Radio
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Joined: Feb 2004
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Radio
Hi, this could be dumb for some... I drive a 1996 Mazda B3000 and it originally brigns a tape player, but I purchased a factory CD player from a '99 Ranger XLT from an online yunkyard. I wasn't worried because they are basically the same trucks and same radios until I took my radio off and found out that the harness plugs are different. I'm not good at this radio stuff... now, before I return anything, can I still make it work??
Thanks
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Postmaster
Joined: May 2003
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From: Claremore
ahh... they would only have stuff really for an aftermarket radio, not an oem, therefore, your best bet is to just hardwire everything (splice, strip, etc...) all the colors should match up, just make sure not to cut the wires too short. If you think you may one day want to take that radio out and put in the old one, then you would be best off buying an aftermarket radio harness ($10 at bestbuy or circuit city) then splicing into that (this way you wont have to cut the trucks original wire harness out, cause the aftermarket harness plugs right into the oem harness then has wires ready for splicing), and once again, all the colors should match up. If you need help, lemme know... and welcome to FTE, i think you will like it here....
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Coastal North Carolina
Yeah, if you cant find a harness, hardwiring sounds like the way to go. It really isnt that hard if you have a test light. Just find the "Always on" wire, the power wire (comes on only when the switch is on), and the ground and you will be set. The speaker wires are easy.Just adjust the fade and balance to only one speaker so those will be the only two getting power. The guess and check untill the right one comes on.
All of this is only if the colors dont match, but maybe you will get lucky.
All of this is only if the colors dont match, but maybe you will get lucky.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Eastern WA
I ran into this issue and it was not fun. The CD player was part of the premium sound package, and that package offered either a cassette or CD player (not both). If you didn't have the premium sound package and had a cassette player, then the CD player would not work since the amp was part of the premium sound package.
Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Alvin, Texas.
Originally posted by CowboyBilly9Mile
I ran into this issue and it was not fun. The CD player was part of the premium sound package, and that package offered either a cassette or CD player (not both). If you didn't have the premium sound package and had a cassette player, then the CD player would not work since the amp was part of the premium sound package.
I ran into this issue and it was not fun. The CD player was part of the premium sound package, and that package offered either a cassette or CD player (not both). If you didn't have the premium sound package and had a cassette player, then the CD player would not work since the amp was part of the premium sound package.
I wanted to use a 94 Probe CD player, but no factory amp = no sound.
I didn't want to add in the factory harness since the factory amp is THE weak point in the Premium Sound system as the Probe folks suggest, so that is a waste.
That Pioneer 3500-whatever model is looking good and since I am finding local FM radio more worthless everyday....XM anyone?
Postmaster
Joined: May 2003
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From: Claremore
um... that doesnt sound right... the radio still puts out the same signal regardless of whether or not there is an amp. Course i guess if you guys have tried it....¿ If you will come back and tell me exactly what it is doing, then maybe we can come up w/ something to make it work. You say it doesnt work... does the radio power on? Or will it not even come on? Or will the radio come on, but you cant get any sound at all (like u can still control all the functions of the radio but not hear anything)?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Eastern WA
As I recall, the power plug fits but the rest doesn't therefore I just bailed on it and went out and bought Kenwood. Hassels with trying to make the factory unit work were just not worth the time. I've been told by a few stereo shops that the factory CD player has nothing more than a preamp in it, so if you hear anything at all it would be very soft.
As for the lousy FM programming thing, I'm unwilling to pay money for radio. However, I solved the problem by burning 500 mp3's onto 3 CD and keeping them in the truck. CD-RW is the way to go on those to; you can revise the music CD's in your vehicle at will
Eventually I will ebay the factory am/fm/cd player that I bought; looking around on ebay it seems they go fast.
As for the lousy FM programming thing, I'm unwilling to pay money for radio. However, I solved the problem by burning 500 mp3's onto 3 CD and keeping them in the truck. CD-RW is the way to go on those to; you can revise the music CD's in your vehicle at will
Eventually I will ebay the factory am/fm/cd player that I bought; looking around on ebay it seems they go fast.
Last edited by CowboyBilly9Mile; Feb 10, 2004 at 02:26 PM.
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Postmaster
Joined: May 2003
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From: Claremore
well, a "preamp" is all that any reciever has, it may say "40x4" or "50x4", well, number one... this is the absolute maximum that the radio itself can reproduce at a peak moment when the sinewaves happen to match up on a plateau, also, this is a note that is beyond what the human ear can hear. In all reality, an aftermarket deck puts out no more wattage than a factory deck (roughly 10-18 watts RMS<---continuous). This is why you really dont here a difference in the quality of the music on the radio (i say radio because many times the optical reader in an aftermarket cd player is superior to an oem). So the first thing you should always do when you wanna start talking stereo stuff, and want actual high quality listening... start off w/ amping from the stock deck, thats where you see ur big difference, then once u arent satisfied w/ that, put some new speakers in then maybe a cd player if it floats ur boat.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Coastal North Carolina
Thats what i would do.^^^
Do you know if they make a connector to hook up my amp to the stock radio (CD player). It doesnt have the RCA pre-outs. My amp has a "high level input" slot. Is ther a connector that will fit go from the radio to that plug?
Do you know if they make a connector to hook up my amp to the stock radio (CD player). It doesnt have the RCA pre-outs. My amp has a "high level input" slot. Is ther a connector that will fit go from the radio to that plug?
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,940
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From: Eastern WA
RMS = Root Mean Squared. It's the square root of the sum of the squares. Using basic trig, it's .707 times the max amps basic rated max. But heck, what does this have to do with helping the guy; he just wants a CD player that works it seems, and I can't blame him.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Coastal North Carolina
But ditching out on the one he bought isnt the right choice. I bought an after market deck, and had nothing but problems with it (skipping mostly), but the one in my ranger (stock) is just fine for me. Im sure you can find a wiring diagram and wire it up.
Posting Guru
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From: Coastal North Carolina
all it has is "low level input" (RCA wires), and "Hi level Input" (6 needles that something plugs into) No Line- ins. there has to be a connector. I guess ill have to take it out and tkae it to radio shack to find one that works. The amp is pnly a small one (200) but the cab is small too. It should sound pretty good.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: St. Peter
This is what i did, My blaupunkt came with the harness on one end, and open wires on the other end. So i unhooked my factory unit, and i took apart the harness for the factory unit, and i put the wires from the new one in the slots in the harness of the old one, put the harness back together, used some electrical tape just so nothing would rattle apart, and its been like that for over a hear and a half with no problems