can I use only a power amp and just skip the head unit??

[pepperdas]

Hi,

I recently purchased a nice cadillac that's about 10 years old. I have both an android phone and tablet that I use to listen to music and for my navigation. I have the stock cadillac double din head unit in my car, which to me right now is utterly useless, as it DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A stereo, eighth-inch LINE IN! I was thinking of purchasing an app radio to sync with my devices, but then...

Why do I even need a head unit at all? can I just put a power amp in the slot where my head unit was, with a stereo line in to that?

Is this a crazy idea? I have a similar set up with my computer at home, and I love it.

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[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

a lot of people do in dash android or ipad builds its possible

 

[pepperdas]

are there any poweramps that fit in a double din slot?

 

[Jeffdachef 5,000+ posts]

there are but options are extremely limited and even if it does fit through the hole, there's no way to secure it. Its best if you do a custom fit fiberglass baffle for it for looks or leave everything stock and just have a mounting bracket on top of your stock head unit then install the amp in a secure place under the seat or somewhere hidden and secure. Your going to need a quality line driver that also has a signal processor($$$$) because using the tablet straight up will lose a lot of sound quality and have a lot of noise with dirty and weak signal. All in all, its going to take a lot of money to do it properly, you could save yourself the hassle and just get a decent head unit, it'll be cheaper, sound better and involve 0 custom work.

 

[naughtyca 10+ year member]

I agree, until the market creates a dash kit for 7inch tablets and 10 inch tablets the best way to go is still a head unit and blue tooth from your device. I hope somebody makes the dash kit for tablets, it would be awesome to have a tablet with a sim card and make it a dash mount.