Audio upgrade question

[Drdogface]

I'd like to replace the original radio in my 78 SC with something that has an aux input but don't want the usual crap you find in today's audio shops that look like they belong in rice mobiles. I'm not sure what size designation mine would be or even how such things are designated as to size...some code or what ?

Of course I'd like to stay with Blaupunkt if possible. I'm open to suggestions for models and good sources.

Yeah, I know the search button is your friend...

[nineball]

you need a single din radio. i am not that familiar with the blau models but almost every radio made today has some form of an aux input. what type of media are you trying to connect via aux? some model control and charge ipods but not all. you can also get them with usb ports and use flash drives which are pretty cheap now.

[Drdogface]

Nineball
Thanks for the reply. Ever since I posted this I've done searches on Pelican and Google for Blaupunkt models. I'd just like to plug my iPhone into the aux plug and have a newer well functioning head unit that looks 'period correct'. I dunno about the size of today's radio head units or their adaptability to my 30+ year old car. The one I found I like the best so far is the Blaupunkt Toronto. It also has bluetooth for the hands free phone, not that I use the phone all that much anyway. Here's a link to that unit:

Blaupunkt: Bluetooth Tuners

[agentogden]

I'd like to throw this one in this thread --

I'd like some suggestions on front door speakers for an '85 Targa. I want to keep the original grilles.

Thanks
AO

[nineball]

mark i linked the wrong one to you via pm, that was the chrome version. this is the black one (for you too ao)

Retrosound Model One Digital media receiver for classic cars at Crutchfield.com

the downside is that there is no cd player. the upside is that it has front panel 1/8" aux-in, rear panel rca aux-in and a remotely mounted usb/sd slot for playing mp3 files from. i find it a little hard to believe that it has the power to output 50wats rms per channel too. most modern radios can only supply 18-24watts per channel.

as far as new door speakers, well there are more choices than you will ever need. the hard part will be finding one that is compatible with your grilles. since i don't have a set of grilles i can't tell you what will work. got pics maybe of the front and back of them? measurements on the mounting points would help too.

[Drdogface]

No problem. I went to the other link and quickly saw that they had a black version as well. I don't need a CD but the aux will be nice. I'll look at that some more. I did find a place locally that has an add on 'gizmo' that plugs in between the radio and the antenna that provides a jack that can be mounted. Dunno how well that works.

My stock radio is OK except for some interference issues which I think are related to the antenna or maybe a flakey ground. I ordered a new antenna from our host and we'll see. I'd still like an aux plug though...

Edit: After entering my car/year/model I get a message that 'this item won't fit'... oh well.

[nineball]

it will fit. crutchfield's system is not perfect. in fact retrosound sells a porsche-specific kit according to their website.

the gizmo is an fm modulator. it goes inline with your antenna and has an aux-in input of some sorts. when it is on (usually from detecting a signal) it stops the input from your antenna and only allows the new source audio to play through. you then tune your radio to a preset station to listen. they are not the best form of sound quality out there but it will be no worse than fm radio and probably slightly better.

[Drdogface]

Originally Posted by nineball

the gizmo is an fm modulator. it goes inline with your antenna and has an aux-in input of some sorts. when it is on (usually from detecting a signal) it stops the input from your antenna and only allows the new source audio to play through. you then tune your radio to a preset station to listen. they are not the best form of sound quality out there but it will be no worse than fm radio and probably slightly better.

Actually that's what I thought too and kinda turned my nose up at it but he said that you do not have to tune your radio..then keep retuning, etc....that this take the signal from the ipod and shoots it direct into the head unit. If you have the jack installed it can work thru it or there's also a wire with a charge/sync type fitting to fit into the bottom of the iPod and it will charge while playing. Costs about $90..at least from him. Can't recall the brand.

[MH911]

Hey Mark. I would NOT suggest the FM modulator. The sound quality is poor. The AUX is a much better solution. Still better yet is a head unit that was made to control your iPhone and charge it as well. I don't know much about the Blaupunkt units. I chose the Alpine iDA-X305. It's a AM/FM/iPhone head unit with no CD. Not period correct, but it works great for me.

For the speakers, I didn't want them to be making any cuts in the doors or the back. So, I have some 4 inch Alpines in the doors and 4x6 Alpines on the back shelf. My original speaker grills were all cracked. So, I'm in search for something that looks as close to OEM as I can find for the doors. I already found a good replacement for the back. I also have a 6 inch Kicker sub to fill the sound out. It's not over the top audio, but it works great for me

[Hodgey]

I chose the Blau New Orleans......great single Din unit

[nineball]

Originally Posted by MH911

Hey Mark. I would NOT suggest the FM modulator. The sound quality is poor. The AUX is a much better solution. Still better yet is a head unit that was made to control your iPhone and charge it as well. I don't know much about the Blaupunkt units. I chose the Alpine iDA-X305. It's a AM/FM/iPhone head unit with no CD. Not period correct, but it works great for me.

like everything else in life it depends on the particular unit. i'll agree that wireless fm transmitters suck for sound but a good hardwired modulator will sound just as good as most cd players (depending on your input source).

i had a few of the alpine iDA models and i did not care for the sq of any of them and found them to be quite lacking actually. i even ran one with the imprint system and still hated it. having worked in and around music most of my life i have very picky ears though.

