Alpine 634 CD Changer on a '91

[TSD]

Ok, I decided to go the Alpine 634 route as a replacement for the OEM changer. I got the 634 the ACUALP adapter and the 1304 AInet to MBUS adapter. This is for a '91 NSX. Here is the wierd twist. I installed it (without mounting) just to test. I unplugged the factory changer and plugged the ACUALP adapter into the factory head end plug. Next I plugged the 1304 adapter into the ACUALP adapter and then into the 634, changed the switch setting from AINET to MBUS and voila' ... nothing. No power and the head doesn't recognize that a changer is even there. I rechecked all my connections still nothing. Being the computer geek that I am I started eliminating components. If I don't use the ACUALP adapter it works ! The sound quality seems ok (I don't notice out typical out of phase issues) as soon a I add the ACUALP in the mix ... death. I looked on the package and it does say '92 to '98 honda. Is it possible that they didn't reverse the pins on the '91 ?
Tim

 

[whs520]

Hi,
Where did you get your ACUALP adapter?
I had a problem similar to what you are experiencing when I got my new Alpine changer. I bought the ACUALP adapter from Sounddomain.com, and when I plugged it in, nothing happened. I brought it to a couple of audio stores, and those guys were thinking that it was the Bose amps or something. I had a feeling that it was the Adapter, so I went to another audio store and tested the more expensive ($60) ACUALP adapter, and IT WORKED!
I have read on NSXPrime that people were successful with the cheap ACUALP adapters, like the one that I got from Soundomain ($20), but I didn't have any luck with it- I had to get the higher-priced one.
Anyways, hope that helps.
-Thomas

------------------
'94 Brooklands Green Pearl/Black NSX
5-Speed
#157

 

[D'Ecosse]

Are you guys loading MP3's yet?
I am wondering how the library appears on the stock head unit & how you select the appropriate one you want to listen to.

 

[whs520]

Originally posted by D'Ecosse:
Are you guys loading MP3's yet?
I am wondering how the library appears on the stock head unit & how you select the appropriate one you want to listen to.

Actually, my changer is the 630 (the one right before the 634 MP3 version). I plan on purchasing the MP3 version soon as well, and I was also wondering about the song order. Is it all alphabetical, or can you specify an order, like regular music CD's?
-Thomas

------------------
'94 Brooklands Green Pearl/Black NSX
5-Speed
#157

 

[TSD]

Mine was the peripheral interface enterprise one from soundtrack in Fort Collins, Co. Has anyone changed the CD player out on a '91 ? Since the adapter I have saqys 92' to 98' and the FAQ online says '92 to 98' as well. I wonder if you need the adapter on a '91?

Tim

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Did you try swapping the position of the two adapters? I would try putting the ACUALP adapter directly to the CD changer and then add the other adapter between the ACUALP adapter and the head unit cable.

Just a thought.

I have a 620 and did purchase a "cheap" ACUALP adapter and it works fine. Although I did try to install it at the "Head Unit cable end" and it actually did not fit properly. I had to put the ACUALP adapter directly into the 620.

Oh, My car is also a 1991.

HTH,
LarryB



[This message has been edited by Larry Bastanza (edited 10 October 2002).]

 

[Larry Bastanza]

If you go here: http://www.nsxprime.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/005102.html

You will see that nsxxtreme installed it with the adapters in the order I describe.

Definately give it a try.

HTH,
LarryB

[This message has been edited by Larry Bastanza (edited 10 October 2002).]

 

[TSD]

I'll try it. At this point I need to go write it down and diagram it.

Tim

 

[nsxxtreme]

There is no difference in the adapters other than the price you pay.

The adapters I was getting in the group buy retailed for $40. I was getting them for $7.

The only thing the ACUALP adapter does is switch two wires around. This is explained in the FAQ. The ACUALP was included in my DIY to make it as easy as possible, but wasn't necessarily needed if you did the wire swap. Hope this helps.


[This message has been edited by nsxxtreme (edited 10 October 2002).]

 

[Larry Bastanza]

nsxxtreme,

Thanks for that additional input, I agree. When this was not working I recalled you stating about the sequence in which you installed the cables and thought it was worth a try.

LarryB

[This message has been edited by Larry Bastanza (edited 10 October 2002).]

 

[fangtl]

Okay, now I feel like an idiot

I actually pulled the center console and installed everything to the back of the radio.

 

[Lud]

Have you considered that you may simply have a bad ACUALP cable?

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Lud,

This is starting to sound more likely. If fangtl installed it in the back by the head unit, then location is not really an issue.

fangtl,

Are you running a S634 with BOTH adapters??

Thanks,
LarryB

 

[fangtl]

I am running the S634 w/ both the Alpine 1304 and an ACUALP adapter.

