Looking For an Audio Upgrade from an OEM 1995

[BonzaiDuck]

The vehicle: My 95 Trooper LS
The audio system: quad-stereo, with tweeters on both the front door panels and larger (coax?) speakers near the floor, and rear speakers.
There is a 12-CD changer affixed to the interior rear wheel-well hump on the passenger side.
The receiver has a cassette tape player -- a fairly common design for that decade. There are devices which can be inserted in the cassette player, with a 3.5mm phone jack that would connect to any portable device like a Sony Walkman CD Player or an MP3 player, running off the cigar-lighter 12V. [I may still have that device -- I need to look around for it.]

The 12-CD changer can be a little quirky, sometimes throwing errors when switching to a different CD. Switching back and forth a few times eventually gets the troublesome CD to track properly.

I'd like to keep the OEM receiver and CD-changer operational, but wonder if there isn't a way to add an auxiliary device that would play MP3 files from a USB stick. Hooking up the existing MP3 player, wires running to the dashboard, etc. falls short of what I want to live with. So I'd like to have that MP3 device installable in the dashboard -- there's still space available for something like a spare receiver or the rectangular size of one.

Any suggestions?

If I were to replace the entire system but for the speakers, I think I would lose the ability to use the CD-changer.

If I "DIY" do-it-myself, I'd have to match the plug connections between receiver and the speakers, and I don't quite know what I'm dealing with.

And if I run the car down to the local car audio shop, I'm afraid they'll screw something up -- whether they install a whole new receiver with USB, Bluetooth, wireless-subscription-FM or whatever is currently available on newer cars, or whatever or however they integrate something with the existing OEM devices.

If I could play MP3 off a USB stick, still have the cigar-lighter free and no wires coming off the console to other portable devices, that would be the most desired. I'd have access to hundreds of albums in my PC-network's "Music" folder, without being limited to 12 CD albums in the changer.

Since I haven't test-driven any 21st century vehicles, don't know anyone tech-savvy enough to explain the latest vehicle sound-system technology, I think I'm totally in the dark about this except for poking around Amazon and Ebay looking at receiver replacements with fold-out LCD screens, integrated backup camera (which would truly be nice), and/or GPS. I can get GPS with my cell-phone and one of those WeatherTech cup-holder cell-phone holders.

Again -- any ideas? Suggestions?

 

[deadlyapp]

Wiring a new receiver is generally very easy as long as you can find a suitable wiring harness adapter - it plugs directly into your existing harness and you just have to wire it to the new head unit.

As far as I know, there isn't any device that you can use directly to play with your existing unit, other than a radio transmitter device (which would still plug into your phone or another device) or the previously mentioned tape receiver. You could feasibly replace the existing CD changer with another device (eg an installed hard drive system) but there may be a proprietary harness for the CD changer which might make this hard.

You could pull out the existing receiver and see if there are any additional inputs on it, but I significantly doubt it.

Best choice - ditch the existing receiver and CD changer. Replace it with a new unit that has bluetooth, USB input, or whatever you want to use. Wiring it in is easy if you can find the harness.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Wiring a new receiver is generally very easy as long as you can find a suitable wiring harness adapter - it plugs directly into your existing harness and you just have to wire it to the new head unit.

As far as I know, there isn't any device that you can use directly to play with your existing unit, other than a radio transmitter device (which would still plug into your phone or another device) or the previously mentioned tape receiver. You could feasibly replace the existing CD changer with another device (eg an installed hard drive system) but there may be a proprietary harness for the CD changer which might make this hard.

You could pull out the existing receiver and see if there are any additional inputs on it, but I significantly doubt it.

Best choice - ditch the existing receiver and CD changer. Replace it with a new unit that has bluetooth, USB input, or whatever you want to use. Wiring it in is easy if you can find the harness.

I'm investigating units such as these:

Electop FM transmitter and Bluetooth device

Bluetooth FM Transmitter HandsFree

There seem to be literally hundreds of these things of various origin and manufacture. Complaints and criticisms include loose connections with the cigar-lighter circuit, insufficient volume, static and interference when pairing the FM output with the FM preset on the existing receiver.

Some of them have an "On/Off" switch. Others don't, and customers complain that leaving the device in the cigar-lighter socket results in a dead battery.

Some of them -- in addition to the FM-transmitter link to the OEM receiver -- provide a 3.5mm phone-jack for "AUX" -- both input and output!

