FS: RetroSound Radio

[ChristopherL]

Used, but known good RetroSound radio.
Only installed in a restored car for 1,100 miles after completion of restoration.

No manuals, no box, no instructions.
Please note - the quick connect plug for the Power/Ground/Battery/Remote Turn On/Antenna trigger is NOT present or included.
If you're installing this, I trust you're savvy enough to cut off the big connector and wire directly to the wires.
What you see is what you get.

Labeled inputs/outputs include:
-Line out - Front (RCA)
-Line out - Rear (RCA)
-4 channels of speaker level outputs
-Antenna connector (antenna in)
-Aux In #1 (headphone style plug)
-Aux In #2 (headphone style plug)
-Microphone Out
-USB

$150 shipped in ConUSA via UPS Ground
Photos below, including photo of it powered up prior to removal.

Email is best, not PM.
[email protected]

Thank you,
-CL

 

[billpatterson]

Hi CL,

I am getting ready to install a Retrosound 'radio' into my E3. How did it work for you? They seem like a real good unit? What constant power did you use for its clock?

Regards,
Bill

 

[bimoverde]

did you have to cut the original opening? (dimensions of the inbox)?

 

[JetDexter]

Hi CL,

I am getting ready to install a Retrosound 'radio' into my E3. How did it work for you? They seem like a real good unit? What constant power did you use for its clock?

Regards,
Bill

Thought I would give you my experience since I just moved to retrosound. I love the unit. I have the bluetooth version for convenience, and I gotta say that it connects very well every time. The constant power is a bit irritating, as most small devices these days include a small battery to hold it's settings for even a short while. Since I am working on my car a lot, I wind up cutting power often. That dang unit loses EVERYTHING. The LED goes back to disco mode with colors, radio presets are gone, startup volume is back to last used (which is usually too loud for early mornings in the garage). Oddly, the bluetooth memory is the only thing that holds. I'm planning on inserting a little battery module next to the unit so that I don't have to spend 10 minutes every week reconfiguring the memory.

I know that is way more than you were asking for , but hey- there it is! They are great little units in spite of it, and happy I made the switch.

 

[bmw2800cs]

Hi CL,

I am getting ready to install a Retrosound 'radio' into my E3. How did it work for you? They seem like a real good unit? What constant power did you use for its clock?

Regards,
Bill

I've got one too, I really like the bluetooth, yeah constant power is an issue.

 

[billpatterson]

Thought I would give you my experience since I just moved to retrosound. I love the unit. I have the bluetooth version for convenience, and I gotta say that it connects very well every time. The constant power is a bit irritating, as most small devices these days include a small battery to hold it's settings for even a short while. Since I am working on my car a lot, I wind up cutting power often. That dang unit loses EVERYTHING. The LED goes back to disco mode with colors, radio presets are gone, startup volume is back to last used (which is usually too loud for early mornings in the garage). Oddly, the bluetooth memory is the only thing that holds. I'm planning on inserting a little battery module next to the unit so that I don't have to spend 10 minutes every week reconfiguring the memory.

I know that is way more than you were asking for , but hey- there it is! They are great little units in spite of it, and happy I made the switch.

Hi JetDexter,
Very cool to use a 12v chargeable battery module to save the radios settings! Do you have one in mind? If so, please share?

I like that you really like the unit. I too will have Bluetooth for music and calls. Super slick it looks period correct.

Regards,
Bill

 

[JetDexter]

Hi JetDexter,
Very cool to use a 12v chargeable battery module to save the radios settings! Do you have one in mind? If so, please share?

Will do- I haven't taken the time to do that yet, but a very small NiCd battery will do but critically needs a very low trickle charge input. Its common for a lot of products we buy. $20 for the battery and a little circuit to limit the current way way down. I'll post it somewhere for anyone interested once I get to that. Still trying to get all the windows in my car LOL.

So sorry to hijack this thread.

 

[Sean Haas]

My mechanics sat on mine for the last couple years so I grabbed it and am going to DIY. I plan to use the quad amp instead of just the head unit. For anyone who has installed one of these on an E3, any suggestions on where to mount the amp? I'd prefer to use the plug'n'play wiring connectors, which aren't very long (about 20" on one side), so to do that the amp has to be within close range (20" or so) of the head unit. At first glance it appears there is a bit less room under the dash than I'd hoped. I haven't started taking stuff apart to look for a spot yet so I figured I'd see if someone else has already done this.

 

[HB Chris]

Best under the rear seat.