[MH911]

I don't have any experience with the hardwired modulators. But I would think that it would be a good solution if there really isn't anything else.

I agree that Alpine might not be the best HU on the market. But I do think it has the best interface with iPod/iPhone. I wasn't looking for high end over the top sound. I just wanted something that sounded good ( to me ) and worked well with my iPhone.

[ToddM]

Nobody is gonna recommend the Becker Mexico? lol

[Drdogface]

Thanks to all. I was driving my P car yesterday and realized that I really don't need to plug in the phone/ipod. If I can just get the AM radio working properly w/o static/interference I'll be pretty happy. I mostly listen to talk and baseball but as of now all I can get clearly are local stations. To that end I have ordered a new antenna. Replacing a bad antenna worked like a charm on another vehicle I had with the same interference problem. The one that's installed now is factory and 30+ years old.

[SP2]

I've been thinking of putting in only an amp and running a single wire to the driver's seat area with a aux jack for my iPhone. Would that work for you?

[sobamaflyer]

Originally Posted by SP2

I've been thinking of putting in only an amp and running a single wire to the driver's seat area with a aux jack for my iPhone. Would that work for you?

As I was reading through this thread I was pondering this exact same thing! I'd really rather have at this point a radio block off plate in my dash board if there were some way to hook up my phone to an input and send that to the speakers.

Anyone care to elaborate how this might be possible.

(fwiw I have NOTHING sound related in my car at this moment, radio, antenna, speakers....)

[nineball]

it is possible, but not the best solution. essentially you use a headphone to rca patch cable and plug it directly into the amp's inputs.

amplifiers usually have two inputs, low level (rca) and high level (speaker wire). the low level can usually accept a signal from 0.2v up to 5v, high level inputs are much higher. the "gain" knob on the amp allows you to adjust the incoming signal so that the amp works properly and does not clip, or distort, the signal as it is amplified. clipping is what causes damage to the speaker by essentially sending them a bad signal.

the main problem with running something directly into the amp like an ipod is that you are usually sending to high of a signal to the inputs and thus allowing clipping to happen much easier. when just using a patch able you are not limiting the incoming signal at all, just converting it from one format (speaker wire) to another (rca). setting the gain is part of tuning a system, and usually once it has been properly set (using test tones and your ear or an oscilloscope) it is never touched again unless something before the amp changes.

is this the best solution? no. do people do it on a regular basis? yes. so long as you are careful and keep your gains relatively low you will be ok. the only downside to this method is that you not only have to run power and ground lines to the amp you also have to have a switched 12v source, or remote turn on, to engage the amplifier. normally this signal is supplied by the radio so that the amps are only working when it is on, but since you have no radio you have to get the signal from somewhere else.

[willtel]

Well put nineball.

If you want to go with a headless install using something like a Parrot MKi9100 is a good choice.
Bluetooth Hands Free Car Kits - Parrot USA

Despite its lack of modern features I still love my Denon head unit.

[83_Silberpfeil]

Originally Posted by Drdogface

Nineball
Thanks for the reply. Ever since I posted this I've done searches on Pelican and Google for Blaupunkt models. I'd just like to plug my iPhone into the aux plug and have a newer well functioning head unit that looks 'period correct'. I dunno about the size of today's radio head units or their adaptability to my 30+ year old car. The one I found I like the best so far is the Blaupunkt Toronto. It also has bluetooth for the hands free phone, not that I use the phone all that much anyway. Here's a link to that unit:

Blaupunkt: Bluetooth Tuners

Drdocface:

Did you end-up buying or installing the Blaupunkt Toronto?

I also did some research and wanted to get the Toronto for my 83 SC.

The only USA distributor of the Blue Dot is Midwest Electronics. I almost pulled the trigger last weekend. At the last second upon checking and paying on their website, I saw that they had a "COUPON CODE".

So I googled Coupon Code for Midwest Electronicts --- found out that they had a 30% off deal that ended on 8/25.

So, I'm going to be patient and wait for the next sale --- perhaps XMAS/Holiday timeframe --- Save $60 that pays for 1 pair of speakers.

[Drdogface]

I have not bought anything new re: this subject. I need to do more looking but I really just want an aux input and may just have a local sound shop wire that in for me. I found out that my stock unit does not have a proper ground, so once I get that taken care of it should work great.