93' 300TE Sound System Replacement

[puchak]

Long story short, my sound system is a mess of re-spliced OEM/aftermarket radio harness wires. Not my doing.

An aftermarket radio was installed that I had removed to replace it with an original Becker Grand Prix radio. This original radio is stuck on code, and even when code is entered - nothing displays. I think the amplifier is fine and I went through Gerry's Hirschmann Antenna guide and cleaned it up, I just need the radio to activate to fix the antenna - which obviously doesn't work.

I'd like to budget around $500 for this. For a radio, I'm thinking of using the VDO Continental TR7412UB-OR. My main problem is I have no idea what the previous owner did and if I should just keep messing with the radio harness in there... or put a new one in? Any advice?

The VDO Continental sure does look nice inside, love the OEM style look.

 

[gsxr]

It kinda depends if you want to keep the stock speakers & amp with only an aftermarket head unit, or if you want to replace everything. Nothing is easy about upgrading the 1432 systems. @Jlaa may have some pointers...

 

[puchak]

I'm considering just putting the radio in and going from there. I just hope I can get the antenna to work. Is it possible to just power the antenna so it can extend and retract?

 

[gerryvz]

That is a pretty nice head unit that is a direct bolt-in for the later facelift BE-1492 systems. I purchased one and installed it, and was happy with it (for the short time I had it installed). I decided to stay with my Becker-rebuilt 1492 system, which the Becker folks in New Jersey installed a new volume knob/rotary encoder module (a known major flaw with that radio) and Bloot capability. I like having the 1492 radio a lot, and it works well!!

You are going to have some rewiring to do with regard to the Conti unit, using it for a 1432 system, simply because of the two-piece design of those radios. I will NEVER know why MB went with that unit, when a single-unit design of the same radio/faceplate was available at the time. But yes, there is plenty of info here about how to replace it with a more regular radio/head unit. There are a number of ways to do this - it depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go in terms of preserving things (like the fader control) and the unit in the trunk.

But in any case, some MAJOR rewiring would need to be done. I believe there is some info here on the forum about how to wire it up - some minor changes need to be made on a couple of the connections in order to preserve factory functionality, even with the BE-1492 replace. One of these changes is the antenna, if I remember correctly. But it's minor. And yes, that functionality can be preserved with this head unit.

 

[Jlaa]

An aftermarket radio was installed that I had removed to replace it with an original Becker Grand Prix radio. This original radio is stuck on code, and even when code is entered - nothing displays. I think the amplifier is fine ..... My main problem is I have no idea what the previous owner did and if I should just keep messing with the radio harness in there... or put a new one in? Any advice?

The VDO Continental sure does look nice inside, love the OEM style look.

It kinda depends if you want to keep the stock speakers & amp with only an aftermarket head unit, or if you want to replace everything. Nothing is easy about upgrading the 1432 systems. @Jlaa may have some pointers...

I have experience with both the BE1432 SoundSystem and the Continental TR7412UB-OR (just installed one last night in my w210).

You can certainly upgrade the BE1432 to take in bluetooth, interface with external amps / DSP systems (all from line level, not speaker level). Doing so actually requires no wiring whatsoever in the dash and a majority of the wiring occurs in the trunk where the receiver/amp module resides.

You should study the wiring diagrams, figure out how much is left of the original wiring, and decide from there. Note that my experience & diagrams is with the BE1432 SoundSystem ..... not the BE1432 AktivBass ....which is more difficult and will require hacking out the fader control.

If you put in the Conti, you will have to decide if you want the Conti to power all the speakers (because there are no line level outputs on it) or if you want an external amp in the trunk (then you will need the amp to accept speaker level inputs). You would DEFINITELY need to pull speaker wire from the dash to the trunk then (assuming your wiring is all stock --- not sure what's going on in your car)

 

[gsxr]

Note there are fancier versions of the Conti/VDO head unit with line-level outputs, for marginally higher cost.

Also, since the wagon already had an aftermarket HU installed, there's a good chance the previous installer muppets pulled an antenna extension to the head unit location (factory setup has the tuner in the rear, no antenna lead up front).

Lots of decisions to make before proceeding...

 

[puchak]

Thank you gentlemen, and specifically @Jlaa! I had a very hard time finding the correct wiring diagram the first time I tried my hand at this.

I'm going to order the radio, and will report back when I get it and get to installation. We'll see what we got under the covers...

 

[puchak]

Radio arrives tomorrow, I'll be working on it near the weekend. I will post results then.

Can I use the original Hirschmann antenna with the radio? I will toss the amplifier since the Continental radio can supply it's own.

 

[gsxr]

The original Hirschmann antenna will work with any aftermarket head unit. See post #6 above. An adapter may or may not be needed.

 

[gerryvz]

From having had a Continental unit for a short time in the past, it was plug and play to control the Hirschmann antenna at the head unit.

 

[puchak]

Turned out quite nice, sounds great too. I wasn't able to figure out the Hirschmann antenna, I couldn't figure out which cable was delivering power to the antenna. Doesn't help the antenna has no mast inside it. I may just wind the mast inside and leave it unplugged.

The fader is interesting. If you dial it up all the way forward, it is the same as it is in the middle, and if you dial it back... it is obviously to the rear passenger door speakers. Is this working as intended? Also looks like like the most front left speaker is blown.

 

[Jlaa]

Turned out quite nice, sounds great too. I wasn't able to figure out the Hirschmann antenna, I couldn't figure out which cable was delivering power to the antenna. Doesn't help the antenna has no mast inside it. I may just wind the mast inside and leave it unplugged.

The fader is interesting. If you dial it up all the way forward, it is the same as it is in the middle, and if you dial it back... it is obviously to the rear passenger door speakers. Is this working as intended? Also looks like like the most front left speaker is blown.

Did your car come with the 1432 SOUND SYSTEM or did it come with the 1432 AKTIVE BASS?
If it came withe the 1432 SOUND SYSTEM then the answer is that no, the fader is not working as intended. As below, in 1432 SOUND SYSTEM equipped models, the fader fades between front and rear line-level inputs on the amplifiers (one amp for the left side of the car, and one amp for the right side of the car).



In the ACTIVE BASS system, as below, the fader is more complicated - as below --- it looks like the fader is before the amp for some speakers and AFTER the amp for other speakers. You mentioned rear door speakers - do you have a wagon?

 

[puchak]

Per the data card, I have the active bass. But yes, I do have a wagon.

 

[gsxr]

AFAIK, wagons were only available with ACTIVE BASS... never Sound System.

 

[Jlaa]

Per the data card, I have the active bass. But yes, I do have a wagon.

Good luck with figuring out all that crazy ACTIVE BASS fader weirdness. At least you have the wiring diagram!

 

[puchak]

Well, it does work as I have mentioned, but I just don't understand HOW the fader should be working in the active bass. To an OEM standard, how should it work?

 

[puchak]

Fader works fine, I have it working well with the funky wiring that the previously owner had done.

I am looking for an active bass dash speaker, does anyone have leads or parts on this? I've shot some emails to my dependable suppliers.

Part appears to be: B6 6 82 8919