druddle

i suppose this applies for the standard scooby head unit but i am asking about the new clio 172.

i know i can take the wires off the rear speakers and into the high level inputs for my amp but am reluctant to do this. what i would like to do is add the amp for use with a sub box and use pre-outs if there were any on the back of the head unit. is there any way i can use some sort of adapter or get a preout from the back of a standard factory fit head unit ??

also how am i going to get a switched input for power when i have no remote from the head unit ?

cheers

dave

p.s. i know the answer might be "buy a new headunit !!

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Dave,

Assuming you don't have RCA's on the back of the unit which is quite likely! You can get convertors (from Maplins, Halfords, etc) to convert speaker level cables to RCA's. They are reasonable, but you will need to fiddle with the gains on them, and they seem to pick up more interfernce!

I assume that the leads in the Clio (like the older versions) are ISO ones straight into the back of the stereo.

So go to Halford (or similar) and buy an ISO (female) to ISO (male) lead. Fit in it between the standard cabling and the standard stereo. This is allow you hack the wires without damaging any of the standard kit.

The switched input can be taken from any wire which comes on with the ignition. (rightly or wrongly I used the switched live from the stereo!)

Double check the cable as the last thing you want is the amp killing your battery when the keys are out!

Personally I'd change the headunit rather than make do with a poor setup. With all those extra boxes and and adapters, it just seems to add places for the stereo to fail! I've been there and sone the above before, it was a waste of time, money and effort, it would have been easier to just buy a new headunit!! The sound quality takes a knock as expected, but mine was picking up interference from the alternator, but by then I thought sod it and bought a new headunit and all the problems dissapeared!

I assume the Clio has controls on the steering wheel/stalk?? If that's the case, I'd replace the standard unit with a Kenwood or Alpine unit as they make adapters that will still use the stalk.

Hope this helps
Andy

john banks

Agree with Andy if it is a nice new car. However, on our second car 406 V6 (second hand) I kept the standard headunit/changer/remote and used Maplin line level converter to give amp inputs. I would be extremely surprised to find any factory headunit with preouts in standard format as phono sockets. Using the high level inputs is really very similar to using a line level converter, but you may get LESS noise with a converter as it is also a ground isolator. A noise suppressor on the headunit power supply helped me kill the last traces of noise.
see

druddle

thanks for the input guys. it looks like i will go for the Kenwood KDC-MP6090R MP3/CD Tuner. also i have the renault 6 disc changer. is it compatible with the kenwood head units ?

andy, do you know where i can get the adapter for the remote on the steering column ?? i have looked around on the web but cant find it anywhere !!

cheers

dave

Andy Tang

iTrader: (3)

Dave,

It was either Autoleads or Kenwood for the adapters.

I'm afriad I don't know if the changer will work with a Kenwood headunit. Sorry.

Andy