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A few years back a gentleman mad a post regarding his stock radio getting reconditioned, adding a few features such as a aux. Support. I remember him touching base on some of the things that went on with the reconditioning process. I remember him saying the unit worked very very well after the overhaul. Does anyone remember this or can point me in the right direction? Thanks.
I did over-think the auxiliary input a bit. You can make it smaller with a single relay to cut in instead of two. The radio tuner is decent sounding and very sensitive, the full logic cassette is decent-sounding too. The non-logic is not as good in my opinion; there's no speed adjustment on it for instance. The reconditioning simply consisted or replacing burned out bulbs with LEDs and cleaning the pots with DeOxit FaderLube. My first input adapter box was too large and ungainly and the tuner failed, so I ended up going through a few more revisions.
If you're looking for a clean sound at high volume, it would be easier and better to replace the factory EQ with a Clarion EQS746 or 755 with a preamp input and plug the output of the factory radio into the input of the EQS along with a class D amp, component speakers and a compact subwoofer. I basically did that (though with a circa 1988 Clarion AM/FM cassette stereo) and I'm very happy with the results. The RX7 is not a large car and you don't need a lot of speakers or powerful amps to get good sound.
The S5 stereo went to a more conventional headunit with the cassette, tuner, preamp and amp sections integrated into one unit with a separate EQ. Unfortunately, the LCD displays on them degrade making them unreadable and parts are no longer available. Also, I wasn't impressed with the sound reproduction or output (unless they are preamp-only like the S4s).
The S5 stereo went to a more conventional headunit with the cassette, tuner, preamp and amp sections integrated into one unit with a separate EQ. Unfortunately, the LCD displays on them degrade making them unreadable and parts are no longer available. Also, I wasn't impressed with the sound reproduction or output (unless they are preamp-only like the S4s).
Last year had two of our S5 TII radios repaired at H.&R. Auto Radio in Warminster, PA. One had the display gone
and the other, the display gone along with a cassette problem. They repaired them both, good as new.
Last year had two of our S5 TII radios repaired at H.&R. Auto Radio in Warminster, PA. One had the display gone
and the other, the display gone along with a cassette problem. They repaired them both, good as new.
That is where the company I work for currently sends units out for repair.
the beauty of an s4 is you can simply remove one component and replace it with something modern. leaving the appearance of factory but gaining everything else like aux in, usb, bluetooth, outputs, etc
dont need any install kits, simply unscrew and screw the new unit to the factory chassis
I had that for years before putting gauges in the factory radio's place
the beauty of an s4 is you can simply remove one component and replace it with something modern. leaving the appearance of factory but gaining everything else like aux in, usb, bluetooth, outputs, etc
dont need any install kits, simply unscrew and screw the new unit to the factory chassis
I had that for years before putting gauges in the factory radio's place
You can do this with an S5 too, just need the factory radio brackets.
I have an issue with the volume **** on mine - sometimes crackles and the right side speakers don't work in my convertible, but if I jiggle the **** they come back on - I assume it's a corroded connection or something - I may have to take it all apart. I'm trying to leave everything intact because I have the factory CD player AND cassette player in there. haha
An S5 can also be adapted to modern units, but I wanted to keep the OEM radio along with the graphic equalizer.
One item I did notice is the radio itself, as far as reception, leaves a lot to be desired, so I use our "portable" XM radio
and the 7 radio tuned to a specific station and the car sounds better than new with the original speakers.
Yes and no as it depends on model.
The standard radio w/cassette- standard GTU, GXL, Turbo, and Vert.
The CD player optional GXL, Turbo, standard Vert.
7 band equalizer avail GTU, standard GXL, Turbo.
Similar to the '88:
9 band equalizer available SE, GTU, standard with GXL, Turbo
My vehicle is a convertible. What I am looking for is to retain the Oem unit(s) but have them work as they should. I have 2 units, both the same ones a spare. The current radio installed works good. Everything works but when you install a CD it makes a bunch of racket but it plays. when using the volume know it crackles turning the volume up down. Little things like that. I would just like the unit gone through so it performs better. The thread I was looking for could have possibly been Landon303. I am going to contact the place RXSPEED16 just posted and see what they have to say.
Nice thread. I purchased replacement belts for my tape player and it worked great. However now when I insert a tape it just skips between forward and reverse perpetually, and then ejects the tape after some time.
I am also interested in installing an auxiliary input. Is there a write-up or can somebody explain how to do this step-by-step? I'm not very experienced with electronics.
i remember the factory CD player not playing a lot of CDR's, and it skipping when you sneezed in the car
Interesting. I mainly use the radio, hardly ever any CDs and never have hooked my phone or any other music player up in any vehicle in have had. I need to call a few of these places and get a rough quote and figure out if it's worth it or not.
Interesting. I mainly use the radio, hardly ever any CDs and never have hooked my phone or any other music player up in any vehicle in have had. I need to call a few of these places and get a rough quote and figure out if it's worth it or not.
Surprisingly mine in my 89 vert works perfectly still.
Sometimes I run into the issue of when I first turn the radio on, it has it set to only one side of the car and then you have adjust it back to the center even if it is already set properly.
There's a thread somewhere about installing an auxiliary input that uses the CD player output. This is the route I am going to attempt, but it's still a long time coming before I can test. I have disassembled the radio and found the three wire CD audio output. Theoretically, just wire that up to an auxiliary input jack and you're good to go. The caveat is apparently there must be a CD inserted otherwise the system will not take audio from that source.
09-17-16, 08:18 PM
