Custom Autosound opinions?

[muddpile]

Has anyone ever used this setup? I don't want to cut the dash and reaching to the glovebox is also an inconvenience, so I figured if these things are decent, I'd try one out. I could run the speaker wires into LOC's and then into amps, so nothing would be run off the head unit itself. I would only use their radio and CD changer, the rest would be high end aftermarket. Is this idea worth exploring, or should I just live with reaching across the truck into the glovebox?

[shifty]

Can you link up to the product? I'd like to look at it.

[CPNE]

As you wish

[shifty]

I have been thinking about the audio thing also. Mainly because I have $3,000 in stereo stuff sitting on the floor of my shop that I had to yank back out of my '03 Sierra when I traded it in.

I think I'm going to do something similar to that - except I plan on getting a shaft radio (like the ones at that site) with CD/MD changer controls. I'll run out of the RCA's on that unit out to my crossover and amps.

Whatever you do, I would avoid the line-level to low-level passive devices that convert the speaker wires to RCA outputs. Those are bad news. They never do a clean conversion. I used to work at a custom car audio shop down in Florida and people always bought the PAC units to do that conversion and the audio always sounded like ass.

I would probably do one of two things (rather, I *will* do one of them ):

1) Get a factory delete panel and fabricate something to mount my CD player radio under the dash, then run the RCA's out to my other equipment

2) Get a shaft radio with RCA outputs and CD/MD changer control, then run the RCA's out to my other equipment.

Whatever you do, just be sure to isolate your ground for the stereo within 18 inches of the unit, always scrape plenty of paint away from the grounding area to ensure a good ground and *never* run your RCA cables over a power source (or in parallel to power wires). These are three of the most common causes for alternator whine and other noise.

[tom hand]

I have one...it's ok quality and has RCA outs so you run any amps you want. Having the CD changer controls right in reach is nice and it looks like an AM radio when it is off

[aitch]

Does this installation require cutting the dash?

Originally Posted by tom hand

I have one...it's ok quality and has RCA outs so you run any amps you want. Having the CD changer controls right in reach is nice and it looks like an AM radio when it is off

[farside847]

I did something a little odd that one of these days I will post some pics. I bought a marine radio and put it in the glovebox. The cool thing about it was it had all the rca/video ins and outs I wanted, plus a small wired remote with a digital readout that fit perfectly inside the ashtray. It is like this but black...

[muddpile]

Those custom autosound units look really good. I am looking into the USA-6 model with the optional 10 disc changer. I have a few questions though.
1. How many pairs of RCA cables are there?
2. Can I plug a standard radio antenna into the new head unit
3. Is the sound as good as the look.

For the package I want, it is 480 bucks, which isn't too bad if it means good sound, a stock look, an uncut dash and not having to drive with the glove box open all the time and reaching over to change CD's. If I want to add satellite radio, that shouldn't be too hard with the use of an FM modulator. Is there any disadvantage to my plan?

[Kid]

I've had for about a year now, their "hidden" stereo, display unit mounted in the back of the glove box, and the actual box under the seat. Quality seems to be very good. Sound is excellent, running thru a Precision Power amp, and JL Audio 12" sub & MB Quart 6.5's

[gator2511]

I just put one in my 72 K10. It fits the dash and looks sorta stock. The radio will not drive the rear speakers without an amp. The sound quality is poor. The average factory radio will out perform this one hands down. The am band has too much static to make it good. For the money I think I paid too much for too little. The good thing is at least it fits the dash. If I had it to do over I would go for a good radio and made an adapter plate for the dash.

[shifty]

I have a Pioneer radio that fits wonderfully in my dash.

I haven't pulled it out to see if it has RCA outs.

Here's a picture: http://www.shifty.org/pics/68chevy/i...0_SB%20002.jpg

I wish it was easier to find manufacturers of shaft-style radios. I searched at CarDomain and Crutchfield, neither one was a go.

[muddpile]

Another potential problem I just thought of. Will the custom autosound CD changer handle CD-R's that I burn off the computer? I realize it likely won't do MP3, but just a plain old burned CD, is that an option?

