Blaupunkt reissuing Bremen head unit w/modern features

[Freight]

Any interest in old school Denon head units made in Japan ? The all have RCA inputs for AUX.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0decjpf ... k--nS9UqgA

There was also a Nakamichi back in the day that you might be able to find, but they are going for +$1000 the last time I looked. 

**Update** Found a Nakamichi

https://www.ebay.com/itm/325438275885?

 

 

I found a vintage Blaupunkt cassette HU with an AUX (SQR88 Woodstock) input that I have in the M535i. As you can see I can plug any MP3 player into it (or even a vintage portable CDP, as it was designed for). Great sound and features as you would expect from the top of the line HU's from the late 1980's & early '90's.
This unit is a 4-channel out unit with either speaker hi-levels or a DIN plug low-level output (which you can convert to RCA with the right adapter).  Blaupunkt did make its sister HU which is a 2-channel out (SQR48 Nashville, which I have in a box) for a simpler system.

I’ve been patiently hoping one of these would pop up, but they’re rare as hens teeth

[Ibmotoren]

 

I’ve been patiently hoping one of these would pop up, but they’re rare as hens teeth

 

 

Keep an eye on German eBay. That’s where I found my Woodstock 88. There’s a couple there now in various condition. I purchased mine based on Vince’s previous write ups on it (thank you Vince!). 
https://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_nkw=Bla ... +Woodstock 

[vinceg101]

Freight: I might have you covered. PM'd

[MyE21]

Regarding the quality complaints -

has anyone bothered taking an original period correct unit and adding Bluetooth to it? It requires a steady hand with a soldering iron but seems possible by tying it into the cassette deck. This is how the people retrofitting the OG units do it, and then charge $700 or whatever for them.

my only hesitation has been the sound quality being potentially poor? I listen to mostly punk/crust/sludge, so *contrary* to what untrained ears might think, there’s a lot going on and poor sound quality will blend it all into mush.(or I’m delusional )

would be keen to hear anyone’s feedback on this.



 

 

 

I did just that. I took an old Blaupunkt CR-2001, gutted the volume knob area, and plugged in a $25 Bluetooth board from eBay. I’m also running a separate sub. It sounds pretty good, better than the original CR-2001 setup. Very simple to do.

[MyE21]

Picture here (I can’t figure out how to insert the link).

The way it functions is you turn the volume knob to turn the unit on and adjust the volume, like the original radio. Song selection is via Spotify etc on your phone. I made sure the 12v going to the backlight stayed intact, so it still goes on and off when the unit is turned on and off.

https://ibb.co/VqcfH9p

 

[MyE21]

[url]http://[/url]

[Freight]

Picture here (I can’t figure out how to insert the link).

The way it functions is you turn the volume knob to turn the unit on and adjust the volume, like the original radio. Song selection is via Spotify etc on your phone. I made sure the 12v going to the backlight stayed intact, so it still goes on and off when the unit is turned on and off.

https://ibb.co/VqcfH9p


 

Got a link to the module you used? 

[MyE21]

 Damgoo Bluetooth Amplifier Board, 100W+100W Peak Output Power, 2.0 Channel DC:8-24V, Password Free Connect, BT 5.0 AMP Board for DIY Wireless Speakers Board
$16.99 on Amazon

[MyE21]

https://a.co/d/bAbbpUb

[MyE21]

The Bluetooth board is 2 speaker output, so I used a couple of these to drive 4 speakers

https://a.co/d/hBgQS1F

[MyE21]

And I added this powered subwoofer under the passenger seat

https://a.co/d/7b2DNxp

[BimmerDan]

I have the Frankfurt and love it. It feels right


Radio

You are 100% correct it feels just like my 14.95 Blaupunkt from Wal-Mart. The sound quality is fine, but I also have stock speakers

[DavidE9]

No enough buttons....

Just kidding, looks great.

[BimmerDan]

No enough buttons....

Just kidding, looks great.

Have to match the OBC, with the keypad... Its pretty pointless, but the bluetooth works great and its not obnoxious looking.

[Freight]

The Bluetooth board is 2 speaker output, so I used a couple of these to drive 4 speakers

https://a.co/d/hBgQS1F

This is exactly what I was looking at, but wasn’t sure if it was a right thing. Good to know. And it doesn’t tie into the radio at all right, as far as signal delivery is concerned? That little amp handles everything on its own?

[MyE21]

The Bluetooth board is 2 speaker output, so I used a couple of these to drive 4 speakers

https://a.co/d/hBgQS1F

This is exactly what I was looking at, but wasn’t sure if it was a right thing. Good to know. And it doesn’t tie into the radio at all right, as far as signal delivery is concerned? That little amp handles everything on its own?

That’s correct. No tie into the radio at all. The little amp is 100% stand alone.

[Chicagotrader92]

Can anyone here please share their wiring job? Previous owner hacked mine up and I can't get it right. 

[znebto]

Can anyone here please share their wiring job? Previous owner hacked mine up and I can't get it right.

wire colors vary by year afaik, so it'd be good to know for which year. But the original "e28 electrical troubleshooting manual" is easy to find on google

regarding the blaupunkt reissues: i got myself the "cheap" skagen 400 dab/bt and oh boi, that one's a piece of crap.
Looks cheap, feels cheap, also getting frequent BT connection issues resulting in high pitched distortion squeaks... ill get rid of it as soon as I can get myself a good used old one and then might look into retromodding for bt it myself

[John in VA]

Can anyone here please share their wiring job? Previous owner hacked mine up and I can't get it right. 

https://web.archive.org/web/20050227061138/http://home.att.net/~ebaines/e28_leads.htm

https://forums.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=91386

http://www.wedophones.com/BMWManualsLead.htm

[Shawn D.]

