Question - Keeping factory radio?

[MisterGrubbs 5,000+ posts]

I finally found the car, and hopefully it'll be there in a couple of weeks when I go to pick it up(WOOHOO)

It's a Honda Accord, by the way.

Anyways, I LOVE the way the dash sits as it is, and I want to keep the factory radio in there.

I will have an Orion 4002, and Orion 1200d, two SE 15's, and a Diamond D6 comp set going in, and I want to keep as much clarity and power as I can with the stock unit - do I simply need to do a line otu conversion or what?

External Equalizer and maybe a Line Driver are two things that I imagine would help dramatically, but am I wrong to think this?

Anyone who has had thisp roblem please let me know, what should I do to get the clarity I would get with a CD player?

Click to read more...

 

[Insaneman1731 10+ year member]

I definally wouldn't keeo the stock radio.

 

[MisterGrubbs 5,000+ posts]

Why?

The way the dash sits, it looks unique and I like it that way, I dont want to dampen it's looks by taking it out to put in some ***-looking dash kit - that's just me though, if you want pics to see what I'm talking about I'll show you

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Don't skimp on the LOC, then...

David Navone makes a good one.

 

[MisterGrubbs 5,000+ posts]

Jack, what's a LOC and who the crap is David Navone? lol

I'm just asking if it's possible to achieve the same quality as getting an aftermarket CD player, without having to buy one, and if so what I need to buy.

An EQ and a Line Driver wouldn't do what I'm trying to do? I dont understand //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=192815287&dealer_id=96637&car_year=2004&model=ACCORD&bkms=1135024926786&lang=en&isp=y&start_year=1981&certified=&search_type=both&distance=100&make=HONDA&min_price=14000&adCertifiedCheck=n&sponsorModel=&address=30263&advanced=&end_year=2006&car_year=2005&max_price=25000&cardist=53&LNX=ESTAFSRCHUSDTEXT#vdptop

 

[OldOneEye 10+ year member]

LOC is a line output converter, converts the signal from your stock radio into something your amps can use. David Navone is a technical columnist for CarSound magazine and forum.

A stock radio might have EQ built in that takes the bass out of the speakers (its easier to just program it into the radio than it is to put in beefier speakers). So your amps will never get a full signal, but instead something processed that can't give you teh bass you want when plugged into your amp.

Juan

Jack, what's a LOC and who the crap is David Navone? lol
I'm just asking if it's possible to achieve the same quality as getting an aftermarket CD player, without having to buy one, and if so what I need to buy.

An EQ and a Line Driver wouldn't do what I'm trying to do? I dont understand //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=192815287&dealer_id=96637&car_year=2004&model=ACCORD&bkms=1135024926786&lang=en&isp=y&start_year=1981&certified=&search_type=both&distance=100&make=HONDA&min_price=14000&adCertifiedCheck=n&sponsorModel=&address=30263&advanced=&end_year=2006&car_year=2005&max_price=25000&cardist=53&LNX=ESTAFSRCHUSDTEXT#vdptop

 

[MisterGrubbs 5,000+ posts]

In other words I pretty much ahve to get an aftermarket head unit? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[Do_ 10+ year member]

Why not try it and if you dont like the sound replace the head unit? You could only save yourself money lol. Worst case scenario you get a Head Unit.

 

[flakko 5,000+ posts]

http://www.davidnavone.com/adaptor_products.htm

9.5v... not bad //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[MisterGrubbs 5,000+ posts]

Flakko - would that plus an external EQ do the job that I'm looking for, you think?

I really would like to keep the radio the way it is //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

 

[Chainsaw45 10+ year member]

I have an 04 Accord and the dash kit i got fits below in the storage compartment. You'll lose some storage down there but the kit works well. 29.99 from circuit city.

 

[flakko 5,000+ posts]

Flakko - would that plus an external EQ do the job that I'm looking for, you think?
I really would like to keep the radio the way it is //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif

yea an eq shouldnt hurt anything... unless you dont know what you are doing //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[djman37 5,000+ posts]

MisterGrubbs,

You don't have to get an aftermarket HU.

You could try a JL audio cleansweep to help remove any EQing done by the HU.

David Navone makes some good stuff. He has a section on carsound and the previously mentioned website. Navone's stuff has a little bass and treble pre-added, but costs a whole lot less than the JL product.

 

[OldOneEye 10+ year member]

yea an eq shouldnt hurt anything... unless you dont know what you are doing //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Actually, its a volume dependant EQ. At low volume (when it doesn't need to filter out bass) it leaves the signal pretty flat. As you increase the volume, it takes more and more bass out. That is why the JL Cleansweep has a volume control of its own, since if you adjust the volume, the EQ curves built into the head unit will change.

Juan