Ira Senoff

I am in the process of installing an IASCA system in my GS400. I am competing in the pro street 1-600 class and will be using Zapco amps and processors, Focal Utopia speakers (and the crazy $1500.00 tweeters), Illusion or ID subs.

I want to retain the factory head unit because I haven't seen anything else that looks right (funky HU shape) BUT I will only do so if I can get a really clean signal from it.

Does anyone know if the cd changer can be modified to give a digital signal OR can the head be modified to deliver an acceptable signal - I know I can go high level out of the head but feel that it would not be the best choice.

IN THE ALTERNATIVE - if you have installed a new head in the factory location, what have you done to make it blend in with the color of the AC controls - lighting and color of faceplate. If something good is suggested (or picture posted), I will install an Alpine F1 and not use the Zapco processors (therefore, they will be for sell, cheap)

Any help is appreciated

sirsomo

Sounds like you have a very good setup so farYou raised some good questions, some are a little over my head, but I'll try...
I dont know if you have nak or pioneer, but I still have some ideas.

There are a lot of options most of which you already stated. I don't believe that the factory changer can be modified to give a digital signal, you might be able to modify it to give out a cleaner signal.
This does not sound like a very good option, unless you are extremely good with electronics soldering etc. or know a VERY good shop.
And if you are that good or know someone who is, I would recommend buying a head unit, Alpine or whatever you like, then take the faceplate off and wire it up to the factory head unit's faceplate. Basically taking the Alpine's buttons and face and then replacing them with the factory buttons and face.It has been done before, but lining up the tape deck would be really hard.
The good thing about the GS is that you can fit almost any aftermarket head in there. As far as making it fit with the AC and the rest of the car... What I did when I had a silver panasonic was actually paint the AC faceplate silver to match. I left the buttons stock, bc I didnt want to screen the lettering on again. As far as the green lighting, Alpine and Kenwood and others have it. I would get a headunit like Kenwood Excelons that can change to green or red buttons with the flip of a switch.
This post is getting long, if you need more info, just post, Percy might be a good guy to ask, I believe some of his equipment is modded.

Ira Senoff

SIRSOMO

Thanks for the suggestions. I have done the "aftermarket head in the factory head unit" trick before - I stuffed the original Sony Mobile ES head inside a factory Double Din Supra head unit in my 89 Supra. Tough job but looked killer. I also have dyed the aftermarket head unit before, we would have to do the same thing here. We will see what happens... I want to retain the factory deck to go analog/passive or us the ID ONE - or I will have to get the Alpine F1

I have the Pioneer system in my 2000 GS 400 (did not order any extra charge stereo equipment). The shop I deal with is excellent - if anyone can do it, they can. Our fear is that the CD changer power supply is not up to snuff.

If anyone has the info, please help. I want to sound killer and look stock - if possible

mumbles

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ira Senoff
I stuffed the original Sony Mobile ES head inside a factory Double Din Supra head unit in my 89 Supra. Tough job but looked killer. QUOTE]

Ira, nice to see another Mobile ES user out there... I still think it's a wonderful system even though it's getting on in years.
But I digress... what about leaving the stock head unit in place, and putting an aftermarket unit in the area where the ashtry is? Not sure how deep that area is, but Mean Gene fit a Symmetry piece down there, so it is surely tall/wide enough. You can see Genes' setup at the following link;
http://www.aceaudio.net/html/installation.htm

Percy

Mumbles,

Have to agree with you on the ES stuff. Sounds really nice and their c90 is probably the best I've ever heard next to the XESZ50. Sony did their homework using the Analog Devices OP275 op amp. Only thing better would be the OP627A/B from Burr-Brown, but they go for about 25 bucks a pop. You'll need four of these so that would be 100 dollars in the preamp alone.

Sirsomo,

You're absolutely right about the changer. I've taken the Pioneer stock amp apart and everything is surface mount, SOIC or smaller which translates to .5 to .01 inch spacings for the IC leads. Pure headache. All of the processing, d/a, and line levels are mounted on one board. Op amps...I had notes taken on these and didn't recognize them as an industry standard ANYTHING. Not NE5532's, TL074's, BA53xx series or even the MC078's. As for the line levels, they're within the solder traces somewhere. But the board is multilayered and it's VERY difficult to tap anywhere into them to get a clean signal, much less find the pins/traces for the signal. You could go the oldfashioned way of grinding out the resin for the insulation (on the board) and then do the classic EC (engineering correction) fix of fine wires leading to some RCA outs. Custom mounted, of course. But even with this work I would still strongly suggest replacing that op amp and any filtering networks.

As for the changer, haven't taken this apart but it appears that all of the processing is handled through the amp. The head unit appears to be mostly control devices for logic (switches) and display drivers for the LCD. Of course, there is a small tuner and the cassette mechanism but there's alot of space in the headunit. I might just take apart the changer if I'm bored..but I have a feeling that Ira might beat me to that!

D/A's are, if I recall correctly, 14 bit. Yep...14 bit. I can't even recall who made them...still have to find my notes but I was kinda shocked to find this out. The numbers on the chip doesn't match any known 16/18 or 20 bit d/a converters. Still have to confirm this though.

Ira,

Focal tweets..are you talking about the TX3/TLR series? The ones with the waveguides? I saw these over at Madisound some time ago and they were selling for about 400 a pair. Just checked the website and they don't carry these anymore. IME, I've found that the absolute most neutral sounding tweeter is the Dynaudio ESOTAR T330D. No metallic signature, no tizziness, no emphasized S sounds. Completely relaxed. I've listened to LOTS of tweets before (ribbons from Genesis, Infinity....Titaniums from MBQ, Wilson WATT) and these companies still have me questioning as to why they use either titanium or ribbons. Haven't listened to the TLR but the specs are impressive. Just wish they had a MLSSA graph on how quick the energy is released/stored. Dyn has this published through their printed Madisound catalog, though I've NEVER seen it for the TLR's.

If you get a chance, take apart the changer and tell me what you see. Chip numbers, etc.

Percy