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Uncle Lizard posted:Pioneer, Alpine, and Kenwood are usually the go-to brands. They do make digital receivers that do not have CD drives, and they are usually cheaper. I would go to Crutchfield to top in your vehicles information and filter from there. You can narrow down your choices from there. There is even the ability to filter by digital receivers, and capacitive or resistive touchscreen. I am very happy with the Alpine iLX-W650 I put in our '03 Outback, assuming you have double-DIN. https://www.crutchfield.com/p_500IL...bBoCBKoQAvD_BwE It's mech-less, can be paired with a 4-channel amp that mounts to its rear, and is CarPlay/Android Auto. It also has an input for a rear-view camera, with a trigger wire. The only thing it does not have is the front USB for you. It's on the rear, but does come with a cable to extend it out. You could even get a panel jack. I preferred that - I don't like things sticking out of the face of my stereo, particularly.
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Jul 30, 2020 19:52
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Wasabi the J posted:My Subaru HK amp has preset crossovers, and I replaced the door woofers with coaxial speakers and of course the built in tweeters on the coax speakers don't do poo poo. I am not an expert, though I was a mobile electronics installer for several years 20 years ago. Call me an informed amateur. [*] Impedance really only relates to how much power the amp is able to deliver. It might affect sonic quality, but I don't think so. Using a sub as a mid should work, it just won't be optimized for it. Using a 4-ohm speaker in place of a 2-ohm one will generally just make it quieter at the same volume setting. It will not hurt the amp, BTW. Putting a 2-ohm speaker on an amp only rated for 4-ohm, on the other hand, can be adverse. [*] You may be able to EQ out the difference. Depends on the range of the EQ. [*] At that point, *I* would probably just replace the amp with an aftermarket one, but I will admit to having not done so in our 2003 Outback with the MacIntosh (Clarion) system. It hums a little with the aftermarket Alpine head. The Mac amps use Clarion's DIN plug rather than standard RCAs, and hate any head other than their own even if wired correctly. I do intend to replace it, but I need to find a 5-channel that will fit, or split up the amplification. [*] If you are careful and plan properly, making things look factory usually isn't too difficult. Really depends on how special snowflake the factory made what they used. [*] Depends on where the factory amp is (mine is under the passenger seat, for example, so not too terrible), I guess, and exactly how it's wired. There's no reason you can't use the factory speaker wires, for sure. Signal to the amp might require new RCA cables, depending on how they handle it.
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Sep 1, 2020 16:16
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There are a number of tools for removing pins. You can get a "key ring" of them from Banggood, Ali Express, etc. You may have to look closely at where the retainer is, and experiment with the tools a little. Up until pretty recently, I just used a combination of precision screwdrivers and pick tools ground out of the last section of a power antenna (they're stainless-steel rod, and we had plenty at the shop I used to work for from replacing masts with broken linear gear nylon.) Edit: These tools are what I'm talking about : https://www.banggood.com/59Pcs-Term...ur_warehouse=CN There are a whole bunch of varieties of collections of them. That particular one has some decent illustrations of how some of them are intended to work. Darchangel fucked around with this message at 00:21 on Sep 4, 2020 |
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Sep 4, 2020 00:15
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I got the Alpine iLX-W650 for my wife’s Subaru. It’s AA/CP and mechless. It’s $300 at Crutchfield and Sonic Electronix (where I got mine). You can even get a little piggyback amp that bolts to it making it the same depth as a “normal” double-DIN. Nice little unit. Edit: I went with it partially because I hate front USB ports. Can’t stand a cable hanging out of my radio like that, and I intend to use the CarPlay often.
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Sep 16, 2020 22:50
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Most modern head units have a pretty reasonable amount of power, generally enough for standard speakers. Not too difficult to add later if the head just doesn't have enough "oomph" for you. If you want something cheap, reviewers have been pleasantly surprised with a couple Walmart Dual amps: Dual XPR84D CEA rated 80W x 4, $98 - meets rated power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23CVp1nczoM Dual XPR82D CEA rated 80W x 2, $60 - exceeds rated power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFBW9BLZ7RM Just use one of each, 4ch on the mains, and bridge the 2ch to the sub. I'm seriously considering same for my wife's Subaru, to replace the factory McIntosh (Clarion) amp that doesn't like the aftermarket head (it whines a bit.) I mainly need to make the sure the 4ch will fit under the seat where the Mac is.