I dunno if this Facebook group has been mentioned yet in the thread, but if not:

 

 

[e24mpwr]

Any interest in old school Denon head units made in Japan ? The all have RCA inputs for AUX.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0decjpf ... k--nS9UqgA

There was also a Nakamichi back in the day that you might be able to find, but they are going for +$1000 the last time I looked. 

**Update** Found a Nakamichi

https://www.ebay.com/itm/325438275885?

 

 

I have a Nakamichi in my M635 that I'm going to replace.  I don't know how much it is worth, but I'd sell it for a lot less than $1000 if someone here wants it:

[e24mpwr]

Well, I got a Bremen to replace the Nakamichi - guess I'll see what it fetches on eBay...

[db9]

 

Recently modified and installed Blaupunkt Madrid 200BT in our e34
changed display to amber from white. Buttons are still “red” I may change them in the future but they are surface mount LEDs

I’m still looking for a OEM type solution for the long term.. either with BT or I can add BT but not easily available in our area

[znebto]

Since the TÜV here in Germany has pretty strict rules for getting the historic plate (H-registration), and my modern Sony Xplode already pissed them off last time, I ordered two of those reissued Blaupunkt radios, the literally "cheap" Madrid 200 Skagen 400 and the more expensive Bremen SQR 46.

Both went back after a few days. Build quality and sound are a total joke for the price, also had massive BT connection Issues and weird noises with both of my phones on both radios. No idea how they can ask nearly 500 € for that chinese junk.

2 weeks ago I then got lucky on eBay and found an original Nashville SQR 48. That thing not only has AUX-in on the front as someone here already showed, but also an 8-pin connector on the back for a CD player which is kinda perfect for feeding in audio without any hacking.
Same trick works with the Woodstock SQR 88, Memphis SQR 88, Kingston SQR 48 and probably a few others from that era with CD-in.Used a TSA6179 BT module (https://www.tinysineaudio.com/products/audiob-bluetooth-5-0-audio-module-tsa6179) and a simple 12 to 5V step-down converter which cost me around 30€ and about 2h of Work. That way you don't even have to open the radio (which is pretty easy tbh). 

In theory you even could tap into the button matrix for Play/Pause or Next/Back, but that exceeds my confidence in my electronics skills right now (theyconstantly sit at 5v, and when pressed they’re pulled to ground. I’ve got no idea yet how to hook that up to the BT Module, since that thing expects a short 3.3V pulse on its button inputs)


 

 

[stuartinmn]

2 weeks ago I then got lucky on eBay and found an original Nashville SQR 48. That thing not only has AUX-in on the front as someone here already showed, but also an 8-pin connector on the back for a CD player which is kinda perfect for feeding in audio without any hacking.

I hadn't thought about it before, but the factory stereo in my 1988 325iX has a CD changer connected to it.  To be honest I've never investigated but I assume it plugs into an aux input on the back that could probably be used for inputting other types of audio.  It's the standard AM/FM/weather band type with a cassette player that came in e30s and probably other models, I believe they were made by Alpine.  

Just another thought for people looking for a classic style dash unit, but if you buy one remember these things require a security code to operated so make sure it's included.

[znebto]

Just did a quick google search as I'm not familiar with those US OEM Alpine Radios, but I guess its not as easy to hook up one of those Alpine radios... it seems they used some kind of bus system for the CD player/changer while the BP SQR just takes the audio straight in.

BUT while searching I found a guy on Reddit who sacrificed his tape deck and used it to feed audio through: https://old.reddit.com/r/E30/comments/1 ... _retrofit/ 

Another way thats commonly used, atleast for the EU Bavaria Radios, is bypassing AM by injecting Audio between the demodulator and the amp

[4DSC]

Anyone else catch the Bremen DAB in the Benz in the new Knives Out movie? 

[gwb72tii]

I will not be using the head units amp, so my question would be how the Bremen works as a front end only?

[szacsi72]

Maybe this is somewhat off-topic.

Guys, the easiest and cheapest solution is just get an old-school radio that supports a CD-changer and pre-amp out
Connect pre-amp to your stereo system --> old tech won't damage the quality
CD changer --> get a bluetooth emulator

I've done this in my E39 OEM CD radio and it works perfectly.
Doing the same in my E28 with a RCM 104 Hamburg

It's adjustable, so it can match the somewhet red-ish amber of the E28

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JPgX7AbCgs

[DavidE9]

Pretty much everything electronic is made in China or southeast Asia these days so if that's a disqualifier, just rip your stereo out and go without.

For solid $150-300 units I have always been a fan of Kenwood and JVC products. Pioneers are fine too. Clarion used to have a lot of great offerings but now seems to be a shadow of their former self.

This is all relative though. If you're the uncompromising type and looking for quality and performance at any cost, there are plenty of $1500+ options from McIntosh, Sony, etc...
 

Im using a made in Japan vintage Denon head unit. You can still find them on eBay from time-to-time.