Easy radio upgrade-201, 123, 126, 124 cars with door subs
 

Blaupunkt Monte Carlo MP34

It looks very good installed, easy to do and sounds great. This $200+ radio is sold all over in the $130 range.

After hours of figuring out how to intercept the amp wiring for sub woofers in in the doors of my 93 190e, I decided to bypass all that and simply do an install using the front channels of the radio.

Remove your old radio, intercept the wires from the fader, connect to either the front channels or rear (only). Find your always on 12v source, the keyed 12v, ground and antenna. It only took about an hour.


The Monte Carlo MP34 is compatible with MP3-encoded CD-R/RWs, which are capable of storing up to 10 hours of music on a single disc. The radio displays ID3 tag information on its two-color LCD display, showing track title, artist, and album information, and the flip-down faceplate is detachable for security. The unit also includes four-channel preouts and an auxiliary input for system expansion, and a slim handheld remote control.

FEATURES:

MP3: CD-R/CD-RW with ID3
XBass
4 Channel Preout
3 Band Preset EQ
Flip Down Detachable Face
3 Band Preset EQ
Remote Control Included (RC-12)
Dimentions (mm): 170 x 46 x 150
Installation depth: 170mm
DIN/ISO
Speaker Output: 4ch
Speaker Impedance: 4-8 Ohm
RMS Power: 15 Watts RMS x 4 Channels at 4 Ohms and < 1% THD + N
Peak Power: 45x4 (180 Watts)
FM Tuning Range: 87.7-107.9 Mhz
FM Sensitivity: 9dbuV
FM Frequency Response: 20-16000 HZ
FM S/N Ratio: 58dB
FM Separation: 40dB
AM Tuning Range: 530-1710 kHz
AM Sensitivity: 26dBuV
Presets: 24FM/6AM
Preamp Output: 4
Preamp Voltage: 2.0V
Preamp Impedance: 570 Ohm
AUX Input
AUX Input Sensitivity: 2V
Phone / Navigation Voice
CD Frequency Response: 15-20,000 Hz
CD S/N Ratio: 85dB
Oversampling Rate: 8x
D/A Converter: 1 bit
Channel Separation: 75dB
CD-R Compatible
CD-RW Compatible
MP3 Compatible
CD Text
Detachable Face
Bass (+/- xdB @ Y Hz): (+/-) 14dB @ 20Hz
Treble (+/- xdB @ Y Hz): (+/-) 14dB @ 10kHz
Equalizer: 3 Band Preset
X Bass (+/- xdB @ Y Hz): (+) 15dB @ 20Hz
Display Color: Res/White
Display Polarity: Negative
Button Backlighting: Red
Optional Remote: RC-823

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Haasman

Very nice.

I have this radio in my 560 also. Does not look as dorky as many of the mobile rave crap stereos. Important Bonus Feature: Buy the steering-mounted remote (maybe $40, easy to install when you install the radio). I love it!!!!!!

Spacer
 

Where did you get that spacer to replace the casette holder? I have a CD player and I still have the tape holder, and would like to replace it something that could hold CDs instead of tapes.

I ordered it through my local dealer .... it is covered with a rubber/plastic covering which makes it quite nice. The price is somewhat riduclous.

Haasman

Nice work haasman.

Ive seen some on Ebay also.

I want to get rid of my cassette holder as well, but I'm trying to figure out how to stick my CB radio there... my scanner works nicely in the glovebox, at least until I try to stuff a small changer in there.

I still need to get a stereo for my 92 190E, got a cheap Pioneer in there now, no antenna, and just the front speakers, the doors and rears ain't hooked up yet. Yeah, I'm quite the audiophile...

some questions
 

That sounds great. My question is: What happens to the tuner/amp?? in the trunk? Is the antenna hookup at the front or in the rear? Any overheating problems (are speakers 2 ohms?) ps, I have a 91 300E

Thanks, D

The back of the old radio has a ground wire, an always on hot, a keyed hot, two channel wires (left and right), an illumination wire and the antenna cable. (someone correct me if I have missed something here)

Once the old stock radio is out, find the new radio's wiring loom and follow the color coded lead legend. Cut the old connectors off (except of course the antenna wire) and match the leads. I slipped heatshrink tubing on before soldering the connections. Makes for a very neat, tidy and easy wiring setup.

By using the existing wiring (yes, through the stupid console fader) everything can be hooked up and installed in much less than an hour.

The trunk amp, alll speakers etc etc all work. Since the new head is so much more powerful than the stock oem radio, everything sounds and works well.

Haasman

so did you bypass the fader and tap into the existing amplifier/system aft of it or did you just tap into the sytem before the fader .

how is the sound compared to before?

I just tapped into the existing fader. You don't want to know what you would have to do to interface the whole system including the bass sub amp.

Haasman

Here is an example of the radio head removal keyes

Haasman

You dont need any keys for the W201. Just remove the center console and you can remove the head unit.

Keys work for 91 300E?
 

I still have some questions.

1. Will the keys shown for the 91 300E with a 2 piece Becker 1432 radio? Can I tap in to the fader as you describe with this unit? I thought the antenna in attached to the unit in the trunk, how is that connected?
Are the subwoofers run off an amp in the rear unit?
Will this burn up the fader, is the fader made for dealing with speaker out signal from the amp? I want to replace my head unit in a 91 300E and wondering if this is done, how will the door subs be powered


Thanks, D

Uh Ohh
 

Keep your receipt on the Blaupunkt. I had two in a row in my beloved 300 SD that lasted only until the warranty expired. If you have the slightest bit of trouble in the warranty period, exchange it!! I finally put a Sony Mobile ES in years ago and it is still going.