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Oct 14, 2020 22:31
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Deceptor101 posted:The receiver speaker output is 22W RMS, which doesn't seem too bad, right? If I did amplify the speakers, I'd need to run new speaker wire, right? So that also becomes a much more complicated install, involving more interior removal? I think that definitely removes that option. Yes, you would need to run new speaker wire at least up to the head unit location. You can disconnect the wires from the head, and connect the new wires to the exiting wiring from there, if you are using modest power and don't want to run all the way out to the doors, etc. The factory wiring is sufficient for the amount of power you would typically run to anything under 6-1/2", normally. quote:As for the Sub, it looks like I can build a box to fit a single 12" a bit smaller than this pictured (two 10"), which should retain a bit more function in the cargo area. The box is estimated at 1.5 cubic feet, so smaller would work with a single 12" You're reading it correctly. It's spelled out exactly like that on the "Details" tab. quote:SO, if I'm not an idiot, the Dual XPR82D can do 240W 1-channel bridged at 4 ohms, so if I buy a the 12" 2 ohm, which wants 250w, I should be good? Yes, you've got it right. Wire the two 2-ohm voice coils in series to get 4 ohms. FWIW, you can safely put a larger amp on the sub, you just adjust the gain so that it doesn't go into distortion or hit max travel at the max volume (or don't turn it all the way up, but who does that?), but matching RMS power to recommendations is insurance. "Recommended" power, if given, is usually more important, and buying a woofer that can handle higher power usually *requires* more power to begin with, due to the structure being beefier to handle that power, all else being equal. Not a hard and fast rule, but a possibility to be aware of. Given that the Dual amp actually hits its RMS rated power, that sub is a pretty good match. edit: if I'm talking out of my rear end, someone please correct me. My understandings may be old - it's been a while since I was actually in the car audio game. Strictly a consumer, now. Darchangel fucked around with this message at 19:45 on Oct 16, 2020 |
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Oct 16, 2020 19:42
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Don Dongington posted:Hey so I have this Type R 12" DVC sub I've had for ages, and due to space concerns I had to put it into a sealed box about 1cu ft, which is suboptimal but I had to fit a pram behind it. Hard to say, but bad noises are usually either mechanical (vice coil rubbing, or suspension/voice coil hitting the limits) or distortion, which could be from the amp being overdriven.
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Oct 19, 2020 20:04
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Check the specs for the sub. You may be able to port the existing box if it’s close to the right size. There are a bunch of calculators online for that, or check the manufacturer’s documentation. The VX (house brand) sub I got from Sonic Electronix wanted a larger box than I had for sealed, but woke right up when I added a little port, even though the box was a little larger for ported than their recommendations. The calculators actually came up closer to the size I had - I assume their recommendations were based on a little different response.
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Oct 20, 2020 17:08
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MREBoy posted:Hey there I'm hoping you can help me with a situation I got myself into helping a friend. He bought the ILX-W650 and the matching KTA-450 amp to go into his 2014 Nissan Maxima. He's already had 4 of 8 OEM speakers replaced with Alpine somethings by a shop and I'm going to replace 2 more with Alpine somethings he bought so the only OEM speakers that will be left are tweeters embedded in the windshield pillars. I offered to try and install all this for him because he is not good with $$$ and is effectively broke because he bought all this stuff (head unit, 2 speakers, associated extra part packs). I've personally replaced the head unit in my own car (no amp though) and had no issues with removing various trim panels, other plastic bits or the unit itself. I got the OEM wiring harness <-> radio adapter thing spliced together correctly by myself so I don't believe I'm totally incapable of doing this. I only have the head unit, and not the amp - I'm using a Subaru McIntosh/Clarion factory amp, currently - but it's a normal amp, just compact with bracketry to attach to the head. The big plug on the amp is indeed input and output, but speaker level inputs. You won't need those inputs for your install. The iL-W650 has RCA/line level outputs for outboard amps, so you will use those and the RCA/line level inputs on the amp. Figure 4 page 9 of that PDF. You will not use the speaker outputs on the head unit, either. I like using adapters to OEM wiring, to avoid cutting factory wires. In this case, you'll need the power wires from the adapter to go to the head unit, and the speaker wires to go to the amp, and at least the remote wire to go to both, most likely. Yes, you will need to run the heavy gauge wire through the firewall, properly grommetted, (and fused at the battery, please) to the amp. Yes, the head unit has to be connected to the grounding switch for the parking brake to allow the display to be used for video and more advanced menu options. You have to pull the handbrake three times to unlock it. There are devices available on the internet that automatically do that every time the ignition is cycled. I have no idea what the legality of those is. Do yourself a favor: read both manuals all the way through before doing anything. There should be PDFs of the head unit manual online, too. From Alpine, if not Crutchfield. edit: http://support.alpine-usa.com/products/documents/OM_iLX-W650_EN.pdf The amp manual at Alpine (little different format): http://support.alpine-usa.com/products/documents/OM_KTA-450.pdf Darchangel fucked around with this message at 20:36 on Oct 26, 2020 |
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Oct 26, 2020 20:31
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, if not, 
? If it is let me know & I will delete).