Just about every item I've looked at so far (and -- only "so far" as I continue my investigations) -- is priced between ~$12 and ~$30. They all offer MP3 playback with a USB drive for storage -- some with a 32GB limit, others with 64. That's nice, but I think 32GB is quite sufficient -- ample -- roomy!

I could also get a "full panel" device from BOSS, Pioneer, JVC or some other established manufacturer which could be linked to the existing OEM receiver, either via 3.5mm or FM-transmitter. I think the latter option will be harder to find, though. Some of those would provide back-up camera capability!

But -- prioritizing my needs and convenience -- I'll put sound quality at the top of the list.

Take, for instance, the Electop unit in the first link I provided. No "On/Off" switch. But the reviews are more promising for sound quality. And -- Do I still struggle with my cigarette habit? Certainly! Do I want that cigar-lighter free for such things as an electric tire pump? Sure!

I think I could order a few of these devices, pick the one that satisfies, and if it doesn't have an On/Off switch (or even if it does!) -- tap into the accessory circuit of the car, install the device with a foam insert and even plastic face-plate to the receiver-sized "shelf" below the Trooper's OEM receiver, and even give it a toggle switch and in-line fuse.

That would still be easier than converting the existing OEM unit and using its speaker system.

As for the 3.5mm phone-jack connection, the cassette-insert for those can be had from Sony, Phillips and other manufacturers. And the Phillips unit is maybe another $15 in chump-change. I could shorten the connecting wire as necessary and conceal it.

Your advice is useful. Lemme see -- [get the "Owner's Manual" . . . ] . . . Yeah . . . I couldn't find much detail other than the wiring diagrams in the factory manual, and there was no picture of the rear panel of the OEM receiver. But there's no "AUX" button on the receiver -- only AM/FM, TAPE and CD-CH(anger). So the solution barring complete audio system replacement is either the tape-deck device, or FM-transmitter with a clean signal and minimum static/interference. Or -- both!

I'm way overdue to post a picture of my beloved Trooper -- I'll get the cellphone or my digital camera on the job presently. I think I've attended to every shortcoming and problem with it. But if I can do something to follow the avenues I've mentioned, I can minimize further expense on this aging but tip-top and venerable vehicle.

At the moment, I'm really pleased with my RIGID fog/driving lights, the LED rocker switch and my wiring. And two days after I posted this thread, I've come up to speed as to what modern cars offer besides backup-cameras. Cellphone integration, hands-free cell operation, etc. The FM-transmitter angle didn't occur to me before.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Okay . . . the manufacturers only publish so much info for their devices presented in the Amazon advertisements. Customers have a subjective assessment of things like sound quality.

But one of those assessments, which you find scattered throughout the reviews of different Bluetooth/FM-transmitter/MP3-player devices, is poor electrical connectivity. Here's an example of something I saw over and over again across several devices:

"Okay I purchased this and the problem is now it doesn't show that I purchased it it's showing a different model. The problem with this one it does not stay connected you barely hit a bump and it disconnects. It's like their ground or the positive connection doesn't text Will inside of any car that I put it in I've tried it in several cars and you barely touch a bump and it goes off they need to redo this model completely maybe that's why they're showing a new one. It works amazing if you're sitting still quality sounds great but if you started driving it's immediately off. They should make one that doesn't tell and making a solid connection. . . . "

I don't think they really made cigarette-lighters to provide the most consistent electrical connection, and as I already said, I really want to see my car cigar-lighter free to do as originally intended.

What I have in mind as opposed to the other "customers" I find in their reviews is this. I want to tap into the accessory circuit in parallel to the cigarette-lighter so that I have bullet- or shovel-clip connections to the MP3-player/cell-phone/Blue-tooth device. So I'll need to cut up the "penis" plug of such a device, solder in some red and black wire with bullet-plugs or clips which connect to the male or female connectors I would add with the parallel accessory wiring. Those latter wires will be fine with the usual "folding-plastic" connectors -- no need to solder them.

Then, I need to cut some panels of foam-art-board -- if anyone remembers my posts on duct-building at the "computer cooling" forum. The art-board will have cutouts for the MP3-player-device, and just as easily, a 3-pin rocker switch, if the device doesn't have its own power on/off button. The construction would then fit snugly into the closed "shelf" or auxiliary device recess below my OEM receiver. I'll fuse the hot lead to the switch, which, I would think, goes between the accessory circuit and the device.

If the device has AUX 3.5mm output, I have the option to use the cassette-player device, and these can be modified to eliminate the noise people report for the player trying to perform its original function. Customers hear "clicking" and other noises associated with the turning of the cassette wheels. The only other possible shortcoming of the cassette devices is that here and there, some of a particular manufacture seem to auto-eject when the user doesn't want it to.

