I finally installed my recently purchased (ebay) Mk2a. I'm not ready to rip into the car's interior just yet to install the amps from my old car, and I also wanted to keep the CD changer for now.

I found a thread in the VW Vortex BBS where someone had used a DPDT switch to allow switching between the changer and an external device (MP3 player), while keeping the Monsoon HU, amp & changer.

My solution was to replace the DPDT switch with a DPDT relay to switch between the Empeg's Front RCA line outs and the factory CD changer. The power for the relay's toggle is supplied by the Empeg's remote AMP turn on lead.

This works great. The only exception is a slight difference in volume level between the changer and the Empeg - the Empeg being slightly quieter than the changer. It's not enough to scare you out of your seat, but it is worth noting.

I currently keep the Empeg locked @ -2dB volume when in DC mode (the car).

-Ed Coen

You could use a stereo potentiometer on the CD changer line outputs to reduce the level of the CD changer to match the empeg if you liked. Or, once discovering the desired resistance value, you could use a couple of solid state resistors which would be more reliable.

Tony,

Thanks! I had been looking at this from the wrong angle! Nice to be able to bounce this off of someone with a fresh perspective.

-Ed Coen