[urq] RE: Mid 80's, period correct radios: which one ?

[Thatcher Hubbard]

I know that Boston Acoustics made a set of 3" speakers that were not
terribly deep a few years ago (I put them into a 74 Jaguar XJ-6),
which seems to be the trouble with newer speakers.  I also really like
the Polk Audio speakers, but I have never tried to put them into an
older Audi, much less a quattro.

On 7/27/05, Pasqualoni, James E <james.pasqualoni at gs.com> wrote:
> Good stuff.  Anyone have any suggestions for quality speakers to fit the oe
> locations/openings?
> 
> TIA,
> Jim
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: urq-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:urq-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf
> Of Steve Eiche
> Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 4:46 PM
> To: urq at audifans.com
> Subject: Re: [urq] RE: Mid 80's, period correct radios: which one ?
> 
> FWIW, I put myself through college working in car stereo/alarm/phone
> installation shop in the mid-late '80s.  That gave me first hand experience
> with just about every radio available at the time.  (It also started my lust
> for the Audi quattros when I installed a complex system in a new '88 5ktq.)
> 
> I really don't know why anyone would want a Nakamichi TD 1200 anymore,
> unless you love cassette tapes.  Those were known as the "Dragon for your
> car" with automatic tape azimuth adjustment, like the Nakamichi home stuff,
> but they weren't terribly reliable, and the RF section wasn't remarkable.
> 
> Personally, my favorite at the time was the Alpine 7374.  It was all digital
> (probably the first), including volume, balance, fader, etc.
> with the classic Alpine clear square buttons that changed colors when you
> pressed them.  The controls were simple, the tape section was excellent, and
> included Dolby B, C and dbx, along with tape seek functions that worked very
> well.  I found one of these a few years ago (my second - I regretted selling
> my first one) and still have it for
> some reason.  I really can't see installing it, but it is a classic.   I
> also like the Sony XR 73/74/7500 series headunits, which have good features,
> reliability and a style and lighting color that match '80's Audis.  These
> also control the same CD changers used by Audi on the '91 200qs and early ur
> S cars.
> 
> As for the OE radios in the '83 ur quattros, they were made by Panasonic and
> were pretty poor quality.  The switches failed like mad (I bought a bag of
> 20 of them to replace them as they failed in my Scirocco, and between my
> radio(s) and radios that people brought to me, they went quickly.), the tape
> section was prone to jamming and they were low powered.  I had a couple
> about ten years ago, but threw them away.
> Probably should have kept them.
> 
> As for a good period OE radio, the Rothenburg from the '84+  cars were
> pretty good and should still be plentiful in salvage yards.
> 
> I do think that the modern aftermarket ICE (in car entertainment) systems
> have taken a few steps back since about 1990.  The audio quality is no
> better, and in many cases worse than what was available then, with more
> emphasis placed on animated displays than sound quality.  The new amplifiers
> put output power over accuracy and the speakers seem to emphasize styling
> over performance as well.  As for the new controls, yuck.  Oh well, rant
> off.
> 
> Steve
> 
> >>I found the "perfect" period correct, urQuattro radio, according to
> >
> >
> Phil
> 
> >>Payne: http://www.isham-research.co.uk/quattro/wiring/Typ85/mcc994.html
> >>
> >>Now, finding a working unit in North America might be difficult...  :-)
> >>
> >>BTW, there is a new Nakamichi TD1200 for sale on eBay now (item number
> >
> >
> 5791478342),
> 
> >>570$ and still 2 days to go...
> >>
> >>There is a market for anything, it seems...
> >>
> >>Louis-Alain
> >
> >
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