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Coredump posted:Make sure you're not having the speaker wire slapping the cone inside the enclosure too. Possible seal between the sub and the box is leaking as well. Or the terminal cup if you used one. If you used binding posts then you can scratch checking that. I had a test box that absolutely sounded awful, despite being the correct size, etc. Turned out my carpentry was less than stellar, and all the bad noise was the air farting out of the imperfect joints. A bit of silicone verified that the box was the correct size, so I could then build one that actually fit int he car properly. LobsterboyX posted:So - I'd like some sound in my old cars. In the past I've restored the vintage radios, but my patience is wearing thin on them, I've restored 2 radios to factory spec with aux inputs and they've both failed. I have been looking for a solution that fits my insanity - ive been using a little jbl bluetooth speaker thing, but it honestly sucks and I'd really like to have nicer tunes in these cars. There are literally dozens of small Chinese amps that are designed to run off of 12V, and have a bluetooth connection, as well as SD cards and FM. They're generally small enough to be mounted a lot of places. There are also some that are just a faceplate, whether it be round, square, or standard DIN that do the same thing. A lot of the odd-sized ones are intended for marine use, and the head fits in a typical gauge-sized hole. For more reputable stuff, Custom Autosound, for example, has hidden systems for classics. https://customautosoundmfg.com/product/universal-radios/hideaway-radio https://www.classiccarstereos.com/secretaudio-sst.html https://www.vintagecarradio.com/hideaway-radios.html Here's a neat option for an in-dash replacement unit: https://www.retromanufacturing.com/collections/build-your-own-radio Also, these conversion modules: https://www.vintagecarradio.com/stereo-conversions/stereo-conversions/btu-2-5-bluetooth-usb-mp3-adapter/ Speakers: you would just have to assess where you can put stuff, and then possibly fabricate custom grills - not that difficult, really, especially for a decent shop.
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Oct 28, 2020 20:22
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Darchangel posted:There are literally dozens of small Chinese amps that are designed to run off of 12V, and have a bluetooth connection, as well as SD cards and FM. They're generally small enough to be mounted a lot of places. There are also some that are just a faceplate, whether it be round, square, or standard DIN that do the same thing. A lot of the odd-sized ones are intended for marine use, and the head fits in a typical gauge-sized hole. This kind of dingus is what I mean about the Chinese amp: https://usa.banggood.com/LEORY-G8-D...ur_warehouse=CN edit: and those Kenwood BT marine amps are neat. Here's the whole category @ Crutchfield: https://www.crutchfield.com/S-9lDowM6vrHO/shopsearch/hideaway_car_stereo.html edit 2: here's a cheap Pyle 4-channel BT amp: https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Bluetooth-Marine-Amplifier-Receiver/dp/B00WR6ZX4I/ Darchangel fucked around with this message at 20:42 on Oct 28, 2020 |
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Oct 28, 2020 20:28
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MREBoy posted:Any suggestions as to how to get through the firewall in a reasonable fashion ? Apparently this car may have an already made opening somewhere behind or above the glove box that goes into the engine compartment, so I will be removing the box first off & poking around when I actually get the install started. I even got a reel of fishing tape to make this a bit easier. If I can't get the wire through I'm gonna abort & try to figure something out. Speaking of power I was checking the wires that come with the amp and the head unit and they each have their own individual 12 ga. looking size power lines. Is twisting together all three & then using the biggest wire nut I can find going to be ok ? I don't have or even really know how to use a soldering iron. Along those lines I got a box of butt splices & a crimper because I'm not inclined to play games with black tape. I try to look for an existing grommet that is either unused, or has room for another wire. Failing that, the aforementioned clutch location is often handy, but you will need a grommet. If you use a wire nut in anything other than a very temporary install, I will hunt you down and slap you. I prefer soldering, but a properly done crimp connection is fine. MREBoy posted:It's a 2014 Nissan Maxima. Supposedly there is a pre-made hole behind the glove box somewhere so that's where I am checking first. Your car will have a 12V battery connection for the head unit in the factory radio plug. Use that for the head - it only needs to support a few amps, maybe. Run the amp 12V to the battery. MREBoy posted:Yes, I have an Alpine ILX-W650 and the matching KTA-450 amp sitting on my dining room table right now. I think what I'm doing wrong is that I somehow got it into my head that both yellow wires marked BATTERY for these 2 separate pieces of equipment have to be wired/connected to the 12 ga. wire that I have to run to the + terminal on the battery, but this is actually incorrect. Since my friend bought this stuff from Crutchfield it came with a large assortment of install related stuff including a Metra 70-7552 Receiver Wiring Harness. If I'm now understanding right the amp alone will get power direct from the battery and I actually hook up the head unit power wire to the yellow 12v wire on the Metra adapter. After that the blue/white wires present on each device will be connected together, ignoring the blue/white on the adapter. You've got it right, however: does the car have a power antenna, or a "powered" antenna (a short, amplified, antenna)? If so, then the blue/white will also need to go to the adapter to extend the mast or power the antenna amp, as needed.
