RetroSound's Model 1 and my experience...

[KANE]

I just retired the '82's factory tape deck and replaced it with a RetroSound Model 1.

I'm impressed! Having installed several Pioneer, Alpine, JVC, and Kenwood head units to name a few, I can say I wasn't familiar with RetroSound. But the thought of cutting the original dash was out of the question- so an alternative was what I was looking for.

What interested me in the Model 1 was the USB and SD capability. I didn't mind losing the ability to play cassettes or CDs so as long as I had the ability to easily play MP3s. I don't own an iPOD, so an MP3 player via AUX connection wasn't something that interested me. And really, those systems rely on the MP3 player to do all the heavy lifting- and then treat the car stereo as merely a set of external speakers. But not the Model one- it has USB, SD, and two AUX ports. It also has an RDS decoder so that it shares radio station and song detail. If I upgrade to a system with an external amplifier, it has front and rear RCAs. And, it has a remote.

The install was easy and there was a lot of ability to tweak how it fits in the factory dash. The owner's manual was easy to read and understand.

I have almost 600 songs stored on a PNY 16gb thumb drive- and still have almost 12gb of space left.


So, overall I'm very pleased with it!

 

[KANE]

Well... my RetroSound unit has died. :cry


It started to malfunction in October and now loses strength in the built-in amp, the sound waffles in and out, and the remote doesn't work.




I think I'm going to get a center gauge dash made for a DIN and go with a regular head unit.

 

[Antz81]

I think I'm going to get a center gauge dash made for a DIN and go with a regular head unit.

If you're brave enough you could cut the din yourself. Its what i did on my 81.

 

[Nut]

If you're brave enough you could cut the din yourself. Its what i did on my 81.

Kane... there's plenty of aftermarket bezels already cut for the modern rectangular units w/o having to dremel out your OEM bezel. Go with a modern unit. My '81 still had the Sony unit with the XM module in it when I sold her a few years ago and everything was working perfectly.


............. nut

 

[Evolution1980]

Your posts were almost one year to the day. I take it RetroSound was of no use in terms of customer support? $270 for a radio was not inexpensive...
I have an old Radio Shack branded (whatever their brand is, "Realistic"?) post-style head unit that I'd been holding onto for years. It had an auxillary input on a tether. So I mounted the headunit in the OEM opening and then ran the aux-in to the glovebox. Now I just toss my ipod in the glovebox and roll! It's not a fancy setup, but it works.
I also don't really require music in my vette though. I have an engine, exhaust, and windows that go down when I want to hear music.
For long trips, I use earbud headphones or fullsize cans. It's the only way to really hear anything if you have the windows down. Wearing the cans, I look like a pilot or something rediculous...hahahah...but that's fine 'cause I'm usually flying fast & low, and trying to keep it under the radar! :L

Anyways, sucks that your headunit took a dump on you...

 

[KANE]

Hi all!

I went ahead and cut the dash opening for a Kenwood CE player with USB and AUX jack.

Really, the two features that I liked the most about the RetroSound were the USB jack and then the fact it fit the OE dash cluster. After having my own problems with the RetroSound and seeing feedback about other shaft radios... I figured I might as well just modernize it.

BTW- I got a great deal on a Kenwood from BestBuy on a close-out sale.

 

[KANE]

:eek

And they just dropped the price again...

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/cd-apple-174-ipod-174-ready-in-dash-receiver-with-remote/7370373.p

 

[Evolution1980]

I went ahead and cut the dash opening for a Kenwood CE player with USB and AUX jack.
BTW- I got a great deal on a Kenwood from BestBuy on a close-out sale.

Geek Squad® installation
is strongly recommended for this product. Please visit your local Best Buy store for details.

Yeah, I'm sure. I'd love(?) to see if they would even agree to do that in an older car, especially one that requires cutting.hnoes

 

[KANE]

Yeah, I'm sure. I'd love(?) to see if they would even agree to do that in an older car, especially one that requires cutting.hnoes

Actually... it's really, really easy to cut cluster and get it right. I wouldn't let the GS folks touch it.

• Remove the cluster
• Remove the gauges from the cluster
• Place the radio cage where you want it
• Use masking tape to mark the area around the radio cage. This serves as a straight edge where the radio cage hole needs to be cut. It also provides some protection to prevent scuff marks.
• Cut the rectangular section out from the cluster with a reinforced grinding wheel along the edge of the tape
• Use flat files to clean any burrs up on the plastic
• Remove the masking tape
• Install the radio cage
• Reassemble the cluster & reinstall

Should take approximately 2.5 hours that includes removal, soldering or crimping all the wires, installation, and re-assembly.