Audio experts

[maggiolo72]

Hi there, my 1303 have still the original AM radio functioning.
I want to do something more modern keeping the original radio.
This radio have an AUX in and I have connected to a 2 pos switch:

1 position AM ( pretty useless here in Switzerland)
2 position a jack connected to an Ipod to listen music.

All is ok but the sound is weak, of course one speaker is not so much but in the meantime I want to keep the original setup.
Someone can suggest me a different outfit to have more watt, for example a BT Amplifier always connected to the stero, so I use my telephone to send music without do anything....
Ideas like this, I know I am horrible with audio stuff

[Starbucket]

I think the original speaker was 16 OHMs so a 4 OHM or 8 OHM speaker would be louder.

[mclumber1]

I've only bench tested my upcoming setup, but it should work pretty well, and will be completely hidden. Essentially, I'm going to have a bluetooth receiver going to an amp, which will feed two speakers.

Bluetooth receiver: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0769DXZTV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
3.5mm to RCA cord: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I23TTE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Amplifier: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0742MKGD6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Speakers: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DNV6MRM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
_________________
1968 Beetle

[AirHead1966]

I have a Sapphire XVIII AM radio in my 67. Here is what I did to add Bluetooth to my AM radio. You have an aux port in yours. I do not have that. You can just wire the Bluetooth receiver I used to 3.5mm audio connector.

I opened up the radio, snipped the AM signal that goes into the volume adjustment POT. Soldered that POT terminal to a long wire and attached it to input of an SPDT switch. I extended and ran the AM signal that was going to the POT, to output 1 of that SPDT switch. I took a 12v BlueTooth receiver (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Car-Universal-Wireless-Bluetooth-Module-Music-Adapter-Rca-Aux-Audio-Cable-T7X8/233627571815), snipped off the RCA jacks and attached one 10k ohm resister each to left and right channel outputs of the Bluetooth adapter. That gave me a combined mono output. Extended that combined mono output to output 2 of the SPDT switch. Combined the commons from the stereo outputs and grounded them to the radio body. Attached the Bluetooth adapter power and ground to the radio power (the power terminal on the POT that gets energized when you turn on the radio - radio light is connected to that terminal as well) and radio ground.

Now, I have Bluetooth! If I flip the SPDT switch to the AM side, I have the old AM on my car speaker. If I flip the SPDT switch to the other side, I have Bluetooth on the car speaker. My phone can play music, Siri can give me directions, I can hear the phone calls. Most importantly, I control the Bluetooth volume using the Sapphire volume knob.


Details here.

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=751456

[maggiolo72]

[AirHead1966]

[maggiolo72]

So probably my old radio have some kind of problem

[maggiolo72]

Maybe I can connect the amp to the radio speaker exit and then go to the new speaker.
I can use 2 speakers after the amp or I have to use only one ?

[ashman40]

Saw this ad in the Classified section a while back. Seems like a neat stealth radio upgrade. Maybe you can reach out to the advertiser?
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2097231
_________________
AshMan40
---------------------------
'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!}

[Meiang]

I have run an iPhone through the rear din connection of a Becker unit and it sounds clear and loud.

[maggiolo72]

With only one speaker, same as the original ? are you using the headphone exit from the iPhone ?