58 replies to this topic

[Slater]

Who would be interested in a custom adapter to hook up the factory Volvo amp to an aftermarket radio with preamp outputs? This would have a female 6-din plug on 1 end and 2 pairs of RCAs on the other as well as a remote power and ground. All shielded cabling with noise filters on the RCAs. The length wouldn't need to be long since everything is right there at the radio location - maybe 1-2'?

Anyways you just unplug the AMP cable from the back of the stock radio, plug in this adapter harness into the AMP plug, plug the RCAs into the back of your new aftermarket head unit, and enjoy your amplified sound.

The cost would probably end up being around $10.

Obviously you have to already have the stock Volvo amplifier to use this cable. And this isn't for the audiophiles out there as you guys would never think of using the stock amp. But for someone like me I'm fine with it and am making a cable for myself and may as well make a few more if anyone is interested.

- Slater

[Ivanfbi]

i would need one, i can hook up the aftermarket amp through RCA's and then from amps to speakers, right? Or just tell me, where did you find the darn 6-din plug? cuz i tried to find them in many stores, but couldn't.

[Slater]

i would need one, i can hook up the aftermarket amp through RCA's and then from amps to speakers, right? Or just tell me, where did you find the darn 6-din plug? cuz i tried to find them in many stores, but couldn't.

I will be importing them from England. Apparently they are VERY common over there because most european automakers use them for their audio. Like you I couldn't find a place in the US that would sell a small qty (i.e. 1-2).

There is a mod on AndrewRs 850 website, but it's the OPPOSITE of what I'm doing and he was only able to find an 8-pin DIN and had to cut off 2 of the pins and bend them to fit. Quite a hack. This will be professional and done correctly as I have an electrical background.

- Slater

[Ivanfbi]

and then its going to cost $10+shipping or shipped? because i am a poor student...

[Slater]

and then its going to cost $10+shipping or shipped? because i am a poor student...

I have no idea of the cost yet because the parts are cheaperas qty goes up, and shipping costs go down per piece as well. If 20 poeple were interested I'm sure it would be $10 shipped. But if only you and me are interested, then I'm sure it will be more.

I'm not looking to get rich, I just want one for myself. But I figured if I could help some people in the process than all the better.

- Slater

[Ivanfbi]

Any idea on how soon are they gonna be done?

[T-5Bandit]

i would need one, i can hook up the aftermarket amp through RCA's and then from amps to speakers, right? Or just tell me, where did you find the darn 6-din plug? cuz i tried to find them in many stores, but couldn't.

He is talking about hooking up a factory Volvo amp to a aftermarket HU. You are talking about hooking up an aftermarket amp to a factory HU.

[Ivanfbi]

crap, me no good speek spaniola...i mean inglish

[JeffW]

I'm in.

If this is happening, just let me know when and at what price.

[bitjockey]

I could never find the DIN plug to make one. I'll take one.

[x.data]

Count me in if this is happening. PM me when needed.

[JeffW]

The sooner the better.

This solution is a GODSEND!

I will order today if you're ready!

[jwmerrill]

The sooner the better.

This solution is a GODSEND!

I will order today if you're ready!

I would have to agree! Especially since I've had a Kenwood DDX7015 sitting around for four months now!!

jwm

[x.data]

The sooner the better.

This solution is a GODSEND!

I will order today if you're ready!

I would have to agree! Especially since I've had a Kenwood DDX7015 sitting around for four months now!!

jwm

Wow interesting b/c thats what i want this piece for. Want to put the ddx7015 into my c70 as well. got the music keg right now hooked up with a fm modulator. cant wait to get 1 and throw it in.

[Slater]

Any idea on how soon are they gonna be done?

darn! I thought no one was interested because the thread just sat there for days. So I ordered my parts from GB (i.e. enough for just me).

Oh well. At least now I know I can get the female DIN in the US (thanks to whomever posted the link).

I talked to a Scosch tech today on something unrelated and mentioned what I was planning on doing. He claimed that it wouldn't work because the amp and radio share a common ground or someting about the ground that was wierd. But we'll see it it works grounding the radio and amp to the chassis. The audio cable is shielded and will be grounded to the connectors, so there should not be any ground loops or engine noise interference.

I'll keep everyone posted. Also, again I'm not out to make a million bucks - just enough to cover my time. I will post a how2 so the people that are electornically inclined can do it themselves, but I just figured I would make them for people that don't know how to or are too busy to do it themselves. I know if I could have bought a ready-to-go cable that already had all of the development testing and kinks worked out for only a few bucks more than I could make it myself for, I would have bought it in a heartbeat!

- Slater

Edited by Slater, 06 January 2005 - 05:25 AM.

[Slater]

Any idea on how soon are they gonna be done?

darn! I thought no one was interested because the thread just sat there for days. So I ordered my parts from GB (i.e. enough for just me).

Oh well. At least now I know I can get the female DIN in the US (thanks to whomever posted the link).

I talked to a Scosch tech today on something unrelated and mentioned what I was planning on doing. He claimed that it wouldn't work because the amp and radio share a common ground or someting about the ground that was wierd. But we'll see it it works grounding the radio and amp to the chassis. The audio cable is shielded and will be grounded to the connectors, so there should not be any ground loops or engine noise interference.

I'll keep everyone posted. Also, again I'm not out to make a million bucks - just enough to cover my time. I will post a how2 so the people that are electornically inclined can do it themselves, but I just figured I would make them for people that don't know how to or are too busy to do it themselves. I know if I could have bought a ready-to-go cable that already had all of the development testing and kinks worked out for only a few bucks more than I could make it myself for, I would have bought it in a heartbeat!

- Slater

OK, I made a cable and it worked perfectly. It took waaay longer tham I thought as the pins on the DIN plug are smaller than I imagined and it wasn't exactly easy to solder all of the pins. I did finish eventually though and tried it tonight.

It works great except that I am getting engine niose when the radio is off. I think I may have a ground loop. Can anyone help diagnose where the problem may be.

Here's the ground setup:

The DIN plug going from the amp had a 12v+ power and ground in addition to the audio channels. I just connected the amp ground to the radio ground (so they are sharing the same ground - the stock radio ground on the stock Volvo radio harness). Also, the RCA cables have a ground (the shielding) which I grounded to the DIN plug itself. So all 4 RCAs ground to the metal outside of the DIN plug itself. Which as you know plugs into the AMP connector from the amp.

So I have a feeling there's a ground loop because the RCA plugs plug into the DIN plug going to the AMP and also plugs into the head unit's RCA outputs. Then the AMP connector itself is grounded to the DIN plug which grounds itself to the factory amp where it plugs in. Then the official ground from the amp and radio are connected together at the same location.

Does that make sense?

I was thinking of keeping the radio and amp ground seperate and just grounding the amp to the chassis. Another option is an "RCA ground loop isolator" that you can get at any stereo place (Best Buy, Wal Mart, Circuit City, etc).

Any ideas?

- Slater