What exactly is a head unit?

Hi there,

just joined, read FAQs, geek-site and posts quite extensively and am fascinated by the empeg company, the product and the people behind it.

After reading through the posts I'm having a little trouble pin-pointing what exactly defines a head unit. (English is not my first language).

Could it be described as a device not needing other devices (other than loudspeakers) to produce (amplified) sound?

Is the term only used in Car or also Home Entertainment?

Also, what does RCA stand for?

Georg

"Head Unit" is the device in the dash that makes the sound in a car stereo system.

For instance, all of the following can be considered head units:

CD player.
Cassette player.
Minidisc player.
Mp3 Player.

They connect to other components, such as crossovers, amplifiers, and speakers, but they are at the "head" of the signal chain, hence the term "head unit".

RCA is the name of an american electronics company. The specific kind of audio cables that connect car stereos to amplifiers, and connect home stereo components to the main amplifier, are known as "RCA cables", named after the company that invented them. These are sometimes called "Line level connection cables" or "Patch cables".

___________
Tony Fabris

err.. or Phono leads in the UK. But we all now what confusion that can cause don't we

Marcus (beaker)
32 gig (various colours)

Quite simply the plugs are the 'standard' consumer audio connector. It is possible to find them doing other thngs such as video or data but they started with audio. They are the coaxial type connector on all cunsumer audio/video equipment. they are round, approx 9mm across with an outer ring usually used for 'ground' and a center pin usually used for signal.

any questions?

Murray 06000047
Just increasing my post count

Thanks for the answers everyone.

What you describe as the 'standard' consumer audio connector sounds a lot like what I know as cinch plug/connector.

Georg

What you describe as the 'standard' consumer audio connector sounds a lot like what I know as cinch plug/connector.

You're right. It's also called cinch. Same thing.

...or "Tulip connectors" in the Netherlands (for obvious reasons ).....

One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015