Need help/suggestions from the TRUE audio wizzards.

[Fhantazm]

I have a small predicament that I need help with. Im going to make this short and sweet. I have an audio/video input on my headunit and am hooking a DVD/MP3 player to it. The output preamp voltage on the DVD player is 2 volts. HOWEVER the allowed input on the HU is much lower causing clipping. I need to somehow reduce the preamp level. The only way that I can think of is to get a cheap stereo sound mixer and control it that way. Does anyone else have an idea on a cheap way to do this?? I also considered opening the unit and trying to find the preamp output pot's, but not sure I want to do that. Thanks!

EDIT: Just opened the DVD player and there are absolutely NO adjustable potentiometers. Oh well. I wonder if a resistor inline on the positive side would do the trick? The more resistance, the less voltage, right? V=I*R?? The main problem with this formula is i do not know what the current draw is.

 

[davesexplorer]

hmmm thats a predicament.... I once saw a step down voltage device, probably just a resistor, but It would probably work, I believe it was made for an MP3 player, because its output voltage was higher than the allowed input, just as your problem describes...
I'll try and see what I can find... in the meantime... free bump.

edit: Are you using your HU's built in amp, or external amps, if youre using external amps, you could add a small EQ or preamp that accepts 2 inputs with higher voltage, as an example my MPE 100 preamp, has a HU input and a DVD input, both accepting up to 8v, with adjustable "gains" on the dvd channel... maybe its a bit more $$$ than you'd like to spend, but its an option.

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

Looks around left then right, hey, he aint talking to me!!

 

[Fhantazm]

Dave,
Thanks for the suggestion and bump! Ive been sitting here running various formulas through ohms law, pretty much frying my brain.

I just found a users manual and found resistance to be 470ohms@2volts p2p. So this roughly equates to 4 picoamps of current or .004 amps. When resistance increases current decreases, so i guess now, im stuck trying to find the stupid formula for current drop. Its been 11 years since basic electronics and im shabby. Maybe im going about this all wrong....LOL.

Just had a thought!!...I wonder if one of those adjustable line level converters(Such as the one from Schoshe) would work???? Its made to lower the voltage from the powered headunits to preamp levels!! Question is, how low will it go?????

 

[Fhantazm]

Found an easy fix. Im using my Apex DVD player with adjustable volume control, and bought an RCA Lyra 128 meg MP3 player, with another 128 meg SD card. I have a switch box to switch the inputs. This setup absolutely rocks!! The Lyra is tiny, but sounds phenomenal! MP3pro at 65-85kbps VBR generates about a 2meg file but sounds as good (if not better) than a 160kbps mp3. I have about 95 songs on it in Mp3pro format. Im quite happy.

 

[davesexplorer]

Good to hear you found a solution....

 

[Fhantazm]

Good to hear you found a solution....

Ive changed the solution once more! I decided the Lyra didnt have enough space and I wasnt about to spnd $100 for a 256mb sd card, so i decided to do something else. I found an Apex portable dvd player, model PD-450, at Wal Mart for $140!! This thing plays just about everything and has video/audio out with an adjustable audio as well as coaxial digital and Svideo outs. It is tiny and fits up under my arm rest perfectly, which sure beats having to turn around into the back seat to change dvd's/mp3 cd's. The audio this thing outputs is wonderful! I am truly surpised and evan more happy than i was with the Lyra. The built in screen is 5" and does a decent job, but I have it going to my 5.5" headunit so I dont use the built in screen. This little thing is HIGHLY reccomended.

 

[mhn3773]

u know i think i saw one of those at wal mart but i dismised it purley because it was at walmart..hmm

 

[Fhantazm]

I have a very heard ear to please, and have no problems reccomending this based on audio quality. Video quality on the built in screen is decent, but looks much better on my head unit/home tv. But it is well worth the $140.