Dave pb Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 Hi got the old radio out as part of a clutch change. It had a cassette and needs updating to something with a cd/mp3/usb charger. Not willing to spend a huge amount. Any recommendations? cheers dave ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 Firstly - is it a standard DIN size? This allows much more choice than some of the old smaller units. Buying one of the old retro-look units that have converted internals is often expensive and you can get away with a more modern unit in our cars if you go for the right look... If it is standard size then it all depends on the look you want; I went for a Clarion unit with USB as it has a plain, black face and from the colour / display options you can choose a quite muted white display that suits the period dials in my GT6; I hate the really garish blue or red displays that many of the moderns have. This one takes a small USB stick and I've about 40 CDs on it, but the output is loud enough through four speakers to be heard over the GT6 engine. The USB stick means that you don't have to put the gearstick into 2nd or 4th to eject a CD... they're about £70 new on eBay but have been around for a while so cheaper used. There's also the input for an iPod jack. For my modern I've got a Pioneer DEH X3700UI an it may well find its' way into a Triumph before long; you can adjust the colour of the display and dials to absolutely any shade you want, and I've matched 'Triumph dial green' exactly before now, just by sitting in the dark and adjusting the RGB minutely until it's a perfect match. Currently £55 new on eBay with a few second-hand ones going for between £20 and £30. The only downside is that I find the front faceplate maybe too modern looking for a period car but it's more subtle than many. Again it takes the USB stick or iPod cable jack so no bother with CD collections lying about the car, and both are a straight wiring fit with red for power, yellow for memory and black for earth. (although there's an orange (or blue?) for electric aerial if you want). I can see me hanging on to both for some time, they're perfect for what I need and won't need upgraded to anything else in the near future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaunW Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 These look the part. No idea about the quality though. Lot's on ebay under 'vintage style car radio" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 2, 2017 Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 If you can push the boat out, these units are absolutely superb and you can change the fascia style to suit your requirements; worth looking on their actual website for further information. The link is for info purposes: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Car-Radio-DAB-FM-RDS-Bluetooth-USB-Aux-in-iPhone/262857379019?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649 Regards. Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave pb Posted October 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2017 Thanks all. Looking at spending about £100 rather 2 or 3. I'll have a dig around. Dave ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted October 3, 2017 Report Share Posted October 3, 2017 The last couple I have bought have been from Halfords (shock horror) and for under £50. One was a pioneer,the other a sony. Both decent enough, and as cheap as anywhere. However, I like the idea of the ones without a CD player but with bluetooth/line in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted October 3, 2017 Report Share Posted October 3, 2017 My early qualies were in electronics and radio and I would guess that the radio gubbins in Shaun's £18er and Richards £259er are much the same. It's the extras, hands fee mobile phone, sub woofer, retro styling that cost the money. I would like just a radio, with plain facia, tuned to radio4, for preference. But I am drawn to Colin's Triumph green glowing Pioneer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave pb Posted October 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2017 Yep, I just want a radio, a usb charging / playing port and a cd slot. Bluetooth- don't care, hands free phone- don't care. Retro styling would be nice but don't really care about it. I only want the cd slot as I have a lot of old ones and can't be bothered porting them to a usb-stick. Lazy or what. Dave ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Bonnett Posted October 3, 2017 Report Share Posted October 3, 2017 On a similar subject, I don't want to drill the bodywork for an aerial so I wondered if anyone has had good results with an interior aerial with an amplifier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 3, 2017 Report Share Posted October 3, 2017 Hello John. Absolutely and these units have come on a long way since their inception decades ago. They have needed to improve to keep up and deliver the level of quality that the majority of radio units do these days. I have a unit sold by Moss, it's excellent: http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/retrosound-hide-away-amplified-aerial-230-555.html Regards. Richard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaunW Posted October 3, 2017 Report Share Posted October 3, 2017 Another way would be to get a period radio, even if it didn't work or didn't work very well, but actually run your audio and fancy features from your phone to an amp in the boot. With some use of the soldering iron you could even route it via the old radio volume knob. Or... You could have an amp source switch so you could switch between phone for your DAB or Spotify and the old radio in the facia if you wanted to listen to Dick Barton or Pick of the Pops on medium wave. