QuestionQUESTION: Hello Brian; I would like to install a headphone jack into my car stereo system.
ANSWER: Hi Kevin,
You should be able to do this, but the parts you need will vary depending on whether you have a factory radio or an after-market deck with low-level RCA output jacks. Also, if you'd like to be able to cut off the front/rear speakers while using the headphone jacks, this would probably make things more difficult.
If you'd like to send a follow-up question with the year and model of your vehicle, the type of radio you're using, and describe how you'd like the headphone setup to work, I can probably come up with the parts you'll need and what you'll have to do to set this up.
I assume you'd like to have the headphone jack for passenger use, as in many states it's illegal to drive while wearing headphones.
Brian
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Brian,Thanks for responding to my initial question. I have a 2001 dodge ram with the infinity sound system. I am installing a pioneer deh-p610bt. I am aware of the law regarding the headphone issue and will take my chances. I would like to run them off the front speakers if possible. I have one more question for you if you do not mind. Do you know the mount location of the factory installed amp on my truck. I have other hooked up, however I have no audio. I was told I need to hook this unit up in order to get audio from my radio. Can you advise. Thanks again. Kevin
AnswerHi Kevin,
In your truck, there are two factory amplifiers: one is attached to each front door speaker. Each amplifier drives the three speakers (front door, front tweeter, and rear speaker) on that side.
You should be able to make the factory amps work with the new head unit, just by powering the amplifier activation wire in the radio harness. To power the amp activation wire, just connect it to the blue/white remote output wire in the Pioneer deck harness. If you're using an adapter harness, the adapter wire color is blue; if you didn't use an adapter harness for the head unit installation, the stock wire color is light green. Either way, connect it to the blue/white wire in the Pioneer harness, and this should get the sound working in your system.
For the headphone jack, your best bet is to get a cable with a stereo mini jack on one end, and stereo RCA plugs on the other. You should be able to connect this directly to the front RCA outputs on the Pioneer head unit. If you want to cut off the sound through the speakers while using the headphone output, just put a toggle switch on the remote amp activation wire I mentioned above. Flipping the switch will kill the factory amps, cutting the sound to the front and rear speakers while the deck's RCA outputs (and attached headphone jack) continue to work.
You might want to look for a Peripheral PDM35 auxiliary input kit. This is a panel-mount mini jack and cable with an RCA Y-adapter; it's designed for panel-mounting an auxiliary input with decks that have a rear RCA input feature, but it will work perfectly well in reverse, as a headphone output.
Hope this helps!
Brian
