I don't want FM. Nor do I want AM, CD, cassette, steering wheel controls, video screens, advertising, subscriptions, or anything tied in with a cellphone. I will never own one of those. This also rules out wireless FM transmitters that tune to a dead spot in the radio band. I will add gauges where the stereo WAS.

All I need is a way to go from a thumb drive loaded with my mp3 & mp4 80s music to a device that I can plug that into having real wired buttons and controls and enough amplifier to be a high-level line-out stereo signal into a line level equalizer and then amps & speakers that are already in the car.

Does such a device exist? Can it be built for reasonable time and cost?

 

I think the easiest (to me) solution would be to buy a small amp, something like the Alpine 445u, wire it in properly, then just run an aux cord to it's inputs. Then you can use whatever playback device (ipod, zune, etc) to play the music.

 

would be hard to beat one of those cheap multimedia receivers. it would take care of everything you need.
as said above, you could also use an ipod or something and plug it into a signal amplifier. which would then plug into your eq. but those types of setups are always a bit chincy and finicky.

 

Noted. Those cheap multimedia receivers and ipods, etc. used to put out more power.
At some point it was decided to lower the volume because kids had them turned up all the way using headphones.
Now there is not enough output to use as a line-level input.

 

If I were you NoEmissions84,

I’d go with the SanDisk Clip Jam. It’s a bit of a dinosaur compared to anything other than a flip phone - but -

cheap and cheerful

mp3/mp4

FM radio to check the weather (t top life).

it doesn’t interface with iTunes, period. Drag and drop in windows explorer to your micro sd memory card or the unit itself - as close to copying music onto a cd as you’ll get.

it has physical buttons for functionality. If you hate touch screens the way I do…

it has a screen for scrolling,

https://www.cnet.com/reviews/sandisk-clip-jam-review/

Now, for the line driver I’d go with the Audiocontrol Three.2 in dash equalizer.

it has 3.5mm (headphone jack) inputs to accept the signal from the SanDisk. It will give you the ability to tune you’re music with ***** and switches on the fly and has 20dB of gain to feed amps and a built in cross over network. A serious piece of kit.

it’s half din format so it’ll leave lots of room in the pod for gauges.

features

• Stereo graphic equalization
• Front and Rear, Dual Auxiliary inputs
• ParaBASS® low frequency contouring
• Adjustable 24dB/Octave Linkwitz Riley crossover with bypass
• Pre-amp gain of 20dB
• Line driver: 13 volts peak output
• Subwoofer level control
• High headroom PWM switching power supply
• Master volume and fader control
• Selectable Cool Blue or Hot Red back-lighting

https://www.audiocontrol.com/car-aud...sh-processors/

 

That sounds PERFECT! I will certainly check this out. Thank you so much.

It's like you read my mind.

 

Us Napster kids have to stick together.

 

OMG Napster.....those were the days!!!!!! LOL

On my 89, I had a Clarion EQ755 in dash, half DIN graphic equalizer. I bought it because it looked very period correct, and it was cheap.It was wired in between my head unit and my amps. It made a world of difference in sound quality, which in all honesty wasn't the goal, but it was a welcome surprise. Since my older head unit had a broken AUX input, I just used the input on the EQ, and it didn't take long for me to realize that the head unit wasn't doing anything! You could run ALL your music right through the EQ. That's my goal for my current 88. No head unit, just the EQ. ...and it's got a rear AUX input too, so in hindsight, you could just run it up into the glove box or something and never see wires. No keep in mind it has no screen, so you couldn't file manage a thumb drive, but I plan to use an old iPhone I have and just keep it in the car.
Of course, all that being said....it's hard to argue with the low cost of modern head units. Still.....for a car with no intentions of having radio,CD,satellite, etc. etc.....NOT having the head unit at all is kinda cool in my opinion.