94 honda accord ex install dillema

i have a honda 4d accord ex with a kickin sound system, 6 cd changer, am/fm, cassette. There is also an i dash phone that I do not use. i would love to put my new empeg (thanks again kbs! for selling it) in that slot and keep my other head unit for the following reasons:

I would retain use of radio ( i do like NPR plus my band may be getting played on it in the coming weeks!)

I would like to have the cd option in case a friend had something new they bring along to listen to or if i just buy a cd at the store...

the head unit has an amp in it and i would not have to buy a new (saving about $150)

the system sounds incredible as is and i don't want to lose that

i don't think i want to go RF/FM way due to the loss in sound quality.

someone suggested the "cassette input" but I don't know how close that would be to the real thing

i would love to know if anyone has had experience with this factory system..

i am mainly interested in the possibility of there being an aux port on the existing factory head...???

thanks for your time

will
soon to be ecstatic owner of 48 gb mk2! thanks kbs!!!! you da man!

Sit and stare at the dash, it can be possible.
For thoes of us who don't know what the dash layout of a '94 Honda Accord looks like could you post a pic?

i know that the way the phone functions is that if it rings, the music is automatically muted. you can then speak 'hands free' into a mic and you listen through the speakers.

this sounds good for the possibility of an aux from phone into the head. dontcha think?

my car is currently having the timing belt changed and i won't have it back until tomorrow. i will post a pic then. the phone face is identical in height and width to the head unit below which has a cassette deack with 2 rows of three buttons that select the respective disc in the changer in the trunk.

heres at pic...

Wow, that phone is a trip. Never seen one like that.

To get the player to integrate into that factory stereo, you would need an adapter module to fake the tape player into thinking it's got a CD changer attached. Dunno where to find one for that particular stereo, but look through the links in the FAQ and see if anyone can help you.

I think he already has the 6 CD changer attached, so I dont know if the adapter would work.

yep

the head unit pictured above controls the six disc changer in the trunk, and has cassette and tuner. i would really love to keep the HU and run the empeg into it. i can't seem to find an installer who knows exactly what to do. the height where the phone is would be ideal for the empeg

Well, I am not sure how the phone works, but it does sound possible to send the empeg outputs into the phone inputs on the factory HU. It depends what kind of interface the phone has to the HU. There may be an adapter out there, but it sounds like this is a somewhat rare setup, so dont hold your breath.
I was in a similar dilemma when I installed my empeg. Wanted to keep factory HU for looks, internal amp, radio, and CD. It could not accept AUX inputs though. In the end I got an aftermarket HU with AUX inputs. Looking back, it was probably not the best solution. I should have ran the factory HU into the AUX inputs of the empeg. I know this means buying an amp, but it is not much more expensive than buying a specialized adapter or an aftermarket HU. It is a slipperly slope though. Once you do the amp, you will want to do more

I think he already has the 6 CD changer attached, so I dont know if the adapter would work.

In that case, maybe you can even skip the adapter: Tap into the audio lines coming from the CD changer, and use a stereo A/B switch to toggle between Empeg and CDs. Whenever you want to listen to the empeg, you'd need a CD running in the changer... If you wanted to get really fancy, use the Sony XA-39 II and have it trigger off the empeg's Amp Remote line so that you simply have to power up the empeg to make it switch the inputs...

i wouldn't mind going from factory HU into empeg and buying an amp. as long as the sound quality would remain intact. does this seem likely to work (Factory HU into Empeg AUX out to amp to speakers?)

As long as you set the amp correctly so you don't do damage to your speakers, I would expect that buying an amp would get you better sound than you have now. I myself have a 98 Civic EX, and will be using the empeg as the main HU running through an amp to my speakers. Not as fancy as that phone think you have going. Never seen that before.

does this seem likely to work (Factory HU into Empeg AUX out to amp to speakers?)

Yes, but you have to remember the following things:

1) The hard part is mounting the amp and running the wires to it. Amps don't fit inside dashboards, at least not decent ones. Even if they did, you wouldn't want it there (throws off heat).

2) Output of head unit is speaker-level amplified, so it will need a speaker-to-line-level converter box in order to go into the empeg's Aux In.

3) You still have to decide how you're going to mount the empeg. Getting rid of that phone? Too bad, looks cool.

Now, if you decide that you're going to go this route (get rid of the phone and run Tape->Converter->Empeg->amp) then you need to think long and hard about something:

Why are you even worrying about the factory system at all? Is it just because you can't imagine living without tapes and CDs?

Trust us, after using the empeg in the car, you won't miss the tape and CD player. Not one bit. I much prefer the simplicity of having the empeg as my only stereo. Just about every other empeg owner will agree with me here. There is nothing wrong with unscrewing the entire factory stereo and leaving it in your garage for the day you sell the car.

I agree with Tony there. I don't see the point in keep all that. In my case, on the off chance that I have a new, un-ripped CD in the car or a friend brings one alone, I am keeping a portable CD player in the car that will go into the empeg's AUX. I chose a portable instead of another HU because of how my dash is set up and, quite frankly, the roads in my town are horrible. I can't stand it when a CD skips.

But for me, it will be all empeg, all the time. I can't stand most FM stations now, anyway.

i found myself in a situation where i didn't have my cds in the car the other day and had to listen to the radio. guess what, the radio STILL sucks! I don't use that phone and would love to have my empeg in that slot because of the height.

if i am not going to lose any sound quality AND it's not too expensive, I will probably keep the existing HU and replace the phone with the empeg running through another amp.

i am having a pro install it so i will let you all know how it turns out and post a pic. since you guys are so enamored by this phone I should try to trade it to someone for the empeg fm tuner

thanks for all of your help

you guys rock!