BTW, I also believe it's a bad ACUALP.

addendum: for what it's worth, my ACUALP is made by Blitzsafe, and not a Peripheral/Soundgate unit.

[This message has been edited by fangtl (edited 10 October 2002).]

 

[TSD]

It was indeed a bad ACUALP adapter. Thanks for helping this "newbie" through. It works like a champ now!

Tim

 

[Russ]

I am wondering how the library appears on the stock head unit & how you select the appropriate one you want to listen to.

You simply use the track forward and reverse buttons. Track numbers go from 01-99 then roll over to 01 again for the next 99 tracks.

I was also wondering about the song order. Is it all alphabetical, or can you specify an order, like regular music CD's?

It plays tracks at the top level, and folders containing tracks, in alphanumeric order. When it reaches a folder it descends into the folder and plays the tracks contained therein, also in alphanumeric order.

Interestingly, the 634 uses only a limited number of the leading characters of the track name for ordering. So, you must ensure the first few characters of the file indicate the playing order. Otherwise, the tracks will play in the wrong order.

------------------
Russ
'91 black/black


[This message has been edited by Russ (edited 13 October 2002).]

 

[D'Ecosse]

Originally posted by Russ:
It plays tracks at the top level, and folders containing tracks, in alphanumeric order. When it reaches a folder it descends into the folder and plays the tracks contained therein, also in alphanumeric order.

Wait a minute - does that mean if you want to play track 117, you have to advance 117 times? Is there no way to change folders w/o stepping through every track in it?

 

[mikec]

For me, if I want to play track 117, I have to hit the advance button 116 times. And its really a pain because it has no random play feature. I wish it had random play.... but hey.. it has a nifty cassette player.

 

[Russ]

Originally posted by D'Ecosse:
Wait a minute - does that mean if you want to play track 117, you have to advance 117 times? Is there no way to change folders w/o stepping through every track in it?

There's no way to directly access folders since the 634 flattens out the disc into one long succession of tracks. However, you can step backwards. So, if your disc contains, say, 130 tracks, from track 01 you need only hit the track reverse button 14 times to reach track 117.

This is not a limitation of the 634, but rather the NSX head unit. The owner's manual implies that more sophisticated display and folder selection features are available when connected to head units which natively support the Ai-Net protocol. The NSX head unit uses MBus, an older, simpler protocol, which just can't handle these features.

Even though in can be a bit of a pain to select tracks, I still like my 634. It sounds better than the OEM unit and there's no cleaner, cheaper way to get MP3s into your NSX.

------------------
Russ
'91 black/black


[This message has been edited by Russ (edited 13 October 2002).]

 

[D'Ecosse]

Thanks for confirming that - that was my fear with the std head unit but couldn't see any confrmation of that elsewhere.
I think personally that would inhibit me from wanting to load up a cd to full capacity - think I'd probably only put maybe 3 albums (30 - 40 tracks probably) on a single disc. That's still 18 albums all together so definitely more than std or even a 12 disc unit.
I am reluctant to change the head, purely for aesthetic reasons.
Speaking of 12 disc, anyone try a CHA 1214?
Does the program button skip through the 12 discs sequentially?

 

[mikec]

I'm not sure if the head unit will support a 12 disc changer, but the program button steps through the 6 discs sequencially.


btw.. I load my CDs up with over 200 songs each. I just let it play. I dont' hear the same song again for months.

[This message has been edited by mikec (edited 13 October 2002).]

 

[Sketch]

Originally posted by mikec:
For me, if I want to play track 117, I have to hit the advance button 116 times. And its really a pain because it has no random play feature. I wish it had random play.... but hey.. it has a nifty cassette player.

So the random play feature on the head unit that works with the stock cd changer does not work on the S634?

Just doublechecking, since I usually forget it's there myself.

 

[matteni]

Originally posted by Sketch:
So the random play feature on the head unit that works with the stock cd changer does not work on the S634?

Just doublechecking, since I usually forget it's there myself.

I just ordered the unit and don't know if the head unit can random play the tracks or not. My home DVD/MP3 players cant but I found an easy work around. Go to ZDNet downloads at http://www.hotfiles.com and search for a program called Renamer

It is a small and niftly little program that will rename batches of files. You can add or programatically change large batches of files and a neat feature is the randomizer feature where you could copy all you MP3s to a folder and it will randomize the names before you burn it to CD-r. I use it all the time and it was free to try and I believe free to use.

 

[Russ]

Originally posted by Sketch:
So the random play feature on the head unit that works with the stock cd changer does not work on the S634?

Random play does indeed work with the 634. Pushing the "A Select" button enables this feature. However, it is not apparent whether this randomizes every track on a disc, or just the first 99.

------------------
Russ
'91 black/black


[This message has been edited by Russ (edited 17 October 2002).]