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Date:         Mon, 13 Feb 2006 12:11:02 -0800
Reply-To:     Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Radio and Speaker Insall
Comments: To: WetWesties <Wetwesties@yahoogroups.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Reporting a success and a minor mystery, maybe someone can explain it. First I'd like to second (or third or fourth) the recommendations on the Vanagon lists about buying from Crutchfield for radios and speakers. Instant service, more than enough support in the package shipped, and no charge for the wiring adapters that it turned out not to be needed in my situation. I just finished installing a new radio/CD player and new front speakers in my '90 Westy. Purchased from Crutchfield and they included a bunch of adapters and printed instructions. The instructions were generic but provided all the info I needed. None of the adapters were needed but might have been if my Vanagon had been older. And would have been needed for the radio if I had had the original OEM radio. But a PO had replaced the original radio with a Kenwood w/cassette player. It was working fine but I wanted a CD player. I have been using a cheap CD 'Walkman' type CD player and a cassette adapter Velcrod to the dash. That has worked great and sound quality now is not that much better than with the CD player and the cassette adapter. BUT the big difference is from replacing the front speakers (rears to follow). I had ordered the radio and speakers before leaving for BBTB last month but had not had the chance to install before leaving. While at BBTB I did install the front speakers and they really made a difference as noted above. BTW, after the install I read the instructions, will have to go back in and install the crossovers later. The wiring was plug 'n play otherwise. Major difference in volume and quality. For the radio, figuring out the wiring was easy. I just made careful notes (which I didn't really need) before cutting anything then matched new wires to old (same color coding, the previous installation had matched to the VW color codes). Now comes the mystery. The new radio has separate ground wires for each rear speaker, the old one didn't. No place to match up and connect the rear grounds for the new radio. BUT the rear speakers are working just fine! Apparently, somewhere in the rats nest of wiring, that had been taken care of in the previous installation. I may go into the rear speakers and start doing some tracing but really don't want to try stringing new ground wires to the rear speakers. Another BTW. I did a search of the vanagon.com archives and did find some very good info on the rear speaker grounds from a couple of years ago. Anyone interested should search on 'speaker grounds'. So, if anyone has an explanation on the grounds for the rear speakers, I'd like to hear it.

-- Loren Busch "I ordered a feast in the hope that you would come." "I came in the hope there would be a feast." (From "Monument" by Lloyd Biggle Jr.)


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