Hi all!

I have a question : are there any other empeg products in the pipeline?
I ask this for the following reason. Yesterday I went out looking for a new car. Tried BMW first. The first thing I saw was : mmm...no din slot anymore. All the audio was built-in in the dash. So I asked the salesperson if that stuff could be removed and if a din slot could be placed there instead. He looked at me as if I came from aother planet. (like hey : we've finally got ahead in creating a nice integrated dash and this guy wants it back old school style).
Hmmm....I didn't think much about it anymore, because there were a few other car models out there that I liked too (yes, the sale of a new car will depend of wether it hosts a din slot or not - preferably even two, but I won't rock the boat), so I want to the alfa-romeo dealer. Guess what? Same scenario. Peugeot? Same. Damn!

While the transer to integrated in-dash audio is a good one in the sense of anti-theft, it sucks for the audioholic. You can't tune your car into a great looking soundstation anymore. The way I see it, that's a turn for the worse, not better.

I see this evolution happening to most (European ?) car brands, so here's my question : has Empeg thought about this? Without a din slot, there can't be an Empeg. I'd have to go about it the Phatnoise or Neo35 way (or even - god forbid - the FM modulator way), but I would really like an Empeg because of it's features (like a search function - very handy when you've got over 6000 tracks in numerous folders on the player)

Any thoughts?

Alfa romeo have good DIN adaptors, as do peugeot. BMW are more integrated than most, though...

We're always working on new things, but a DIN-slot based player is always going to be the pinnacle of UI as other options are just less flexible.

Hugo

a DIN-slot based player is always going to be the pinnacle of UI

I want a DLP-driven head-up display version

Peter

(well, actually I don't, 'cos it wouldn't be much use on a bicycle, but it's the principle of the thing...)

Have you tried any Audi's? I think (although I'm not sure) that the new ones have a standard DIN slot. The thing is, it doesn't look that way initially (at least on my '97 A4) because the face of the stereo is oversized. However, the slot behind it is a standard DIN. You just have to get some spacers for the sides, but they don't look bad at all (just make sure you have professionals install it).

Also, for whatever car you happen to get, I'd get the cheapest stock sound system you can and then replace the whole thing. The reason is that a lot of car makers, especially high end ones, are putting all sorts of weird proprietary crap in their sound systems (weird voltages, seperate mini amps for rear speakers, etc., I know that Bose systems can be especially problematic), and it can make it a pain to install the empeg or any decent after market head unit.

-Adam

"It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care..."
-office space

I want a DLP-driven head-up display version

(well, actually I don't, 'cos it wouldn't be much use on a bicycle, but it's the principle of the thing...)

On Doug's bicycle it would



Dragi "Bonzi" Raos
Zagreb, Croatia
Q#5196, MkII#80000376, 18GB green

On Doug's bicycle it would

Good point. And of course, those of us who wear glasses could still have HUD...

Peter

Remember that Empeg isn't the only aftermarket-stereo-maker out there. Everyone (clarion, sony, pioneer, rockford fosgate) makes their stereos DIN-size.

So, by making a custom non-DIN dashboard, the car makers aren't just dissing Empeg, they're saying "screw you" to every aftermarket stereo maker out there.

BUT... Having said that...

You would be surprised at the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the aftermarket-stereo support chain. Often, what looks like a totally proprietary dashboard can be easily adapted to DIN just by purchasing a third-party adapter kit. Some kits will be more complicated than others, depending on the vehicle.

Just for grins, call Crutchfield and see if they have anything for the particular models of vehicles you're referring to. Make sure to call them, don't just go to their web site. You might be surprised by what they tell you.

Finally, a good custom installation shop can fabricate whatever they need to make your stereo work in your dash. It might not be cheap, but it can be done.

___________
Tony Fabris

Thanks all for your replies.

TFabris : Crutchfield? Never heard of that. Not where I live (Belgium) anyway. But I will check out their website. (best I can do for now.)

I know ANY dash can be adapted, but as you said, it may not be cheap. Cheap is not what I'm looking for (you can't be when you're considering an Empeg), but I'd rather invest in good hardware than lots of workhours to install the damn things.

I'm not in the market for a new car right now I'm only browsing for the moment, so I've got some time left to figure things out. But I would hate it if I could buy the car of my dreams and then have to listen to the audio of my nightmares...

Sorry, I didn't check your nationality. Crutchfield is a US-only company that sells aftermarket stereo equipment. They sell a lot of dash-adapter kits. If a do-it-yourself dash adapter exists, they'll have it. The problem is, you won't find it at their web site, you have to call them, but that's not very useful if you don't live in the US.

Does anyone have any links to international companies that sell dash adapter kits?

___________
Tony Fabris

Oh yes, if you could link me some I'd appreciate it!

Thx!

You can see the spacers (not very well) - here

They are the little black bits to the left and right of the empeg.

Paul.

Paul Haigh, Reg. 4120
(mk1) 6GB, Blue, 00254
(mk2) 12GB, Red, 00357

you have to call them, but that's not very useful if you don't live in the US.

What? Belgian phones don't make long distance calls?

Or perhaps Crutchfield doesn't ship outside the US... don't know about that one.

tanstaafl.

"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"

What? Belgian phones don't make long distance calls?

No Crutchfield phones in the US dont recieve Belgian calls.

Murray 06000047
I don't think, therefore I am not.

Try http://www.autoleads.co.uk/

--
David
// I'm probably not speaking on behalf of empeg/SONICblue here...

Thanks!

It's a good start, but the site is painfully slow and does not provide much info.

Anybody else knows of another site?