Plehz. Need aftermarket radio help

[Donnyten]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Car-Stereo-Radio-Audio-Bluetooth-Head-Unit-Player-FM-MP3-USB-SD-AUX-Handsfree/272421087802?epid=18003300988&hash=item3f6d8fea3a

Want buy this.. would it work/fit? no idea how to install aftermarket radio other than plug n play.. never did it before.. what would i need?

[AC439]

This should fit, its a half DIN and I have a similar radio installed (Pyle). Your choice has two sets of RCA output so you can drive a sub as well. I did mine in a "redneck" way by connecting the RCA preamp out to a computer sub. I use a small inverter to power the computer sub with 110vac. I have the small sub mounted inside the car at the middle floor right behind the parking brake. It gives me enough bass without shaking anyone else's windows. I spiced the factory wires and connect to the new radio's hardness. Its not rocket science. Basically you look at the factory wiring diagram to figure out which color pair of the factory wiring is for what speaker, power, ground, and constant +12v and that's it. I think you can find such resources everywhere on the internet.

[Dr_Snooz]

That one isn't going to sound very nice, but maybe better than silence. I think there's a pinout for the stereo in the manual somewhere. Probably one around here on the site too. Be sure to read the installation instructions. You don't need much besides a 12v constant, 12v switched and ground. You also have to figure out where the speaker wires are and how to connect them. It's not hard. Just think it through before you start cutting wires.

To threadjack slightly, we can't get a adapter harness for our cars, which leaves us connecting everything up with crimp connectors. That's supremely hillbilly and looks awful. Does anyone have a more professional way of connecting all that wire mess other than crimp connectors? I've thought about buying Molex connectors and pinning them up, but that's a special order, and a wait.

[AC439]

Snooze: I have done after market radio many times on different cars and I have only used an adapter once (on a Maxima). I have never done it with crimping. Being an E.E. (my background), more connectors means more chances of bad contact points / corrosion etc. My own preference is spice wires, solder and heat shrink tubes (sometimes more than one layer of heat shrink tubes). This way, I know I have a solid and long lasting connection.

Even other electrical areas with crimping needed, I would usually add solder to make sure I don't have a chance of poor connection. For example, the commonly used ring wire connectors for many uses in car wiring for aftermarket applications, I usually will let the wire stick out a little towards the ring so I can put some solder after crimping to make sure it will give a solid connection.

Back to the radio, it may not sound bad depending on what the power amp chip set used. My redneck setup turned out to be very good, even better than all other car stereos I ever have believe it or not (including Bose and the so called premium sound in my wife's Lexus). I put in a Pyle unit which uses a TDA7377 chip (similar to a TDA7297 chip which has very good regards in DIYAudio.com and I have one of those also). I use Pioneer speakers all around, added my redneck computer sub and 2 mini tweeters on the doors at the plastic triangular piece inside door behind rear view mirror angled towards the driver location. With a little tweak over the bass and treble, it sounds excellent (was a big surprise). Very clear sound, full and strong bass (since I have the sub inside the cabin, not inside the trunk). The cost of the setup was minimal. Head unit (Pyle PLR27MPBU) was like $35 (now $50 Amazon), Pioneer speakers, a sub cost $5 (thrift store), inverter $9 (Walmart), Tweeter ($10/pair), RCA to 3.5 mm stereo signal line (~$5). I will try to post some pics maybe later today just to illustrate this concept.

But by just looking at Donny's ebay link, we cannot tell what power chip is inside. I didn't know mine either but I opened it up to look so I know. My other favorite radio brand is Pioneer but it is a totally different price category.

[Donnyten]

Thx for the info..

I was hoping this would work for thee adapta. I believe another member on this board said this adapta would adapt to OEM harness

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/metra-wiring-harness-for-most-1986-1998-honda-acura-vehicles-multicolored/347155.p?skuId=347155&ref=212&loc=1&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1266837&ref=212&loc=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8efwvc2d3gIVj4nICh1FBAWBEAQYAiAB EgJRo_D_BwE

Nah? Plehz hep

[AC439]

I dont know if this adaptor will work or not but you have to connect the wires of this adaptor to the wires come with the radio anyway. It claims will fit but I suggest asking bestbuy if you can return and refund in case it doesn't.

[Donnyten]

Thx. Well, ordered radio.. will be here tomorrow. Ill letchall know how it turns out

[schaff70]

https://www.amazon.com/Shrink-Solder-Sleeve-Crimpless-Connectors/dp/B01M1032A7

First saw these on a Facebook ad a while back. Low heat solder centers with heat shrink tubing already included. From what I've seen you can melt the solder with only a heat gun.

[AC439]

Ok, some pics for my setup...

The inverter also has USB charging port, great for my phone. The inverter is plugged into my custom electrical panel, which is switched on only when engine is running. I don't have to manually turning on or off the inverter.