If, on the other hand, I can find a channel range for the FM receiver that is void of other channels, I should be able to get a static-free connection to the existing OEM receiver. And -- Golly-Gee-Whiz! -- I can then still be able to use the OEM cassette-player for its intended purpose! I have scads and piles of audio-cassette music tapes!! Wonderful! Don't you just love those things cluttering up your passenger compartment? And doesn't everybody have some neat little box or shelf built into their dashboard that stores a library of cassettes?! (No -- they don't -- but I'm trying to be funny . . . )

So -- "what do you think?" If I were to replace the 12-CD-changer and existing receiver, I could make up the loss with a good Kenwood or BOSS or Pioneer that has USB-file-play, MP3, cell-phone connectivity possibly with the Siri feature, and other niceties. But I'll spend about 5 times on such a solution compared to one of these little $20 devices. Even if I buy three at once to try out different makes and models, my costs would still be less than $70, no inconvenience for replacing my OEM receiver and speaker wiring or even the speakers as well.

With good electrical connections, multiple options for connecting, and only things like "tape-hiss" for nuisance, I can save myself $300 to $500 for a complete audio remake of a vehicle that's 25 years old. And I still get cell-phone connectivity, possibly "folder-play" on the MP3-device, a decent display (except for the Electop example), charging -- all of it.

One other thing I noticed concerning customer reviews for the cassette-tape "AUX input" devices: people who complain about terrible sound, static, interference and noise most likely do NOT clean and de-gauss their tape player heads before inserting the input device. This is likely the source of all their disappointments!

And -- "What do you think?"

 

[deadlyapp]

I think you're overthinking it.

Yes, tape quality is going to be "not good" but if you're still relying on the existing sound system in your 1995 trooper and think it is "quality" then I think you won't be able to discern a difference between a tape adapter and replacing it with a completely new head unit.

Stop overthinking it and get the tape converter if you're OK with the wire. If you're not OK with the wire, then get the FM transmitter version - as simple as that. You'll occasionally have some interference (it's a radio signal after all) but generally it'll be perfectly fine for you.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I think you're overthinking it.

Yes, tape quality is going to be "not good" but if you're still relying on the existing sound system in your 1995 trooper and think it is "quality" then I think you won't be able to discern a difference between a tape adapter and replacing it with a completely new head unit.

Stop overthinking it and get the tape converter if you're OK with the wire. If you're not OK with the wire, then get the FM transmitter version - as simple as that. You'll occasionally have some interference (it's a radio signal after all) but generally it'll be perfectly fine for you.

I'm going to experiment with more than one of the FM transmitters. I would also think that you'd get 4-track sound that way instead of 2-track basic stereo, as with a 3.5mm phone-jack connection.

Those Cassette adapters are a dime a dozen. It turns out the name brands like Sony and Phillips aren't as good as some of the cheap ones.
Anyway, until I know "what I'm lookin' at, I made sure the units I planned to test offer both AUX in and AUX out as well as the FM radio link.

Another feature I wanted would be normal for any media computer application like WMC or iTunes: "Folder-play" or folder recognition and handling. Some of those things just detect audio files on a flash drive and offer you a random selection. If you have 32GB or even half as much in MP3 (4 or 5) files, you at least want to select an album at a time, and hopefully a track at a time.

But all the problems with those devices seem to include a lot of connectivity and background-noise issues. I think I can eliminate all of it, or most of it. It just requires taking some pains with an Xacto knife, a line-filter, some wires, solder and soldering iron. And from what I read on the FM transmitters in Customer reviews, many of the customers are naïve. They have a loose 3.5mm phone-plug connection ("Only plays L and not R . . ") but they don't attempt to fix it. Others expect their cigar-lighter contacts to give them stellar and continuous current -- despite curbs, seams in the streets and potholes. They don't bother to deal with those things either. And they don't care if their cigar-lighter is "occupied". And ultimately, the descriptions of the tape noise they hear -- the really nasty kind -- sounds exactly like the expectations for someone who didn't run a degausser and head-cleaning fluid through their OEM unit in preparation.

The way it looks with some of those units, I can shorten the 3' cassette-adapter 3.5mm phone cable to about 12" and make it almost totally invisible.

I've invested a few thousand bucks into the Trooper over the last few years, because the engine will last longer than I will, and the transmission just as easily, because it has at least another 60,000 to 80,000 miles left in the expectations. All the essentials have been fixed and renewed.

