Using two head units

Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Audio
Forum Discription: Car Stereos, Amplifiers, Crossovers, Processors, Speakers, Subwoofers, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=35440
Printed Date: July 26, 2025 at 5:40 PM

Topic: Using two head units

Posted By: webxfx
Subject: Using two head units
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 12:09 AM

Hey,

I've got a client who came to me with TWO head units and wanting them both hooked up, I've never done this kind of setup.

Is there anything out there to do switching of the RCA's? Not that it maters the two head units that he's got it Sony's XAV-7W and MEX-5D1

Replies:

Posted By: xtreamcc
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 12:19 AM

is there some reson this guy wants 2 head units? I mean... if hes got some problem with changing CD's they do have this little thing called a CD changer posted_image

lol, besides I dont think there is such a thing as an RCA switcher though I could be wrong but where's the practicality of having 2 head units?

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"Shiny chrome when used in conjunction with bikini models is particularly effective in inducing brain deficit disorder"

02 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Monster System on its way.

Posted By: Teamrf
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 8:25 AM

Maybe he wants to have 2 four channel amps for 8 different speakers in his car and listen to the concurrently. Lol...I don't know myself.

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~The Rookie~
Rookie of the year that is...
Don't let the smoke out of your equiptment..it doesn't go back in.

Posted By: markcars
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 9:25 AM

2 four channel amps for 8 channels.. wont that be playing two separate head units? I wonder how anyone can put the two head units in sync. That must sound really interesting. Would one call that "music piglatin" or "miglatin"? posted_image

Seriously, I think it may be for the different features of the two HUs and maybe he got them as gifts and each has its own sets of good features maybe? As far as wiring them, I would think you can put Y cables and join the two HU's to the amp, but ask the customer to play only one HU at a time but not both together (unless he wants to hear the recently invented term miglatin).

Posted By: Sweekster
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 10:20 AM

You could do it with an RCA switcher that will automatically swicth when it senses a signal from one head unit or the other. But using this he won't be able to play them both at the same time. hopefully the head units he wants to use have both front and rear RCA outputs (makes the install easier I think). If not you might have to use LOCs on them and that could cause a distortion problem.

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Duane...

If you think you're confused, imagine how you feel. posted_image

Posted By: insanity
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 10:40 AM

this guy isnt jamaican is he???... i see this all the time here... 2 different hu's strapped under the dash with plumbers tape, a pre amp (or 2), realistic supertweeters screwed down on rear deck... some real nightmares in wiring.... see lots of factory decks used in different cars..(ie. factory chevy radio in nissan sentra).. these are some of the things i deal with on a regular basis!!!

Posted By: Sweekster
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 11:13 AM

insanity wrote:

this guy isnt jamaican is he???... i see this all the time here... 2 different hu's strapped under the dash with plumbers tape, a pre amp (or 2), realistic supertweeters screwed down on rear deck... some real nightmares in wiring.... see lots of factory decks used in different cars..(ie. factory chevy radio in nissan sentra).. these are some of the things i deal with on a regular basis!!!

Dude,

I'm Jamaican..So I resent that comment.

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Duane...

If you think you're confused, imagine how you feel. posted_image

Posted By: webxfx
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 1:43 PM

ok so here is more of the story,

one unit is a Screen and the other is CD player, he also wants a PS2 in the whole setup so that's why he wants both.

What I've come up with is to use the CD player as the main headunit, and connect the Audio of the PS2 to the AUX of the CD player and the Video to the Screen unit and use it only to play video.

Posted By: kgerry
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 1:57 PM

yes this can be done quite easily if you use the proper interface...we used to use one made by PIE but i havent seen it in the catalogue for a year or 2.... do a search for a multi head unit switching device.....

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Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979

Posted By: markcars
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 2:31 PM

now it all makes sense. initially I thought the units were similar such as both being HU's with CD/Tuner etc. So they do different jobs and thats perfectly useful and quite cool actually. I wanted to do something similar, having a CD player/tuner and a screen. Any good ideas on whats a good screen to buy? Visor screens or in dash screen? I vote for visor screen to keep at bay from thieves but thats only my humble opinion.

Posted By: archemedes
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 2:31 PM

that used to be common (well kind of) but it's been a long time since I have seen it done

Posted By: flatulatta
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 3:46 PM

y dont u tell this guy to sell both of them and get him a nicer screen that has the same features of the cd player... i mean most screens are as good if not better for cds than a reg cd player.... wouldnt it be less of a hassle?? tell him youd have to charge him more for the install of both.....or something...or depending on there value let him trade them to ur shop for a better screen... ( i dont know how ur shop work obviously)

Posted By: xtreamcc
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 4:11 PM

flat's right, get one of those indash DVD flip screen CD/DVD players that are so popular now days. No sence in cluttering up a dash with a bunch of unnessisary equipment.

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"Shiny chrome when used in conjunction with bikini models is particularly effective in inducing brain deficit disorder"

02 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Monster System on its way.

Posted By: jugga-nemo
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 4:23 PM

I like the visor idea. Place them on the "back" side so that when teh visors are flipped down, the screens are then visible. That's what I've wanted to do once I get to that point in my car. And along with that, you can obtain screens with the headrest bracket that allows you to remove the screen from the bracket (and the car) to better protect against theft.

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5.25" Components & 5x7 Coax Kappas w/Power Acoustik OV4-800
KAC 7252 powering 2 D3 8" Diamonds
KDC-MP728, KGC-4042A

Posted By: insanity
Date Posted: July 12, 2004 at 11:47 PM

ummm... to sweeks,

sorry if you took offence to that but... come on... if you from yard... u kno its tru!! maybe you been kinda americanized like shabba or shaggy... i dunno.. just today i had a jamaican come to my shop wanting a factory ford radio installed in a toyota... i was only 2 happy to accomodate cuz it made me $50 c.i. which is about 65 usd. and took all of 15 minutes!! fact is fact... 100% of jamaicans in the cayman islands that are into car audio are straight ghetto!!!.. more tweeters installed in car than most shops carry in stock!!.. 16 guage wire for amp power is another good one.. get that all the time!!... to those of you who are thinkin im prejudice... i am white but great grandfather was jamaican... grandfather was cuban and my g/f is mixed so its nuthin personal... dems jus da facts!!! saw a posting of pics of disaster installs recently... see cars like that on a daily basis!!!.. man from yard is not 2 be outdone!!!.. look at nitetrax!!.. sweeks knows all about that one if he from yard!!!

Posted By: Sweekster
Date Posted: July 13, 2004 at 10:32 AM

Yeah Insanity,
I thought about it for a second after I read that post again. So although it bothered me. I will admit to having relatives who have done that. As a matter of fact, I have a cousin living in kingston (where I'm originally from) who has a Peugot with a cd player from a 96 320i.

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Duane...

If you think you're confused, imagine how you feel. posted_image

Posted By: insanity
Date Posted: July 13, 2004 at 10:44 AM

sweeks... nothin personal... just commenting on what i see... somma mi bes bredren dem a from yard zeeen.... guys... check out cmttrading.com .... they got some nice prices on screens!!! have visors with screens already mounted in them... thats all i have to say about that!!

Posted By: weatherly
Date Posted: July 13, 2004 at 11:53 AM

Couldn't you just wire the screen to the car like you would with any HU, and plug the CD player into the screens aux. input? I don't know if they could both share the same constant and switched 12v inputs though, but they would be able to share the same ground I think.

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Success Follows Struggle