[Donnyten]

Thats pretty cool. I like it

[Donnyten]

Well i got the unit. Unfortunately only one speaker in my car works and the bass is horribly distorted so ill have to figure out whats going on.. on the stock radio i didnt get any sound at all

[InAccordance]

heh, mine still has the original speakers from 1989 and they do work... horribly but still..

[Dr_Snooz]

My own preference is spice wires, solder and heat shrink tubes (sometimes more than one layer of heat shrink tubes).

That's definitely a superior method, but what do you do when you need to take the dash apart?

[Dr_Snooz]

And I'd definitely take Donny's $18 stereo over a Bose every day of the week.

[AC439]

That's definitely a superior method, but what do you do when you need to take the dash apart?

In the past 10-15 years (or maybe 20 years), the aftermarket head unit manufacturers adopt a standardized connector format. The radio comes with its hardness with the standardized connector which plugs into the back of the radio. I usually will cut the OEM connector, solder and heat shrink the standardized connector hardness and that's it. You just unplug from the back of the radio when you need to remove the dash. My latest radio was a replacement to the previous aftermarket radio because I want blue tooth and the installation was a plug and play with of the standardized connector.

In the older days, the aftermarket radios have a bunch of wires (11 to be exact if no antenna motor control) coming out from its back so this will be a problem if you have to remove dash later on.

[AC439]

Well i got the unit. Unfortunately only one speaker in my car works and the bass is horribly distorted so ill have to figure out whats going on.. on the stock radio i didnt get any sound at all

Assuming you wired the radio correctly, I think your speakers are toasted. Those have no sound may have open coils and the one has distorted sound may has its coil rubbing against the magnet while playing music. Time to yank them out for checking. Get a multi-meter and measure each speaker coil resistance. I bet the three without sound will measure infinite and the one has sound probably around 1.5 ohms. Good luck !

[AC439]

And I'd definitely take Donny's $18 stereo over a Bose every day of the week.

Agree ! First of all - "No Highs No Lows, it must be Bose !"

The Bose system in my Maxima was a pain in the butt, they have individual amplifier at the speaker and those fail easily due to excessive heat in the car drying up the capacitors. I repaired them many times then finally getting sick and tired of it. Ended up completely stripped out the bose system and put in a conventional aftermarket system with a pioneer head and cheaper speakers all around. Never have to deal with broken failing stereo again. I had to modify some wiring though but it was overall a straight forward conversion. The car went poof on me, I yanked out the system (head and all speakers)I installed and donated the car.

[Hauntd ca3]

Agree ! First of all - "No Highs No Lows, it must be Bose !"

.

Bose home audio , Lots of highs , lots of lows , f all mids , must be bose .

The big problem with any bose speaker system is they need lots of power to drive them properly.
Not enough and they sound crap .

[AC439]

Bose home audio , Lots of highs , lots of lows , f all mids , must be bose .

The big problem with any bose speaker system is they need lots of power to drive them properly.
Not enough and they sound crap .

The "No" refers to no quality. I returned a set of Bose home stereo years ago after listening for 3 days (they had a no questions ask return policy). I was feeling so tired from the reproduction of the music from the Bose system. I honestly don't think they sound good even with high power. I personally prefer a tube amp or Class A transistor amp with old school L/R speakers. Bose is trying to make small devices (speaker box) by using transmission line for bass repo which can be unnatural.

Their show rooms are designed to give customers a "WOW" feeling for impulsive buys.

[jagdpanzer]

umm I used a wiring adapter for my stereo... I didn't have to splice the main harness at all it just plugged right in

[Donnyten]

Ill be sure to check these speakers. All the wires are connected as they should be. Checked both diagrams. The color coding made everything easy.

[Dr_Snooz]

The big problem with any bose speaker system is they need lots of power to drive them properly.

LOL. I went audiophile stereo shopping once. I took in a big stack of my CDs and listened for about an hour or so. ALL the systems sounded godawful. The sound they produced was nearly unrecognizable from the source. The staff of course tried to force their cursed Dave Matthews Band CD on me (I despise Dave Matthews Band), saying that my CDs weren't good enough for such wonderful stereos. Finally, I sat listening to a lower end starter system that cost a mere $12k. I listened for awhile then asked the attendant why I couldn't hear the bass guitar. It literally wasn't there at all. His response was, "Oh these speakers don't reproduce bass very well." Then he proceeded to tell me how much more I needed to spend before the $12k audiophile system could do what my sister's boombox could do for $100.

