Should I go back to stock?

[GnatGoSplat]

Seriously debating going back to stock the stock radio on my '89 Cutlass.

Currently have a 2006 vintage Pioneer HU with 7" screen.  Low-res, plays DVDs, resistive touchscreen, has iPod control.  I still think it looks cool, but it's pretty dated.  I mean who plays DVDs or has an iPod any more?  I don't DD the Cutlass any more, if I take it out, the wife rides with me so I don't crank up the tunes and jam out like the old days.  Factory cassette HU will probably suffice.

I'm thinking should I decide to sell the car, maybe factory HU has more value than a dated aftermarket one.  I'm also guessing that someone interested in an old car might place more value on it being closer to original.  Even if someone does prefer an aftermarket HU, they'd probably want something modern with Android Auto or Apple Carplay, wouldn't they?  I probably would if I were still DD'ing it.

Edited Monday at 08:34 PM by GnatGoSplat

[Amanita]

Personally, I'd stick the cassette unit back in. They sell bluetooth cassette adapters now that work like the old wired ones did, except now they're wireless and are powered by a battery instead of from your phone/mp3 player. I got the cassette deck on my Datsun professionally rebuilt, it'll be going back in this summer.

[GnatGoSplat]

38 minutes ago, Amanita said:

Personally, I'd stick the cassette unit back in. They sell bluetooth cassette adapters now that work like the old wired ones did, except now they're wireless and are powered by a battery instead of from your phone/mp3 player. I got the cassette deck on my Datsun professionally rebuilt, it'll be going back in this summer.

I do actually have a bluetooth module accessory for the Pioneer HU, it can control track forward and backward, but can't display any information.  I never got around to installing it as I used the iPod back when I was DD'ing the car, but I've since sold the iPod.  Being that the BT module's functionality is pretty basic, it probably doesn't do any more than what a cassette BT adapter can do (and much more work to install wiring-wise).

[Black92GS]

Factory cassette deck is my choice for any 1st gen!

 

 

[SuperBuick]

1 hour ago, Black92GS said:

Factory cassette deck is my choice for any 1st gen!

 

 

What makes you say that? (I have one, so Im excited to hear what makes it good!)

 

[Black92GS]

16 minutes ago, SuperBuick said:

What makes you say that? (I have one, so Im excited to hear what makes it good!)

 

Just the overall appearance. I’ve had aftermarket decks in the past, and while they often sound better, I prefer the factory appearance and integration you get with a factory deck. 

I guess because I’ve primarily had 1st gen Regals….Ive yet to come across an aftermarket setup that I think looks good in them. The Lumina and Cutlass can at least pull it off a bit better having a more normal radio setup in them.

 

[rich_e777]

I`d keep it stock with a bluetooth receiver hidden away. Nothing aftermarket Ive come across matches that green retro display the factory units have.

 

[rcLord510]

You’re gonna let the w-body go? I remember when I first found the site a few years back this car was the first one I saw, under one of your posts. That’d be a sad car to see go…

[GnatGoSplat]

2 hours ago, rcLord510 said:

You’re gonna let the w-body go? I remember when I first found the site a few years back this car was the first one I saw, under one of your posts. That’d be a sad car to see go…

Nothing definite, but storage is expensive and I want new toys. 

[rcLord510]

42 minutes ago, GnatGoSplat said:

Nothing definite, but storage is expensive and I want new toys. 

Can’t argue with that I guess

[White93z34]

I can't really say. I've done it both ways from a fully functioning factory CD deck to a early 00's era 1.5 din Pioneer and period correct components.

I see it both ways, sure pure stock is great and all but I kinda like when cars are a product of the time they were built in as well or even a homage to that time. I mean how many custom cars of that era still have original PS2s integrated into the dashboard

As for your specific car, likely a member here would want to buy it and would probably want to continue or at least keep the vision you had for it.

I say clean it up, and take some new pictures of it out and about, it was one of my favorite cars when I joined here back in 2004. Still is.

[rcLord510]

36 minutes ago, White93z34 said:

I can't really say. I've done it both ways from a fully functioning factory CD deck to a early 00's era 1.5 din Pioneer and period correct components.

I see it both ways, sure pure stock is great and all but I kinda like when cars are a product of the time they were built in as well or even a homage to that time. I mean how many custom cars of that era still have original PS2s integrated into the dashboard

As for your specific car, likely a member here would want to buy it and would probably want to continue or at least keep the vision you had for it.

I say clean it up, and take some new pictures of it out and about, it was one of my favorite cars when I joined here back in 2004. Still is.

You know, the ps2 is actually more useful then you’d think, I put one in the GTP and it’s actually quite fun to mess around with while I’m waiting for someone or whatever.

i agree with Chris. Leave it how it is, this car has such a huge legacy around here, hell if I had the money and you were selling it I’d so buy it, of course, IF

[94 olds vert]

23 hours ago, rich_e777 said:

I`d keep it stock with a bluetooth receiver hidden away. Nothing aftermarket Ive come across matches that green retro display the factory units have.

 

That's all you need is a Bluetooth receiver. I don't drive my GTP much so the AUX plug in the factory radio is fine There are plenty of AUX Bluetooth adapters available if I wanted to do that.  I do like the appearance of the factory radio. All my steering wheel controls still work which is nice. 

[Last American Indian]

While my opinion may not matter, I’m an old fart. It’s a car! Driving for me is a pleasure! Concentrating on driving & it’s enjoyment when it’s for pleasure enhanced by a quality HU + an amp & speakers that are quality! That’s all lost in the digital world! A cassette tape, especially one recorded from vinyl trumps a CD! A CD is the next best. After that it’s just all 1&0! They can not replicate harmonic sound. They can be played loud. You can pump up the thump! But there is no separation, no nuance definition. Just blah ramblings. I have one particular song that has some very crisp detail that progressively becomes more & more muted & almost completely lost as you move up the line of supposed improvement! All transferred from the same original source, vinyl! Newer not always better! My two cents!