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Oct 30, 2020 18:13
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MREBoy posted:Not dead, for some asinine reason the air conditioner controller or some other important bit is attached to the OEM radio. Woo! They like to consolidate functions like that, usually for a higher-spec radio that also has controls for other systems. It's infuriating in a car.
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Nov 12, 2020 22:58
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Nice. Always a good day when it’s the simple solution.
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Nov 16, 2020 02:31
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It depends greatly on the head unit in question. The cheap way is to expect 12V from the parking light circuit. +12V on that wire = dim the radio lighting. That would be the solid orange wire. *Usually*, a head expecting variable lighting, ala the dash light circuit, there is an orange-with-white-stripe wire. I don't recall if that's intended to get variable voltage, or hooked to a variable ground, though - it's been a while since I encountered one. Most older cars varied the ground via the dash light dimmer, but the switch to LEDs means most newer cars do it via PWM, so that method doesn't work. Basically, I'm saying consult the documentation of your particular radio. I'm actually annoyed at the Pioneer in my Crown Vic about this. It has a single-level dimmer function, accessed through the menus, or by holding a particular button, but they didn't put a dimmer wire on the plug. No idea why the did that, since the function is there...
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Feb 5, 2021 22:57
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What make/model head unit? The info on what input is expected has to be somewhere. If not in the text, in the schematic. If it's not, there's a technical writer that need to be flogged.
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Feb 6, 2021 00:23
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Yeah, that manual is atrocious. What has happened to pioneer? It says to connect it to the lighting switch terminal. That says to me that it expects 12V to control dim/not dim at the radio, even though that *should* be a solid orange wire. This video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JO66SzPE14I Agrees with that. You can bench test it easily enough. The official Pioneer video is pretty much as ambiguous as the manual. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kR2MO2kwFug It’s like they never considered that there could be two wires controlling dash lights, but it seems to be talking about connecting to 12V when lights are on as well.
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Feb 6, 2021 12:42
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STR posted:How good are those spare-tire mounted subs? I don't want to give up my cargo space, and I want to remain stealth. Some of them have a factory sub there in that side panel. Mine does - it's a 6x9 though. No idea how much space is back there - I want to see about slapping in an 8" or something. I was also looking at the Cerwin Vega amplified spare tire subs. They seem to have good reviews. https://cerwinvegamobile.com/products/suv-truck/st-enclosures/st-vega-enclosures/vpas12st/ https://cerwinvegamobile.com/products/suv-truck/st-enclosures/st-vega-enclosures/vpstx12/ The "ST" is a bit bigger (2" in each direction.) They've been out of stock at Sonic Electronix, my preferred vendor, for a while, though. Amazon's got it: https://www.amazon.com/Cerwin-Vega-Powered-Active-Subwoofer-Application/dp/B07FY9BPVR STR posted:There's purpose-built spare tire subs with a built-in amp these days, just a little more money than I'd like to spend since I already have a functional amp and sub. Here's one. They just bolt on top of the spare tire, and most of them can be easily unplugged if you need to actually use the spare (I have no plans on ever using mine since it's old enough to enlist in the military... used to be old enough to buy cigarettes until they raised that to 21) ...aaaaand you go an post exactly that one. Frankly, a custom-made box from a shop will probably be more expensive. You'd also need a sub designed for a pretty small box. Wasabi the J posted:I added isolation to my '10 outback due to a similar issue. I did it on the cheap by using Frost King rolls from Home Depot and pressed it on with a rounded tool handle, and it helped a bit. I only put it in the doors and above the wheelwells. I've successfully used Peel & Seal from Lowes in a couple cars. It's functionally identical to original Dynamat, except it's asphalt-based rather than butyl rubber. Some folks say that will make it smell like an asphalt road in the summer, but I've not experienced that. I've only used the 6" wide roll, since that's what they have typically in stock: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Peel-Seal-Instant-Waterproof-Repairs-6-in-x-25-ft-Aluminum-Roll-Flashing/1018733 but it does come in 3' wide rolls: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Peel-Seal-Instant-waterproof-repairs-3-ft-W-x-33-5-ft-L-100-5-sq-ft-Aluminum-Roll-Roofing/3090099 A little heat from a heat gun or hair dryer, and a rubber roller and it'll form very nicely.
