I have just purchased a VW R32. Since it comes with a Double Din radio and I don't feel like trying to bypass the mansoon amp (was a nightmare in my old beetle), anyone have any thoughts on a good sub $200 head unit that would go along well with the empeg? I've had this car for four days and I miss the empeg.....

I don't understand. Are you thinking that some other head unit is somehow going to work with the monsoon amp? It won't. You'll still have to bypass it. The only difference being that your new amp will be in the dash (as part of the head unit) instead of in the trunk, and the difference in wiring that accompanies that.

Yes it will, the monsoon wants speaker level imputs. Another head unit (with a rear aux in for the Empeg) would enable me not to have to install and amp and bypass the monsoon. While you are wondering why I want to use the monsoon, here's the deal. I cut the monsoon amp out of the loop on my old beetle with my empeg. Never got it to sound right. Some speakers sounded underpowered and others overpowered.

How about a single DIN HU from a '99 - '01 Golf/Jetta/Passat/GTI ? Matches the dash perfectly!

I'm not sure I'd bother using the single-din oem VW units. I always hear everybody say how much better there stereos sound when they replace it with an aftermarket one, even one's that aren't too expensive. I personally don't mind much, since that's what I do... and considering you have the Monsoon amp, it would probably be a little better. But aside from the colour matching, I'd think it's still better off to go with an aftermarket one... which would probably give you a CD player (if you care for that).

Or for the same money as some other head unit, you could probably get a new amp and just get rid of the Monsoon while you're at it. You could order a storage compartment for the extra DIN-slot.

Have fun with the R32!

I'm not sure I'd bother using the single-din oem VW units. I always hear everybody say how much better there stereos sound when they replace it with an aftermarket one, even one's that aren't too expensive. I personally don't mind much, since that's what I do... and considering you have the Monsoon amp, it would probably be a little better. But aside from the colour matching, I'd think it's still better off to go with an aftermarket one... which would probably give you a CD player (if you care for that).

Or for the same money as some other head unit, you could probably get a new amp and just get rid of the Monsoon while you're at it... if you could figure out what to do about the speakers, like you said. Strange though, I haven't heard of anybody else complaining about that.

Have fun with the R32!

How about a single DIN HU from a '99 - '01 Golf/Jetta/Passat/GTI ? Matches the dash perfectly!

But I believe it does not match the wiring.

I'm reasonably sure that people on vwvortex have done double->single DIN conversions before. Maybe I'm mistaken. But you definitely have a point - he would need to do some hacking.

I always hear everybody say how much better there stereos sound when they replace it with an aftermarket one,

In the early VW double DIN days that was a certainty - there was a phase 'issue' that would have been corrected during the change. Beyond that I'm not convinced. Do you really think that VW make headunits? They're Clarion IIRC. It's hard to get objective opinions - spending upwards of $200 tends to jade peoples' judgements.

Oh. Sorry. I didn't realize that the Monsoon input level was as simple as that. So many of the other special OEM amps seem not to be.

It wasn't just the phase issue, I had heard the same thing from people with the single-din and with the properly wired double-din. But I agree, it could well just be a placebo effect thing if you've just spent a bunch of money on a new head unit.

Thanks for all the replies...
Found a Sony CDX-M800 for a decient price and finally have everything hooked up. It's been over a week without my empeg and it was not fun....