[4x4Poet]

If you still hang on to ancient hifi technologies, note that the CAS cassette decks don't play Dolby recorded tapes. Bummer if you recorded all your tapes that way. No need to ask how I know.

[tom hand]

Originally Posted by 4x4Poet

If you still hang on to ancient hifi technologies, .

What's a cassette?...lol

[seacrow]

I have custon autosound, the sound quality flat out sucks, and I mean it sucks big time. It looks good but it sounds even worse than the factory AM radios. I even upgraded the speaker. It is also very difficult to use, the buttons are tiny and it has very limited features. The bass and treble adjustments are a PITA and they don't have much adjustment. I am disappointed.

[tom hand]

Yes it will play CD-Rs...thats all I play in mine and MP3s can easily be converted with windows media player

[neonlarry]

I can't comment on the sound quality of their head units but if its anything like their speakers I would look elsewhere.

[Gary Lee]

I have been looking and found this one at crutchfield...Sanyo radio Sanyo isn't that high end but it does have one set of RCA out plugs... none for subwoofer... however crutchfield says its a modify fit... That doesn't seem right... shaft style is shaft style right? I figured this would be as good as those you see in the classic truck catalogs and $200 plus cheaper...

[4tiresngas]

Now, if ya'll find one that is XM Satellite Radio ready....I'm all over that. I don't know how we lived before XM.

[shifty]

Gary Lee - I think some shaft styles have larger center boxes or the posts are sometimes spaced farther apart on diff't models, so it might still be a "modify" install.

4tires - I have XM radio in my new honda. It came with the car and a 3 months free subscription. I LOVE IT. I could live with that and a single disc CD player (I have 200GB of mp3's at home) and be happy forever.

XM ROCKS!

[muddpile]

Seems I'm getting mixed reviews on this product. Does anyone know how many RCA cables there are? I want to run 2 amps, a sub amp and a component amp.

[4x4Poet]

Originally Posted by muddpile

Seems I'm getting mixed reviews on this product....

CAS units have been routinely trashed on this forum. Note what those who stated they have actually owned CAS units have said.

[shifty]

Originally Posted by muddpile

Seems I'm getting mixed reviews on this product. Does anyone know how many RCA cables there are? I want to run 2 amps, a sub amp and a component amp.

As long as you have one pair of good RCA's, you can work around this in an acceptable way.

There are two imemediate and cheap options:
Option 1) Go to Radio Shack and get an RCA-splitter or passive crossover block. The passive crossover block will usually accept one RCA input and split it out to usually three - front/rear/sub, but some have a four-way split to do a center channel also.

Option 2) Go buy a cheap EQ, crossover or preamp unit (most preamps and EQ's are dash mountable). The dash-mounted units will give you more control because they usually have knobs or sliders to adjust the signals. A preamp, crossover or EQ will give you the adjustability you need to tweak the signals to make sure your three amps are getting all the sound you need.


#1 is a good temporary fix. #2 is the recommended solution and you can usually net the parts pretty cheap at CarDomain or a similar place.

[muddpile]

Thanks for the advice shifty! I'm not a fan of option #1, as I've seen it done in a lot of hack installs, but I was thinking about it and option #2 would looks like a good way to go. I could go with a custom autosound head unit and changer (USA-6) and then run it through a nice EQ hidden under the seat, then into both amps. That would work great, look stock and help with any SQ problems that the CAS unit might create.

[shifty]

Originally Posted by muddpile

That would work great, look stock and help with any SQ problems that the CAS unit might create.

Well, yes and no.

A chain is only as good as its weakest link. RCA or low-level/pre-amp level signals don't really have much to them. This is partially why they're so susceptible to electrical interference from passing too close to other power wires in the truck (you should always run RCA's and power separate).

With this in mind, understand this: if CAS' source RCA low-level signal is crappy, all that will happen when it gets to your amps is you will amplify a crappy source signal.

I don't know anything about CAS or the quality of their units. I know they aren't the only one out there who sells units like this, however. I'd really want to hear one of their units that uses amplifiers only with an EQ in-line from their RCAs before I was happy.

You might stop by your local mobile audio shop and see what options they have for shaft radios + CD changers. I'm certain that Sanyo, Pioneer and others still make something you can use. They have to. There's still a demand for it.