Possible to use amplifier without reciever?

[James Hamlin]

For the third time my car has been broken into and had the audio system
stolen. Here's my anti-theft idea. I found that the Blaupunkt PCA 265
(car amplifier) has a "direct Aux In". Meanin,g I believe, that I can
plug my ipod/discman/etc... into the amp directly. This way the thieves
see a gaping hole in my dash and don't bother breaking in. Does this
sound like it would work? If so I need to find an amp that has the aux in
but can power at least 4 speakers (that Blaupunkt is only 2-channel).
Anyone know of such an amp?

jazbo

[PanHandler]

"James Hamlin" > wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.32.0609262030120.23441-100000@hbar...
> For the third time my car has been broken into and had the audio system
> stolen. Here's my anti-theft idea. I found that the Blaupunkt PCA 265
> (car amplifier) has a "direct Aux In". Meanin,g I believe, that I can
> plug my ipod/discman/etc... into the amp directly. This way the thieves
> see a gaping hole in my dash and don't bother breaking in. Does this
> sound like it would work? If so I need to find an amp that has the aux in
> but can power at least 4 speakers (that Blaupunkt is only 2-channel).
> Anyone know of such an amp?

It doesn't matter whether the amp has 'line in' or 'aux in' as long as it
specifies that they require normal line level signals. I just connected the
headphone output of an old Sony Walkman to an amp I'm experimenting with,
and all's well. Just be sure your source has variable output control or the
amp will run at full output.
Joe Arnold

[PanHandler]

"PanHandler" > wrote in message
.. .

> It doesn't matter whether the amp has 'line in' or 'aux in' as long as it
> specifies that they require normal line level signals. I just connected
> the headphone output of an old Sony Walkman to an amp I'm experimenting
> with, and all's well. Just be sure your source has variable output control
> or the amp will run at full output.

You will also need to provide 12 volts to the amp's 'remote' or specified
power-on connector.

[MOSFET]

This is possible to do. You would simply control the volume and track
functions from the iPod.

The only difficulty arises in how the amp is turned on and off. Typically,
a remote turn-on lead goes from the HU to the amp (or any other signal
processor) and tells the amp to turn on (or off). In your case, without a
HU, you will have to fake something.

But this would not be difficult, just a simple on/off switch somewhere on
the dash could be installed and this would send the 12 volts needed to turn
your "remote" input on your amp on. Keep in mind, this is SEPARATE from the
main power supply that should come DIRECTLY from the battery.

They KEY thing here is that you would HAVE to get into the habit of turning
the amp off when you were through with listening.

OR, you could connect the amp's "remote" input directly to the ignition
wire. This would turn the amp on EVERY SINGLE TIME the key were turned
(whether you were using the iPod or not). This may be a better option (or a
combination of both; put a switch on the ignition wire before the amp) as
you won't accidentally run your battery dead by forgetting to turn your amp
off.

But again, this can be done with good results. You won't, of course, have
any fader control, but perhaps that's not important to you.

Hope this helps,

MOSFET

"James Hamlin" > wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.32.0609262030120.23441-100000@hbar...
> For the third time my car has been broken into and had the audio system
> stolen. Here's my anti-theft idea. I found that the Blaupunkt PCA 265
> (car amplifier) has a "direct Aux In". Meanin,g I believe, that I can
> plug my ipod/discman/etc... into the amp directly. This way the thieves
> see a gaping hole in my dash and don't bother breaking in. Does this
> sound like it would work? If so I need to find an amp that has the aux in
> but can power at least 4 speakers (that Blaupunkt is only 2-channel).
> Anyone know of such an amp?
>
> jazbo
>

[Matt Ion]

I'd go with hooking the amp trigger to the ignition or accessory, and MAYBE add
a separate power switch (not a big deal, really - if you're not using it, the
amp will draw very little power anyway, unless it's a Class-A type).

You can use any four-channel amp and run your walkman/ipod/etc. wire into an RCA
Y-splitter to break the two channels into four inputs, or use a two-channel amp
that's two-ohm capable and just parallel front and rear speakers on each
channel. The former will give you control over front and rear levels separately
(not really like a fader control though).


MOSFET wrote:
> This is possible to do. You would simply control the volume and track
> functions from the iPod.
>
> The only difficulty arises in how the amp is turned on and off. Typically,
> a remote turn-on lead goes from the HU to the amp (or any other signal
> processor) and tells the amp to turn on (or off). In your case, without a
> HU, you will have to fake something.
>
> But this would not be difficult, just a simple on/off switch somewhere on
> the dash could be installed and this would send the 12 volts needed to turn
> your "remote" input on your amp on. Keep in mind, this is SEPARATE from the
> main power supply that should come DIRECTLY from the battery.
>
> They KEY thing here is that you would HAVE to get into the habit of turning
> the amp off when you were through with listening.
>
> OR, you could connect the amp's "remote" input directly to the ignition
> wire. This would turn the amp on EVERY SINGLE TIME the key were turned
> (whether you were using the iPod or not). This may be a better option (or a
> combination of both; put a switch on the ignition wire before the amp) as
> you won't accidentally run your battery dead by forgetting to turn your amp
> off.
>
> But again, this can be done with good results. You won't, of course, have
> any fader control, but perhaps that's not important to you.
>
> Hope this helps,
>
> MOSFET
>
> "James Hamlin" > wrote in message
> news:Pine.GSO.4.32.0609262030120.23441-100000@hbar...
>
>>For the third time my car has been broken into and had the audio system
>>stolen. Here's my anti-theft idea. I found that the Blaupunkt PCA 265
>>(car amplifier) has a "direct Aux In". Meanin,g I believe, that I can
>>plug my ipod/discman/etc... into the amp directly. This way the thieves
>>see a gaping hole in my dash and don't bother breaking in. Does this
>>sound like it would work? If so I need to find an amp that has the aux in
>>but can power at least 4 speakers (that Blaupunkt is only 2-channel).
>>Anyone know of such an amp?
>>
>>jazbo
>>
>
>
>

[GregS]

In article <Pine.GSO.4.32.0609262030120.23441-100000@hbar>, James Hamlin > wrote:
>For the third time my car has been broken into and had the audio system
>stolen. Here's my anti-theft idea. I found that the Blaupunkt PCA 265
>(car amplifier) has a "direct Aux In". Meanin,g I believe, that I can
>plug my ipod/discman/etc... into the amp directly. This way the thieves
>see a gaping hole in my dash and don't bother breaking in. Does this
>sound like it would work? If so I need to find an amp that has the aux in
>but can power at least 4 speakers (that Blaupunkt is only 2-channel).
>Anyone know of such an amp?

As far as i know most amps that accept standard low level line will
work. i do it in my one car. I just have a toggle switch to run the headunit
or an input from a 1/8 inch jack. All you really need is a 1/8 inch jack.

greg

[Captain Howdy]

Does this not make you question yourself as to why your car audio system has
been stolen 3 times and why you did not take steps to avoid this the 1st or
2nd time?


In article <Pine.GSO.4.32.0609262030120.23441-100000@hbar>, James Hamlin
> wrote:
>For the third time my car has been broken into and had the audio system
>stolen.