Radio Suggestions for my Polara convertible

[mr. fix it]

Hi guys

While I am waiting for the nice weather I am shopping a replacement aftermarket radio for Tricia

When I got the Polara in 2013 it had an older 1970’s Craig am fm with a cassette tape deck
It works well for low volume listening but once on the road it can’t handle any higher volumes and the speakers swamp out
I thought it was the speakers and replaced them with the same results
I thought it was the low dollar speakers I had bought so I bought a pair of mid $$$ range units only to get to the same results
60watts

I now think it’s the radio itself and looking for a close to but not period correct looking radio
The Craig is old and power wasn’t a big concern back in the day


Who has replaced theirs with a good quality radio that doesn’t break the bank?
I understand that in a convertible I’m going to lose some sound quality but want something that I can turn up without having the sound go for a **** when driving along at moderate speeds

 

[BLUPORT]

This is what I put in my Newport, but it's getting moved to the glovebox, and the original AM is going back in the dash. It has a VERY shallow mounting depth, and I could technically mount it anywhere.

Sony Media Receiver with BLUETOOTH® Technology


Available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0794TLW4T/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_I9nPCbC63DN62

The reason I like it so much is, once you pair it with your phone, it auto pairs when you get in the car and start it, and you can control everything from your phone. Oh, it's loud, it's clear, and it's under $100. Tough to beat.

 

[Big_John]

I like my stock radio conversions by Tayman, but I assume you are asking about an aftermarket radio.

Anyway... One thing that I did that helps with having good sound in my vert was to add a powered sub woofer behind the rear seat. Nothing exotic it's not going to "thump" like the neighbor kid's ricer does. I have a cheap Boss version, but there's others available. Just buy a head unit that has a direct output RCA jack for a sub woofer.

 

[rapidtrans]

FWIW, I'm putting the Retro-Sound Redondo Model radio in the Monaco.
A dual voice coil speaker in the dash and 6X9s in the back.
No cutting the dash, glovebox or rear shelf.

In my GTO I did the original to stereo radio conversion route with dual coil speaker up front. I never did get around to installing rear speakers. The front speaker sounded just fine even with the top down.

 

[CBODY67]

Those older aftermarket radios were not rated "Watts, RMS", but used something like a max output at something like 10% distortion, when home units usually were .05%, for reference.

CBODY67

 

[mr. fix it]

FWIW, I'm putting the Retro-Sound Redondo Model radio in the Monaco.
A dual voice coil speaker in the dash and 6X9s in the back.
No cutting the dash, glovebox or rear shelf.

In my GTO I did the original to stereo radio conversion route with dual coil speaker up front. I never did get around to installing rear speakers. The front speaker sounded just fine even with the top down.

Thanks for the input RT.

I just checked the Retro sound and I not comfortable spending this kind of coin on a radio.
I understand that they are specialists filling in a special niche'.

 

[mr. fix it]

I just dropped the hammer as little as it may be, on this.

Custom Autosound® - Single DIN CD/AM/FM/MP3/WMA Receiver

 

[BLUPORT]

I just dropped the hammer as little as it may be, on this.

Custom Autosound® - Single DIN CD/AM/FM/MP3/WMA Receiver

You can get comparable units on Amazon under $30.

https://www.amazon.com/Accreate-Blu...4385202&rnid=2941120011&s=electronics&sr=1-24

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Ha...sic+car+radio&qid=1554385113&s=gateway&sr=8-1

 

[mr. fix it]

You can get comparable units on Amazon under $30.

https://www.amazon.com/Accreate-Blu...4385202&rnid=2941120011&s=electronics&sr=1-24

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Ha...sic+car+radio&qid=1554385113&s=gateway&sr=8-1

I looked at these as well and they don't offer the power output per channel & CD play option.
as well as there is no spec's offered.
I tried to contact the sellers and they had no clear answers to offer.
I asked online in the Amazon community & no one has responded on the sound quality.

The unit I bought at least up front states 40watts per channel max which is less than what I had hoped for but hopefully should work.

 

[rapidtrans]

FWIW, I'm putting the Retro-Sound Redondo Model radio in the Monaco.
A dual voice coil speaker in the dash and 6X9s in the back.
No cutting the dash, glovebox or rear shelf.

In my GTO I did the original to stereo radio conversion route with dual coil speaker up front. I never did get around to installing rear speakers. The front speaker sounded just fine even with the top down.

Update for what it’s worth.
Never got around to purchasing the Retro-Sound unit last year. Priorities, Priorities!
After further review I’m doing the Tayman conversion with Bluetooth/usb.
Why? I thought I liked the Retro radio because it had built in sirus/xm tuner but.....
I have since found that I can access sirus/xm free with an app on my phone or ipad since I already have a home pc account. Then bluetooth to radio just like I do with itunes.
Plus I have a real nice looking factory donor unit I bought from Murray.

 

[PH27L7]

For a cheaper alternative you can leave your original radio untouched. What I do is get a cheap amp & wire it to some good speakers. If you want Bluetooth you can connect an adapter to the RCA inputs. Most mopes have provisions for 6 x 9" speakers in rear. If you only have 1 factory speaker there are dual cone singles available. When I have a car with no speakers I just bring along a big portable Bluetooth speaker. I download all my favorite tunes to my phone; I use google play but you can use any playing app you like. That way you never have to listen to anything you don't like.

