For all those with old 1.5 DIN radios

I just found this by accident and I like it. It's a replacement for an older 1.5 DIN radios by RetroSound. I know there are guys here looking for decent, simple radios. Unfortunately they cost over $400.

http://www.retrosoundusa.com/products/category/id/1

The RetroSound® Newport is a direct-fit solution for GM, Chrysler, Ford and Jeep vehicles with 1.5 DIN dash openings. This radio looks like the original radio but offers the most modern high-tech features including a Made-For-iPod® interface, built-in Bluetooth® connectivity, dual USB ports and two auxiliary inputs for portable devices. Until now, the only solution for these vehicles was to install a standard DIN-sized radio -- an installation that looks out of place and awkward. The Newport closely mimics the original radio for an attractive factory-like look. Dual color (amber or green) illumination and back-lighting enhances the Newport's look in your dash. The Newport features a built-in 25 watts x 4 channel RMS power amplifier plus front and rear RCA outputs and subwoofer output for adding external amplifiers.

Cool, Now if they'd only make a single-DIN one that looks like an old 80's Blaupunkt, I'd be happy.

Looking at the head units available for sale right now makes me rage. I WANT to buy new head units for several of my cars but I berkeleying hate everything available for sale right now.

I love the standard, non flashy looks but for 400 dollars, I would be looking somewhere else.

JamesMcD wrote: Cool, Now if they'd only make a single-DIN one that looks like an old 80's Blaupunkt, I'd be happy. Looking at the head units available for sale right now makes me rage. I WANT to buy new head units for several of my cars but I berkeleying hate everything available for sale right now.

There's stuff out there that doesn't look awful in say... a GD.

But you're gonna pay for it.

Some of the entry level Nakamichis look good.

If I get a classic car with a classic radio in it, I think I would just add a little board amp from parts express that runs on 12vdc. Leave the radio in place and just hide the 3.5mm jack connector and run everything from the phone (radio/streaming/mp3s)

All of $10 probably.

I wish they made one for the factory radio spot on 88-94 Chevy trucks.

In reply to RossD:

Where could someone find out how to do this?

JamesMcD wrote: Cool, Now if they'd only make a single-DIN one that looks like an old 80's Blaupunkt, I'd be happy. Looking at the head units available for sale right now makes me rage. I WANT to buy new head units for several of my cars but I berkeleying hate everything available for sale right now.

yea.. ugly and too much bling

A friend of mine builds and sells a neat little adapter for connecting your ipod/phone/etc. device to an older car's radio: http://www.redirad.com/ There are a couple models, one for AM radios and another for FM radios. He even has some 6 volt versions, for either positive or negative ground systems. It connects inline with the antenna cable, plus power connections, and works slick.

In reply to Wally:

Something like this: http://www.parts-express.com/t-amp-tripath-ta2024-2x15w-audio-digital-amplifier-board--320-600

It's only two channel so you would need two to run 4 speakers (2 front, 2 rear) There are other ones from the same website. Or run two 4 ohm speakers in series for 8 ohms or two parallel 8 ohms for 4 ohms effective.

Run a fused 12v for power to the amp, wire the amp to your speakers, and you might have to cut up a female ended 3.5mm cord and connect it to the board, probably via the green terminals or the small wiring pigtail.

The power output is kind of low compared to new car audio (OEM and Aftermarket). But if you wanted something bigger, you could just find some kid's old 4 channel car amp or

http://www.parts-express.com/boss-r1004-riot-400-watt-4-channel-car-audio-amplifier--265-3987

and wired it up as usual car amp but instead of connecting it to the back of an aftermarket deck, use a RCA to 3.5mm cable and plug your phone in. You might need to supply a 12v to the 'power on' wire to run the amp on but you could just have a toggle switch under the dash to send the 'turn on' signal to the amp. Then just use the volume on the phone/ipod/... and your favorite music app.

oldopelguy wrote: I wish they made one for the factory radio spot on 88-94 Chevy trucks.

Wasn't that the same as every other GM radio back then?

In reply to mndsm:

Nope, volume and tuning controls with the display in a 3x5" head unit in the gauge pod, amp under the dash, tape deck and eq in the center of the dash. Aftermarket units go in the tape deck spot ad it is both inconvenient to operate and not angled right or shielded properly to prevent windshield reflection.

How about a double-din tube amp unit?

Bumboclot wrote: How about a double-din tube amp unit?

I love these radios.

The best I've been able to do for a modern head unit with all the features that doesn't look ridiculous is a newer Kenwood, the BT855U/BT955HD/X997 (same faceplate, different levels of features). It has variable display color with RGB sliders and is controllable by your factory dimmer, so you can make it blend in pretty well. I pick up the X997 refurbs on eBay for like $150.

As far as the RetroSound units, I would wait for refurbs to start showing up and buy then. Always works for me.

