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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ To Radio or not to Radio
Posted by: bkrantz Jan 26 2021, 09:20 PM
I am trying to decide whether to rebuild my dash with a radio cut-out or a blank plate. I do not want a modern looking head unit in the dash. I know I can get a vintage look with modern internal tech, but then why not just hide something?
What does the tribe think?
Posted by: iankarr Jan 26 2021, 09:25 PM
I’m sitting on this very same fence. Have a correct Blaupunkt in my ravenna car and it sounds awful. Not that I even try to listen to it much. I’m leaning towards no radio on my bumblebee build. When I redid the dash I stuck the radio delete plate in there with a few tiny squares of double stick so I can change it out down the road...
Posted by: bbrock Jan 26 2021, 09:32 PM
Probably the most agonizing decision I made on my build and I went back and forth so many times. I just couldn't justify a vintage radio that, like Ian said, would sound like a vintage radio. I leaned heavily toward the vintage style radios and mulled over a hidden stealth setup. I ruled that out only because to me, the dash doesn't look complete without a radio in place. In the end, I went with a new Blaupunkt with understated styling compared to most modern radios. It looks better than I expected in the dash and I kind of like it. It in no way would be mistaken for vintage though. All this to say, I have no opinion other than it's just one of those personal choices we have to make.
Posted by: Montreal914 Jan 26 2021, 09:58 PM
That is a big question... I have been looking at these retro style radio but they don't seem right to me.
Question about the proper era Blaupunkt. I know they have DIN connectors in the back for line input and I believe output too... 
Could the Blaupunkt be used for the volume control while the input is a phone and output goes through an amplifier? 
Would that by-pass the low sound quality of the unit?
Now for a radio delete, why not having the basket weave go over the entire dash eliminating that annoying vertical cut line by the radio/blank panel?
Agreed that he dash without a radio seem empty. I am not sure about the fuel gauge in that spot à la GT on a street car. Seems like it need the rest of the GT interior goodies.
There is probably a market for era Blaupunkt refurbished with modern guts acting simply as a control device with basic functions where the rest would be handled by input and amplifiers of the person's liking.
Posted by: mbseto Jan 26 2021, 10:37 PM
Why not both? Vintage radio in the dash, blue tooth receiver in the glove box to hook up to your smart phone. Nothing but blues and Elvis...
Posted by: bbrock Jan 26 2021, 11:57 PM
There is probably a market for era Blaupunkt refurbished with modern guts acting simply as a control device with basic functions where the rest would be handled by input and amplifiers of the person's liking.
There is actually a service that does this. Unfortunately, I have lost the link but when I was researching, I came across a place that would replace the guts of vintage Blaupunkts and replace them with modern electronics. Looked pretty slick but the price was out of my income bracket. By the time you were all in, you could buy Porsche's way overpriced Classic PCCM with builtin navigator.
The reason I ruled out a vintage radio in the dash and a hidden streaming device is because I still listen to radio a lot and live where signals are usually not very strong. Looking at a vintage radio is cool but listening to 1970s style static, not so much. Digital tuners are just a lot better at producing clear sound. That was the same reason I ruled out the streaming modules that plug into the DIN plug on a Blaupunkt. The controls seemed like a bit of a kludge to me and in the end, you are still piping the signal through crappy, outdated electronics.
For me, I had to decide whether the sound or looks was most important and it is easily the sound.
Posted by: Steve Jan 26 2021, 11:57 PM
I bought a $100.00 alpine to fill the hole. It’s an am&fm and Bluetooth unit. I mainly use the Bluetooth and play Apple Music from my iPhone. I rarely use the radio except for am 1070 when a crisis is going on. For half the price you can just get a Bluetooth receiver and cover the hole.
Posted by: horizontally-opposed Jan 26 2021, 11:59 PM
Made the jump years ago, thinking along similar lines and moving to a smartphone as the head unit > mini-jack > RCA inputs at an EQ > amp.
EQ is turned on via a factory defroster switch, which then triggers the amp. With the amp volume set, the range of volume on the phone is enough for listening while sitting in the car with the engine off to cruising at 70+ mph with the roof off. No regrets, and I never liked the reach to a 914's head unit anyway—few speak about it, but the 914's interior is much wider than most sports cars.
There are cleaner ways to do it now, including kits that allow for charing the phone in addition to audio signal.
Posted by: Porschef Jan 27 2021, 05:31 AM
Why not both? Vintage radio in the dash, blue tooth receiver in the glove box to hook up to your smart phone. Nothing but blues and Elvis...
And somebody else’s favorite song...
Posted by: saigon71 Jan 27 2021, 05:54 AM
I think it depends on the use of the car. If the car is a driver, I would put a decent radio in there. These cars aren't known for their creature comforts...but rolling around with the top off and some decent tunes is pretty awesome.
A modern head unit is a compromise. I didn't want anything too flashy, so I settled on a modest Blaupunkt and upgraded 6 1/2" speakers in the stock location with 914 Rubber speaker pods.
Posted by: bbrock Jan 27 2021, 09:16 AM
@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=10428
What's the model of that head unit? Looks pretty nice. I need to find a better solution for a chrome bezel on mine to tie it with the interior. Mine is a Nurnberg I ordered from Germany.
Posted by: Boothy Jan 27 2021, 09:42 AM
I was joking with my wife that I'd get an old 8 track off of eBay. A few brick-sized 8-tracks. The kids would be "Wait, you had only 8 songs on that thing? What's all the rattling?"
Then the coup de grace, ejected tape with tape all over the floor. "Now kids, what we did in the cases was to carefully roll the gears to get the tape back in to the box." I can see their faces.