 

[bluefury361]

There are folks out there who will convert and upgrade your OEM radio to FM with an AUX to plug in your I pad or phone, blue tooth and CD player, if that's important to you. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $250/300. You keep the original look and have the benefits of a modern sound system.

 

[Ripinator]

I looked at these as well and they don't offer the power output per channel & CD play option.
as well as there is no spec's offered.
I tried to contact the sellers and they had no clear answers to offer.
I asked online in the Amazon community & no one has responded on the sound quality.

The unit I bought at least up front states 40watts per channel max which is less than what I had hoped for but hopefully should work.

Just call Crutchfield and tell them what you wanna do. I'm sure they have an inexpensive solution.

 

[mr. fix it]

Just call Crutchfield and tell them what you wanna do. I'm sure they have an inexpensive solution.

Hi Rip,

I bought & installed the unit
I give it a 7 out of 10 for sound quality but having a concertible, it is near impossible to get a nice insidethe car sound while traveling along the road.
I replaced the speakers and built a speaker box for the front speaker in the dash.
I plan to add hidden front speakers under the dash.

Doesn't look half bad installed.
https://redirect.viglink.com/?forma...sound® - Single DIN CD/AM/FM/MP3/WMA Receiver

 

[Ripinator]

Hi Rip,

I bought & installed the unit
I give it a 7 out of 10 for sound quality but having a concertible, it is near impossible to get a nice insidethe car sound while traveling along the road.
I replaced the speakers and built a speaker box for the front speaker in the dash.
I plan to add hidden front speakers under the dash.

Doesn't look half bad installed.
https://redirect.viglink.com/?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_158393818127414&key=67b73f75ef5f07fafc53a09c28536a74&libId=k7nfvfd7010007hw000DL5mb4zryj&loc=https://www.forcbodiesonly.com/mopar-forum/threads/radio-suggestions-for-my-polara-convertible.47254/#post-849030&v=1&out=https://www.carid.com/custom-autosound/single-din-cd-am-fm-mp3-wma-receiver-mpn-usa4-din.html?singleid=662696170?utm_source=email&utm_medium=order&utm_campaign=order_notification_mail&ref=https://www.forcbodiesonly.com/mopar-forum/find-new/26104201/posts&title=Radio Suggestions for my Polara convertible | For C Bodies Only Classic Mopar Forum&txt=Custom Autosound® - Single DIN CD/AM/FM/MP3/WMA Receiver

Mighty Fine!

 

[Mike66Chryslers]

FWIW, I'm putting the Retro-Sound Redondo Model radio in the Monaco.
A dual voice coil speaker in the dash and 6X9s in the back.
No cutting the dash, glovebox or rear shelf.

I installed a Retrosound Redondo and I'm very pleased with it. I can't remember what I paid, but I got it from Amazon at well below list price. I'm using my factory bezel and knobs, so it looks 100% factory until it's turned on, which was a personal requirement.

I fitted a pair of small speakers in the front speaker opening on an adapter plate that I made. In the back I have a pair of 6x9s in the package tray, inside foam speaker baffles. I enlarged the rear speaker openings in the package tray so I could drop the speakers in from above, instead of mounting them from below the package tray.

 

[rapidtrans]

I did the full radio conversion and a good dual voice coil speaker in the dash of my gto. The new digital conversions provide crystal clear am or fm and they seem to lock on a station very well.
The sound was great with plenty of power to drive that speaker. I could crank that thing up when I dropped the top and got clear sound. No extra amp was necessary and I never did add a rear speaker.

 

[Big_John]

Just call Crutchfield and tell them what you wanna do. I'm sure they have an inexpensive solution.

Sorry Rip, but I had to "red X" that one. Crutchfield is not inexpensive and has no clue about older cars.

 

[Ripinator]

Sorry Rip, but I had to "red X" that one. Crutchfield is not inexpensive and has no clue about older cars.

Well. . . I dunno. I did buy a replacement radio with all the bells and whistles (phone wi-fi, CD, etc.) for my grand daughter's 2001 Honda CRV. It was cheap, worked well and was easy to install with the kit they supplied. Never bought a radio for an old car from them.

 

[Mike66Chryslers]

I did the full radio conversion and a good dual voice coil speaker in the dash of my gto. The new digital conversions provide crystal clear am or fm and they seem to lock on a station very well.
The sound was great with plenty of power to drive that speaker. I could crank that thing up when I dropped the top and got clear sound. No extra amp was necessary and I never did add a rear speaker.

My two-front-speaker solution was an experiment. On the adapter plate that I made, I also added a plastic divider between the two speakers that extended up to the speaker grille. I was hoping to make the sound from each speaker more directional, so it would sound like true stereo even though both speakers were right beside each other. That experiment was not successful; there's negligible left/right separaton in the front.

If course, it doesn't help that the speaker opening is over on the passenger side, do all the sound would come from that direction when sitting in the drivers seat anyhow.