in-1-FM-Transmitter-Remote-Control-for-iPod-iPhone/4512207/product.html)

Pretty cool, but very cool for the cost.
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: Captkaos on August 19, 2010, 03:35:40 pm
I was looking this up a while back but if you get the RCA connectors you can hook the Ipod directly to you amp and eliminate the head unit.  Can't find the site anymore though.
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: Irish_Alley on August 19, 2010, 04:50:03 pm
http://m.bestbuy.com/m/e/product/detail.jsp?skuId=9222352&pid=1218062425208&catId=&ev=prodView there's one from bestbuy for 10 bucks
(http://images.bestbuy.com:80/BestBuy_US/images/products/9222/9222352_sb.jpg)
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: Chevalade on August 19, 2010, 08:55:19 pm
Don't forget that you will also have to manually switch/hardwire the amp turn on (remote wire). You will have no fade/balance controls, just volumn up and down.
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: kilam68 on August 31, 2010, 05:58:20 pm
My Friends and I did this back when I was in high school.  We did it with portable CD players when our head units got stolen.   We hid the amp and speakers and left the dash broken.  It was a great theft deterent.  We use the cord pictured
Title: Re: Ipod directly to amp, no head unit?
Post by: WhatWouldSeanDo on September 17, 2010, 08:43:00 am
The best (of course not cheapest) way to do this is by using one of these http://www.customautosound.com/SecretAudio.htm (http://www.customautosound.com/SecretAudio.htm). But if you allready have an amp you want to use, that could be kind of wasteful.

The direct hookup will work, but like others mentioned you lose a lot of control over the sound.

A cheap EQ mounted between the ipod and amp could be hidden in the glovebox or even behind the seat. It would give you the tuneability without being overly complicated or expensive.

The best cord would be one like this http://www.autotoys.com/x/catalog/_PERIPHERAL_PXP01_IPOD_AUX_ADAPTER_TO_RCA_VIDEO_TOO_p_9482.html (http://www.autotoys.com/x/catalog/_PERIPHERAL_PXP01_IPOD_AUX_ADAPTER_TO_RCA_VIDEO_TOO_p_9482.html). It allows both easy rca sound output and hardwired charging for your ipod.

Sean