Anyone have the Blaupunkt Bremen SQR 46 DAB

[kenzinger]

Hi All,

Does anyone have the Blaupunkt BREMEN SQR 46 DAB and can provide their experience?

The amazon reviews, are pretty mediocre but it looks period correct and I am hoping it is a good option to get my radio living again (w/ bluetooth), until I can repair and/or modify the original.

Any insight would be appreciated!

[darrin]

there's been a thread here about this radio for a while -- New Blaupunkt Black Radio Avail 2018 --

Found it by searching for "Bremen" using the search option above -- personally disappointed that it doesn't remember the bluetooth connection at restart and requires several button pushes to reactivate. I'm not a big radio listener (but do enjoy music in my targa from time to time), and currently play tunes off my iPhone using a bluetooth adaptor and power amp located under my passenger seat. Here's a current example -- https://www.crutchfield.com/S-8Kod0S1CGUT/p_113M1824BT/Kenwood-KAC-M1824BT.html?XVINQ=GLX&awkw=128001083305&awat=pla&awnw=g&awcr=66951761305&awdv=c&awug=1014485&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI68q95-6v6wIVd_LjBx2YYgAcEAQYASABEgIUzPD_BwE -- understand folks have successfully mounted the controller in their ashtrays

[Tony V]

I’ve had one installed for quite a few months now. Like that it supports an amplifier and sub.
The issue with not remembering the last setting is easily solved by turning off the unit before turning off the car. Discovered by accident and has worked ever since. You just have to train yourself to turn it off. I really don’t find having to press the button, 6 times, a hardship. Bluetooth pairing is instantaneous compared to my 2013 Cayenne. Looks great in the dash and sounds good.

[darrin]

Originally Posted by Tony V

I’ve had one installed for quite a few months now. Like that it supports an amplifier and sub.
The issue with not remembering the last setting is easily solved by turning off the unit before turning off the car. Discovered by accident and has worked ever since. You just have to train yourself to turn it off. I really don’t find having to press the button, 6 times, a hardship. Bluetooth pairing is instantaneous compared to my 2013 Cayenne. Looks great in the dash and sounds good.

Tony -- VERY helpful, thanks! (and put the Bremen back in contention for me) -- does the display show metadata (track name, etc.) from bluetooth source?

[Tony V]

No track info.

[Hotshot]

Love mine!

[Mervo]

A lot more expensive than the mechless VDO/Continental units available, that also look period correct.

[LIRS6]

I'm really enjoying mine, and I'm glad I had waited for it to come to the market. I'm not experiencing the issue of losing Bluetooth connectivity, and I'm not turning the radio off before turning off my car. It remembers my last setting - whether a station or SD card. I'm not an audiophile, so I'm not the best judge of sound quality, but the look is great and its functionality suits me well.

Jason

[blucille]

I remember reading that some guys hooked the constant power and switched power swapped..

And some adapter cables that are available from the stock harness to the new Bremen wiring are wired backwards. For those experiencing the need to shuffle thru inputs, I’d suggest double checking the power connections.

[darrin]

Originally Posted by Mervo

A lot more expensive than the mechless VDO/Continental units available, that also look period correct.

Mervo -- agree, however, this unit has the line level & subwoofer outputs that the VDO/Continental units lack and that my current external power amp (and future desired setup) needs.

[J-Gel]

Originally Posted by Mervo

A lot more expensive than the mechless VDO/Continental units available, that also look period correct.

Are these compatible with the 911s from i.e. '83? I pulled the classic early 2000s Alpine unit that I have hooked up currently and it wouldn't be a straight plug-and-play swap? I was ready for the VDO Continental TR7412UB-OR, love the look (and the price), but I see its pretty much two main harness plugs to get playing, whereas my current Alpine has more hardwired connections coming straight from of the unit.



And re: darrin's comment above ^, is that only because of the specific set up hes running with an external amp?

[darrin]

Originally Posted by J-Gel

Are these compatible with the 911s from i.e. '83? I pulled the classic early 2000s Alpine unit that I have hooked up currently and it wouldn't be a straight plug-and-play swap? I was ready for the VDO Continental TR7412UB-OR, love the look (and the price), but I see its pretty much two main harness plugs to get playing, whereas my current Alpine has more hardwired connections coming straight from of the unit.

And re: darrin's comment above ^, is that only because of the specific set up hes running with an external amp?

Looks like your alpine runs a different harness than would've been stock on your SC -- might want to look farther upstream/into the dash to see if you can find splices and/or another pair of connected harness connectors.

Take a look at this thread for how others addressed what look to be similar situations.

Radio Wiring/Wiring Harness Issue - Alpine Head Unit to Continental

As to your question about my post. The continental only supports being wired directly to (and directly powering) speakers. Quality car radio amplifiers require a line level output from the radio to work. Subwoofers generally want the same. While both can be made to work with the continental's speaker level outputs with adaptors, doing so involves compromises that (if on one's radar as a future upgrade) are easily avoidable by going with a radio that already has line level amplifier and subwoofer outputs.

[RDM]

I have installed one in my '80. And my '95 Mercedes. I've gone to installing the ISO connectors on the radios and in the cars just for future compatibility.

[wildthing]

I'll keep my $120 Alpine and save the $300 for maybe a Prototipo...

[skinnerd]

Originally Posted by Mervo

A lot more expensive than the mechless VDO/Continental units available, that also look period correct.

Do you have a pic or link to the VDO/Continental units? Thx

[skinnerd]

Found the pics I think.

No comparison in looks if you ask me.





The Blaupunkt looks the business to me.
Plus I don't like the "orange" display on the VDO Continental.

[RDM]

I took the Conti out of the 911 and put it into the '90 Mercedes. It doesn't sound as nice, it doesn't look as nice, it takes a long time to boot up, but the buttons I need are big and obvious (bottom left, top right, volume knob). The Conti is much easier to use.

And by the way, since 2011 Blaupunkt is simply a marketing name attached to what a company in Luxembourg contracts to have made in China to sell in the West. There is no relation to Germany or German engineering at all.

[mikesarge]

Originally Posted by Mervo

A lot more expensive than the mechless VDO/Continental units available, that also look period correct.

Yeah, fwiw I despise my continental head unit. Sound quality is atrocious compared to the (equally cheap) JVC unit I was running before, and you have to turn it on, select the input, AND press play on your device on Bluetooth every time you turn the car on. Also, the USB has never worked to charge my phone. Just a host of complaints for me.

[Qtrfoil]

All the buttons on the Blaupunkt add about 4 hp, though.

[josephvman]

I just bought the Blaupunkt to replace the Continental I put in my Targa a few years ago when I got it. The car had an aftermarket stereo in it already when I got it, and the factory harness had been cut off. I'd like to get it back to the original harness. Does anyone know the part number or the best source for one?