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  #16  
Old 02-12-2014, 04:46 PM
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Originally Posted by n10 View Post
I have a dedicated MP3 for my car (Zune) so it just lives there. My smartphone battery sucks as is. .
Oddly enough my smartphone is the only thing that does get plugged in in my car. Enjoy your new radio!

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  #17  
Old 02-17-2014, 06:40 AM
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My 72 250C came with a Blaupunkt Frankfurt stereo radio. It has a similar pinstripe faceplate to that used in Mercedes on the Beckers. I will say that the sound quality of the Blaupunkt installation, with a single 4x10 speaker in the dash and a matching one in the rear shelf, is far better than the four-speaker Becker system that came in my 72 250 sedan.

Happy Motoring, Mark
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  #18  
Old 02-17-2014, 11:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Mark DiSilvestro View Post
My 72 250C came with a Blaupunkt Frankfurt stereo radio. It has a similar pinstripe faceplate to that used in Mercedes on the Beckers. I will say that the sound quality of the Blaupunkt installation, with a single 4x10 speaker in the dash and a matching one in the rear shelf, is far better than the four-speaker Becker system that came in my 72 250 sedan.
An interesting an unexpected configuration. The dash speaker (or opening with cover) is there on a 114 whether or not it has a radio. The rear speaker is not. So the dealer installed a Blaupunkt stereo in 1972 and added a rear speaker on the rear hat shelf, so you have front/rear stereo instead of left/right stereo. That is very odd.

I would agree that the long oval speakers sound better than the smaller kick panel speakers.

FWIW, I don't believe the oval speakers are nearly as large as 4 x 10. I think they are closer to 3.5" x 8". Picture attached, but this could be the wrong speaker.
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Blaupunkt, I thought theses cars had beckers?  1969 w108 280s-speaker.jpg  
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  #19  
Old 02-17-2014, 11:25 AM
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Actually, the speaker opening in a 114 (but not 115) is larger than in a 108, 113, 111, etc. So I definitely could be wrong. But for a 108, I think that the speaker I pictured is correct, but I could be wrong.
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  #20  
Old 02-17-2014, 05:08 PM
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Originally Posted by ScooterABC View Post
An interesting an unexpected configuration. The dash speaker (or opening with cover) is there on a 114 whether or not it has a radio. The rear speaker is not. So the dealer installed a Blaupunkt stereo in 1972 and added a rear speaker on the rear hat shelf, so you have front/rear stereo instead of left/right stereo. That is very odd.

I would agree that the long oval speakers sound better than the smaller kick panel speakers.

FWIW, I don't believe the oval speakers are nearly as large as 4 x 10. I think they are closer to 3.5" x 8". Picture attached, but this could be the wrong speaker.
You're probably right about the actual speaker size. My W114 with the front-rear stereo setup is a coupe, so I don't know if those may have had a factory installed center speaker-hole in the rear shelf. Someday, I may pull the rear speaker, just to see if it's a chop-job.
Despite the odd arrangement, the two properly flush-mounted speakers in my coupe sound so much better than the 4 smaller surface-mount Beckers originally used in my sedan.
A few decades ago, my parents bought a left-over, demo, fully optioned '70 VW Squareback. Though the car turned out to be a lemon, it came with the top-end (for a VW) Blaupunkt Frankfurt AM-FM mono radio with single Blaupunkt 4x6" dash speaker. That was probably one of the best sounding car radios I've ever enjoyed. Better even than some car stereos I've sampled over the years.

Happy Motoring, Mark
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  #21  
Old 02-17-2014, 07:10 PM
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You can easily leave the factory unit visible and just build a small console below with a hidden door to put the modern unit it, but you have been pretty clear that you are ok with the modern look in an older interior. Here's the Becker style unit from RetroSound if it's of any use, you choose the face and buttons to match: RetroSoundUSA.com - RETRO CLASSIC W/ 1950 - 85 Mercedes, Porsche, VW "Becker" plate

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The Coupe Group (W111/112 coupes and cabs) official website
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  #22  
Old 02-17-2014, 09:54 PM
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EEEEEKKKKKK!!!!!! Another Retrosound USA sighting... EEEEKKKKK!!!!! I so much dislike those.
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  #23  
Old 02-17-2014, 10:08 PM
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Originally Posted by ScooterABC View Post
EEEEEKKKKKK!!!!!! Another Retrosound USA sighting... EEEEKKKKK!!!!! I so much dislike those.
why?
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  #24  
Old 02-17-2014, 10:10 PM
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Originally Posted by alabbasi View Post
why?
Because I think they are hideously ugly. And I think great things can be achieved with an original becker with an MP3 input. And the knobs will be wrong for a small knob car. And it's JUST NOT A BECKER!!!!
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  #25  
Old 02-18-2014, 09:28 AM
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Originally Posted by ScooterABC View Post
Because I think they are hideously ugly. And I think great things can be achieved with an original becker with an MP3 input. And the knobs will be wrong for a small knob car. And it's JUST NOT A BECKER!!!!
Well, it is better looking than the usual current 'Vegas at midnite' style radios.
But yeah, there's kind of a phony vibe about those retro units, with the chromed plastic replacing the original's metal construction.
On the Fintail I used to drive, I had an original Becker AM-FM in the dash. But for my 'modern' car audio, I hid a compact 100-watt amp behind the dash and a pair of 50-watt two-way cube speakers under the front seats. Then I ran an adapter cable from the amp to the center-tray for a Walkman or CD-player that could be put away when not in use. So the new rig was mostly hidden, without needlessy hacking up my interior.

Happy Motoring, Mark

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