I know that I am starting something here...but I always was a problem child.
I am about halfway thru my car setup.. I have run into a snag though. I have an Alpine amp and it only has RCA inputs. I have a Sony headunit and it only has 1 pr of RCA outs. So....if I go with splitting up the signal off RCA outs, not only do I lose all fading ability, I also hurt sound quite a bit by splitting the pre-amp.(At least I think that I would?)
Therefore, either I need a new head unit or a new amp.
Well...amps cost more than head units..on average.. And my head unit does not let me plug my ipod into the aux in without an expensive adapter.
The head unit loses the battle and has to go.
I need a head unit with 2 pairs of pre-amp outs.(Front and rear) 3 would be even better(for the sub) but I can live with 2 as I have a pre-out on the amp. I also want to be able to simply plug my Ipod into the aux without an adapter.(Aside from a possible phono-RCA cable.)
I do not care anything about Satellite ready...or a CD player that can also play MP3's. (I have an Ipod..why would I be playing CD's?)
I do want to have good signal and sound but I have already spent more on this setup than I really want to spend...so price is a BIG factor.
In fact, if you have an idea about a head unit that is a couple of years old, maybe I will get it from Ebay.
I have looked around and finding the right headunit is like seeking a needle in a haystack. To find one with what I am looking for literally would require that I look over every model made by every maker for the last few years. And I KNOW that people here already know where to point me.
I take it the Alpine amp is a four channel? Or you're running more than just that amp in the car?
Using y-splitters doesn't degrade the sound quality to a noticeable degree, from my experience. The only thing you lose is the ability to fade, which you already know...
On the otherhand, you will get better sound quality from the pre-outs of an Alpine than you will from a Sony.
To the quality of a CD...yeah, they do sound better. They aren't psycho-acoustically analyzed (where data is removed that the human ear isn't likely to hear in order to use less space) like mp3's are. They play at 1411 kbps as well.
Interesting Jexx... I had not thought a lot about the pre-amp quality. I always thought that pre-amp is pretty standard and the difference is in the amps.
And I actually have 2 amps...both Alpine. One is a 4 channel amp with a pre-out that will feed into a sub amp. That is why I was saying that I can live with 2 pairs of pre-amp outs.
LOL..and yes all..I realize that a CD has more data..and all other things being equal....the more data usually equals better sound. My point was that I can have 600 full albums at my immediate disposal on the Ipod....why would I need 601 albums?
