But if I recall, the Royal has something like 10 speakers to the "normal" (like mine) 6. And my stock Mitsu stereo did not have RCA jack outputs either, it had a single 14-pin Molex-esque connector on the rear.Green1 wrote:On the Royal, the factory stereo does not use RCA outputs, but it also does NOT use speaker level outputs, it also has a couple of control channels to the amp.Manitoba deli wrote:The factory amplifier might work with an aftermarket stereo, you just have to find someone with enough guts to hook it up and try. In two of my BMW's, I installed aftermarket stereo's, and hooked the speaker outputs to the factory amp, as this was what the factory deck's seemed to do.(no rca's) both worked fine. One car had a factory Pioneer system, and the other was a blapunkt (not sure of the spelling). Just ask your self "whats the worst that can happen" If your OK with the possibilities, go for it. (you can always try first with a $10 autowrecker deck)
Jason
I'm not saying you couldn't come up with a way to use the amp, I'm just saying that it is MUCH easier to bypass it, and there's no reason to use it as your new head unit is likely quite capable of driving the speakers.
Perhaps the amp does some fancy modulating or other hocus pocus to get all 10 speakers sounding correct.
But regardless, it's going to accept a feed from the dash (head) unit, whether that feed is coming from, or controlled by, a rear "karaoke" unit or not.
I'd *still* double check the wiring before I yanked out the OEM amp; if the amp uses regular 4 zone FL/FR/RL/RR inputs, then I think any aftermarket dash stereo would work with a standard harness - do not normal decks have "powered" and "unpowered" outputs on the one harness? (unpowered for use if you have your own external amp)
