Filling the gap in radio options?

[Demonic]

I like it, very cool man.

I bought a gently used Retrosound from someone here, saved a little. The fit is not as easy and flawless as a factory radio or even an adjustable twin shaft.

Stop watching the news, it's all biased one way or the other anyway.

 

[YY1]

I have a tiny sandisk USB MMC card media player with built in FM tuner and 1/8 output.

The interface is not the best but it works and has up/dn/L/R input.

I looked long and hard to find anything like this originally for use on a motorcycle.

You can also get a class D amp with USB/MMC and 1/8 input.

For me it's all about the interface.

I am now considering an old cell phone for music storage and the menu.

There always seems to be one piece of the puzzle missing. (for the phone, it's the FM tuner)


BTW, most Mopars have 6x9 speaker holes (OK one 6x9 and one 5x8, but a 6x9 will work)

You can get one hell of a high performance speaker in that format.
How much do you want to spend?

Two HP 6x9's and a 100 (or more) watt amp pretty much solves that end of the problem.

 

[HawkRod]

OK. Be nice, everybody. Here it is , I still have to put a 4-pin microphone connector on the side for power and speaker, and a Line In plug, too. On the back, you can see the Motorola antenna plug. It has an FM tuner function, too. The circuit board came out of a smashed Blackmore BRS-1104 that I found.

That is super cool, especially because you built it yourself. Kudos! Nothing wrong at all with the way you are going - we each have our own preferences and there is nothing wrong with any of them!

I went the expensive route: I had my 70 AM radio rebuilt so it is a bluetooth, AM/FM and phone compatible unit. I hid the microphone in the ash tray for phone calls. I also added a good speaker in the front, two in the back, and a hidden subwoofer. The system sounds great, and the only thing that can be seen are the two round speakers on the rear package tray. Other than that, it looks factory stock. I like being able to control my tunes using my radio controls, so I had to pay up to do that.

 

[matthon]

I bought a Pioneer non cd receiver/amplifier/tuner for next to nothing on sale somewhere. It's half the size of a standard radio and 1/16 the weight.
Mounted at the bottom of the dash, bluetooth to my phone where the tunes are kept, microphone mounted to the rearview for calls.
Radio delete car, so dash is stock and uncut.
Boat radio antenna hidden under dash, was less than $5 shipped.

 

[YY1]

Some "media only" receivers are 1/3 the depth but still DIN height and width.

You could conceivably use double sided tape to stick them over the factory radio area without cutting.

 

[signalsparks]

I have a tiny sandisk USB MMC card media player with built in FM tuner and 1/8 output.

The interface is not the best but it works and has up/dn/L/R input.

I looked long and hard to find anything like this originally for use on a motorcycle.

You can also get a class D amp with USB/MMC and 1/8 input.

For me it's all about the interface.

I am now considering an old cell phone for music storage and the menu.

There always seems to be one piece of the puzzle missing. (for the phone, it's the FM tuner)


BTW, most Mopars have 6x9 speaker holes (OK one 6x9 and one 5x8, but a 6x9 will work)

You can get one hell of a high performance speaker in that format.
How much do you want to spend?

Two HP 6x9's and a 100 (or more) watt amp pretty much solves that end of the problem.

The dash speaker is a 4 x 10. I have seen at least one 'radio delete' car that actually had a speaker installed there at the factory! I think the rear speaker option was only a 6 x 9, and the 5 x 8 hole was for the rear defroster? Of course, the paper cones turn to dust after a couple decades.

I found a pair of 4 x 10s on closeout at an electronics store and mounted one in the dash.

 

[YY1]

A 6x9 will fit in that 5x8 location.

 

[YY1]

4x10's generally (pardon my french) suck.

I've never seen one anywhere near as robust as a "mid-fi" 6x9.

 

[signalsparks]

4x10's generally (pardon my french) suck.

I've never seen one anywhere near as robust as a "mid-fi" 6x9.

I'm 100% with you on that. I would have bought one of those 4 x 10 plates that have two 3" cones and a tweeter instead, but the price ($15) on the pair of Cerwin-Vega 4 x 10s was too low to pass up. I'm saving my pennies to rebuild the front end, replace the factory A/C (the compressor threw a rod!), and do power front disc brakes.

 

[YY1]

I bough the best 4x10s I could find for my mom's 1980 gran prix.

They still sucked. Largest magnets I could find were fitting for a marginal 5 1/4 cone.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

So here's what's available to do for tunes in your classic ride these days:

1. Have your original radio rebuilt, starting around $300
2. Buy a Retrosound unit, starting around $400 (and they sound about as good as the original)
3. Hack up your dash
4. Tuck a modern single-din unit under the dash and hope no one pries it off with a crowbar while you're grabbing a hot dog at the car show
5. Go full bump-trunk seismic disruptor with a high-amp electrical system, amps bigger than your air cleaner, a modern head unit, and subwoofers everywhere. Park and play some tunes at the car show, your battery goes flat with the first bass drop.
6. Grab a portable bluetooth speaker and put it somewhere. Forget to charge it, it goes dead in the middle of your favorite song.

What if there was another option? Here's what I want:

1. Use stock speaker location(s) with new/modern speakers that fit
2. Sounds about as good as a rebuilt original radio
3. FM radio capability using your existing antenna (for the drive-in movies!)
4. Bluetooth and line-in connectivity for music off your phone, etc.
5. Easily hidden or removed for show n' shines
6. Low current draw for stock or nearly-stock electrical systems
7. Runs off accessory power, but has its own backup battery so you can park, chill and listen to tunes without burning up your ignition points
8. The whole unit plugs in with 4 wires (mono dash speaker +/-, 12v accessory power +/-)
9. About the size of a catering truck burrito (or smaller)
10. COSTS ABOUT $50 OR LESS

I don't see anything on the market that fits that bill.

On election night, instead of causing myself angina by watching the news, I went all mad scientist with my soldering iron, hacksaw, and some bits and baubles I had lying around. I came up with a prototype.

Would anyone else be interested in such an item?

There are more options you didn't listed

The repro electronic units ( sure they are on $500-600 rate ). Several sellers for these. And some other series ( when fits ), such as 230, 630 etc. And Secretaudio system too.

https://www.classiccarstereos.com/?...MAhijmmTMCTG3oUUORWj2406Sn8Je7shoCOlAQAvD_BwE


AAAALSO ( and I'm thinking this route maybe someday after play with the 1st series repro Radio I got from a member and decide if I like or not )

Upgrade by yourself your own one on your old case, which can be optioned as wished and better optioned just buying the internal components with the AURORA DESIGN modular system. Sure not cheap either but you can begin on basic functions and get it more optioned when you want or can.


True any of these is cheap, but honestly a bit more decent, for the correct look

 

[Nacho-RT74]

BTW, except for the cost, that doesn't fill my check list LOL. The main one is that I don't want a divorced system from my stock appearance or fitting device except for aux in devices.

Sure is a great idea and a great job! But not my taste.

 

[YY1]

Cost is for sure a factor.

As much as I like the position-able shaft units that can fit in the factory location, I have a hard time justifying a $400 price tag, when the Pioneer 4400 series units I've been buying have 25wpc, USB and aux in for about $50, plus a wireless remote I don't use and BT capability. Also configurable illumination to match the factory colors!