like it says this is totally stupid question so if you don't wanna be offended then please don't read on.

about the rca preouts on the back of the unit, i have seen aiwa units with the aux input in the front. it's only one input whereas the empeg has front and rear rca preouts. so does that mean that you can't hook up the empeg to the aiwa units. i have seen other units with front and rear rca (pioneer for example) which makes sense if you are hooking up the empeg. i am going to buy another player to replace my factory radio (this is '98 civic so radio is all it is) and put empeg in the other slot by the cup holder and am a little confused about whther an aiwa type with front input or pioneer type with rear input would be best way to go.

Well, I assume you by "in front" mean a 3.5mm stereo jack on the front of the HU, accessible when the HU is mounted in the car?

Definately go for a player with the RCA aux inputs in the rear - otherwise you'll have a cable dangling from behind the empeg, out through the dash and then connected to the other HU - ugly! Much better to hide all the cabling inside the dash...

As to 2 or 4channel AUX input (I can't remember seeing such a thing (4ch), not that I'm current on car stereos...) - what you lose with 2ch is the ability to use the empegs equalizer to affect front/rear separately and the use of the empegs fader. You'd have to use the other HU to fade.

/Michael

yes that is the very thing to which i was referring. by 2ch or 4ch i meant the rca preouts in the back. i have seen two "holes" in the back where i assume one would plug in the empeg and i also assume that those are the aux inputs. you are right, i have never seen four. i am a bit confused as to the difference btwn. preamp outputs and rca output and where the empeg would plug in. if anyone can clarify this, i would be grateful. i realize this maybe a novice question.

RCA aux inputs should look like the RCA home outputs on the back of the empeg, ie a stub with a hole in the center. They are usually labeled AUX, AUX IN or something like that.

RCA outputs are normally preamp outputs (nothing prevents you from running speaker lever signals through the same style of wire/connector though)

RCA is the connector style, while preamp means the amplitude/power of the signal (voltage). For home audio preamp normally is 1V, in car audio it can vary. If you start with a "larger" signal at the source you don't need to amplify it as much at the end. In the noisy environment (electrically) that a car is, this means a lessened sensitivity to disturbances introduced on the way from the source to the amplifier.

One pair of the empegs outputs (front or rear) should connect to the AUX in connectors of the other HU, the other pair is left unconnected (good idea to cover them with elecricians tape or similar).

HTH,

/Michael

Do you have an empeg sitting in front of you? Take a look at the connections on the docking cradle. You will see 3 sets of rca plugs. Front, back, and aux in. Hooking it up is best described here: http://www.riocar.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=FAQ&file=index&myfaq=yes&id_cat=3&categories=Car+installation+questions#11

Sean

If by preamp outs or RCA outs you mean off the empeg, there are two pair of outputs off the sled. There are only two off the chassis itself. The sled also supports an additional pair of inputs. It is unlikely you will find a head unit with two pair of auxiliary inputs on the rear that would operate in unison. Most frequently the head units will support front/rear fading and can be driven from a single external input source at a time.

Typically they are used in pairs right (red) and left (white) and then those pairs are grouped according to their use (front/rear, Aux In/Line Out, etc.) Again, the FAQ pretty much covers it. See the section "How do I run a subwoofer if the player doesn't have a subwoofer output?" for a few diagrams.

Tim