audio DIY

[Patrick Burns]

I guess this belongs here; it's neither a remixing thing nor offtopic.

I'm so happy this finally worked out. I've been messing with it all weekend. I installed this thing in the dash of my Tahoe.

so I could do this

It's a switching 1/4 in. jack that intercepts the wires going from the CD module to the receiver. When a CD is playing, all I have to do plug something in, and it drops the cd audio and plays the input through the car speakers.

It will take anything as long as it doesn't exceed its line level. I'm not even sure what level that is, but I do know that the max volume level of my ipod is JUST below what the CD module puts out, so it's all good. I guess I could plug my taylor acoustic into it, back up to a field or something, open the doors, and rock-out.

This is the first time I've done anything like this. I had to teach myself to solder - got burned a lot. It was fun, though. I went to the Chevy dealership to get the wire diagrams. After all that trouble, though, I read them incorrectly, cut the wrong wires, assumed the diagram was incorrect, found the correct wires by trial and error, got it all back together, and realized that the diagrams were corret after all. Oh well, it works now. It's so nice not having to think about the radio at all, driving around with 200-300 of my fav songs.

It sounds great, even though the ipod shuffle doesn't have the best sound quality. It has a relatively meh signal:noise ratio, and there is some bass and midrange eq, but only the people who work with audio regularly would notice those issues.

I'm a beginner. I'd like to see what kind of audio do-it-yourself / tinkering you guys have done.

[Souliarc]

I just installed a cd deck that had an 1/8" input on it Of course that was probably more expensive, so that's pretty cool that you JUST installed a 1/4" jack on it, as that's all I really wanted. I didn't know they had a kit for that.

[Patrick Burns]

I don't know if there's a kit.

Besides the soldering iron and solder, I just bought this.

[sgx]

My tC has an ipod Data jack coming up through the between the front seats compartment. I just plug it in there, close the compartment, and control the ipod from the head unit (or on the steering wheel). Song info shows up on the headunit display, and it also charges the ipod. Sweet!

Like 4 years ago I bought a CD/Radio head unit for my old car for $80 that had a line in jack. That was cool and cheap too.

[Geoffrey Taucer]

my taylor acoustic

I hate you.

[Patrick Burns]

Yes, a 414ce. It was my main xmas gift - it was also done as a sort of payment for keeping our big yard mowed for that year ... perhaps you'll find some consolation in the fact that it is only the second guitar I own - the other being a nylon string.

I noticed today that the ipod picks up a lot of engine noise - the revs come through perfectly. I know it's the ipod and not my wiring because with everything connected, the engine on, and the speakers turned up, it only comes through when I turn the ipod on. I wonder if it's something coming through the ground wire or if it's an airborne thing. I'm guessing it's the latter because if it were the former then I'd probably hear it through the CD player.

Also, I'm feeling a little more distracted driving with my favorite songs than I do with just the radio. I'm thinking of the birducussion piano instead of the road in front of me. Maybe this isn't such a good idea.