 

[Sean Haas]

You’re probably right Chris, but then I have to splice a bunch of wires instead of using the premade connectors. I was also thinking of under the passenger seat since I’m already mounting a sub under there and there’s some controls on the amp (which hopefully I can set and forget but you never know).

 

[JFENG]

My mechanics sat on mine for the last couple years so I grabbed it and am going to DIY. I plan to use the quad amp instead of just the head unit. For anyone who has installed one of these on an E3, any suggestions on where to mount the amp? I'd prefer to use the plug'n'play wiring connectors, which aren't very long (about 20" on one side), so to do that the amp has to be within close range (20" or so) of the head unit. At first glance it appears there is a bit less room under the dash than I'd hoped. I haven't started taking stuff apart to look for a spot yet so I figured I'd see if someone else has already done this.

I put an external amp inside the glovebox on my E3 (40 years ago). IIRC it is cavernous and a 4ch amp should fit fine attached to the rear/vertical wall of the inner compartment. Modern class D amps are so thermally efficient maybe someone makes one small enough to attach to the backside of the glovebox, eg not visible.

 

[Sean Haas]

OK helpful to know there is likely room back there before I start taking stuff off, that's probably a good spot - amp is 7 x 2 x 3 so not that big and correct, does not need a ton of air space. I'll give that a go.

 

[bmw2800cs]

I put an external amp inside the glovebox on my E3 (40 years ago). IIRC it is cavernous and a 4ch amp should fit fine attached to the rear/vertical wall of the inner compartment. Modern class D amps are so thermally efficient maybe someone makes one small enough to attach to the backside of the glovebox, eg not visible.

A little bit of a tangent but I've considered skipping the head unit entirely (putting in a vintage head unit just for aesthetics) and putting in a bluetooth amplifier. Here is a small class D that I've considered - not sure if the fact that it is a marine amplifier matters:

Soundstream ST4.1000DB

4-channel marine/powersports amplifier with Bluetooth® — 90 watts RMS x 4

www.crutchfield.com

 

[JFENG]

OK helpful to know there is likely room back there before I start taking stuff off, that's probably a good spot - amp is 7 x 2 x 3 so not that big and correct, does not need a ton of air space. I'll give that a go.

That’s actually pretty big relative to what’s possible with modern class-d power IC’s. A 150wpc can be as small as 3”x3”x1.5” of designed well.
Another rock location is under the rear seat, on the vertical metal seat “ledge”.

 

[JFENG]

there is likely room back there

And once installed, access is pretty easy by disconnecting the glove box hinge and letting it open down to the floor. I think maybe the glove box little has constant power, but my memory might be fuzzy (this was 1983, I can’t believe how old I am).

 

[HB Chris]

Most amps need10g wire for power

 

[Sean Haas]

Yes Chris I will be running new fused wiring to the amp. Sounds like one of those two spots will work.

 

[boonies]

My original blaupunkt worked, but I really wasn't able to tune it, so I purchased the used unit from VSR1.

Installed with no cutting needed. constant 12v comes from the cigarette lighter with switched power from the original wiring.

I did add the static cling decal that was available at an additional cost from Retrosound and added some different knobs that are more in keeping with the period.

For speakers I used the custom auto sounds "under cover II" speakers and upgraded the in-dash speakers (can't recall the make/part #). There are no speaker holes cut in the car and I decided that I wanted to keep it that way. the speakers in the rear are on the floor and tuck up under the front seats nicely.

I did pick up a Becker Europa from eBay and have been thinking about sending it converted with the FMR and bluetooth upgrades. Meanwhile, while not stock it looks reasonably close at first glance.

 

[bmw2800cs]

My original blaupunkt worked, but I really wasn't able to tune it, so I purchased the used unit from VSR1.
View attachment 143928
Installed with no cutting needed. constant 12v comes from the cigarette lighter with switched power from the original wiring.

I did add the static cling decal that was available at an additional cost from Retrosound and added some different knobs that are more in keeping with the period.

For speakers I used the custom auto sounds "under cover II" speakers and upgraded the in-dash speakers (can't recall the make/part #). There are no speaker holes cut in the car and I decided that I wanted to keep it that way. the speakers in the rear are on the floor and tuck up under the front seats nicely.

View attachment 143929View attachment 143930View attachment 143931

I did pick up a Becker Europa from eBay and have been thinking about sending it converted with the FMR and bluetooth upgrades. Meanwhile, while not stock it looks reasonably close at first glance.

How difficult is it to remove the wood so that you can access the center speaker?

 

[HB Chris]

The grille just pops off, the rest of the wood, not easy!