MP3 Player through CR 210 with CD Changer

[HGGuate]

MP3 Player through CR 210 with CD Changer

---

After searching around the forums for detailed instructions and feedback on how to get MP3 player connectivity through my Becker CR-210 head unit and not finding exactly what I needed, I decided to take a chance and try my luck on a cheap solution to the problem. About $ 20 plus my time. The compatibility of the plug I purchased clearly stated it would work with the CR/CDR 220, but had no mention of the 210 unit. Although I could not find any information about this on the forums or the web,

---

• Author
  HGGuate
• Category
  Carrera (996) - Mods
• Submitted
  05/08/2011 08:22 AM

 

[HGGuate]

How did I do with the speaker upgrade? here is the complete text to my post, elsewhere on the forums....

I recently Installed 4 inch replacement speakers in my stock factory locations (dash and rear quarter) on an early 996 with stock head unit. The stock speakers were very simple, single driver, cardboard cone speakers, obviously not high fidelity. My intention was to make a small upgrade and decide if I needed to go any further after some time listening to the new sound. I was not interested in a louder sound system than stock, just better fidelity.

My initial choice was to go with 2 way, coaxial speakers in the original factory locations, using the factory grills, so as to not have any visible modifications inside my car. My key concern was that replacement speakers fit into the factory locations with no great modification beyond making the speakers fit in the factory grills.

Using the procedure illustrated on Youtube (search for "Boxster Speaker Replacement") I modified the factory grilles so they would hold the replacement speakers. If you are to embark on this project, I recommend you have a rotary tool available to cut the grills and sand down whatever you need to on the grill back and "speaker basket", you will need a torx head driver and a small wrench to turn the torx head for the screw placed closest to the windshield. You will also need a soldering iron and some quick epoxy or fast drying glue (superglue). Also, I would recommend you have some fast hardening silicone to seal the speakers into the grills once you modify them. I dont remember this last part being specified on the Youtube video, but it makes a big difference on the reproduction quality of the speakers once the job is completed.

The space below the dash speaker grilles is large and deep enough for just about any 4 inch speaker to fit (I did not check to see if 5.25 inch speakers would have fit, I would imagine they would, but would require much more modification or replacement of the factory grills, which I did not want to do). The space on the rear quarter speaker locations has less leeway. Although my replacement speakers (JL Audio C2 400x) have much larger magnets than the original speakers, they fit without having to cut any material out of the firewall insulation or further modification behind the grills.

I was initially tempted to not replace the rear quarter speakers, as the space was tighter and I usually listen to my sound faded slightly toward the front (2). I am very happy that I changed all 4 speakers, as the sound baffling created in the rear quarter is much more effective than the one created in the dash location and the sound quality for Bass reproduction is much better from the back (no crossovers were installed or changes in the wiring, just the physics of sound reproduction with a well sealed speaker grill and sound insulating material that acts as baffling behind the speaker). I now fade my sound a bit to the back (-2) and have better Bass reproduction than I did before.

The replacement speakers I used are not extremely expensive or particularly cheap; however, having better quality midrange cone material and a separate tweeter drivers, definitely makes for a great difference in sound fidelity. In my opinion, this "speaker only" upgrade is definitely worth the time and effort.

I would imagine a good sound shop will recommend you install an amplifier, crossovers, and a sub-woofer for the best quality sound. While this is absolutely true, I am not sure if I the investment in cost and modifications would be worth it (who really blasts the sound in a 911?).

Your time to make the modifications and the risk of damaging the dashboard and speaker grills are probably something you should consider before trying to do this on your own if you don´t have DIY experience. If you do not, bring the Youtube video to your local car stereo shop (this mod may not be intuitive to them) and let them have a go at it.