Console Speaker Fader Control
 

I'm getting ready to install a new head unit in my cabriolet, but before breaking out the soldering iron and shrink tube, I'm wondering what you guys recommend regarding using the '83 and later center console speaker fader control.

In looking at the wiring, it appears that all four speaker wiring runs go into the fader control with only two sets coming out (front and back, I'm guessing). So, I could wire those two sets into the head unit as front left and front right, and then attempt to use the factory console fader to control the front-and-back sound balance. But I'm not sure how that works regarding the left-right stereo-ality of the system.

Or, I could wire all four speakers into the head unit harness plug, and thus enable the head unit to do all the work (this is what I did on my '82, but it doesn't have the console fader control). The cab's four speakers are the stock variety.

I'm also cleaning up a rat's nest of wiring left from a worn-out Alpine and some weird hands-free phone device or something that featured a tiny microphone and cable that ran from the radio area under the dash to near the left door opening. The previous owner couldn't explain this device, saying it was the previous-previous owner's contrivance.

Do you guys recommend using the fader control or bypassing it?

Brian

Removed it.

Had to chase wires to figure out what was what to connect to the new head unit.

someone disconnected mine long ago i guess. installed my head unit with out using the factory fader and would not want to risk introducing that old junky part into a new system. not worth the effort. my fader is still there, just doesnt do anything...same with my A/C control knobs

I agree about not re-introducing old technology where it's not required. Still -- purist that I am -- it's going to hurt me to have that console fader control not doing anything. ;)

Brian

Bypassed it in both the 911 and the old 944. All the wires look the same. The trick to figuring it out is to take a small battery and touch it to the wires. You'll hear the speaker make a static sound. No need to chase wires all over the place.

well then hook up some "mood" lighting to it :D

I could have the fader activate the drop-down disco ball. ;)

Brian

I got into the rats nest of wiring for my old Alpine radio/CD player. I installed a 12 pin AMP plug. Had to expose each speaker to "ring" out the wires. Turned out some one already had abandon the fader control switch in favorite of the Alpine balance feature.

I also have an after market antenna that looks pretty much like the original, I hooked up a rocker switch under the dash so I could control the antenna when playing the CD.

I'm curious now why this fader control was considered an upgrade by the engineers at Zuffenhausen. Didn't most factory Blaupunkts have front to back fading already?

Brian

I wouldn't think they considered it an upgrade. The radios they used didn't have a fader control, although Blaupunkt did market similar radios with a fader. In fact, there was an aftermarket version of the Monterrey used from 1983-on that was identical, except that it had a fader and didn't used the rubber sleeve that slipped over the volume knob on the Monterrey, to make that knob larger.

I never did understand that.

JR

OK, so what you're saying is the Porsche engineers had to get into the front-back fading business because the radios offered couldn't do it?

Owning an '82 and an '83, it's just weird. Like, "Hey, there's that space between the A/C temp switch and the A/C fan switch that we could use to place our groovy speaker fader control!"

Brian

I must repeat myself. I never did understand that. It never made sense to me, at least in 1983, why they would use the radio without a built-in fader when they could have used an otherwise identical one with the fader control.

In any event, you definitely don't want the fader. Wire the speakers directly to the radio and get some better speakers while you're at it. The stock ones are crap, as are any of the similar-sized replacements that are out there. You need bigger speakers.

JR

The speaker issue is a bit of a can of worms in my case, considering it's a cabriolet and I've got four, three-inch speakers' worth of stock '80s surround sound. ;)

Brian

+1 bypass it, and use it to control the brightness of your rocker-panel LED glow-lights.SmileWavy


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1215009496.jpg

I feel your pain. We have several cars from that era. I've pulled the radio from one of them, just so I won't be tempted to turn it on.

I'd suggest a pair of 6.5 component speakers in the doors I've never owned a cab, so I have no idea what space is available in the stock locations in the back. Yank a speaker and see what you have. There might be room in there for a 5.25 or 6.5.

JR

Well, the can of worms has been opened. I have one functional stock speaker judging by the battery test -- the one in the driver's door. I checked continuity on the wiring on the other three and the wiring is OK, just no workie from the speakers. What fails on these things? I don't see any visible damage.

FYI, on a cabriolet, the two front door speakers are 5 1/4-inch diameter. The two rear speakers are 4 inches in diameter and are located on each side of the rear seats, compared to the larger rear speakers on the rear shelf like on a coupe or targa.

Trouble is, there's not a lot of selection for speakers in those sizes. I want to retain the factory speaker grills and I don't want to have to do something invasive like cutting the panels, etc. I found these at Crutchfield.

Brian

My fader had been disconnected before I bought the car. The plate was cracked and the switch didn't want to stay put. Pelican sells a plate without the fader cutout so I bought that. The Alpine controls all that stuff now.

I cleaned up my fader control as part of cleaning the console, the A/C temp and fan switches and the shift boot, etc. The only thing is now -- sigh -- the fader control won't have a useful purpose in life.

Brian

I have a used it for other things..
 

I used the one in my 944 to function as a dimmer for my rear license plate lights. Yep, back when I was young and evil.

I removed the one in my 83 -911 and put In a kill switch for my hidden fuzz buster, that way it doesn't beep when the officer pulls up next to you in the 7-11 parkinglot. I guess that makes me old and evil now doesn't it. LOL

Options could include an input volume regulator for an MP3 player or you could use it for it's intended reason. A fast way to turn down the volume when talking to someone in the back seat. :-)

Along those same lines my fader switch panel was cracked, I bought one from our host, but it didn't have the hole for the fader switch, I bought a used plate and installed only to find out that the fader switch wiring had been abandon. So all of this conversation has me thinking of putting the blank plate back in.

Anybody know where to pick up a "hot" wire for the stock alarm so I could install a LED light on the blank filler panel?

I was kinda thinking of trying to change my defunct one to an ignition interrupt/ kill switch. Kind of a cheap anti theft device in plain sight but hidden... either this or put in a rear defogger switch in factory location and use that as my anti theft switch...

Great another project on the to do list...it never ends..:D

All right, we have tunes!

I installed a pair of 4-inch Kicker KS400s in the rear and a pair of Kicker 5 1/4-inch DS5250s in the front. The factory stock speaker grill covers work over both types.

I bypassed the fader control, sussed out all the wiring and have soldered and shrink-tubed all of the connections. This has been a big undertaking, considering that I started with a dead Alpine head unit and a bundled rat's nest of hanging-down wiring.

I just have to clean everything up beneath the dash with zip ties and I can knock this issue off the sorting list.

Brian