Aux Cable Installation for a Cabasse Auditorium 6CD System - Fitted in Renault Cars

This instructable is to help anyone with a Cabasse Auditorium 6CD player system installed in their car, these are usually installed in Renaults as the 'upgraded' sound system.

Its a misconception that the head unit (non ICE people - this is the bit stuck into the dash board) is standard, and like most head units contains both the CD mechanism, the radio and amp....this isnt true! The 'head unit' is actually just the CD player and control buttons, the rest of the equipment is located under the driver (in the UK) or passenger (US/Europe) seat (please note this is the setup in Clio's, however it may be in the boot for other models).

If you want to replace the head unit of the car you will find its very difficult, the reason for this is that all of the ISO connectors (non ICE people - these are the bog standard connectors found on most car head units) are actually located under the seat by the main amp and the 'head unit' actually only has one proprietary link going from it to under the seat - which is no use at all to a normal amp!

So....when I got my car with this lovely 'upgraded' sound system it meant I couldnt replace the head unit, booooo :(, so I needed to find a way that I could plug my iPod into it (or any other sound device, Tomtom etc etc).

You will need:

1 - A Cabasse Auditorium 6CD system!
2 - A computer internal CD audio lead - these can be found in any old pc, or can be bought at a hardware store for less than a pound
3 - A normal audio lead
4 - An electrical connector block
5 - Some time (about an hour)
6 - A torx screwdriver or heads

Read on and enjoy!

I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOU DOING THIS, IF YOU SCREW IT UP AND BREAK ANYTHING ITS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT!

Nb:/ Thanks to kleen on renaultforums.co.uk for the initial info on this

Step 1: Locate & Remote Amp/Radio

This is located under the drivers seat.

1 - Pull off outer cover
2 - Use 4 nails (!) or a cut piece of metal coathanger and push them firmly into the four holes at the front of the unit
3 - Pull the amp/radio out

Step 2: Remove the Connector

1 - Pull up the clip holding the connector in place
2 - Slide off the grey cover
3 - There are two strips of connectors - leave the one with the wires in there - this is needed!
4 - On the side of the connector gently prise the stips on the side of the connector at the side of the empty strip
5 - Gently pull out the empty strip
6 - Use a screwdriver to clean the holes out at the bottom of the connector (this isnt totally neccesary, but I found it easier to make sure the new connectors firmly make contact with the pins)

Step 3: Prepare the New Aux Lead

1 - Take the audio cable and splice it open so all 3 sheaths are clean
2 - Do the same with the CD lead
3 - Use a knife to pull any connectors off the side of the CD lead
4 - Prepare the cable (DONT join it yet though!) :

For the audio lead to work you need the 3 wires connected, on the CDrom cable you have 3 wires these will be used as:
Lead 1 - Ground - this needs to be connected to the ground of the audio lead
Lead 2 - Right audio signal
SPACE
Lead 3 - Left audio signal
(fyi I dont care about the stereo being the right way round so didnt mind getting lead 2 & 3 the wrong way round)

On the audio lead you will have 3 wires, one of these is likely to be a shield wire (ie not wrapped in its own cover within the cable), this is the audio ground and will need to be connected to lead one on the CD cable

Step 4: Remove the Centre Console

I decided to put my audio lead in the console by the handbrake, however put it wherever you want in the car!

1 - Remove the gear stick cover thing - it pops off from the front
2 - Remove the handbrake cover - it pops off from the back
3 - Take out the two torx screws at the back of the centre console
4 - Take out the two torx screws near the gear stick
5 - Pull up the centre console

Step 5: Drill the Hole & Install the Cable

1 - Drill the hole where you want the cable to come from
2 - Pull the cable through
3 - Tie a knot in the cable under the console so it cant be pulled out and screw the whole thing up!
4 - Pull the wire through under the carpet so it appears by the stereo

WATCH OUT - make sure you install the lead where it wont get in the way of the handbrake, gearstick or any other workings of the car.

Step 6: Wire It All Up!

1 - Connect the wires together in a connector block.
2 - Push the CD lead onto the connector pins - make sure :
a. The one wire on its own (out of the 3 on the CD lead) goes over the pin closest to the aerial on the stereo
b. It fits firmly in place
3 - Slide the grey cover back over the plug
4 - Pull the plastic handle back over the connector so its held firmly in place