Date:         Fri, 28 Jan 2005 22:36:00 -0800
Reply-To:     Aaron <lists@MYCOMMUNITYNET.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Aaron <lists@MYCOMMUNITYNET.NET>
Subject:      Re: '87 gl stereo cheap fix
In-Reply-To:  <6.1.2.0.2.20050128170223.045d9060@pop.ipa.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

You can find fairly cheap and small amplifiers that work well. I have a
couple sitting under the driver's seat. After the last time my stereo
and CD changer got stolen, I just left the stereo opening empty and use
a walkman or MP3 player connected via a cable adapter that plugs into
the mp3 adapter and into the RCA inputs on my amplifier.

The amps are just 20 watts RMS, but that's plenty of power for the
small speakers in front/back.
Aaron

On Jan 28, 2005, at 3:08 PM, Max Wellhouse wrote:

> I'm no electronics expert, but unless you have Klipschorns for
> speakers, I
> doubt you'll hear that mp3 player without a substantial power
> amplifier.  As I understand most portable players, they produce
> milliwatts  of power to the headphone jack and I would guess to hear
> your
> factory speakers in a Vanagon(or even decent aftermarket speakers),
> you'd
> need 10-20 watts of power.  Not even sure plugging the mp3 player to an
> external poewer amp would work with potential impedance mismatches.
> The
> Audi World group has a separate forum for audio freaks and they've been
> toying with your concept and they have suceeded.
>
> Yeah, it's Friday, so burn some holes in my thinking here!!
>
> Max
>
> At 10:05 AM 1/28/2005, Aaron Pearson wrote:
>> my stock radio/tape player doesn't work very well (the tape player
>> doesn't work, even after numerous cleanings, and the antenna is gone
>> so
>> the radio reception is poor).  i don't listen to tapes or radio
>> anyway,
>> so my new plan is to remove it entirely, and plug my mp3 player
>> directly
>> into the speakers.  the idea is to wire in a potentiometer between the
>> speaker plugs and an 1/8" audio jack.  that way i can plug in
>> whaterver
>> potable device i want.  this seems like a good idea to me.  can anyone
>> think of why it's not, or have any suggestions to make it better or
>> more
>> reliable (or why it's a bad idea in the first place)?  this is the
>> cheapest way i can think of to get what i want.
>>
>> fyi, i'd bring along a portable weather radio on trips for emergency.
>>
>> aaron
>> '87 syncro gl
>