# Iphone as headunit



## Chris 68 (Jun 16, 2012)

Let me start by saying I'm not an expert in car audio, I've been searching all over for answers to my questions and google has led me to this site many times. 

Here is the situation:

I'm building a classic muscle car and would like to put an OK audio set up in it. The car is being built for performance, reliability and simplicity. So I'd rather build my audio system around my car, instead of building my car around my system. 

What I'm working with:

most of my set up will be infinity kappa series 
1 12" sub
5 channel amp
front 6.5" components
2 way 6x8 rears

I know they aren't the best but they are fairly cheap and I don't ant to mix and match speakers and amps 

The million dollar question:

How can I make this set up work WITHOUT a headunit and still get OK sound?

I've looked into the JBL ms-8 and was thinking I could use this and have an iphone/android/w.e as the "headunit". I've come to find problems with the sound quality and volume control with this set up. 

Basically I'm looking for answers on how I can get an iphone(or similar device) to work with an ms-8 or directly to an amp. 

Sorry for the long winded post and if I posted this in the wrong forum.


----------



## Problemhouston (Apr 2, 2009)

I will be watching this closely. I am building a 1965 Mustang and am going to try and keep everying on the interior as stock as I can and don't want to add a headunit. I already have an alpine PXA-H701 and am looking for something with AI-net that I can hide in the trunk and run a iPod cable to the front of the car. This will be interesting.


----------



## mwatson185 (May 30, 2010)

Yes, this is possible. Your second question is how to setup the MS-8 without being able to use the setup CD.

1) Use a temporary CD player
2) Pull the tracks off the CD and put them on your Ipod in lossles format (not sure how well this would work)


----------



## metanium (Feb 2, 2007)

You can definitely use the MS-8. I don't think you would have any issue putting the 2 necessary calibration audio tracks from the MS-8 setup CD into itunes and playing from your iphone for setup. You will, however, have to determine a way to "turn-on" the MS-8. You could simply connect it's turn-on lead to a ignition-trigger (accessory) wire. Then the MS-8 will turn-on all amp(s) downstream. Signal out using the 3.5 mm to RCA.

Another, less expensive option is the JL Audio CL-RLC. CL-RLC - Car Audio - OEM Interface - System Expansion - JL Audio It will handle your volume control, but honestly you could also do this with just the iphone's volume control. Signal out using the 3.5 mm to RCA.

My favorite option (and what I use now) is the Audison Bit Ten D. You can do it analog or full digital. The analog route uses the low-quality internal D/A converter in the iphone. Then signal out using the 3.5 mm to RCA to the AUX-IN of the Bit Ten D. The DRC as serve as master volume control. Some have used higher quality, external D/A from the Dock Connector on the iphone into the iStreamer then to the Bit Ten AUX-IN. But the best signal is by going full digital from dock connector to Pure I-20 dock, then TOSLINK Optical into Bit Ten D. The Bit Ten D can be set to Turn-on by signal sensing, but can also be turned on w/DRC, so no accessory wire necessary.

Hope some of this helps.


----------



## JWSewell (Aug 13, 2005)

I just finished installing a Alpine PXE-H660,($209 @ woofersect), using my galaxy S as my HU. I also have an iPad that may go mobile 

Its working great. 
Hooked up via 3.5mm to RCA cable. 
Volume is controlled via the Alpine remote. 
Already sounds better than my Old Eclipse CD8454 IMHO that just croaked prompting me to buy the H660.

I am still playing around with the mic placement for the measurements. Today I finally got it to sound "good". Great is not far away.


----------



## Problemhouston (Apr 2, 2009)

JWSewell said:


> I just finished installing a Alpine PXE-H660,($209 @ woofersect), using my galaxy S as my HU. I also have an iPad that may go mobile
> 
> Its working great.
> Hooked up via 3.5mm to RCA cable.
> ...


This sounds perfect but I don't need the H660 and the H701. I just need something that I can do 3.5 or iphone/ipad in and Ai-Net out to the H701. Is there anything out there like that?