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Mar 22, 2021 22:32
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Laserface posted:Sometimes you can 'hack' into the CD changer input on head units and use it as an aux (or connected to a Bluetooth receiver into the aux) so maybe see if there was a factory option? Coredump posted:Back in my car audio days they had this thing we installed when satellite radio units were a separate unit from the factor radio. It was an adapter that plugged inline with the back of the radio's factory antenna and would pump in sound from the xm unit: https://www.amazon.com/SiriusXM-FMD...ps%2C174&sr=8-3 Coincidentally, Krakkles just posted this over in the import thread: KakerMix posted:Over the past couple days I have been messing with this:
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Mar 22, 2021 22:40
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STR posted:The Outback I pillaged yesterday had the McIntosh system. I would have grabbed it, except it'd just hit the yard that day... and the rear end in a top hat that processed it hit the lock button before yanking the battery (OR didn't bother unlocking everything), leaving only the driver's door unlocked. I've got to get back there and take a look at what I'm working with. The Mac system is OK, but if you want an aftermarket head unit, it doesn't play well. I still have noise on mine, and will be replacing the amp at some point. C-pillar tweets? Pretty sure mine just has 2-ways in the rear doors.
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Mar 26, 2021 21:03
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I didn't want to rip apart a perfectly good hatch cover to get to the lock, and I don't have a jump pack. Also the ignition was stuck in run with a broken off screwdriver in it, so there's no telling if a small jump pack would have been able to power it up enough once all the engine computer poo poo powered up.
I'm sure someone will come along with a jump pack (if they haven't already) and unlock it, or tear the hatch apart to unlock it.
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JL and Rockford Fosgate are both reputable, so I'd expect those to be fine. The reviews look good. I've only used JL and RF for bass drivers, so don't have personal experience, though.
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Apr 7, 2021 22:49
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STR posted:Yeah, take a look at the pillars next time you're back there. This one definitely had them, though it was a 2004. Nope.  OnStar radio sits on top of the AC controls, BTW:  And an aside: the factory Mac speakers in the front doors are coaxial, despite there being tweeters at the tops of the doors.   RIP Paul Walker posted:If they did a slightly oversized double din external screen thing of epic build quality and knob feel, it would most definitely extract money from me if they don’t gently caress up the software. The radio in my 2003 Outback was fine. The integrated CD changer was broken. It's all also just Clarion with a fancy face (not that Clarion is bad.) edit: and now I'm curious. I'll go look for those rear tweets when the wife gets home. edit again: it looks like the cars with the McIntosh system didn't get the rear tweets. At least, Crutchfield lists McIntosh, then a bunch of non-Macs with 4 , 8, or 9 speakers, and they show the C-pillar tweets with the non-Mac 8 or 9 speaker, but not with the McIntosh system. Darchangel fucked around with this message at 22:05 on Apr 12, 2021 |
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Apr 12, 2021 21:45
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everdave posted:I am getting ready to tackle trying to wire in this radio to the cut factory wiring in a 95 Toyota (it’s a JDM but I imagine wire coloring is the same). I have the reverse harness to splice into, does anyone have a go-to wiring color diagram online they refer to before I just google and pick a random one? I like The12Volt: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/vehicles.html Yours specifically should be on this page: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/vehiclewiring/6/yeard/Toyota.html And yeah, the colors should be pretty much all the same for a given year. I would test the powers (BATT and switched) just to be sure, and maybe "pop" the speakers with a 9V battery.
