Any feedback on Retro Radios

[Finny]

Looking at radios for the EK and wonder if anyone has used Retro-Sound.
They are an American supplier with a distributor based in NSW.







Or Vintage Auto Radio or K C Harrison, which are both USA suppliers, or anyone else supplying modern radios with 3.5m jack (iphone) and USB connectors, that fit our cars.



Looking for any feedback people may had experienced.

[Harv]

Finny,

From memory, there was a thread in the last few weeks on the EJ/EH forum on these radios. I can't access that forum anymore as it has moved and I can no longer find it . One of the EJ/EH guys was promoting that type of radio but with a faceplate to suit EJ/EH. Feedback from some of the other forum members was pretty harsh - apparantly poor reliability. It then turned into a pissing contest and the thread died.

Cheers,
Harv

[Finny]

Thanks Harv, no I can't find the forum either.
Links seem to go no where.

Shame, as I would like to have read the feedback, pissing or not.

[Megamatt]

Old post I know, but if anyone interested I just put a retro radio model 2 in my FB, along with a neat speaker which has 2 small speakers in one body which fits perfectly in the front speaker hole to give a "stereo" sound. Put a speaker in the back parcel shelf hole which does the same sort of thing but is what is called a dual voice coil speaker - where it can differentiate to a degree left and right sound in the one speaker (2 right and 2 left wires running into one speaker).

I got it all from a very helpful guy on the Sunshine Coast called Phil Weldon 0407409348 with the webpage my409.com.au for $660. He made me a prototype plate from brushed aluminium to fit the original FB radio hole in exchange for providing the dimensions and feedback on fit for the head unit and speakers. The radio itself is bluetooth for iphone etc with handsfree, microphone etc. You can plug in USB devices or via regular yellow red and white wires. Half of the inputs I doubt I will ever use (e.g. electric aerial, video, subwoofer etc.). I stream music from my iphone or older ipod nano connected to a regular jack that would otherwise go to headphones. Has regular FM and AM, loads of preset stations using groovy looking push buttons, and the face shows all quite clearly in digital colors that you can choose to suit your car (mine is red).

All up it was a easy fit, and I am happy with the results. It sounds pretty good (beats an original mono speaker hands down), and does not look too modern for the car. Pretty easy to navigate the settings for balance, fader, bass, mid and treble etc. I like the way the speakers are hidden completely and everything looks standard. I have the rear parcel shelf speaker under the re-trimmed vinyl still, with a hole cut in the masonite to allow the sound through, but one day I might try and find an original speaker grill, or at least punch some holes in the vinyl. If anyone has one they are willing to part with let me know.

Loud enough to drown out the sound of the engine at 110km/hr and accompanying exhaust note, (and even the kids singing and carrying on in the back if you want), but I will probably put in another muffler at some stage to quieten it down a bit if you can believe it, (and maybe gaffer tape for the kids).

Please don't be too critical of my trim around the dash which is scratched to buggery. If anyone has a decent one for the passenger side with all the stars still on it let me know.