New Radio - it's time

[MT930]

I would like to replace my original Blaupunkt "Reno" SQR-46 and put in new speakers with out modifying anything else. I would like to use the same speaker wires if possible.

I would like Blue tooth, MP3, what are the best options.

Anyone have a source for it, Crutchfield still pretty good ? Don't want to break the bank on this.

87 930

[JAR0023]

Just upgraded to a Kenwood. KIV-701. Still new but so far so good. The 901 will have your bluetooth. Car came with vintage a/d/s/ component speakers. One thing I've been impressed with is the ability to adjust sound with this headunit. You can set speaker location, size etc. Active crossovers. The difference between old deck and new is night and day.

J

Sent from my PB99400 using Tapatalk 2

[Slocs]

Blaupunkt Toronto - haven't done it yet, but it seems to fit the bill:

Blaupunkt Toronto 410 MP3 USB Tuner - ($198.85)RYDA Car Audio

Rgds

Rob

[nineball]

if you stick to the quality name brands (kenwood, alpine, pioneer, jvc for example) you really can't go wrong with any selection you make. first step would be to figure out what features are most important to you (bt, usb, ipod support, streaming, color, tuning ability, etc).

crutchfield is still, imho, the best place to buy. no one can hold a candle to their customer service. a few years back i bought a hu from them and it had developed a problem a week into owning it. after explaining the problem they overnighted me a brand new unit and included a return shipping label for the bad one. i have never found another company, in any field, that has that type of support.

[ejp]

I've been looking into this for a while now. My 3.2 Carrera is still in transit, so I have not moved on anything yet...but the 2 weeks in transit has given me lots of time to torture myself researching stuff like this.

I'm far from being a car audio expert. If I can help it, I will never be. However, I've got a pretty good idea for I want: something that supports BT streaming from an Android phone via A2DP, and doesn't have lots of distracting blue lights, lame showy details, or other stuff like chrome-look plastic buttons that will detract from the look of the interior. Further, it needs to have a good hands-free phone option.

There are a few single DIN units that matched some of these requirements, but there just isn't one that covers them all. The ones that meet all of my requirements just aren't there yet in terms of a polished 'experience' that isn't wonky (e.g. the Parrot Asteroid, which I really, really wanted to do everything for me). The Sony DSX-S310BTX meets most of my needs, but had some bad reviews, a poor interface/control, plasti-chrome buttons, and it only lights up in bright blue or bright red which won't work for what I want. It doesn't appear to be the seamless experience that I was looking for.

This is what I came up with (thus far):
Kenwood X996

The display and light color can be customized in any color I choose to match the car, it supports BT streaming w/ music and Pandora via Android phones. More importantly, it doesn't have (what is, IMO) the lame modern flashiness of the other units on the market. The reviews that I've read are all excellent, and it supports Android phones over Bluetooth for Pandora streaming and A2DP. The major downside is that the unit appears to have a gloss black appearance, which no 911 appeared to have prior to the 993 (experts, please correct me if I'm wrong). (I have no association with either Kenwood or Crutchfield. You can find this elsewhere for significantly cheaper, too.)

There are (what appear to be) some good Blaupunkt units on the market that support BT and would look good in a P-Car. I've looked into those, and they can work. However, Blaupunkt has pulled out of the US market. You can pick those up from overseas dealers willing to ship to the US, but you'll lose out on AM/FM/HD radio as radio frequencies tend to be specific to the regional market.

If you're willing to wait about 3-4 weeks for my car to be delivered and shaken down, then have mechanical work completed before the less critical stuff (e.g. audio) - I'll give you a full report. Otherwise, I'll look forward to your report

I do know all about the Blaupunkt Reno, though. Back in the day, I had an '87 944 as my DD for years...and that Reno was pretty bad by almost any standard. I feel your pain on this one.

[willywoody]

I gotta recommend Rod Birch at Car Audio Innovations. He has been great to deal with and has quickly responded to any queries I had with install. I bought the Kenwood kiv- bt901 from him and got the speakers on my own. He sent detailed year and model specific instructions and has replaced the unit under warranty twice, once for something I screwed up in installation and then recently when my voltage regulator decided to start sending out over 15 volts regularly.

[James Brown]

if you want to stick with the original looking radio, have the sqr-46 modified with a iPod input cable (3.5mm) plug and use your choice of mp3 player. Good speakers and an amp under the seat will make great sound and still look old school

[Tidybuoy]

My only objection to Alpine is that the new systems have too, too bright LED displays. The sound is good but it's annoyingly bright.

Blindingly Bright LED Display.

[Rainking]

I have been doing quite a bit of research on this. I also have an 87 and want the same (Bluetooth, audio streaming, hands free telephone, etc.). I was going to put in the Blaupunkt Toronto to keep it somewhat original but the best option seems to be the Kenwood Excelon KDC-X996. It has everything and the best part is that you can change the color to match our interior lights! No annoying LED.

