Thinking of buying a retro style car stereo with modern features

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bmw2800cs

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Has anyone installed one of the modern car stereos with retro looking faceplates? Any suggestions? I'm about to take off my center console (both the side pieces and the console with the shifter) and I figure I could pop in a car stereo while I'm at it. It already has 4 speakers and an amp (and it looks like the wiring and RCA jacks are there).

- Steve
 
I like to call them pseudo-retro radios, a little more chrome and a digital face/scale isn‘t quite retro to me. They do seem to be popular though, I’m sure product reviews are available.
 
HB Chris said:
I like to call them pseudo-retro radios, a little more chrome and a digital face/scale isn‘t quite retro to me. They do seem to be popular though, I’m sure product reviews are available.
Click to expand...
Yeah, definitely pseudo. I'd like eventually to put a modular radio in it - one with just an LCD that allows bluetooth, carplay etc. Right now, since I'm going to have the center console removed and the wiring exists I want to put something that won't take much to install. Probably something that looks like this Becker, but yes with led numbers:
 

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I removed the radio from my car entirely. It is very difficult to get good sound in our cars. As you know, glass transmits sound well, particularly low frequency sound, which is all around when driving. And our cars have lots of glass, so even if other issues were addressed, the lovely expansive greenhouse in our cars is going to allow in a lot of ambient noise.

Then there is the fact that our cars originally had very little sound deadening and even if you add a bunch yourself, there are certain areas -inside the doors, in the fender near the rear windows, behind the dash and the roof - that are difficult to treat. Without treatment, lots of ambient noise will encroach through these sources, particularly the larger sheet metal panels (like the door skins).

Add to that the fact that it is difficult to find places to install speakers. High frequency tweaters best transmit sound close to ear level facing the listener; you would need to use the A pillar to achieve that. Low frequency drivers need a solid installation so that the energy from the movement of the woofers turns into sound waves and not vibration. etc., etc.

AM radio for listening to baseball games, sure. But if you want to listen to music, install a blue tooth speaker in the center speaker location and run it off your phone.
 
Can anyone confirm how clean the sound is and does it really produce 75W? Normal amps are much larger and produce a fair amount of heat.
 
No idea about the audio from the page, but if they have used so called D-class Audio Amplifier it is possible to be small.
Most of users will not notice any diffrence but the amplifier is making an audio by frequent switching (pulse width modulation). It allows to keep power stage much more efficient.
Pure A or A/B class Audio Amp consumes huge amount of energy even if there is no audio passing through.
 
Oh, and our cars are not wired for a big power stereo. Whoever installed the stereo in my car for the prior owner wired the amp through fuse number 1, which is primarily for the left side lights. They then pulled the 5 amp fuse and installed a 40 amp fuse, and when the owner cranked up the music, the fuse block, wiring at the back of the block, the tail light assembly and wiring at the tail light all melted.
 
Oh ... :oops:

He might at least instal left channel for left light and right for the right.

I can imagine how the light were blinking, synchronized with bass. ;)
 
Do you have an AC car? If so, is your radio opening already hacked for Single DIN size? If so, sky's the limit. If not, then if it were me, I wouldn't cut it.

Of course, non-AC cars, you can put any radio you want in there.

For AC cars...

Find yourself an original Blaupunkt Frankfurt AM/FM STereo (about $300-400) or a Becker Europa II or Grand Prix w/stereo (a little more $$$) and get the guts converted to accept an input jack.

Fits like this:


From there, you can put any cheap bluetooth adapter in there. E.g. here you're using the AUX for the input jack:
www.ebay.com

Becker Stereo Radio Europa II Bluetooth® 5.0 Music Streaming With 7 Pin | eBay

Keep your Becker radio and add this amazing enhanced technology device to get music streaming. This device supports high quality audio streaming with the use of an Integrated Digital Signal Processor Sony LDAC.
www.ebay.com

The latter already includes bluetooth. No need for a sep BT adapter to the input jack to go through.

I have a Europa II w/the external amp too where you have options to connect to an external amplifier.

via:

www.ebay.com

Becker Stereo Europa II, Mexico Cassette Vollstereo 485 and Becker Grand Prix MU | eBay

Stereo MU With S eparate Amplifier ONLY!!
www.ebay.com
 
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Not sure if these have been posted here previously, but they seem interesting.

Appears to be a whole range of models and custom refit of original hardware available.

www.retrosoundusa.com.au

TRIBUTE-SERIES BLUETOOTH AM/FM USB AUX RADIO ASSEMBLY : EUROPA (LMKUU)

The Tribute-Series radio is undeniably the closest visual representation of the original Becker Europa and is packed full of today's popular features like Bluetooth, AM/FM Radio, Optional DAB Digital Radio, USB/AUX inputs and RCA Line-out.
www.retrosoundusa.com.au
 
Erik said:
Not sure if these have been posted here previously, but they seem interesting.

