Hi, Guy --

>>noise from the engine while using Empeg, specifically from the alternator. Is this a rare occurence.

It is more common with the empeg than other units, because the empeg uses a floating ground which seems to be more susceptible to alternator noise than the more common grounding methods. If you use the supplied grounding cables and do the installation correctly, you will probably be all right. Your car should not have any particular problems -- it seems to be the German cars, in particular the 3-series BMWs, that are problematical.

>>recommend a good car audio shop

Since you are more than 4000 miles away from me, I don't have any specific recommendations, but I have an idea how you can find a good shop. Go wo the IASCA.COM website, and look for a shop in your area that is sponsoring a sound-off competition. Shops that go to the trouble of actually sponsoring an event are almost always the ones doing quality work. They're into leading-edge stuff, always looking for the competitive advantage. Just make sure that the person you deal with isn't one of those "I've seen it all and done it all and there's nothing new under the sun so don't try to tell me that this stereo installation is different" type of personalities, because the empeg installation is indeed different.

>>I won't have the opportunity to actually purchase an Empeg until like next April

Actually, it is my understanding that empeg hopes to have their backlog completely cleared well before then. Unless you are going to wait for the Mark II version, which is supposed to be out by April, but with an 11K+ queue number, you'll be behind a lot of people with lower numbers (including me! ;-) who are going to defer their purchases of the Mark I and wait for the newer version.

tanstaafl.




"There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch"