not sure if anyones asked this stupid question before but was just thinking... I love the Mp3 on the stock unit but have a brand new HU from my last car that doesnt play Mp3's. Has anyone tried to install 2 HU's ever, like one under the switches maybe? Would just replace the stock one with the new one, but need the Mp3 player and dont wanna spend any more $$$? sounds weird, but just a though.

 

if your old one doesnt play MP3's, its time to throw it away. just about every HU above a Jensen playes MP3's today. A nice $175 Alpine will play MP3's and kick the crap out of the stock HU.

I'm looking at a 9851, a bit steep, not exactly the economy model, but in the long run it will be worth it, especialy with alpine's SWEET motorized faces.

 

its a pioneer thats a little over a year old. I would get a new one but this one was a gift from the gf and she would freak. Im an audio psycho so it makes me nuts to not have one with Mp3 besides stock. If i was to try this odd setup, think it would work though if i made some weird electrical contraption?

 

well, you could just go the ipod route.

pioneer makes a ipod adapter for their HU's, i think its works with any HU thats CD changer compatible.

other than that, short of stripping the guts out of the one and replacing them with the guts of a new one, you wont be able to play MP3's.

 

If your MINI is a 2005 or newer you already have a MP3 Player built in to the head unit. Just record them to a data CD-R and insert it like a normal CD

If it is a 2002-2004 you will need an iPod adapter or a Aux In depending on what kind of MP3 Player you are going to get.

 

It can be done but you would need to have amplifiers running in the car as well.

In an old 87' CRX I ran both a CD and tape deck. I mean 2 different head units not a changer. What I had was a signal sensing input switch. Both the audio outputs of the head units went into this switch and then the audio outputs from the switch went to my amps/crossover.

When I had just the CD HU on it would play fine. When I turned on the Tape HU the CD would be cut off and the Tape HU would play.

It may be going a little too far for you but at least it is the answer to what you are after.

Would I do it? Nope. keep the stock HU and sell the pioneer and buy the girlfriend something nice!

Chris

 

haha yeah maybe. Part of the reason for doing this is i dont have money at the moment (had to pay lots-o-junk). The other part is ive done A LOT of complex audio installs on my vehicles including a lot of "custom work" so my knowledge is pretty good, and wanted to try something weird and new just to see if i could do it right. oh btw, whats our alternator in MCS rated at and whats the oem draw on it(avg)?