My audio thread

[Previologist]

I have very specific needs for a receiver, (I just can't call it a head unit) and the one I want to use (my 3rd or 4th choice actually, but I digress) is 188mm wide x 58.5 high, which is 8 mm wider and higher than standard single DIN, and 8mm wider and higher than my current head unit, and 8 mm wider and higher than the opening in my dash. So the first of my many questions to come is, has anyone had this problem before? I really don't want to mutilate my dash molding, as widening it 4mm on each side would look really pretty bad.

Don't ask why I have to use that particular unit, its a can of worms that may spill anyway. Lets just say I have searched for days and weeks to find one that suits me, and if I can't use this unit I will probably have to buy used, which I'd like to avoid.

[Previologist]

Tech support told me that its normal single DIN dimensions, those measurements were for the face plate. So I ordered this

radio-usb-bluetooth-1.jpg

What I really wanted was this:
radio-cd-usb-1.jpg
Not because I needed an integrated CD player (I can always AUX it) but because I much prefer a tuning knob over push buttons. But while 24v units like those abound, there are few to none of the 12v units with 2 knobs left on the planet that aren't spoken for.

I could go into long detail about my search for a unit with a retro look, subdued backlight and 2 knobs, but that market basically boils down to Continental and Custom Radio Corp, but the latter is out of business.

[Previologist]

If you thought I started this thread to show you pictures of my new unit, and not to pick your brains about how to install it properly, you were sadly mistaken. I may be more comfortable with struts, sliding doors and tie rods now, but I still hate electricity and anything with more than two wires attached.

As near as I can tell without tearing off panels, I have 6 speakers: a tweeter on each side of the dash, a something in each door (presumably, but...) and a something in each side of the back, right about in front of the tires.

First problems are, when I tested the previous unit before removing it,

1) Both dash tweeters seem to work
2) I had no sound from the driver's door
3) The passenger door speaker sounded reasonably good
4) the drivers side rear speaker works, but is wired incorrectly as the "right/passenger" side in the balance control
5) no sound at all from the right rear no matter where the balance control is

Rather than start tearing things apart looking for broken wires or missing speakers I thought I should hook up the new unit for some testing first, which sounds easy to you but is not easy for me. I think I will probably need to buy some Metra adapters but holy moly, this stuff is like quantum mechanics to. It all just looks like sphaghettification.

Here is how the previous unit is **supposed** to be hooked up, but a) I don't know if it was hooked up correctly and b) I don't know which of these is the correct diagram that they should have used for the installed setup. And making matters more fun, the colored wires don't match up nicely with the new ISO harnesses, but more on that later.



pioneer1.jpg

Pioneer2.jpg

and here is what little information they give me in the manual for the new one.


TR7412UB.jpg

It did come with ISO harnesses, but it will not be a quick and easy hookup for me, as I will try to explain later. But I just got word that my coil has been switched to the new strut so I am off to the shop to get that. TBC...