----------



## Chaos (Oct 27, 2005)

I don't understand why you couldn't use the RF remote of the MS-8 to control the system volume while using the aux inputs. Granted, I never tried it when I had one, but it ought to work fine that way.

For that matter, if you have an MS-8, you could run all the highs from the internal amp and then you would only need a separate smaller amp for the sub.


----------



## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

Chaos said:


> I don't understand why you couldn't use the RF remote of the MS-8 to control the system volume while using the aux inputs. Granted, I never tried it when I had one, but it ought to work fine that way.
> 
> For that matter, if you have an MS-8, you could run all the highs from the internal amp and then you would only need a separate smaller amp for the sub.


The only issue could be that even though the iphone/ipod output is of excellent quality (country to popular belief) the output level might be too low for most amps. Remeber the ms-8 is unity gain so you only get out as much as you put in (max out being 2.8 regarless of input voltage). It'll be something like .8 volts after you finish the run to the trunk. 

I would find a car dock that has an unmolested AUX output taken from the dock connector (that way the volume slider is disabled and you don't have to worry about it being lowered mistakenly). Then I would connect that AUX out to a line driver that has a master volume control option, and mount/power it near the dock and it's power source. Preferably something with diff balanced inputs like those from JL (cl-rlc) or Audio control. Then mount the knob in the dash and run the signal to the MS-8. 

I'd use the rca inputs of the ms-8 instead of the aux in this app.


----------



## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

The dice electronics G2 dock looks like a good choice for this. 

DICE Electronics LLC - DRIVE | LIVE | ACCESSORIZE - G2 Cradle

It's DCR-200 version would be the one I would use. Although I would investigate that its aux out is clean and doesn't have any weird circuitry that messes with the idevices line out. You can always go with the DCR-50 which offer a straight pass-through dock connector output and then run that to a more simple straight through line out dock. I think isimple makes one of those iirc, and it doesn't like that has much in the way. That option also makes powering it easier since there is no need for a USB power source, just hard wire it like the line driver would be and plug it to the back or the G2. The pass-through/isimple option also hides away the delicate 3.5mm interconnect, keeping it from being bent and broken behind the cradle by the dash pushing on it possibly.


----------



## SoCalSQ (Oct 7, 2008)

Orca/Focal is just coming out with a new unit that can stream music from your bluetooth devices. It can go as high of resolution as lossless. It has Burr-Brown's and outputs a stereo signal to your processor.

Its hard to get info on them as of yet because they are not quite being mass produced. Last I heard they only had 3 in stock. I hear retail is around $800.


----------



## Jroo (May 24, 2006)

I posted this a couple of months back, it may work for you 

Dash|Devium


----------



## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

SoCalSQ said:


> Orca/Focal is just coming out with a new unit that can stream music from your bluetooth devices. It can go as high of resolution as lossless. It has Burr-Brown's and outputs a stereo signal to your processor.
> 
> Its hard to get info on them as of yet because they are not quite being mass produced. Last I heard they only had 3 in stock. I hear retail is around $800.


Its actually wifi and involves an exact implementation of apples airplay. Its basically an airport express with a claimed better quality output and a car audio friendly power supply.

For that money I'd get a Pure i-20/Centrance DACmini CX combo.


----------



## SoCalSQ (Oct 7, 2008)

t3sn4f2 said:


> Its actually wifi and involves an exact implementation of apples airplay. Its basically an airport express with a claimed better quality output and a car audio friendly power supply.
> 
> For that money I'd get a Pure i-20/Centrance DACmini CX combo.


Thanks for the extra detail, my knowledge of the unit is sketchy at best.


----------



## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

SoCalSQ said:


> Thanks for the extra detail, my knowledge of the unit is sketchy at best.


There's a good bit on here about it. Search iBox. IIRC a review went up a couple weeks ago.


----------



## ReloadedSS (Aug 26, 2008)

I think we're going to see a lot more iPad integration options in the near future. OEMs are going to go iPad/tablet type integration in the next model runs of cars.


----------

