Subject: Re: [TR] MP3 / IPOD hidden stereo

From: Brad Kahler <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2012 11:24:53 -0400

Randall,

I guess I use the term "stereo" generically for anything that would be a
sound system in a car :)  Kinda like how people use the terms skilsaw
instead of circular saw, crescent wrench instead of adjustable wrench.

In my spitfire I had a remote on the end of a wire and I just tucked it
down between the seat the the tunnel to keep it from flopping around.
 Having been in a roll over accedent a few years ago I'm not thrilled with
anything being loose inside the car.

The unit you listed from Amazon is interesting but I don't think I have
room enough for speakers for it :)   Also I don't know if it would work
from the speaker output of an iphone.

Brad

> Anyone out there ever use a stereo like this for their car?  If so any
> pros or cons.

I have not.  For one thing, that is not a "stereo", just an amplifier.  It
has to be wired to some sort of player to function.  Possibly you aren't
worried about having a device on the end of a wire roaming around loose
inside the cockpit, but I am very opposed to such things.

Other than that, I guess the concept and price is reasonable.  However, I'd
want to ask some pointed questions about what, exactly, that "50 watt"
rating means.  If that is 50 watts RMS 20Hz to 20kHz continuous with THD
below 0.1%; wonderful.  But if it is only 50 watts "peak", I think you'll be
unhappy.  Just saying "50 watts" is kind of like "fresh frozen fish", it
doesn't mean a thing.

Unless you really want 4 channels, you might shop around for a 2-channel
amp.  Some very brief poking around turned up a 700 watt x 2 Pyle for $60
(including shipping) @ Amazon.  Larger footprint, but about the same
thickness (should fit nicely above the gas tank).
http://goo.gl/KTSqx

Another thing to consider is where that power is coming from.  A stock TR4
generator only puts out about 250 watts, and most of that is needed for the
engine, headlights, etc.  Since audio amps are rarely more than 50%-60%
efficient, a real 50x4 output is going to require something on the order of
400 watts input power (like 30 amps).  If you are serious about playing
music loud enough to be heard over the wind noise, you'll need an alternator
conversion.

-- Randall

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From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2012 08:57:45 -0700

> I guess I use the term "stereo" generically for anything that 
> would be a sound system in a car :) 

No worries, Brad, I wasn't trying to quibble about the word; just wanted to
be sure you understood what it was.  If it suits you, then that's fine.

I'm coming up on more or less the same decision myself; but leaning towards
what I did before, which was to mount a CD-MP3 player in place of the
glovebox.  Opening the glovebox door would provide full access to the front
panel, but generally I could just reach up behind the dash and do what I
wanted.  Not at all obvious it was there (so less concern about theft).
Since it had AM/FM/XM (although I never used the XM), I could tune into
local weather or news.  These days I suppose everyone does that with their
phone, but I don't (and I do occasionally travel where there is no cell
coverage).

But I mostly enjoy listening to audio books, especially on long trips.  It's
easy and cheap to burn them to CD in MP3 format (generally I get 3 books on
a $.10 CD) and then if the CD gets damaged, lost or stolen; I just burn
another one.

I didn't check the specs on the Pyle, but pretty much anything like that
should operate from your headphone output.  And of course you don't have to
run at 700 watts (or have speakers that will handle it) if you don't want
to.

-- Randall

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From: Brad Kahler <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2012 12:08:11 -0400

If the one on amazon does worth from the headphone output it just
might be worth it.

Personally I don't want to mess around with CDs in the car.  I would
think you would be better off using a system that accepts thumb
drives.  They are a lot cheaper now and easy to write to and don't
take up near the space that a CD does.

You are right about checking weather.  I just use my cell phone :)