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Apr 21, 2021 19:40
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Echoing RIP Paul Walker , most of the less-offensive looking head units seem to be Chinese, perversely. There are a number out there that look straight out of the ‘90s. Blaupunkt makes a modern version of their Bremen unit that even looks like it has a cassette, but it’s a door that hides the USB, aux, and SD connections. https://www.amazon.com/BLAUPUNKT-Bremen-SQR-46-DAB/dp/B07XVMBKW4/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=blaupunkt&qid=1627789081&s=car&sr=1-3 It’s a bit pricey, though. They also still makes several head units that are reasonably non-flashy, and pretty cheap. It’s worth noting that Blau is basically a Chinese company, BTW. The Blau Bologna 200 looks nice and simple, for example, but is a mechless unit with USB and BT. And then there’s this model, in a few variations, sold under a dozen brands, but dangers if they didn’t get the vintage Becker vibe right: https://www.ebay.com/itm/363411864866?hash=item549d08fd22:g:1cIAAOSw7KVc7rXj There’s a mostly-black version that I like better, too. And this even-cheaper (and cheaper-looking) model: https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Blue...0922K3YW8&psc=1 And Continental/VDO make some inoffensive head units with reasonable features as well.
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Aug 8, 2021 19:12
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everdave posted:Oh man that Blaupunkt is so cool! The $23 Amazon one? I’d love to hear how it performs when you get it. Seems like a decent value for basic stereo that doesn’t look like poop. I’m looking at more like the Blau for my ‘79 RX-7, but that came up in a search for vintage-lookin car stereos. If I didn’t have gauges in the center stack, I’d look at a cheap double-DIN touch screen unit I guess. Edit: as it is, I’ll probably use one of the $10 Walmart special Blaupunkts I picked up a couple years ago. They review really well, which surprised the stereo-shop YouTuber reviewing it. I bought 4 while they were on sale. They were still available last time I looked, albeit at $15-20, as I recall. Edit 2: https://youtu.be/EBEk9VPsix4 Toronto TRT1049 Looks like it’s no longer available, but there are several models that are similar under $30. It’s a mech-less unit, and hilariously tiny. It’s literally taller than it is deep. Only problem with that is that it has to be DIN mounted with its cage, no ISO mounting. The Fresno is almost identical, looks like. $20 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07XQBP9TZ/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1 Darchangel fucked around with this message at 21:39 on Aug 8, 2021 |
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Aug 8, 2021 21:29
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unbuttonedclone posted:Since you're talking about cheap stereos, all I did from what I asked about earlier was install the 19.99 Walmart Dual Bluetooth receiver. It actually sounds good enough for me if I get the balance/bass all done right and seems to have more power than the old factory receiver. Naw, get new speakers, even if fairly cheap ones. They can make an amazing difference, even over "premium" OEM stuff, if they're that old. I tend to do that before a new head unit (mostly because they're usually rattling/buzzing by the time I get a hold of the car...) Dual has some better than you think stuff. The same guy that I posted earlier reviewing the $10 Blaupunkt reviewed two Dual amps, same product line, one 2 channel and one 4 channel, and not only did they actually hit rated power at the industry-standard distortion level, (as opposed to, like 10%, when lightning strikes it) but they actually exceeeded rated power! Unheard of in cheap amps. Dual XPR84D (4ch x 80W, $99) Dual XPR82D (2ch x 80W, $60) Unfortunately, the 4ch shows out of stock, and may no longer be available, but the 2ch is still on Walmart.com. I hope I can find the 4 channel again - I was planning to replace the factory MacIntosh/Clarion in the Outback. The Mac sounds fine, but doesn't like aftermarket head units on it's DIN plug. everdave posted:Yep. I’ll post whenever I put it in something. I bought 6 of the $10 ones as well back when that happened I have 2 left - they sound fine in the kei trucks I’ve put them in. I imagine this will be the same just look “cooler” Right on! 22 Eargesplitten posted:Thanks, I've wanted one for almost half my life at this point so finally getting my hands on one has been great. I've actually got a project thread over here, although it has been kind of slow lately since I haven't been able to get major work done. I always feel bad bringing it up so much in various threads because I don't want to seem like I'm trying to draw everyone's attention to me having it, it's just that holy crap there is so much work that needs to be done on it that it's taking up a significant portion of my time and discretionary income. Oh, hey, missed that thread. Subscribed!