Appears to be a whole range of models and custom refit of original hardware available.

www.retrosoundusa.com.au

TRIBUTE-SERIES BLUETOOTH AM/FM USB AUX RADIO ASSEMBLY : EUROPA (LMKUU)

The Tribute-Series radio is undeniably the closest visual representation of the original Becker Europa and is packed full of today's popular features like Bluetooth, AM/FM Radio, Optional DAB Digital Radio, USB/AUX inputs and RCA Line-out.
www.retrosoundusa.com.au
Click to expand...
Wow, really nice classic Becker with modern connections and even a DIN adapter. Kinda pricey but really good option.
 
I am starting the installation of a Retrosound Hermosa radio with euro faceplate and euro decal. We are building a driver. We also used two 3 inch speakers in the dash for the front speakers same as I have used on our Wagoneer. I will be switching the knobs later.
www.crutchfield.com

RetroRadio M2A (Chrome buttons)

Digital media receiver for classic cars — does not play discs
www.crutchfield.com www.crutchfield.com
www.retromanufacturing.com

Faceplates

RetroRadio faceplates add a decorative trim to your RetroRadio to match the interior styling of your specific make and model. These faceplates are designed as a trim piece that is applied over the Radio Face and mount in front of the dash. Please see our bezel section for decorative bezels that...
www.retromanufacturing.com www.retromanufacturing.com
www.retromanufacturing.com

Vintage Overlays

Complete the look of your RetroRadio™ by applying one of our Vintage Overlays to the face of your radio. These decorative protectors are easily applied to your RetroRadio™ screen and simulate the appearance of classic radio dials – perfect for complimenting the complete look of your classic. (3)...
www.retromanufacturing.com www.retromanufacturing.com
 

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which modern power amp are you using? I couldn’t find one with sensitive enough inputs to work with this adapter without the old becker amp still in place

teahead said:
I have a Europa II w/the external amp too where you have options to connect to an external amplifier.

via:

www.ebay.com

Becker Stereo Europa II, Mexico Cassette Vollstereo 485 and Becker Grand Prix MU | eBay

Stereo MU With S eparate Amplifier ONLY!!
www.ebay.com
Click to expand...
 
HB Chris said:
Can anyone confirm how clean the sound is and does it really produce 75W? Normal amps are much larger and produce a fair amount of heat.
Click to expand...

With the modern classic D quad power IC’s it is no problem to get 300 total rms watts from a box that size. 100w from a box the size of a pack of cigarettes was standard for ClassD more than 20 years ago.

The absence of heat fins suggests it won’t pass an OEM heat test ( full power continuous op at 75C or more), but should be fine for real world use.

The quality of the sound isn’t limited by the Class D chips but everything else on the amps, like the quality of the output filter components (Inductors) required by class D amps.

Looks like great stuff.

John
 
Thanks everyone for the info! I also came across these guys - don't know if I want to lay out the cash but they seem to be doing nice restorations with built in Bluetooth:
www.chromelondon.com

chromelondon

Blaupunkt Frankfurt Becker Mexico Europa Grand Prix Porsche VW Mercedes Vintage Classic Car Radios For Sale, Bought Exchanged Restore Repair Upgrade add MP3
www.chromelondon.com www.chromelondon.com
 
Erik said:
Not sure if these have been posted here previously, but they seem interesting.

Appears to be a whole range of models and custom refit of original hardware available.

www.retrosoundusa.com.au

TRIBUTE-SERIES BLUETOOTH AM/FM USB AUX RADIO ASSEMBLY : EUROPA (LMKUU)

The Tribute-Series radio is undeniably the closest visual representation of the original Becker Europa and is packed full of today's popular features like Bluetooth, AM/FM Radio, Optional DAB Digital Radio, USB/AUX inputs and RCA Line-out.
www.retrosoundusa.com.au
Click to expand...
Wow I had looked at their stuff but I hadn't seen this, very nice!
 
Dan Wood said:
I am starting the installation of a Retrosound Hermosa radio with euro faceplate and euro decal. We are building a driver. We also used two 3 inch speakers in the dash for the front speakers same as I have used on our Wagoneer. I will be switching the knobs later.
www.crutchfield.com

RetroRadio M2A (Chrome buttons)

Digital media receiver for classic cars — does not play discs
www.crutchfield.com www.crutchfield.com
www.retromanufacturing.com

Faceplates

RetroRadio faceplates add a decorative trim to your RetroRadio to match the interior styling of your specific make and model. These faceplates are designed as a trim piece that is applied over the Radio Face and mount in front of the dash. Please see our bezel section for decorative bezels that...
www.retromanufacturing.com www.retromanufacturing.com
www.retromanufacturing.com

Vintage Overlays

Complete the look of your RetroRadio™ by applying one of our Vintage Overlays to the face of your radio. These decorative protectors are easily applied to your RetroRadio™ screen and simulate the appearance of classic radio dials – perfect for complimenting the complete look of your classic. (3)...
www.retromanufacturing.com www.retromanufacturing.com
Click to expand...
Yep, I'm doing what you're doing :)
 
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