PAC line output convertor

**jsnone1** · 04-04-2006, 11:17 AM

anyone using one of these or a different brand? will this give me a good signal to my amp? Or should I just get a new Head Unit?

**White Rascal** · 04-04-2006, 11:24 AM

Get a new HU. The signal coming out of the PAC unit is only as good as the signal going into it. Garbage in, garbage out.

I can tell you from personal experience that the stock HU is of VERY poor quality and distorts badly as you turn up the volume.

**ScrapMaker** · 04-06-2006, 10:53 AM

isn't the PAC converter almost as expensive as a low-end deck anyways?? may as well just save your money

**99WS6MAN** · 04-10-2006, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by jsnone1

anyone using one of these or a different brand? will this give me a good signal to my amp? Or should I just get a new Head Unit?

I had a line converter for a little over a year and work GREAT! Only reason why I changed my whole line up was due to HU craping out on me!

The sound was okay for the cheapness of the part and if you have a extra sub and amp laying around it beats the hell out of stripping the whole car and re wiring everything! just my 2 cents .....

**BandDirector** · 04-12-2006, 07:33 PM

I've been using the PAC OEM-1 for my system for about 5 years now and I have NO complaints.

You can check out my system at the link in my sig.

**SSAndrew** · 04-17-2006, 01:21 PM

The key with using a line output converter is making sure the signal going into it is not clipped. If you grab the signal before the factory amp, and measure it with a scope you will get about 16 volts unclipped. this happened in my car at 15 notches up on the volume knob. If you go higher than this, the signal going into the line adapter will be clipped and sound like "Hammered Ass". Overall though, a new head is always a better sound.

**White Rascal** · 04-17-2006, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by SSAndrew

The key with using a line output converter is making sure the signal going into it is not clipped. If you grab the signal before the factory amp, and measure it with a scope you will get about 16 volts unclipped. this happened in my car at 15 notches up on the volume knob. If you go higher than this, the signal going into the line adapter will be clipped and sound like "Hammered Ass". Overall though, a new head is always a better sound.

Wow!, you only got 15 clicks? Damn!, that's worse than mine. I could turn mine up 23 clicks before it would start to clip the signal. I've always said the Monsoon HU was a POS. This just confirms it.

**ScrapMaker** · 04-18-2006, 06:18 AM

quick question...

I'm using an Ipod with the tape adapter... am I better off turning the gain up on the ipod itself, or keeping it relatively the same as, say, the cd-changer volume?

I know that, if I turn the ipod to a higher volume, the headunit isn't expecting it, and will play bass louder than normal... if I turn the ipod down, and the headunit up, it will lower the bass output to avoid damaging the subs (at least it seems..)

but in regards to input signal and clipping... does adjusting the output of the ipod really affect the ouput of the headunit, overall?

I still think the best way is to get an aftermarket headunit and send the RCAs straight to the monsoon amp... seems that the distortion would be much less

**SSAndrew** · 04-18-2006, 10:29 AM

you want the Ipod at the highest volume it will go without clipping, which is usually about 7/8ths of the way up. Usually the monsoon system is a high level input, so you can run the speaker level outputs of the radio to the monsoon amp. Again, i'm not as familiar with the TRansAm as I am with the camaro system and they are different... you have components in the front and they may be crossed over at the amp, I'm not sure.