System Configuration Recommendations

Yeah, shoot.  I actually did some more poking around after you posted and found you the manual for the head unit.  Turns out the adapter is only one of two that you need.  You need a cable that is normally used to plug from the back of the HU to the Blaupunkt CD changer AND then you need the part above as well.  The ONLY place I could find that carries them both is Crutchfield.com and it is 19.99 for the CD changer cord and 12.99 for the CDC to RCA adapter and 5.99 for shipping, but it still works out to a better deal if I buy the deck and harness, etc at SoundDomain and then later, when I order the MP3 player (after a couple more paydays), I can get the AUX stuff from Crutchfield.

I'll still only spend about $155 total for everything I need and hopefully get a pretty decent system out of it!  Well, off to my local retailers to see if they have any of this stuff and take a listen to it (and maybe decide on some speakers (GREEEEAAAT, more choices to make ).

Thanks for your input!  It would have taken months to grow the cajones to make this decision on my own.  If this HU turns out to work well for this applicaiotn I will share my findings with everyone on the SSI forums that is in the same boat that I am.

BTW, I compared the other Blaupunkt you recommended, the HPV-660 (I believe it was?), and the only difference between the two was 2.5W per channel and that the 660 can't read CD-R's, but they were the same price so I went for the Sacramento.

I've come up with another option that may work out better, and once again, beg for your input.

How about mounting the wired remote in the DIn-mounting kit the MP3 player comes with and using the $150 to buy a 4-channel 200W amp or so?  That way I can pipe the mp3 player in to the amp directly and use it's built-in volume control.

Thoughts?  Recommendations?

I forget... which MP3 player are you getting?

If you use a completely seperate amp you'll also need completely seperate speakers, or use a speaker selector switch to go back and forth between your radio and your MP3.  Not exactly an elegant solution, but it could be done.

I would remove the Factory radio all together, replacing it with the DIN-mounting kit that accompanies the MP3 player, and mounting it in-dash.  Then wire the amp directly to the factory speakers (for now).  It would make for good overall sound quality too, I think.  Because, the amp and source (which, to answer your question, is the SSI Neo 35 Car MP3 player) would be right next to each other in the trunk.  Short, high quality wires means less/no signal loss, right?

You've intriged me, though, with the thought of keeping my radio with an A/B switch of some sort.  Don't they make an adapter for changing the speaker wires on the back of a HU to RCAs for people that don't have pre-outs?  Couldn't I use that in conjuction with an A/B switch between the two units and the amp to keep both and drive the same set of speakers?

DYohn, since this thread has turned into a "chat" just between you and me, and I see how active you are, I thought I'd post again to ask you to read the post two up from this one in reponse to your last one.  Please, when you have the time, comment on my two solutions and offer your opinons on each.  If anyone else is reading this please feel free to catch up on offer your expertise as well.  I'd be much obliged.

Thanks again.