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Aug 9, 2021 20:36
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Tom Guycot posted:A) 2004 Acura RSX Type-s, which is where my extra headache is coming from because that version has some extra bose bullshit, that apparently from various posts and videos I found can potentially have a static or hum when its turned up because of the extra bose amp or something under the seat. Thankfully though from the videos I've seen it looks incredibly easy to take the old stereo out and put a new one in, so that part isn't giving me too much nervousness at least. Honestly, if you are less than familiar with wiring all that up, and trepidatious about it, a good shop might be worth your while. Head unit installation isn't terribly expensive, sometimes included in the (higher) cost of the head unit, and skill and a warranty can be worth the extra cost. Locally we have Car Toys. They seem to be decent - they will usually explain features, tell you what fits the car, make you aware of oddities like that external amp, and give you a run down of how to operate the thing when done. I don't discourage DIY, but if you don't have time, or feel you don't have or want to have the skill, then talk to a friendly installer! (Disclaimer: I used to be a mobile electronics installer, many years ago.)
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Aug 9, 2021 20:51
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PopeCrunch posted:This used to be a lot longer because I'm a goddamned moron who was vastly overthinking it. This looks good, am I missing something bad about it? http://www.us.jvc.com/car/multimedia/kw_v660bt/ I put a JVC KW-M150BT in my mother-in-law's Honda Insight, and it's fine. More or less looks the same, but the KW-M150BT is mechless (no optical disk player) so depth is very short. No real issues for it, and it was difficult to argue with $200. No CarPlay/Android Auto (she didn't want CarPlay), but it does do BT, and iPhone control over USB, and Android mirroring. https://www.crutchfield.com/p_105KWM150B/JVC-KW-M150BT.html (currently out of stock -may have been superseded, though Crutchfield will usually indicate that.) RIP Paul Walker posted:Capacitive buttons for volume are really loving annoying They are, but quite a few touchscreen heads have them. I don't like them, but don't really have too much trouble with them, in practice. Tom Guycot posted:I just really really really hate the idea of this USB cable business in the back, and am stumped with that. I really, really hate a usb cable or thumb drive sticking out of the face fo the stereo. The idea of them in the back is to either put a socket somewhere handy and/or hidden, or just run the cable out from under ot a convenient point where you want your phone to be. I use the combined aux/USB panel jacks that fit on a cigarette-lighter sized hole. Easy to fit (the one in my Crown Vic is down by a factory power point below the dash proper,) and then just run a standard USB cable to that from my phone. The USB cable on the Alpine head unit I put in out Outback is captive, so I just poked that out of a cubby in the lower dash, beside the ashtray:  (It's just in front of the shifter out of sight in this picture. There are also USB charging points of a similar type to the panel jacks I was talking about above there to the right of the voltmeter, except those are just power rather than an extension of another port.) The magnetic mount for our phones is up at the top of the dash to the right of the steering wheel. We usually loop the USB cable over the mount (it has a cable clip) when not in use.
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Aug 10, 2021 23:43
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Krakkles posted:That issue is part of what drew me to this backup camera. It has a much smaller connector that you can easily fish through boots/tight spaces. I installed a reversing camera that in the Insight I mentioned earlier. It was of this type, breaking out to an standard RCA connector after that plug. I couldn’t have done it without that smaller mid-plug. The boots on the Insight hatch, and the pillar of the hatch itself, we’re pretty tight. Most likely you can remove and replace the RCA plug, but it will be fiddly. The wires are pretty small and fine.
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Aug 11, 2021 18:47
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Bulk Vanderhuge posted:What is it for? Seconding what everyone else has said, backup cameras have their own harness that plugs into a converter. I would not try to fish an RCA plug through a rubber boot. I think some of the cheaper/older crap doesn't have the small connector - they just end in a standard yellow RCA jack plus power wires.
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Aug 11, 2021 20:23
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Bank posted:Thanks for the thoughts so far -- I guess I should provide more info. This is the head unit I have already installed: OK, but what about the camera? Yes, the head unit requires an RCA, but the cameras usually have a smaller connector, just for this issue, before transitioning to a standard RCA.  Note step/item #2
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Aug 12, 2021 00:28
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22 Eargesplitten posted:Looks like the Blaupunkt Fresno I was looking at might not work out so well, the stock stereo has four channels (six speakers but I think the door and dash ones are paired on each side) so I want to find something matching that. Doing some research it looks like it's 4x20w from the research I'm doing on decades-old forum threads. On Crutchfield's site, is the peak output per channel or overall? And the "Preamp output channels" number is what I'm looking for, right? This is, if I forgot to say, the first time in my life I have shopped for a car radio and while I'm going towards the cheaper end because all I really need is bluetooth connectivity and radio reception, I want to do it "right" inasmuch as not be leaving performance on the table within those parameters. Looking period-accurate has gone out the window, I've decided I'm just going to keep the stereo cover up (as seen below). The Fresno is 4-channel, at least on the speaker outputs. 4 x 10W max, which is kinda low nowadays, but not the worst, depending on how it's actually rated. Check reviews. The Amazon listing is misleading. The "2-channel output" is for pre-amp (RCA) outputs, that is, outputs for an amplifier. If you don't have an external amp and don't expect to use one, this doesn't matter. Head units max out at about 25W per channel max, and it's pretty much always given as per-channel. If you want more power, an external amp is the way to go.
