I have decided that I cannot resist the urge to own this wonderful toy and have talked with my local car audio shop. There are two options. One is to replace the existing head unit with empeg and install a 4channel amp for about $300

The other is to remove the in-dash phone, keep the existing head unit (cassette, 6 cd changer, tuner) and run the empeg through a radio frequency for about $150. Has anyone tried this? How much quality would be lost with this method?

what to do?

thanks for your help!

will

Have a read through this before asking any more car installation questions.

Things like cassette adapters and RF modulators do work. Yes, there is some loss of frequency response when you use these things, but it's better than nothing, and those who have used them say that they actually sound pretty decent.

Post details of the car you are planning to install this in, some one else may have already done it and have some useful advice.

Specific Make etc.

1994 Honda Accord EX 4D sedan with in-dash phone in one bay and factory unit in other (cassette, 6 cd-changer controls - changer in trunk - and tuner)

As I recently posted in the Installation forum, I recently had some blokes install my Mk2a in my 1999 Miata using RF. The result is obvious sound quality loss, engine noise interference (even though they installed suppressors), and a constant annoying background wave.

RF clearly is cheaper but I wouldn't recommend it unless you know that the shop would be willing to upgrade you to the more expensive configuration without charging you an arm and a leg.

Me, I'm looking forward to arguing with the shop that I dealt with as I believe that they're going to want to charge me for the labor of installing an amp -- when it was their not-so-brilliant idea to go with RF in the first place.

You have a couple more options...you could always use a tape adapter to pipe the Empeg output into your head unit (is better quality than an FM Modulator...I've used both).

The other option is to get an aftermarket head unit with an auxillary input and pipe the empeg into it and use its built-in amp for output. Of course that will cost about as much as buying a 4 channel amp. I went that path because I already had a decent Pioneer HU with AUX-in and because I could continue to use my head unit's tuner and CD player (albeit rarely) and avoid buying an amp.

Get an amp. Don't worry about the CD player. If radio is what you want get a little pocket walkman, or wait for the new empeg tuners to come out.

Get an amp. Don't worry about the CD player. If radio is what you want get a little pocket walkman, or wait for the new empeg tuners to come out.

Uhhh... Yeah. What he said.

I have a dual-din installation in my car, with empeg plus a CD/AM/FM head unit, all running through an Xtant 6 channel amplifier and MB Quart speakers. (A pretty high end system, really) In the year and a half I have had the system together, I have used the CD player twice. And maybe once every couple of weeks I will use the radio (NPR) for news.

Dump the old head unit, replace it with the empeg and install an amp. You'll be glad you did.

tanstaafl.