Posted by: Cairo94507 Jan 27 2021, 10:27 AM
I knew I was not typically going to have the radio on when I was driving. So I just did the restored Frankfurt and it looks perfect in the dash. If I want to listen to music I could stream to my earbuds -not likely, or drive one of the other cars.
Posted by: Superhawk996 Jan 27 2021, 11:07 AM
Planning to put 90's vintage Blaupunkt MD70 Mini-Disc player. I love outdated technologies like this. If they didn't break so often, I might even consider a period correct 8 track. 
Posted by: bbrock Jan 27 2021, 12:02 PM
I was joking with my wife that I'd get an old 8 track off of eBay. A few brick-sized 8-tracks. The kids would be "Wait, you had only 8 songs on that thing? What's all the rattling?"
Then the coup de grace, ejected tape with tape all over the floor. "Now kids, what we did in the cases was to carefully roll the gears to get the tape back in to the box." I can see their faces.
Don't forget the matchbook to wedge under the cartridge to make it track properly on the heads. Gawd I miss 8-tracks.
Posted by: Boothy Jan 27 2021, 12:45 PM
Yeah, special times...
Posted by: PanelBilly Jan 27 2021, 12:47 PM
I-Phone with blue tooth headphones. Simple and it sounds good.
Posted by: 914forme Jan 27 2021, 07:24 PM
I-Phone with blue tooth headphones. Simple and it sounds good.
Check your laws in Ohio it is an illegal way to listen to music in your car if your the driver. But then so is being a slower car in the left lane and well our states finest does not enforce that law either.
Never ran one in the race car. I had a fuel gauge over there and a fuel pump switch.
My 914-6 build has the original radio just sitting in the dash, and then I have a DSP Amp with bluetooth that drives a set of separates in the factory locations.
Best of both worlds, proper look, and good tunes if you get bored with the sound of a -6.
Posted by: PanelBilly Jan 27 2021, 08:01 PM
I-Phone with blue tooth headphones. Simple and it sounds good.
Check your laws in Ohio it is an illegal way to listen to music in your car if your the driver. But then so is being a slower car in the left lane and well our states finest does not enforce that law either.
Never ran one in the race car. I had a fuel gauge over there and a fuel pump switch.
My 914-6 build has the original radio just sitting in the dash, and then I have a DSP Amp with bluetooth that drives a set of separates in the factory locations.
Best of both worlds, proper look, and good tunes if you get bored with the sound of a -6.
Hey, I'm in Seattle. You can steal a car and they hold you overnight and release you the next day without a bond. Nobody cares if you wear headphones. 60MPH is nothing on our roads either. Twenty over is a normal speed around here too.
Posted by: bkrantz Jan 27 2021, 08:07 PM
Anybody try one of these hidden systems, operated by a wired or wireless remote or smart phone?
https://www.memphiscaraudio.com/product-page/mxamcapp-app-controled-headless-source-unit
https://bossaudio.com/product/mc900b/
Posted by: rktmn247 Jan 27 2021, 09:36 PM
I had the Continental (VDO) head unit in my 87 911. I thought it looked good and blended in well for the period of the car. When I changed the pioneer out of the 97 911 I went with the clarion m508. Both units sound good similar features, but I like the clarion much better. I will put one in the 914 if I ever get to that point.
Posted by: saigon71 Jan 28 2021, 12:56 PM
@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=10428
What's the model of that head unit? Looks pretty nice. I need to find a better solution for a chrome bezel on mine to tie it with the interior. Mine is a Nurnberg I ordered from Germany.
@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=20845
It's a Blaupunkt Helsinki 220 BT
Posted by: SteveL Jan 28 2021, 01:56 PM
Is there a reasonably priced head unit that has enough power to drive updated speakers in the stock location well enough to hear clearly with the top off? Not looking for audiophile quality, just maybe equal to stock chevy with a roof.
Posted by: shane Jan 29 2021, 07:41 AM
I-Phone with blue tooth headphones. Simple and it sounds good.
Check your laws in Ohio it is an illegal way to listen to music in your car if your the driver. But then so is being a slower car in the left lane and well our states finest does not enforce that law either.
Never ran one in the race car. I had a fuel gauge over there and a fuel pump switch.
My 914-6 build has the original radio just sitting in the dash, and then I have a DSP Amp with bluetooth that drives a set of separates in the factory locations.
Best of both worlds, proper look, and good tunes if you get bored with the sound of a -6.
Hey, I'm in Seattle. You can steal a car and they hold you overnight and release you the next day without a bond. Nobody cares if you wear headphones. 60MPH is nothing on our roads either. Twenty over is a normal speed around here too.
All that new gas taxes and much much more, you have to love King country. If and when our brilliant city council has there way they’ll be replacing our law enforcement with social workers.
Posted by: Big Len Jan 29 2021, 09:33 AM
Is there a reasonably priced head unit that has enough power to drive updated speakers in the stock location well enough to hear clearly with the top off? Not looking for audiophile quality, just maybe equal to stock chevy with a roof.
I bought this one - https://www.alpine-usa.com/product/ute-73bt
I replaced a high end JVC unit and the Alpine sounds so much better. About $100, well worth it.
Posted by: 808 WRX Jan 29 2021, 09:39 PM
In my '66 mustang i have an 8-track player in the dash (hooked to the 4x10 speaker on the dash) with an aftermarket head unit in the glove box hooked up to the 4 "real" speakers. Best of both worlds 
Posted by: Superhawk996 Jan 30 2021, 10:45 AM
In my '66 mustang i have an 8-track player in the dash (hooked to the 4x10 speaker on the dash) with an aftermarket head unit in the glove box hooked up to the 4 "real" speakers. Best of both worlds
Nothing says 1970's more than an 8-track!
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