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted October 4, 2017 Report Share Posted October 4, 2017 Shaun, I like it! I'm interested in just a straight radio. So, taking your idea a step further, just a on/off volume knob on the dash. But tuning? Most tuning knobs are mechanical, servo motors?!! I feel a winter project coming on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShaunW Posted October 4, 2017 Report Share Posted October 4, 2017 Doug it was only the start of an idea so you'll have to take it it whatever direction it takes you. The idea struck me because I use a separate dab tuner in my daily driver so only ever use the volume control on the head unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougbgt6 Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Drat and double drat! Because of this thread I had a look on ebay at DEH X3700UIs and saw an auction for a DEH X3800UI, the next one up in the range. I put in a very silly bid, thinking I'd never win. Guess what? So now I'm committed, current speakers have holes in, so new speakers, current aerial is rusty so new aerial, current cables, long gone, so new cables. I blame Colin! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 So do I!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomL Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 Oh no, what a pain, just think of all that great music you'll have to endure now.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave pb Posted February 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2018 Haven't got around to replacing radio yet. But I had a thought....(rare enough),,,,, Is there such a thing as a car radio/stereo/cd/mp3 player that only uses Bluetooth speakers? Get rid of any old speakers in the car, and just have ones that work wirelessly? Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted February 26, 2018 Report Share Posted February 26, 2018 Bound to be... but then you can keep a dummy radio in the dash, and run the speakers from your phone or iPod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave pb Posted February 26, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2018 Well, yep, but then I lose the radio I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpbarrett Posted February 26, 2018 Report Share Posted February 26, 2018 On 03/10/2017 at 8:52 PM, John Bonnett said: On a similar subject, I don't want to drill the bodywork for an aerial so I wondered if anyone has had good results with an interior aerial with an amplifier? go for a DAB unit and then you can put a very small aerial on the windscreen. Assuming you have DAB coverage where you are! cheers mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTV8 Posted February 26, 2018 Report Share Posted February 26, 2018 Bluetooth UE Megaboom hooked up to your phone; streaming of any stored music, internet radio plus hands-free phone. Speaker is removable so you can take it with you when parked up or lock in the boot. not much of a downside if you also keep your old period-look radio in the existing mount. ....... andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave pb Posted February 28, 2018 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2018 Hi Andy, thanks for that. I used to live in Lightwater, but now in the sunny Isle of Man (not sunny today). Anyway I have read that if you connect an FM transmitter (about £10)to the line-out of a stereo, you can then use wireless speakers. I haven't tried it myself, but apparently works. You do need a volume control on the Bluetooth speakers apparently, as the stereo volume control doesn't affect the line-out. Cheers Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTV8 Posted March 1, 2018 Report Share Posted March 1, 2018 Hey Dave, at that price it has to be worth a go! Funny that you used to live so close... i’v lived in the area boy and man, to be honest it hasn’t changed much At all over the years, just fewer Triumphs on the roads Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted March 2, 2018 Report Share Posted March 2, 2018 Having spent £60 on a pair of decent speakers, that run off a £20 amplifier (plugged into MP3 player or phone for the muzak) I was gutted when a chap working for me turned up with a JBL flip 4. The size of a large beer can it produces amazing sound. Bluetooth, rechargeable with decent battery life, chuck it in the boot when you leave the car or take it inside for a party... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted March 2, 2018 Report Share Posted March 2, 2018 I've had a Harmann Kardon (not a Karmann Hardon) Onyx speaker in the garage for three years now, and the sound is amazing. I got it free from O2 with the daughter's latest phone, but they're £99 to buy new these days. They also run cordless, which I only found out last month, so all those years of extension leads were wasted... however they're still a great portable sound and the daughter herself got one for Christmas past, to make up for me pinching hers back then. They'll run from any bluetooth device, I'm not sure how they'd sound in the car, having never tried it, but I'm well pleased with mine. Incidentally if you buy one make sure it's not the mini version which is quite a bit smaller than the original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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