Good solution to to getting good sound without any modifications to the car

[Grec]

Doing a very simple system consisting of a Kicker 2 channel amp connected to MB Quart component 6x9s in the stock package shelf location.

No deck/head unit. Instead I'm gonna just run an RCA cable straight from the amp and connect directly to an iphone/ipod. Prob just run the line between the seat and console and plug in when needed.

The Kicker amp I got has an option to select between low and high-level line-in inputs, so the output from the iphone's headphone output will work fine. It also has the ability to power on when it detects an audio signal vs the normal remote power on you usually run from a head unit.

So... I'm gonna have 150 wats (or more if you wanted) running two nice sounding speakers from an ipod and the only modification to the car will be running a 12v line from the positive battery terminal to the amp.

Total cost, for good quality stuff,  is less than $300 + an iphone/ipod.

Just throwing it out there...

[Grec]

FYI: I installed this last night and it does indeed work correctly.

Kicker ZX 200.2 amp with signal coming directly from an iphone. Using a headphone/RCA line.

No distortion, in fact I didn't even have to set the amp to the high-level input signal. The low-level (ie standard pre-amp level) worked fine. Sounds great.

All functions, including volume controlled from the iPhone.

Simple.

[the Wizard]

thanks for the info buddy.....

[Grec]

OK... one more detail.

I had it hooked up and it worked fine... however, when I turned off my iphone, the amp turned off and wouldn't turn back on on its own. Apparently the signal from the iphone's headphone jack isn't strong enough to trigger the amp's "signal sensor" turn on method.

Solution? Run another 12v wire from a 12v source, that is part of the ACC (key on) circuit, to trigger the amp. I'll be doing that this weekend, but that will solve the problem.

So... two total mods to car: Run 12v from battery positive to amp. Run 12v line from an ACC source to the amp's "remote" input.

Pretty easy.

[swede-cuda]

 :wave:im thinking of doing this to,how about when you want to listen to radio(im guessing the ipads got that function)does it work good without a antenna on the car?

[Katfish]

Got any pics?

[Grec]

There's not really much to photograph, actually...

The amp is mounted under driver's seat and is pretty much hidden. (wires route under the carpet and to the drivers door sill where they route to engine compartment / fusebox and trunk for the speakers)
I have the rca / headphone plug just routed under the seat and plug it into my phone when I get it. Phone just lays on the console after that.

I don't want to fab any mounts or otherwise modify the car or center console so this works for me.

Rear speakers are just mounted in stock location and are hidden by the package tray. You can see them from trunk, of course.

As to the radio question, the antenna doesn't come into the equation with my setup. All playback function is through the phone. So... if you had a cell signal and something like Pandora on your phone, it would play just fine. :-)

I've lived with it like this for a couple months now, and it seems to work really well.

Side note: The iPhone4 seems to have a much better output signal through the headphone jack than my older iPhone did. Sounds even better now.