Hello all,

I recently purchased an Empeg and want to install it in my '96 Ford Explorer w/ premium sound package (JBL). The main problem is that the built-in amplifier takes speaker level inputs. The empeg, of course, only has line level outputs. I've been told that there is an adapter to let me integrate my empeg with the factory system. Unfortunately, none of the shops around town can find a unit like this.

I'm also not sure what such a part would be called to even search for it.

I was I think I have the same problem as this guy: http://empeg.comms.net/php/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=install&Number=59367&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=

Somebody posted a URL to this page: http://www.pie.net/sec12sb4.htm

I'm not sure if the first unit there would work or not as I am having some trouble understanding its description.

Any help would be very appreciated,

-Biscuits

I've come across this unit:
PAC OEM-1. It seems as if it will let me integrate the empeg with my factory system and still even keep my rear radio controls. Cost is $40 shipped from audiowarehouse and affsave, $80 + shipping from tunetown. I believe Custom Sound sells the same thing here in town for $60.

Here's the manufacturer's catalogue:
http://carsound.com/freelit/paccatalog.pdf

Here are the places I've found that sell it:
http://www.tune-town.com/Cars/stuff/pac_oem1.htm
http://www.audiowarehouse.peachhost.com/ct_Pr338.htm
http://www.affsave.com/pac.htm

If this is the right thing, I think I could probably do the install myself, all I need to find is a kit, wiring harness, antenna extender, DIN removal tool, crimp tool and connectors... and maybe some other stuff I havent thought of...

-Biscuits

I've come across this unit: PAC OEM-1.

Did you come across it by seeing Tony mention it a couple dozen times a day? I'm pretty sure it's a part of his .sig these days.

Heh, actually, I did see it mentioned somewhere on these forums, but not sure if it was Tony.

Regardless, thanks for whoever I saw it from and thanks to Tony for posting it 100 times. From its notes I presume it will work perfectly,

-Biscuits

Yeap, i think that's exactly the part i'm gonna need for my friends '91 Explorer with Premium sound. Let me know if it works out for ya.

Question about the OEM-1:

In the documentation from PAC, it says you need a "Cable A" (from your head unit) and a "Cable B" (to your amplifier). What exactly are these? Are they cables you need to purchase separately? Did you specify what car you had and the place you ordered from throw them in? Or are they just standard cables that you provide yourself?

Thanks in advance,

-Biscuits

In the documentation from PAC, it says you need a "Cable A" (from your head unit) and a "Cable B" (to your amplifier). What exactly are these? Are they cables you need to purchase separately?

It's all part of the package. The OEM-1 comes in three parts:

1) The cable that connects to your aftermarket stereo. ("A")
2) The OEM-1 unit itself.
3) The cable that connects to your car's factory wiring harness. ("B")

They are a set. You buy them all together all at once. You have to specify which A and B cables you need at the time of the purchase. For instance, when you order them from www.tune-town.com, their online order form gives you drop-down lists to select the necessary cable bits.

Since all factory wiring harnesses are different, and since many aftermarket car stereos are different, this is the easiest way to make it completely "plug and play". They designed them so that everything snaps in.

In the case of the Empeg, the "A" cable should be the generic RCA cable (I believe its part number is "RAD-RCA". The "B" cable should be the right one for your brand of car.

There's a photo of it here.

Ahh, cool, thats what I suspected, but I wasn't totally sure. I'll post back here once I get everything together to tell how everything went. PAC has a distributor here in town I'm going to call tomorrow, but they probably only sell to dealers. If that doesn't work, I think I saw one in stock for $60 at Custom Sound here in town.

Thanks again,

-Biscuits

I just ordered the OEM-1 from tunetown. I also ordered one of those smoked lenses from darkstorm. Now I just have to wait for them to come in (I was told 1-2 weeks for the OEM-1).

On a side note, I also ordered another $400 in computer equipment. I'm going to feel broke when my credit card bill comes...

-Biscuits

I ordered my empeg over a month ago and just finally installed it myself last night.

On the good news, it sounds great. It also looks really good. The default screen (blue) matches my car perfectly. The black finish is a good match, but not perfect (I wonder how feasible it would be to paint it?). I DD’d (designated driver) last night and impressed a bunch of drunk people though J.

I had a few problems, such as the fact that my rear speakers don't work (when I last paid attention to them about 6 months ago, I noticed that you could just barely hear them with them up all the way. Since the empeg - nothing). The kit to fit it into my car also looks like crap. I could get one custom made for another $40 to match my car, but I balked at the price, since I just spent $500+ on empeg and installation.

Those are minor quibbles though. I'll get them fixed eventually. I did have a couple more major problems with the car sled though. The orange wire for the serial connector (which I don't yet use) was never crimped into the harness (QA issue?) I also accidentally broke the wire for the front right speak just after it comes out of the harness. Everything was plugged in on my console while I was installing it. It slid off the edge, fell about 2 inches and stopped, but it was enough to break that wire. I ended up just plugging the rear outputs of the empeg to the front inputs on the OEM-1.

I want to eventually repair both of these wires for obvious reasons. I'm just not sure what to do about it yet. I can't figure out how to fix them myself, but I also don't want to send it back after I finally got it installed. I'd also feel kind of bad sending it back since the speaker wire was my fault.

I'll eventually post some pics if anybody wants to see.

-Biscuits

Good news is that if the serial wire really wasn't crimped, they'll probably send you a new loom FOC, unrelated to the damage you did to it later-on.