Sound System Interface:

The Sony XA-107 Source Selector is a obscure device that has proven to be extremely useful for building this system. I wanted to use the main CD player head unit, along with my EQ, to control all aspects of the sound without having the MP3 player or a seperate A/B switch and EQ control the sound like many others have done. With this source slector switch, any Sony Unilink head unit can accept input from any generic device as a source. Before I installed the switch, the CD player was listed as merely "CD" on the display. Now it is called "CD1" and when I press the "MODE" button, I have a "CD2" that says "AUX PLAY" and the MP3 player output comes through. It also includes a Unilink pass-through so you can use a CD Changer too.

The nice thing is that it simplifies my system, the bad thing is that it costs $100 for a feature that I think should be included in the base unit (they already have RCA inputs in the back - they could have just added an "AUX" setting to the "SOURCE" button).

Got a Sony Unilink head unit and can't find this elusive device? A friend let me know that it was available from Crutchfield. I spoke with them recently about AUX devices and they put up a listing in their catalog page for the XA-107, which was previously a special order item, but I think these things are becoming more popular.

I've done some research and have found that several other manufacturers allow auxiliary input for their head units:

• Aiwa includes an AUX 1/8" mini-jack on the front faceplace of many of their head units.
• Clarion sells a $100 EE-1155B-A CD changer/AUX pass-through for its CeNet head units.
• Both Rockford Fosgate and Panasonic include auxiliary line-in connectors on the rear of some of their better head units.
• Pioneer has a $35 CD-RB10 AUX adapter, as well as a $80 CD-RB20 CD changer/AUX pass-through.
• Kenwood makes a $20 CA-C1AX adapter that converts the CD Changer input on most of their head units into an AUX input. The $80 KCA-S210A allows use of 2 changers as well as an AUX input.
• Blaupunkt has several AUXIN devices that fit various head units for $13 - $20.

This page was last updated on Tuesday, January 16, 2001

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