Tips on new radio w/stock amp,speakers

[xclusivecar]

I replaced my Becker CDR-220 head unit with a JVC HD radio/I-Pod input last month. Bought from Crutchfield using their wiring harness and PAC OEM-2 adapter to keep my stock amp,speakers,and DSP. I ran into a bunch of problems and I wanted to share a few tips for those planning on attempting this.


1)When replacing the radio the alarm system will believe your stock radio has been removed and will honk the horn every time you lock up the car. To stop this from happening you must disconnect a Brown/Blue wire from the upper drivers side of the original mounting sleeve. Its just a male/female connector. disconnect this and the horn will not sound anymore. You can see this wire more easily if you pull out the pod for your spoiler switch, traction control,wiper control.

2)DO NOT attempt to ground to any chassis areas. You will hear LOTS of alternator whine. Ground everything that needs grounding to the ORIGINAL ground for the radio. This is a brown thicker wire. All negative speaker wires, PAC OEM-2 grounds, and radio grounds should tie togethor.

3)Make sure you attach the power antennae wires. Even though we do not have a power antennae I believe the windshield antennae needs a bit of juice the operate properly??!!

4) The red/yellow wires coming from the car are the opposite of what the radio requires. Not swapping these wires will cause you to have an "always on" system.

5)On the PAC OEM-2 make sure you use the "common ground" speaker outputs for this car.

Follow these rules and all directions and you wont have to pull out your radio 10 times to correct anything. After all was said and done...the BECKER SUCKS!!! Changing the head unit made a huge difference. The stock amp is just fine and I probably would advise to change speakers out...thats next!

Remember...these tips were performed using my cars wiring...a 2000S w/door speakers, DSP, rear speakers, and a Becker CDR-220. Your car might be slightly different!

[Cloudsurfer]

All German cars are a bit interesting to work on with regard to grounding and signal connections. Most newer German cars actually have very decent factory, however, and when possible we try to re-use it.

The factory head unit isnt a horrible source, but its by no means good. However, the factory amp is a horrendous, under-powered, excuse for an amp. The factory speakers arent the worst we've seen, but are far from good. The whole idea of "rear speakers" makes any audiophile cringe.

I am in the process of installing some of the new Hertz 3-way Ribbon tweetered components into my 02 S. Putting the 6 1/2s where the factory 5 1/4s were in a modified door panel, with the supertweeter above them angled upward. The ribbons we are putting into the factory dash location. Wil be driving this from a Focal 4 channel amp, and saying the hell with a subwoofer as its impossible to really generate any SPL in the bass department of a vert.

Just my $.02....