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I just found this by accident and I like it. It's a replacement for an older 1.5 DIN radios by RetroSound. I know there are guys here looking for decent, simple radios. Unfortunately they cost over $400. http://www.retrosoundusa.com/products/category/id/1

The RetroSound® Newport is a direct-fit solution for GM, Chrysler, Ford and Jeep vehicles with 1.5 DIN dash openings. This radio looks like the original radio but offers the most modern high-tech features including a Made-For-iPod® interface, built-in Bluetooth® connectivity, dual USB ports and two auxiliary inputs for portable devices. Until now, the only solution for these vehicles was to install a standard DIN-sized radio -- an installation that looks out of place and awkward. The Newport closely mimics the original radio for an attractive factory-like look. Dual color (amber or green) illumination and back-lighting enhances the Newport's look in your dash. The Newport features a built-in 25 watts x 4 channel RMS power amplifier plus front and rear RCA outputs and subwoofer output for adding external amplifiers.

looks cheap- for $400 they should at least be able to buy the license to put a GM or Chrysler logo on the stupid thing... but i do like that the last picture is of a Regal dash...

a few years ago, Wal Mart had a similar radio that fit in a single DIN slot- no cd slot, but it did have front and rear USB ports and the box said it could control an ipod... it was only about an inch thick, looked about the same quality as this one, and only cost $90 or so...

novaderrik wrote:

SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I just found this by accident and I like it. It's a replacement for an older 1.5 DIN radios by RetroSound. I know there are guys here looking for decent, simple radios. Unfortunately they cost over $400. http://www.retrosoundusa.com/products/category/id/1

The RetroSound® Newport is a direct-fit solution for GM, Chrysler, Ford and Jeep vehicles with 1.5 DIN dash openings. This radio looks like the original radio but offers the most modern high-tech features including a Made-For-iPod® interface, built-in Bluetooth® connectivity, dual USB ports and two auxiliary inputs for portable devices. Until now, the only solution for these vehicles was to install a standard DIN-sized radio -- an installation that looks out of place and awkward. The Newport closely mimics the original radio for an attractive factory-like look. Dual color (amber or green) illumination and back-lighting enhances the Newport's look in your dash. The Newport features a built-in 25 watts x 4 channel RMS power amplifier plus front and rear RCA outputs and subwoofer output for adding external amplifiers.

looks cheap- for $400 they should at least be able to buy the license to put a GM or Chrysler logo on the stupid thing... but i do like that the last picture is of a Regal dash... a few years ago, Wal Mart had a similar radio that fit in a single DIN slot- no cd slot, but it did have front and rear USB ports and the box said it could control an ipod... it was only about an inch thick, looked about the same quality as this one, and only cost $90 or so...

Honestly, I threw it up here because RetroSound answered a question no one was really asking. That's not always a bad thing. I've heard good things about their radios. The fact that its a direct fit and doesn't require a "kit" to make it work is nice. Yeah they could use the licensing, but all their other radios don't have it either.

Since it is Pre-order, it's not even been sold yet, I imagine if they sell enough that the price will eventually drop. I doubt there is a huge market for it, but it will be interesting to keep an eye on it.

Would look great in a G body, 80s truck, or similar, would look like ass in my 2002 Corvette. Looking at either an old Alpine 1.5 Din or just do a double din conversion.

mad_machine wrote:

JamesMcD wrote: Cool, Now if they'd only make a single-DIN one that looks like an old 80's Blaupunkt, I'd be happy. Looking at the head units available for sale right now makes me rage. I WANT to buy new head units for several of my cars but I berkeleying hate everything available for sale right now.

yea.. ugly and too much bling

I agree. I had to go to Ebay to get a head unit for my Insight that would look right. Try looking for Kenwoods from the late 90's like the KDC-X815 or the one I got which is a KDC-V7017. They just look "right" in a single din dash and can have an AUX in form the CD changer input with an adapter.

25w rms. that ought to set your 1988 paper cone speakers on fire in short order. lol.

call me old fashioned.....i like all the aux inputs but I still want a CD player.

regarding low key looks, I do like the Eclipse CD1200. its cheap, simple to use, sounds good for the price. you can switch the key backlighting to red or green, and the blue backlighting isnt nearly as bright as it looks in this pic below. has a usb input on the face behind a rubber plug, rca inputs and outputs on the back, also you could get an ipod cable for it also (plugs in the back) I had one in my miata...sold the miata. Bought another for my grand marquis. Sold the GMQ but kept the radio. Just installed it in my Hyundai a few weeks ago and its directly running a pair of boston acoustics 5x7's and some 5.25 polk momo components. Sounds good even though I know I am probably underpowering the speakers.

The only reason I haven't replaced my car stero is because all the aftemarket ones look so stupid, gaudy and have way too many menus to navigate. I like the looks of a stock one.

After this thread the only reason I haven't replaced it is because I don't want to spend $400

the one slickdizzy linked to doesn't offend me too badly. Thanks for that info!

Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep also put double Din head units in now. I had a base model 2011 Ram that had a crappy head unit. No Uconnect or BT but it did have XM. I wanted a DD sized unit since the dash hole (Ha!) was so big. I did not want a touch screen DVD/NAV/baller unit. I just wanted some basic features that looked decent (or OEM if possible). I found a Pioneer FH-P8000BT fit the bill perfectly. I had to trim about 1/4" of the soft plastic dash support structure to get it to fit. Sadly, I never took pics of it installed

failboat wrote:

My problem with this is why can't a manufacturer make the buttons bigger. Try wearing gloves and pushing those tiny buttons!

Seriously, the area with the numbers above the buttons could be part of the buttons too!

I hate the tiny buttons. OEM figured it out. Huge buttons for my fat American fingers.

SFO, thanks for the reminder about Nakamichi. This right here is pretty close to what I see in my head when I imagine what I want, looks-wise, in a head unit. The Nakamichi CD700:

The RetroSound stuff is cool for sure, but it is expensive! That 1.5 DIN one rules though.

I have one of these, the single DIN Kenwood EZ500:

I bought it for my old WRX back in 2005-06. I love the thing. It sounds great and it looks like an older shaft-style radio, has an AUX-in (attaches to the rear), and you can get an iPod interface for it. It's dangling in the CSX's dash right now, but will probably find a home in the Trans Am because it will look better in there. The button lighting changes from red to green, too.