Kenwood Excelon KDC-X996 CD receiver at Crutchfield.com

Still working on the speakers. Do share if you find something.

[83_Silberpfeil]

For my 83 SC, I removed the PO's circa late 80s Jensen and the original Blaupunkt speakers.

I replaced with the Blaupunkt Toronto BT400 and infinity speakers. Sounds great and I love the bluetooth connectivity w my iPhone!

The BT400 was purchased from amazon.de (Germany). If you buy now via Amazon Germany you take advan of the favorable dollar/euro rates! Note that amazon.de's listed price includes MWSt --- Mehrwert Steuer or value added tax VAT. When you put the item on shopping cart and check out and input your US address, the total amount will be reduced to remove the 19% German VAT tax.

All in all with shipping to SoCal it cost me about $215. This is intantly in stock and ready to ship by amazon de. The site referenced by the poster above, if you click thru it indicates 'coming soon'. I played the waiting game for 6 months w Midwestelectronics.com for the BT400 --- then bought instantly via amazon de.

I did have to buy a 'universal wire harness' via ebay for $20. Install was a sinch --- other than the PO leaving a mess of wires down there.

I was able to set to an low key period correct 'amber' lscreen lighting w black lettering. I love the very emphatic blue lit on/off button. Very German car like, very period correct, and very very Blaupunkt!

The BT 400 has the big blue button, but the BT410 is a bit different. I liked the face of the BT400 better even though bT410 is the newer model and both were avail at that time.

Good luck. PM me if u have Qs.

Jonathan

[tirwin]

+1 on the Kenwood. I bought the X995. In the process of installing it now. Using it with an Alpine PDX-5, Hybrid Audio Legatia L6's in the doors with L1 tweeters. Also using passive crossovers.

It's relatively easy to pull new speaker wire for the doors. Here's my trick. Clip the connectors of the factory wiring. Drop a piece of shrink tube on the end of the new wire (but don't heat it). Then solder the new wire to the old wire. Now slide the shrink tube over the soldered connection and heat it. Now crack the door so there's a gap of about a foot. Pull the old wire from inside the car and you should fish the new wire through easily. I've done this a few times and it's always worked.

[sc_rufctr]

OT but does anyone make a quality head unit that does not have a CD/Blueray transport?

Just tuner + iPhone etc or direct hard drive USB drive connectivity?

[Hezath]

I have a JVC headunit (not in a P-car) and one nice feature of it is that you can make the screen and buttons any hue and brightness you want, and you can make it change from day-time to night-time. This may sound tacky (as the display models run through the rainbow which looks awful obviously), but when installed with the right settings, you can make it match your instrument cluster in colour and brightness, so it looks really nice and factory at night.

My JVC KD-R826BT has bluetooth, MP3 CD player, two USB ports and all that other stuff you'd expect. It doesn't have digital radio though - I imagine you guys in the States have digital radio? I know you have Satellite radio (which we aussies don't have and don't know much about haha)

[mystro]

A moden radio can really ruin the authentic and classic look of a 911. What is the end goal?? A air cooled 911 is not the best place to hear hi fidelity audio. More people are searching for the stock radios to put back in to restore the integrity of their cars interior. Just some points to consider. I put new speakers all around and use a mp3 cassette adapter to go to my GPS which plays MP3s and has Bluetooth,etc... It's good compromise without ruining the vibe of the interior an I can hear the music with the top off.

[Hezath]

You can always put the headunit in the glovebox etc if you want, or just run whatever signal you want (MP3 player of some kind) straight into an amp under your seat if you're that worried about aesthetics. As long as your speakers don't have brand names/chrome spiders and so on on them, and the headunit doesn't light up bright red then it isn't too bad IMO.

[fanaudical]

I've also been looking at Kenwood (KIV-701 and X995/x996) but having trouble with how it will appear in the dash. Great head units, but the look just won't be right for what I'm thinking it should be.

Retrosound has their new "Model Two" with iPod connectivity coming out end of July (I hope) and I'll be looking at that when available. The Retrosound Model One appears to have most base features with a reasonable "retro" appearance.

[willywoody]

The Kenwood in my post above is that type of unit.

OT but does anyone make a quality head unit that does not have a CD/Blueray transport?



Just tuner + iPhone etc or direct hard drive USB drive connectivity?

[sc_rufctr]

^^^^

Are you sure? In the link it says it's a CD player. I mean no mechanical parts at all.

[willywoody]

Yes it has no cd player.
Kenwood KIV-BT901 Digital media receiver at Crutchfield.com

^^^^



Are you sure? In the link it says it's a CD player. I mean no mechanical parts at all.

[nineball]

alpine also makes non-cd headunits, the ida line, but i would not suggest them. i had 2 models and they both were terrible as far as sq goes. either way they cost just about the same as the cd models, and since most have the cd slot located behind the faceplate you may as well just get one in the event you ever want to pop in a cd.

the kenwood x99x line are great units. i had a 993 and a 995 and loved them both. they would be my first choice for a non-active headunit.