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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • 2.3L (N/A & Turbo) Tech

add on radios and premium sound

  • Thread starter Thread starter waxman
  • Start date Start date Aug 9, 2020
W

waxman

20+ Year Stangneter
Aug 6, 2004
49
7
18
central il
Aug 9, 2020
#1
  • Aug 9, 2020
  • #1
i have an add on radio in my 88 and a friend has a premium sound amp, is there any way to connect the amp to this radio.?
 

91TwighlightGT

20+ Year Stangneter
Sep 8, 2002
1,190
375
124
Missouri
Aug 9, 2020
#2
  • Aug 9, 2020
  • #2
Calling @Mustang5L5
 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell
Mod Dude
Feb 18, 2001
43,258
17,941
224
Massachusetts
Aug 9, 2020
#3
  • Aug 9, 2020
  • #3
Aftermarket radio? The 93 amp is only 80 watts. Most modern radios are at the level or better. Nothing to gain by doing this.

Now if you wanted to put a 93 oem radio in.

1993 Premium sound stereo into 87-92 Mustang : Install thread

No real questions here, just a thread to document what i've learned in this little project of mine. There is very little info on the net regarding this, i mostly had to peice info together that now seems very straightforward now from sources on the internet. I chose to install a 1993 OEM CD...
www.stangnet.com
 
Reactions: General karthief
J

junkyardwarrior

Well-Known Member
Jan 10, 2011
400
113
63
Aug 10, 2020
#4
  • Aug 10, 2020
  • #4
correct

It's still an old amp

Just get a new, even an inexpensive, radio. Don't even need CD's anymore. Just something that has bluetooth capability. The nice thing is that if you don't want CD, the media receiver is MUCH smaller, and fits a little better. I have put several in older cars for folks here lately. Most of them were Pioneer, because of the excellent customer service and they are mostly the least expensive. MVH-S512BT in my '92 GT with component 6 1/2 in the doors, tweeters in the dash and in the hatch panels a pair of 5x8 components. The tweeters are on a crossover. It's not expensive, I think less than $200 in the entire system. It blows away the original premium system, by one million fold. I mean there is no comparison and the old stuff was in perfect condition. I actually sold the OE head unit for $100 and offset the cost of the new stuff. The really nice thing--is that this Pioneer unit has bluetooth, links up with the phone perfectly and the app shows gps speed, will work with apple maps for turn-by-turn navigation just fine (tested), and even nicer is the fact that it has a microphone so that you can answer calls hands-free, which kinda makes the car feel newer-but with 1990's styling. Sky is the limit, you can put in a single DIN unit like I have or you can get a double DIN in there, with touch screen, backup camera, and about anything else imaginable if you want it and want to spend the money.

I put a MVH-S390BT in my 93, daily driven 4 cylinder. Same deal, handsfree calling/answering and bluetooth but nothing more. I don't really care for that head unit that much but it does the job. All of them are too bright at night and don't dim enough, IMO. Most of my driving is back highways at night so getting it dimmed enough is a challenge. I keep the dash backlighting as far low as it will go (LED) and wish I could just turn it off sometimes.

now the bad part is that it takes some work to replace all the speakers and put crossovers in (if you want them...with tweeters in the dash, they're mandatory). But aftermarket radios nowadays are putting out 80+ watts which far exceeds what the original speakers could ever handle. That doesn't mean you have to turn it up full blast all the time but if you do, the original speakers ain't gonna like it, lots of distortion, etc.

You have to watch the mounting depth of the door speakers, as the window regulator will hit them if they're too deep. Crutchfield will guide you in selection.

Once you have everything matched up (head unit + speakers + wiring if need be) the quality of sound is pretty darn good even without subs and/or an amp, in comparison to the old original stuff.
 
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