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Aug 20, 2021 17:33
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I would consider twisting and taping before “scotch-loks”. At least you know the wires are touching. And it’ll be more reliable. Don’t twist and tape, please - that’s just how bad vampire taps can be. Definitely test with a voltmeter.
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Sep 11, 2021 12:44
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Too late now, since you’ve already purchased the camera, but they make a camera with mount that replaces one of the license plate lights. I used one on my mother in law’s Insight, and it worked great. Honda seemed to use the same license plate light in a *lot* of Hondas of similar year. Regardless, off center is fine - a lot of factory cameras are off center. The one I installed in our Outback is, for the same reason yours will be - the hatch release is dead center. The wide angle makes it almost unnoticeable, and you just adjust the guidelines to compensate.
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Sep 13, 2021 18:40
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Krakkles posted:If I recall correctly, I just stripped it back a decent amount (maybe an inch?), wrapped it around a slightly loosened appropriate ground bolt, and tightened the bolt. As a former mobile electronics installer, this statement gives me hives, but not as much as using vampire taps.
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Sep 13, 2021 18:41
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Krakkles posted:For whatever it's worth, I did try to put a ring terminal on it first, but I finally gave up when I couldn't get them to hold that wire. I cannot overstate how irresponsibly tiny that friggin' wire is. Get on my level, scrub: learn to solder. Really, though, I hate when they use like 24 ga wire on things intended for automotive use. I get it doesn’t have to carry much current, but it needs to be usable, guys. I don’t want to have to treat the wire like a delicate flower and find special snowflake tiny connectors.
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Sep 13, 2021 19:31
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The camera I installed in the Insight was similar to that, yes. The bit where the two cables split off isn’t a connector? It was on mine - the 4-pin that you mention. Single cable to connector, connector, then the cable splits out to RCA and power connections. Regarding the trim - no idea. The Insight’s isn’t as recessed, so it wasn’t an issue. Is it still usable when the hatch is closed? Put something, say, 6 feet behind the car and see if you can still see it. Otherwise, yeah, different camera mount, maybe. Edit: I see you modified it. I missed those posts somehow. I just looked, and the one I got has a slightly different mounting location for the camera, so it sticks out like you made your do, though not as much. It also shifts it to one side to get it a little closer to center, which is nice. It also just replaces the lease, rather than the entire light: https://www.ebay.com/itm/170-Rear-V...1-127632-2357-0 Darchangel fucked around with this message at 21:36 on Sep 14, 2021 |
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Sep 14, 2021 21:32
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IOwnCalculus posted:your car's existing wiring is almost 100% crimped, only sinners solder Factory wires are crimped because crimping is easy for machines and BonoMan posted:Small update. The back right speaker is prob just busted. Still doesn't work. Swap the speakers to check. BonoMan posted:So battery dead again this morning. No surprise I guess. Unplug the harness from the radio and see if the issue goes away. Just live without a radio a few days, like your primitive ancestors.
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Jan 21, 2022 18:23
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RIP Paul Walker posted:NASA says to crimp! You trust a governmental agency to do things right? I kid. Crimping is fine if done properly. I find soldering to be neater and take less space. Edit: FWIW, I use soldering for splices. End terminals I usually use crimps.
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Jan 21, 2022 19:25
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RIP Paul Walker posted:I trust NASA engineers to research and document stuff like this :-) https://nepp.nasa.gov/files/27631/NSTD87394A.pdf I didn’t, but pretty sure someone here did last time we fought about it. Edit: while you’re following NASA guidelines for your mission critical spaceship of an automobile, you should also remember to do all your wiring with Teflon jacketed white wire, with circuit number markers, rather than that inferior multicolor stuff, and have all your parts serialized with appropriate paperwork. I’m being facetious Darchangel fucked around with this message at 20:48 on Jan 21, 2022 |
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Jan 21, 2022 20:42
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