Intro - my situation - thoughts - etc

[dwc 10+ year member]

Hi all, first post here.

I live in SF and drive a low-key Passat wagon. My last head unit was the Panasonic CQ-C8803U which I bought for the digital amplification. I found this HU to be strong enough to make me happy without an external amp. (I have DEI 6.5 components in the front doors). Also played MP3 data CD's which was great. [i have a Panny digital home stereo also and find it a great sound value when used with ditigal input. The TI Equibit technology is great stuff.]

Anyway, even the name Panasonic was not enough to deter thieves here in SF //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif and my HU was stolen a week or so ago.

I had this dream of bypassing the HU entirely and finding a nice 4-channel amp with a built-in volume control / preamp section. Mount it under one of the front seats and and just run my MP3 player into that. That way I can leave the gaping hole in my dash and still have tunes.

I don't think that's gonna work as I have not found any candidates yet, but i would like to hear if folks have been successful going down that road. (like which 4-channel amps have volume controls, and/or remotes)

Here's what I would like to find alternatively:

- Head unit that reads mp3's off DVD data discs (with no screen)

- very low key looking, in case I forget to remove the face

I look forward to lots of reading on this forum, and to getting tunes back in my car that wont be so easily noticed by thieves.

-Dan

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[Audio Junkies 10+ year member]

I have also seen people in high-theft areas use velcro and different types of fake face plates to either make the headunit look like the factory version, or make it look like nothing is there.

 

[dwc 10+ year member]

Anyone have experience with the Blaupunkt "Long Beach"?

 

[GemaRastem 10+ year member]

just set your gains and use your mp3 players volume, thats what I did when I lived in the ghetto of milwaukee for 3 months