updating standard radio to newer unit with aux in and bluetooth

[centerpunch]

My car has the standard (non-Mac) radio, and while I have no desire for a Mac system or any high-power audio system, I decided it might be occasionally nice to have a radio with both plug-in and bluetooth aux in. Virtually all radios are black these days and have flashy multi-color animated displays that look like video games, but after much searching I found a silver and gray Kenwood single DIN marine (!) unit that I think looks appropriate for our interior. Just ordered from Crutchfield, assuming it fits I'll update this thread with details.

BTW for $20 less there's a similar unit without CD player. And there's also a wired remote available, a little 2.5" round pod.
.

Kenwood KMR-D375BT

Marine CD receiver with Bluetooth®

www.crutchfield.com

.

 

[Specracer]

Not for me, I would enjoy more looking at the stock Sanyo, and enjoy the fact that the Mac option was not "checked". 15 years, radio has been on twice, literally. At this point I have no clue if it even still works.

Is the one with out the CD player, smaller? Or the same chassis? I know OEM automakers, have been salivating over getting rid of CD players because of the space that the drives take up.

 

[AJB]

2017 Ford gt. I have the opposite problem. I have a collection of 1000 CDs.
I wish I could buy a small CD player to plug into the 2017 Ford GT radio in case I ever wanted to listen.
Any options?
Andy (ajb)

 

[roketman]

I have this .It works brilliantly

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07428M11V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There is an updated version too

 

[centerpunch]

Is the one with out the CD player, smaller? Or the same chassis?

Unit with CD about 6" deep, unit without CD about 4" deep.

 

[franimal007]

Man, I love the McIntosh unit, in fact that was my "Must have" option when I was searching for a GT. I just like having that American Powerhouse unit in my car. I realize that there might be better out there today, but like the car, it gets respect. The McIntosh unit, like the car is world class. The subwoofer has never been in my way, I do wish there was some sort of a place to put "Stuff" as George Carlin would say. Once you learn the controls on it, you can easily use it while driving with distraction.

I asked myself, can I live without over the top stripes? Yes
Can I live without painted calipers? Yes
Can I live with the optional wheels? Yes
Do I want to look at a China made stereo? NOT! (especially now?)

Although, the later McIntosh car stereo was made in Japan before they stopped car audio.

I am partial though, I have McIntosh home audio through my house.

 

[centerpunch]

Mac was on my "must NOT have" list lol.

 

[franimal007]

Mac was on my "must NOT have" list lol.

OK

 

[DG1]

Man, I love the McIntosh unit, in fact that was my "Must have" option when I was searching for a GT. I just like having that American Powerhouse unit in my car. I realize that there might be better out there today, but like the car, it gets respect. The McIntosh unit, like the car is world class. The subwoofer has never been in my way, I do wish there was some sort of a place to put "Stuff" as George Carlin would say. Once you learn the controls on it, you can easily use it while driving with distraction.

I asked myself, can I live without over the top stripes? Yes
Can I live without painted calipers? Yes
Can I live with the optional wheels? Yes
Do I want to look at a China made stereo? NOT! (especially now?)

Although, the later McIntosh car stereo was made in Japan before they stopped car audio.

I am partial though, I have McIntosh home audio through my house.

Lets see- June, 1969 Ickx and Oliver win Le Mans in GT chassis 1075, #6- the second win for 1075. A couple of months later, McIntosh powers Woodstock (nice write up on the McIntosh website).
McIntosh is another outstanding US company from Binghamton, New York- without a doubt, absolutely best in class. Just like our GT’s.
Ford and McIntosh together in the ‘05/06 GT? Talk about Heritage!! Who came up with that? Doesn’t get much better imho!! That said, like Specracer, I have never run the stereo in the cars- but I’m glad they’re in there

 

[Specracer]

Google maps shows "Endwell NY" is 6.3 miles from Binghamton.... Maybe that the problem living too close to the "source". Ha ha

I am partial though, I have McIntosh home audio through my house.

 

[AJB]

Ron - thanks. .Looking at the unit I assume I would plug a UBS jack into the RH side with the "musical Note" icon of the unit you recommend.
-then find an unused FM station frequency on the Ford GT radio and set it.
-then I need a portable CD player to plug into the other end of the cord with an output jack.
-do you have a CD player to recommend.?
or am I looking at this incorrectly.
andy (ajb)

 

[franimal007]

Do a Google search on the birthplace of IBM, I don't have an IBM computer, but I live near there also. I just wanted my GT with that stereo.

 

[BAT]

Ron - thanks. .Looking at the unit I assume I would plug a UBS jack into the RH side with the "musical Note" icon of the unit you recommend.
-then find an unused FM station frequency on the Ford GT radio and set it.
-then I need a portable CD player to plug into the other end of the cord with an output jack.
-do you have a CD player to recommend.?
or am I looking at this incorrectly.
andy (ajb)

I bought this last year and it was a piece of junk. Maybe I just received a bad one but the sound was horrible and no matter the frequency you choose on the unit, it messed with my key fob to lock/unlock the doors.

 

[centerpunch]

-then find an unused FM station frequency on the Ford GT radio and set it.
-do you have a CD player to recommend.?

Assuming the new GT radio has a conventional antenna connector, a plug-in unit will work much better than a transmitter-type unit. Still sends via an FM radio signal, but piped directly into the radio instead of through the air.

Here's one example

Amazon.com: iSimple IS31 Antenna Bypass FM Modulator for Factory or Aftermarket Car Radios: Car Electronics

Amazon.com: iSimple IS31 Antenna Bypass FM Modulator for Factory or Aftermarket Car Radios: Car Electronics

www.amazon.com

(And instead of a CD player, I'd suggest putting all 1000 CDs on an ipod or old iphone, like I did about 15 years ago.)

 

[franimal007]

Its nice to have all your cd's on an iPhone or iPod, but you can hear the difference in quality of sound. I think you can still get a DAC which will help the sound issue if using a iPod/iphone.
I put all mine on my iPod for my home, almost every track was louder or softer, to help that, I am using a DAC between the iPod and the inputs, big difference.

 

[jaxgt]

Mac was on my "must NOT have" list lol.

me too

 

[AJB]

ok guys , thank you for all the comments and recommendations. It seems it is no longer an 'easy addition " to actually just play little shiny CD's thru the radio speakers of a new Ford GT (as you can do with the 2005-2006 FGT) as you are driving. I went to MIckey Shore with my 2020 F-series Truck with the same question . They were Baffled too.
oh well.
andy(ajb)

 

[Cobrar]

I know OEM automakers, have been salivating over getting rid of CD players because of the space that the drives take up.

Indeed they have, and customer feedback is EXACTLY the opposite of OEM desire to de-content this particular feature.

And on this smae note, times have changed and customers DO notice when an OEM's elect to de-content and do NOT reduce price accordingly. "Market research" being done by self fulfilling direction /"tell me what i want to hear" approach.

 

[Specracer]

Why not a portable CD player, with a bluetooth transmitter.

Amazon Best Sellers: Best Portable CD Players

Discover the best Portable CD Players in Best Sellers. Find the top 100 most popular items in Amazon Electronics Best Sellers.

www.amazon.com

 

[Specracer]

Interesting, so even if someone never used it, they still want it.

Indeed they have, and customer feedback is EXACTLY the opposite of OEM desire to de-content this particular feature.

And on this smae note, times have changed and customers DO notice when an OEM's elect to de-content and do NOT reduce price accordingly. "Market research" being done by self fulfilling direction /"tell me what i want to hear" approach.