A few Sony head unit questions - Newbie....

[Jon]

Hi all,

I have a couple more questions about my Sony MDX-7900R (mini-disc
unit)...

1. On the back there is two phono sockets (Left & Right) labelled as
"BUS AUDIO IN". The installation diagram shows these going to a CD /
MD changer. However, I dont have a changer but I do have an iPOD...
Could I plug my iPOD directly into the "BUS AUDIO IN" and then somehow
select "CD changer" on the head unit? I know i couldnt do things like
change tracks, its just basically a line in I am after.

2. The unit is currently in a 1992 Landrover Defender which is quite
loud at 70mph. Certainly too loud for the 40W per channel the sony
can produce. A while ago a friend gave me a 2 channel 50W amplifier
which did the job, which has since died. At the time I simply wired
the speaker wires directly to the input side and then took new wires
to the speakers. I now see on the back of the unit there are 2 sets
of phono sockets for speakers via an amp.
Should I wire my new amp via the phono leads and proper amp connectors
on the head unit? Whats the difference between using these "proper"
plugs and as I did originally??

3. Still re the amp. The head unit has a 12V feed for an amp. Is
this the "switched live" to turn the amp on when the stereo is turned
on rather than using a switched live to the amp from the ignition?.

Thanks
Jon

[In-Car Express]

Post by Jon
Could I plug my iPOD directly into the "BUS AUDIO IN" and then somehow
select "CD changer" on the head unit?

No - you'd need something like this in order to do so
http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/view_product.php?partno=PC7100

To be honest though, fo the price difference, you might as well get
this instead
http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/view_product.php?partno=ASOIPOD001

Post by Jon
Should I wire my new amp via the phono leads and proper amp connectors
on the head unit? Whats the difference between using these "proper"
plugs and as I did originally??

RCA level inputs have a much better signal to noise ratio, so using
them instead of a speaker level input to the amp will give a much
cleaner sound with less background noise.

Post by Jon
3. Still re the amp. The head unit has a 12V feed for an amp. Is
this the "switched live" to turn the amp on when the stereo is turned
on rather than using a switched live to the amp from the ignition?.

If it's a blue wire, yes.

Jon

[Jon]

Thanks a lot for this...Unfortnately I now have more questions!!

Post by In-Car Express

Post by Jon
Could I plug my iPOD directly into the "BUS AUDIO IN" and then somehow
select "CD changer" on the head unit?

No - you'd need something like this in order to do so
http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/view_product.php?partno=PC7100

Thanks. Just looking at the picture on the web. One end clearly
plugs into the "BUS CONTROL IN" socket and presumably my iPOD or other
source will plug in via phono leads to the other end of the cable???
Does that mean that I woulnt have to plug anything into the "BUS AUDIO
IN"? Or, does the lead just plug into the "BUS CONTROL IN" socket to
control the unit and I still plug my source into the "BUS AUDIO IN" ?

Sorry if this is elementry..But feel free to ask questions about
things I know about!!

Post by In-Car Express
To be honest though, fo the price difference, you might as well get
this instead
http://www.incarexpress.co.uk/view_product.php?partno=ASOIPOD001

I like this option but... I also have TomTom Navigator on an iPAQ
(perhaps should have mentioned this before) and if I am going to the
expense of a / some cable(s) I would like to get a 1 stop solution if
possible.

Do you know if the iPOD connector solution above accepts a stereo jack
(or phono connectors) for audio line in or does it have to have a iPOD
specific adapter - I like the idea of charging and also controlling
from the head unit.

In an ideal world what I would like to have is a box/cable hidden in
the dash with a jack / phono sockets protruding from the dash that I
could either plug my iPOD into and control from the head unit or plug
my iPAQ into so TomTom can play through the car speakers.

So long as the box/cable can perform these functions then I can make
the wires to the dash no problem - Dont forget this is in a LandRover
so everything is custom!!

Thanks
Jon