Ice

[Grizzly]

Hi All,

Firstly, appologies if this issue has come up before.

I'm looking for an amp and some speakers to run my MP3 player through.

I have no room on my dash for a head unit, so the easy option of just fitting a stereo is a non-starter.

So, I was thinking of putting a smallish amp under the seat.

You'd think it'd be fairly straightforward, but I'm getting lots of "umms & errs" from the in-car entertainment shops.

From what I've discovered so far, I think I'm looking for an amp with an 'Aux Input'.

Has anyone overcome this problem before and can anyone recommend someone who doesn't want in excess of £100 from me?

TIA

[st3v3nw]

Try Maplin, they are cheap. The usual input is 2 phono but all you need is 3.5 mm jack plug to phono then just plug in the mp3 player. easy as pie

[Guest Toejam]

Could be a bit Trickier than it sounds.

 

I've got a funny feeling the output from an mp3 player is partially amplfied and may be too high voltage to run straight into the phono input on an amp.

 

Any bog standard amp will be able to do the job one way or another though, just aim for one that also has a high level input and chop a few cables around to test the input on the high voltage side first so you don't get any nasty shocks. (If you can't get a good volume with average gain set them move over to the phono inputs.)

 

Tha maplins offering has both inputs so won't cause you too many problems. Click here

 

Have a think about your wiring too, without a head unit the remote on won't work for the amplifier, you can bridge from the +ve supply for the amp but it will always be on. Much better to run a switched cable for it.

[Guest turbo]

i have the mp3 set up in mine you can adjust the various output voltage of the mp3 players with the gain control on the car amp.

Edited April 8, 2008 by turbo

[Guest turbo]

there is a power switch to the amp with led and two headphone jacks.

Edited April 8, 2008 by turbo

[Guest Toejam]

Be cautious is all I can advise there.

 

Gain controls the output from amp to speakers (Percentage increase of the input signal), not the input to the amp so If your mp3 player has a good enough internal amp it's very possible it could throw too much at the low input.

 

ps..... Quite a nice tidy setup with the inputs / switch.... looks good Turbo

[agent_zed]

i havent put it in my car yet but iam going to use an amplified setup for a computer. The one i have is a sub unit with 2 satelite speakers. It also happens to be 12v and is perfectly suited for aux input with volume and bass/treble. Some of the ones ive seen even have remotes. You can buy quite powerful setups now 100w + and they are relatively cheap at around 30gpb.

HTH

[Grizzly]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I think it'll be the Maplins route for me.

I'll be writing my shopping list tonight and popping over to Leeds at the weekend.

I'll let you know how I go on.

[Longboarder]

I certainly couldn't put anything electrical under the seats in my Hood. Except perhaps an electric powered boat. I used to get two inches of water after a good rainy night. Comes in from the engine bay if it's parked on a hill. More holes in the floor and less carpets was the 'solution'. An amp could go in the boot.

 

Nigel

[Joel]

I certainly couldn't put anything electrical under the seats in my Hood. Except perhaps an electric powered boat. I used to get two inches of water after a good rainy night. Comes in from the engine bay if it's parked on a hill. More holes in the floor and less carpets was the 'solution'. An amp could go in the boot.

 

Nigel

 

Apparently my Uncle used to have a Mini (many years ago) with a floor mounted starter button.....and rusty sills......and you can guess the rest.

 

 

Just out of interest Toejam, how do you know all this stuff? No reason, I'm just curious as so many people on these forums have specialist knowledge in one area or another, and I always feel like a fraud in comparasin

[Guest Toejam]

Now I have to admit the embarassing truth....

 

I used to be an avid fan of the 'Max Power' scene.

 

Over the years I've specified / installed or modified a number of setups in various cars (Most of which were installed because I'd blown up the last lot !) - What can I say I was a noisy little sod in my youth.

 

Started off with a Pug 205 and 2400w rms in my younger years & ended up buying the 2002 sound challenge association winning car too which took all 6 wins in it's class for that year.

 

Thankfully those days are over and I go for slightly more civilised systems these days, more expensive, but it's all about quality now not the number of watt's or size of a Sub (Don't even have a sub anymore !!!)

[Grizzly]

I certainly couldn't put anything electrical under the seats in my Hood.

 

I don't really want the amp in the boot. Worried about it overheating or getting damaged if there was a load of stuff in there.

A was wondering if there'd be space under the dash, but it may suffer from interferance being near to the engine.

I'm hoping there'll be just enough room behind the seats on the rear bulkhead. Lowish down, but not low enough to get soggy.

[Grizzly]

OK, the ICE has arrived!

 

I have a question though. The Hi-Level Input has a connector supplied. It has five wires.

 

1. Black : Ground (The instructions say that this must be grounded at the Radio)

2. Grey/Black : SP(R-)

3. Grey : SP(R+)

4. White/Black : SP(L-)

5. White : SP(L+)

 

I need to connect this up to a Stereo (3.5mm) Jack, which only uses three wires.

Do I connect 2 & 4 together?

I'd just like to be sure before I press on.

 

TIA

[Guest Toejam]

The ground is meant to go back to the head unit to prevent any possible interference with a ground loop giving a poor quality signal. With the setup your going to it won't be required.

 

For connecting to the headphone jack, the top outer sleeve acts as a ground on 3.5mm jacks so yes you would connect both of the -ve connections to its terminal. (incase it helps, the next sleeve down is the RH chanel / tip is the LH chanel.)

 

Good luck with the test setup, I'm interested to know if Mp3 players need high level or low level inputs now. (Make sure you do a test setup rather than a full install of the high input incase I'm wrong about them.... I'm always a little on the cautious side of average !)

[Grizzly]

OK. Thanks. I guessed as much that I could join the earths together.

This is all lashed up on the floor alongside the car in the Garage. Like you say, I wanted to be sure it all worked before doing a full install.

Using the High Level Input, all worked OK. There was however a constant (although quiet) whine in the speakers.

Messing with the Frequency control didn't do much noticeable.

Even with the Gain turned up to Max, the volume wasn't impressive. hmmm

I realise that the speakers were not installed but expected better nontheless. Turned Gain right down.

Went for the Low Level Inputs. Lashed up some phonos, crossed fingers and reconnected power.

Turned on Ipod..... gradually increased Gain.......

 

Banging! - Absolutely Wikid! - Rock On!

 

Think I'll stick with the phonos then.

Thanks All.