I am now (finally) in a position to place my order for the Empeg Mark II.

I like the radio that came with my 2000 S4, so I thought that it would be possible to keep it in place and use
the CD changer connector to connect the Empeg, but there are some problems with this:

1) The protocol of the CD changer would need to be sorted (and the radio would need to be tricked)
2) A method to control the Empeg since it would not be in line of site, and it's my understanding that this condition would nullify the usefulness of the infrared remote (and the front panel, of course).

Is there anyone with an Audi A4 / A6 / A8 that has attempted a similar installation?

(I had half an inkling to install the Empeg in the glove compartment, but it would be a true annoyance to the
passenger to have the glove box open into their lap, not to mention that I would lose the glove compartment's usefulness.)

An while I'm here, can anyone recommend a stereo shop in the south Florida area for the install?

Thanks.
--
Victor

Using the factory radio's CD changer inputs should be easy: Just buy an adapter from Crutchfield or a similar stereo shop. It's my belief that such adapters exist for all factory CD changer inputs.

However, there is no way to control the Empeg as if it were a CD changer. You can trick the radio into thinking a changer is attached, but that only lets the line-inputs work. So, as you already surmised, the Empeg will only respond to the IR commands. You'd need an IR repeater if you mounted the Empeg in the trunk.

However, may I suggest that the Empeg isn't designed to be mounted in the trunk and it would be a frustrating experience to use it without seeing the front panel. There are many things it does which depend on you being able to glance at the display. A simple thing like toggling shuffle-play would be frustrating unless you could see the screen telling you whether it had just been toggled off or on.

If your car doesn't have a second DIN space in the dashboard, then I really see only two options for you:

1) Replace the factory radio with the Empeg. Trust me, you won't miss your CD player. And as far as AM/FM tuning is concerned, well, I've got a tuner in my Mark1 and I haven't listened to it for months. Don't need to- I never get bored of my music collection.

2) Buy a different MP3 player that's designed to go in the trunk and be remotely controlled.

___________
Tony Fabris

Well, I still like to listen to broadcast on both the FM and AM bands (news and traffic reports), so dumping
the factory radio is still not an option.

I am still trying to gauge how irritating it will be for me to memorize the order of my categories as I skip
through them without the benefit of a display.

Unfortunately, I am unhappy with other in-car mp3 players. I have yet to find another product that offers the range
of reprogramability of the Empeg along with the ease of bringing it out to connect to my home stereo.

Is it possible to get the Empeg to reverse it's display? If so, I could mount it on the back shelf and read the
display in the rearview mirror.

It would be so nice if I could just remote install the display from the unit....

As mentioned elsewhere on the BBS, we dropped the FM tuner module in favour of a combined AM/FM version. That's why it's running late - we had already bought FM tuners, but now we have to wait for delivery of the AM/FM version.

As well as providing AM the new module is a much better quality tuner, and we're building in a few extras as well.

Rob

Hi,

We just took my Audi A4 Avant apart last night. It took 11 hours for two people to take it completely apart, install 8 new speakers, 2 amplifiers and plenty of cable (even ethernet to the back of the car, just in case).

My car had a Blaupunkt p.o.c. in-dash CD radio, which has been donated to better purposes.

Dump your radio. You do not want to put an empeg in the trunk, it's way too cool.

If you must, go by a Neo instead, and hook it up with a line-in to your in-dash unit (mine didnt have one). That is worthy of the trunk :)

But you ought to wait for the guys@empeg to get the radio module finished. I'm sure it will work great.


Lars

Thanks to all for the answers!

One thing you could do, it would be kinda jury-rigged, but will work. You could install the EMPEG in place of your factory stereo and then run a walkman through the EMPEG's Aux input to listen to the radio. Your reception wouldn't be wonderful, but for local stations would be doable.