Car stereo head unit that doesn’t look like crap?
 

Does anyone know of a current car stereo head unit for a standard DIN opening that is simple, classic and looks right in a 1980s German car (Porsche, BMW, VW, etc)?

Don’t want RGB lightshow, tiny chrome buttons cycling through context-dependent menus, jog wheels, swoopy “styling”, similar crap. Just a no-nonsense head unit that has Bluetooth and aux in.

Ive installed several basic Alpine headunits that have bluetooth and aux. Got them all at Crutchfield and are about as basic as you can get these days. All have functioned flawlessly and were easy to install.

I never take mine off of Bluetooth as a source. My phone connects automatically for spotify and phone calls.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_500UTE73BT/Alpine-UTE-73BT.html

Used Alpine CDA-xxx series radio off ebay. Affordable and last of the decent looking Single Din's

rjp

Whatever happened to 2 knobs and a row of push buttons? You know...easily operated without taking your eyes off the road?

And if you want a CD for +$40.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....70_FMwebp_.jpg

Jensen... not a "big" name but a decent looking head unit for a classic look. I wish they had this head unit without CD.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1626952969.jpg

Back in the 80s Jensen was huge in Aus. Not so much now but their speakers back then were considered the best you could buy.
This was before US made gear made its way here.

Everything car audio was really expensive during the late 80s and 90s.

I still remember the first time I heard a Soundstream Velvet Hammer. (subwoofer) :eek:

How 'bout 1 of these? McIntosh MX 404 I have one in ours. You can find them online occasionally for sale. Beautiful- period correct

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1626954254.jpg

First set of 6x9's I bought were made by Jensen! and You should hear my son's 15" Skar audio sub... OOOF

Budget - get the Continental.

Period correct, but with modern bells and whistles - the Blaupunkt Bremen DAB.

https://external-content.duckduckgo....6pid%3DApi&f=1

We have the Continental in my wife's 560Sl - it looks the part

(I also kept the original radio that did not work)

Sub'd.

I hate the radio I put in my Land Cruiser. You need a PhD in Radio Nonsense to operate it and I need to go head down to operate the f'ing thing.

The Holy Grail for me would be a detachable face that I could move to the dash when needed or a cell phone like holder, battery powered, when I need to.

Still looking!

Jensen 6x9 "coaxials" and later "triaxials" were what all the cool kids wanted when I was growing up.

I like the looks of that Continental head unit, without the CD.

https://www.blaupunkt.com/en/nc/products/car-multimedia/car-radio/products/single/19059/


https://www.blaupunkt.com/uploads/tx...egel_0_1_2.jpg

Porsche Classic if in a 60's-90's Porsche.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/news/a25090/this-new-radio-with-nav-for-classic-porsches-is-amazing/

This: the Blaupunkt Bremen SQR 46 DAB. I just put one in my 911 and I LOVE it. It looks right, and sounds great.

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_423BREMENS/Blaupunkt-Bremen-SQR-46-DAB.html?tp=5684

$480 bucks. I love how logical the menus are, and how it operates. Bass and Treble adjusted with a knob, one simple button goes to random mode. I have no amp with mine, and is sound fine with the engine running. Real golden ear folks may want an amp and that is supposed to be easy to hook up. I did not bother, as I just want my 120 CDs ripped to MP3 to play in random order from a USB drive. The front panel is a door with a USB port that will charge your phone.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1626962660.jpg

The color of the display can be adjusted to match your interior, or to just whatever you want.

I just did a 3,000 mile road trip and it operated flawlessly. It will link up to your phone via Bluetooth and let you make calls and stream music if you want. I don't use my phone when driving, even hands free, so I have not linked the phone to it for day to day use.

I did have to download the new firmware and update it. That is a real simple task.

It was the stereo I have been waiting for.

Oh lordy, those cost a grip!

rjp

Do you have the matching amps? I remember when these came out…

Even when they look simple, they are a PITA to program. I guess I'm getting old.