I left in bewilderment, thinking the shop was crooked. I hit the discussion boards to find a good shop and noted how all the "audiophiles" used this highly contrived language to describe how their zillion dollar stereos sounded. It was gobbledygook talk like, "my stereo is great because it sounds chesty in the midrange" and all sorts of goofiness like that. I scratched my head for awhile until I realized that they were describing the particular way in which their stereos were mangling the sound. I had a good laugh and abandoned the idea of buying an audiophile stereo. I'm sure audiophile stereos were what Hans Christian Andersen was thinking about when he wrote "The Emperor's New Clothes." The moral of the story is that the more you spend for a stereo, the better it will sound...to a point. Then it will start sounding worse again.

I have my late father's old vacuum tube hi-fi system that is my audiophile system. I have his original West German turntable and AR speakers that went with. He spent a lot of time and research buying it all back in the '60s when audiophiles bought stereos that actually sounded good. The system is great. When it works. There aren't many vintage hi-fi repair places around here, so when it breaks, it stays broke for a long time. I force my brother to fix it when he visits, but it always breaks again a few months after he leaves.

Hey Donny, if you're working with the original speakers in the car, you won't need to look far to find out what's wrong. I can guarantee that there won't be any paper in them anymore.

[Dr_Snooz]

In the past 10-15 years (or maybe 20 years), the aftermarket head unit manufacturers adopt a standardized connector format.

I did not know that. I hate to butt or splice the new stereo in because I often need to take stuff apart. Even if I don't, the head units fail every few years and have to be replaced. Each time I have to cut the splices, my harness wires get shorter. If I can put a good connector on one time, then be sure it will work on everything thereafter, that's the way I want to go.

Thank you!

[AC439]

I have my late father's old vacuum tube hi-fi system that is my audiophile system. I have his original West German turntable and AR speakers that went with. He spent a lot of time and research buying it all back in the '60s when audiophiles bought stereos that actually sounded good...

I build amps, both vacuum tubes and transistors (class A). The showroom systems never impress me. Definitely keep your tube system. Vintage systems can sound so good. Some may need a re-cap and swap out old worn components and they will be good for another 30 years !

[AC439]

I did not know that. I hate to butt or splice the new stereo in because I often need to take stuff apart. Even if I don't, the head units fail every few years and have to be replaced. Each time I have to cut the splices, my harness wires get shorter. If I can put a good connector on one time, then be sure it will work on everything thereafter, that's the way I want to go.

Thank you!

I changed my head unit few years back. The one got replaced was Blaupunkt, the new one was the Pyle. I was preparing to cut wires again but when I looked at the manual of both radios, the connectors for both the old and new radios were totally identical in terms of dimension and pin assignments. It was basically a plug and play.

Those are called ISO connector.

[Dr_Snooz]

Some may need a re-cap...

That's what my brother keeps saying, LOL!

What kind of amps do you build?

[AC439]

That's what my brother keeps saying, LOL!

What kind of amps do you build?

Caps will dry up overtime and this is a very common problem especially with car audio gears constantly being baked inside hot car. Bose car audio suffers from this problem all the time. I re-capped many Bose amps to bring them back to life.

Anyway, I build many different amps. Most of the time I build audio amps (tubes and transistors). For transistors amps, I built class A, AB etc. I also played with many Class D amps and mod them. They are really good sounding but my favorite is still Class A amps driven by a tube preamp. I don't care much about IC (chip) amps although some sound not bad (like TDA7297 or LM3875) but still go back to tube amp / Class A for serious listening. The second order harmonics from tubes and the lack of crossover distortion of Class A amps are what making the magic.

Chip amps are good for car audio since they are compact, reliable and efficient. IMHO, it is not a critical environment to listen to music inside a car anyway. All the bumps and road noise will make it a less then ideal place for music.

Other amps I also built was RF amps for radio transmission (I'm a HAM also). I know its getting off topics but below are some pics of things I built. A tube preamp, a dual Class D amp and an AM radio.

[Dr_Snooz]

Cool stuff. Where do you get those awesome metal cases and quality knobs? Also, what are the amp classes you refer too?

[AC439]

Cool stuff. Where do you get those awesome metal cases and quality knobs? Also, what are the amp classes you refer too?

We have a local surplus store that sells all kinds of stuff, mostly electronics related. I can spend a day every time I go and there's where I scored the chassis. The knobs I got from Radioshack before it closed. A lot of my parts are from electronic salvage from all these years. Sometimes I will gut out a radio or amplifier and salvage parts from inside. I hand wounded the green coil on a section of PVC pipe for the tuning circuit and used plexi glass to make the radio enclosure just for the sake of showing off.

The tube preamp is class A. The dual amps are both class D (digital).

Amplifier classes are based on the design and mostly depending on the set bias point of the output semiconductor (class A, B & C). Class D is in a totally different school which uses input analogue signal to switch the power transistor (like pulse width modulation) for amplification, then uses a low pass filter at the output for DAC (digital to analogue conversion) to convert back to the analogue required for driving the speaker.

If you are really interested to dig more into these stuffs, diyaudio.com is the place to go.