But I'm not going to drop $300 to $500 into new audio for it. That's likely going too far, when I may just be able to make a total success of this project and even have the Bluetooth iPhone features to boot -- something I don't much need anymore. I don't travel; my friends all communicate by e-mail; I don't impulse-buy goods and goodies. So if I want to shop or surf the web -- I'll use a full-sized keyboard instead of typing with my thumbs.

I'm still toying with the idea of a back-up camera, but I need a place to put it -- so I need the time to ponder it. The old-fashioned mirror does just fine. Maybe, if I can do it for $150 or less, it will be next year's project.

We don't need a new car; don't need all the new features like electro-mechanical sechs-shual devices, but we need to have a little fun, even so.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

BLUE TOOTH CASSETTE ADAPTER
Assuming you only need to input Bluetooth devices and don't mind the step down to 2-channel stereo from 4-channel-possible, this is probably the best cassette adapter for sound quality and tip-top operating potential -- provided you remove the two small gears for auto-reverse and re-assemble the unit -- maybe after lubing the spool gears.

Some units reported to be quiet and behave properly without the unexpected ejection problem. Both the noise issues and ejection issues are resolved by taking a few minutes with a small screwdriver and modifying the unit.

Aluratek Bluetooth Cassette Adapter

The problem rests with a need to recharge the unit, which has a run-time of about 8 hours. Since other devices are neither FM-transmitter-enabled or Bluetooth capable, a spare $8 wired Cassette adapter with the 3.5mm connection to the peripheral would work. Keep one in the glove-box and the other in the cassette player.

Either way, you only get two-channel stereo, because of the limitation of the cassette technology itself.

And you have to recharge the Aluratek unit if you let it run for 8 hours without switching it off. At least the on/off switch is a nice touch, and hopefully, the unit does not then need to be ejected before it will be used again.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

A DIY HACK FOR YOUR OLD FM-RECEIVER-"HEAD-UNIT" TO GET BLUETOOTH

The "MITE" from Austray-lya says he can do it for $25. Nifty little project, but you have to remove the FM receiver, take it apart and solder some wires.

The advantage -- it bypasses the magnetic heads on the cassette player, but uses the cassette player circuitry to fool the receiver into thinking the cassette is ready to play. So it's a direct solder-in connection between Bluetooth and the receiver, for basic stereo two-channel input.

If you clean and degauss your cassette-tape heads, the Aluratek Bluetooth "cassette" is the next-best thing. And it converts the tape door to a usb port, an on/off switch, and an activity LED. And it's still $25 without the soldering tedium. Of course -- you might want to remove those little wheels in the Aluratek, or add a bit of grease to them . . .

There are still plenty of people "out there" driving older cars who want solutions like this. They don't want to drop a $600 Kenwood -- possibly new speakers -- into their venerable old ride. But -- they want Bluetooth, MP3 and so forth.

Another point about this. We discussed using the FM receiver with a Bluetooth-enabled FM-transmitter device to broadcast on an "empty" FM frequency. I had been anticipating problems with this in terms of interference. But I saw a demonstration (by some 14-year-old kid in his You-Tube) showing how to find just such an isolated frequency. You are definitely going to get clear, stellar audio if you do that properly. So my idea of reserving the OEM radio by crippling the reception and adding another FM tuner device (with Bluetooth!!) is probably a waste of money and time.

I originally started this thread because I was completely unfamiliar with what could be done, barring the installation of that pricey Kenwood or Pioneer and the removal of my 12-CD changer. More and more, it looks like one could just chuck the 12-CD changer, and add a device that played both CD and DVD -- together with "DVD viewing" capability and GPS. I can see adding the extra features -- I'm making plans for that already. But having a single-disc CD player also implies having loose jewel cases and discs floating around in the passenger compartment. So I'll keep the old changer.

As for my existing speakers -- all six of them? They're great, and fader makes them more versatile. I have vibrations coming from the front door panel midrange speakers, but not the speakers themselves. It's the mounts. It occurs when I want to listen to Nirvana or vintage Hendrix at the volumes that probably damaged the hearing of many a Boomer who got tickets to the Fillmore or the Altamont concert. [We're all buying those cell-phone-enabled hearing aids, now]. But for the vibration, that's an easy fix. We'll start with a phillips screwdriver, and maybe add some weatherstrip rubber to it.

I could even replace a pair of speakers. I could revisit buying a new head unit if I replace them all, but I just may still want to keep that 12-CD changer in operation.