Edited 12 hours ago by Last American Indian

[GnatGoSplat]

4 hours ago, Last American Indian said:

While my opinion may not matter, I’m an old fart. It’s a car! Driving for me is a pleasure! Concentrating on driving & it’s enjoyment when it’s for pleasure enhanced by a quality HU + an amp & speakers that are quality! That’s all lost in the digital world! A cassette tape, especially one recorded from vinyl trumps a CD! A CD is the next best. After that it’s just all 1&0! They can not replicate harmonic sound. They can be played loud. You can pump up the thump! But there is no separation, no nuance definition. Just blah ramblings. I have one particular song that has some very crisp detail that progressively becomes more & more muted & almost completely lost as you move up the line of supposed improvement! All transferred from the same original source, vinyl! Newer not always better! My two cents!

I'm an old fart too.   Can't say I agree with your views on analog vs digital, but to be honest, sound quality is a moot point for me.  Unfortunately, I've developed severe tinnitus in middle age and now suffer from profound deafness in one ear.  The other still works, but seems I've got the common old age issue of having lost everything above 15kHz last I checked.  Maybe worse by now.  I can't even hear in stereo any more.  Now when it comes to audio equipment, eye candy is more important to me.  I do miss caring about sound quality and being able to hear stereo and surround sound, but nature can be cruel.

Edited 7 hours ago by GnatGoSplat

[55trucker]

1 hour ago, GnatGoSplat said:

 Unfortunately, I've developed severe tinnitus in middle age and now suffer from profound deafness in one ear.  The other still works, but seems I've got the common old age issue of having lost everything above 15kHz last I checked.  Maybe worse by now.  I can't even hear in stereo any more.  Now when it comes to audio equipment, eye candy is more important to me.  I do miss caring about sound quality and being able to hear stereo and surround sound, but nature can be cruel.

Join the club......15Khz?,,,,,,,you're concerned about frequencies ABOVE that?

Normal frequency hearing range due to a non traumatic loss for the average male above 50 is approx a 10khz ceiling, a loss of all above that is considered normal, if you can still hear a 15khz sine wave you're doing good, only adolescent kids can hear as high as 16khz.

I too have tinnitus in both ears, 1st the left ear 12 years ago, then the right ear developed the issue 5 years ago. The hearing aids reduce the *ringing* in the ears, & they returned my ability to hear frequencies up to 10khz.

My audiogram show my hearing drops off starting at 4khz in both ears & the loss severely plummets at 6khz. 

If you haven't done so get your hearing tested & if need be get hearing aids, they WILL help with the tinnitus.

[GnatGoSplat]

2 hours ago, 55trucker said:

Join the club......15Khz?,,,,,,,you're concerned about frequencies ABOVE that?

Normal frequency hearing range due to a non traumatic loss for the average male above 50 is approx a 10khz ceiling, a loss of all above that is considered normal, if you can still hear a 15khz sine wave you're doing good, only adolescent kids can hear as high as 16khz.

Ah, I just checked with a Youtube 20Hz to 20kHz sweep.  I can hear up to 13kHz in my good ear now, though it gets much quieter the higher I go.

I have occasional faint tinnitus in one ear, but my deaf ear has pretty significant tinnitus at times.  I've gotten used to it and can tune it out, though I probably should see an audiologist.  Maybe a hearing aid can restore some hearing in my bad ear so I can hear stereo and surround sound.

[55trucker]

27 minutes ago, GnatGoSplat said:

 though I probably should see an audiologist.  Maybe a hearing aid can restore some hearing in my bad ear so I can hear stereo and surround sound.

Uhh...yeah,that would be a good idea, with the exception of the most advanced hearing aids they all top out at 10khz, that's the highest range the onboard programming can provide.

When one has a test done the procedure only goes to 8khz, seems that's the maximum that the medical society feels is necessary. But the aids DO help with the tinnitus, I'll bet that your loss of hearing in your bad ear took place approx or shortly after the tinnitus set in. The upper frequency follicles in the cochlea begin to die off, the brain no longer receives a *signal* from them, the brain compensates by creating a *phantom* sound in the auditory cortex, a sound that doesn't exist outside the body. That sound is the *ringing* you perceive. It also can fluctuate in volume as well.

It drove me stir crazy when it 1st showed itself........

[GnatGoSplat]

1 minute ago, 55trucker said:

When one has a test done the procedure only goes to 8khz, seems that's the maximum that the medical society feels is necessary. But the aids DO help with the tinnitus, I'll bet that your loss of hearing in your bad ear took place approx or shortly after the tinnitus set in. The upper frequency follicles in the cochlea begin to die off, the brain no longer receives a *signal* from them, the brain compensates by creating a *phantom* sound in the auditory cortex, a sound that doesn't exist outside the body. That sound is the *ringing* you perceive. It also can fluctuate in volume as well.

9-years between the start and complete deafness.  I didn't see a Dr for the tinnitus alone as it wasn't that bad.  About 8yrs later, my ear started feeling stuffed quite frequently, but I could still hear okay.  Around year 9, one night I woke up with a vertigo attack so bad, couldn't hardly walk and the slightest bit of head movement made me nauseous.  I realized at that time, the vertigo took my hearing with it, replacing it with much louder tinnitus that sounds like cicadas in August.  Vertigo attacks were on and off for a week before I went to see the Dr.  Was told it was Meniere's.  Then the vertigo passed, but my hearing stayed gone.