Does anyone have experience of using sony changers with other brand head units and if so what adapters / prices are we looking at?

Reason I ask is I've just recently got a mk1 octy vrs with the standard tape/tuner and 6 disc combo yet have a shedload of old ice from my previous car install, namely 2 x 10 disc CD changers, 6 disc minidisc changer and mp3/tuner head unit which I am planning to install when I get all the cables run through the car and decide how best to go about the boot build.

I have a 12" custom built pioneer sub also but obviously that will run on any hu with the output .

Initially I'll be looking to install the sony hu but it's a rather ugly looking thing compared to the stock gear and all the other sony's I've looked at are similar (why oh why do they think all sony fans are baseball cap wearing oiks who actually like to have the word "explode" written all over everything - anyway I digress......... )

So any advice or experience anyone can offer on this would be greatly received as I would consider other manufacturers but don't want to replace all my existing changers - the budget for a hu change would be about

You won't get the Sony's working with anything else.

Time for a new Sony HU I think

Oh, ****! :(

I've found a couple of head units by sony I like and that have the right spec (sub out, front & rear out with filters built in, as per the current one) and they are slightly better looking than mine but not by much and they still won't blend into the dash very well.

Never mind........

Anyone else got anything to add?

Thought you could get kits that allowed sony cd changers to connect to OEM equipment? I know my friend hooked up a Sony MP3 CD changer to his ford 6000 radio.

My sony MD changer works directly off the Becker HU installed into the Porsche with no adapters needed.

You can get adapters to work the sony changers via the standard HU.

I thought that but the standard hu is sh*te and doesn't have built in crossover filters etc, something my sony has and I require! - Don't want to fit any more equipment than absolutely necessary.

There are only a few protocols out there so it's enevitable that cross-compatibility between manufacturers is possible in many instances. Also, Sony, Blaupunkt and Panasonic manufacture a lot of the OEM equipment anyway so that helps when replacing an OEM HU or autochanger.

I thought that but the standard hu is sh*te and doesn't have built in crossover filters etc, something my sony has and I require! - Don't want to fit any more equipment than absolutely necessary.

It's appaling and should be binned at the earliest opportunity.