Jigging up old Pioneer car radio cassette player via cigarette lighter and level outs to aux in

Thread Starter

rod e

Joined Jan 20, 2021
7
Hi, For many years I had a great Pioneer KEH-P5730R radio/cassette player. Now have a new car with rather poor integrated head unit and of course no tape player. So...I plan on connecting the old radio/cassette via a detachable 12V cigarette lighter cable (some on Amazon). The unit has Left and Right "preout" phono type sockets as well as the usual pin connectors. The preout phono sockets are 500 mV/1 kohm. New car has an auxiliary socket which can feed the new head unit. Question is am I OK to connect the phonos to the aux plug (via a female aux socket). Is there a "special" connector I need with regard voltages. Also I assume an earth to the radio is not needed as the negative is probably doing that job. Radio will not be attached to the facia (!) Help welcome!! Thank yo v much!
 

Thread Starter

rod e

Joined Jan 20, 2021
7
Hi, the new unit is a VW Golf (2014). I don't wish to extract the head unit - I have youtubed it and it seems just way too difficult. Sound on this unit is disappointingly poor quality to my ears. And others have blamed the stock head unit (rather than speakers).
 

Thread Starter

rod e

Joined Jan 20, 2021
7
I am struggling to find a cigarette lighter cable which ends in 2 vertically in-line small spade connectors (standard radio fitment). Plenty of T-orientated versions. If anyone can point me in right direction, pls let me know!! Otherwise will haver to take plastic T housing off i guess. Thank you!!
 

LowQCab

Joined Nov 6, 2012
4,023
Poor Sound Quality is the Speakers, virtually guaranteed.
You can't buy a truly "bad-sounding" Radio, maybe very low powered, but not low fidelity.
The Cassettes you want to play are REALLY poor sound quality.
I would go online and download the music you want onto a USB Memory Stick, then just plug it in.
Much easier, and much higher fidelity.
.
.
 

Thread Starter

rod e

Joined Jan 20, 2021
7
Poor Sound Quality is the Speakers, virtually guaranteed.
You can't buy a truly "bad-sounding" Radio, maybe very low powered, but not low fidelity.
The Cassettes you want to play are REALLY poor sound quality.
I would go online and download the music you want onto a USB Memory Stick, then just plug it in.
Much easier, and much higher fidelity.
.
.
Hi! Yes I know that is the obvious conclusion...BUT...I rigged my old Sony Walkman up via the aux and the old tapes really sounded great! I just can't find a suitable low voltage power cable for that (with right jack) - so now tryin the same with my old Pioneer car radio. There is no doubt my tapes sound super on the right set up. Others have commented on the poor VW double din head unit...the sound is just lacking depth and clarity - cd included (IMO). Anyway, parts ordered...we shall see!!
 

Audioguru again

Joined Oct 21, 2019
6,672
I worked for Philips when they invented the Compact Cassette tape and I souped up my first recorder/player in my VW Rabbit so it sounded hifi except with some hisss. Later I bought a Yamaha recorder/player with Dolby B and C noise reduction and chrome tapes.
I haven't used tape for about 25 years.

My first portable MP3 player used a mechanical hard drive! It ate batteries.
 

Thread Starter

rod e

Joined Jan 20, 2021
7
Oh My!! Project completed today. Cassette player fed via 12 V cig lighter cable, and phono out into the Golf aux in. WHAT a DIFFERENCE!! Lush clean sound at last!! After 5 mins in car, ignition off, I got low battery warning (!) ...I'm wondering is running 2 head units (together) like this going to cause any issues with the battery and electricals?? Comments welcome!!!
 

sghioto

Joined Dec 31, 2017
5,378
After only 5 minutes, Wow. Might be a fluke.
Did you measure the battery voltage?
Can you monitor how much current the system draws?
 
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Audioguru again

Joined Oct 21, 2019
6,672
Do you have a sound system in your car that people can hear when they are blocks away?
Does your sound system deafen you?
Maybe it drains the car battery because it produces thousand of Watts?
Do you have this 24"(!) subwoofer that weighs almost 3 times my weight and costs 10 thousand US dollars when on sale?
 

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Thread Starter

rod e

Joined Jan 20, 2021
7
er...well I did turn the power up. The Kenwood is a 35 watt x 4 unit, and it has been cold for the last few days, so not a surprise that the computer gave the warning (engine was off). As I said this set up actually runs 2 units as the Pioneer feeds into the stock VW head unit (Chinese I guess). So I wasn't too sure if this was acceptable practice. Anyhow good to have decent sound back. Would consider upgrading the VW one but it is SO fiddly!!
 

Thread Starter

rod e

Joined Jan 20, 2021
7
i'm not expert enough here, but if I have volume of both "up" then it must be drawing more current, and the Pioneer (sorry not Kenwood) does go loud. ...so if I have the power up high from the Pioneer to the Golf's aux in could this damage the Golf head unit??
 

sghioto

Joined Dec 31, 2017
5,378
If I have the power up high from the Pioneer to the Golf's aux in could this damage the Golf head unit?
No because the output from Pioneer pre-outs should be a fixed level. The volume control on the Pioneer should not affect the volume on the Golf or does it?
 
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