Bought a DAB radio for the Corrado.. brilliant!

[Jim 2]

Thought I'd post up a little thread now that I've had the stereo in the car for a few days.

 

Like many, i've suffered from continual radio reception problems in my Corrado, apart from (randomly) the time I had the whole front end off the car for a radiator swap a few months back. After I put it back together it seemed to tune into everything crystal clear for a few days, but has gone back to being utterly hopeless. I could basically only get Radio1/2/3/4 but reception was continually patchy and breaking up. I thought about a new aerial and and then having to drop the headlining, etc and instead thought maybe time to get with the times and try out DAB. Also meant I could get a head unit with a USB port for iPod or Pen Drive's loaded with music.

 

Picked up a £99 Pioneer unit from Halfords, and their £20 windscreen mounted aerial and installed it all a few days ago. Standard stuff for installing the head unit (comes with all the cabling to connect to the Corrado wiring harness, the metal cage it mounts into - and remember to switch the red/yellow cables so that the head unit keeps its settings after you remove the ignition key!), and the windscreen mount I affixed to the top of the windscreen of the passenger side and ran the cabling down behind the A pillar trim. The aerial also needs a 12V feed so I took that from the wiring loom of the head unit (the switched 12V feed). It may not be suitable for those who like their Corrado's totally original and unmolested but I'm quite pleased with how discreet it is. To aid installation I had the passenger under-dash shelf and glovebox out (relatively easy to do) so that I could easily see what was going on with the cabling, etc.

 

I'm blown away by how good it is! Since putting it in, I've been driving around with the radio on pretty much constantly and it's been crystal clear and perfectly uninterrupted the entire time. I'm still working out how it all works but seem to have 12 stations (mostly BBC ones) immediately available.

 

If you like radio in your Corrado, but have reception problems as I've had for some time, I can only recommend this option.

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

Pictures of said setup? Where abouts do you live? I'm out in the sticks and not sure what mobile DAB would be like :)

[Jim 2]

Will try and grab some tomorrow if I think about it. And you're in luck... I notice you're in Lincolnshire. It's likely I'll be driving up to Grimsby on New Years Day in the Corrado will get a chance to try the DAB reception on way through places like Market Rasen, etc.

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

If you get DAB in that part of the world, I'll be impressed, Electricity only came to the area a few years ago

[martinb 0]

I've been thinking about doing this too as I hate that I can only pick up radio 1 on my commute to work but I also live out in the sticks so it's reassuring to read they actually work! :)

[Jon_vr6 1]

My problem was where to put the aerial so be interesting to see where youve put yours Jim

[James. 9]

This interests me. I did the old replacing the amp with a piece of wire mod and that transformed the stations I could receive no end. But seeing as I listen to 6music and five live (patchy in the best of cars) I may be partial to an investment. What's the aesthetic of the head unit like when fitted ? Most of the dab head units I looked at 18 months back were of the Corsa hot rod variety.

[Jim 2]

It's not too bad mate - the head unit is this one:

 

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_1007676_langId_-1_categoryId_165655

 

Doesn't look too blingy in person (but is pretty far from being understated like Blaupunkt radios, etc), and the illumination colour is customisable - there is a Corrado illumination type green colour, but it is quite bright.

[geoffersmaher 10]

i went for the 6600 as well as i can match the green to the rest of the car.

 

cracking unit people do it. reception is just so good

 

also i went for the film ariel and mounted it at the bottom of the screen

 

as for the brightness hold down the return button or the band button and the dimmer turns on

[geoffersmaher 10]

also ariel dont need a 12v feed its powered by the unit you can choose this on setup

[Jim 2]

also ariel dont need a 12v feed its powered by the unit you can choose this on setup

 

Top tip. Thanks! :)

[GrahamU 6]

I have DAB in my Golf and Rado, the golf has a £120 Hirschman (Unsure on spelling) amplified antenna where as the rado has a £25, non amplified antenna from a DAB online store.

 

Both work well but I do tend to loose the signal at certaian points around the Suffolk coast, but really it is a technologically backward area....

 

Both are mounted on the roof of the cars.

 

Could never get the stick on screen antennas to work well.

[Jim 2]

Ok - pictures attached, showing the head unit and aerial.

 

Outside:

 

 

Inside (two tax disc holders is because of work parking permit which is also tax disc sized):

 

 

Stereo - off:

 

 

Stereo - on:

 

 

Hope that gives you an idea :)

[mic_VR 3]

Looks good mate.

[VR-Sixy 0]

You've got 300 more miles on your clock than I have!! :)

[Jim 2]

You've got 300 more miles on your clock than I have!! :)

 

Guess ours are a couple of old timers! :)

[Jon_vr6 1]

Is there any way of using the original hole for the FM aerial, i know a new aerial is needed thats smaller and comes with extra connections but surely thats the way to go and get more people onto the DAB bandwagon

[Jim 2]

You cab get DAB aerials that replace existing bee sting aerials like those on the Corrado and its multifunction too so has connection for DAB, FM and I think even GPS.. But it was like 90 quid. Maybe another time!!

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

Guess ours are a couple of old timers! :)

 

Yours has 200 more than mine!

[GrahamU 6]

You cab get DAB aerials that replace existing bee sting aerials like those on the Corrado and its multifunction too so has connection for DAB, FM and I think even GPS.. But it was like 90 quid. Maybe another time!!

 

 

There are quite a few cars with these fitted standard so maybe a good look round a breakers could come up good, I know some fords have the roof mounted DAB/FM aerials

[Jon_vr6 1]

You cab get DAB aerials that replace existing bee sting aerials like those on the Corrado and its multifunction too so has connection for DAB, FM and I think even GPS.. But it was like 90 quid. Maybe another time!!

 

Good to know cheers Jim

[Jim Bowen 1]

Does it do ipod? Been thinking of getting a new headunit with dab

[jaded2882 0]

I've had a DAB in both my Corrados and love it.

 

Pictures of said setup? Where abouts do you live? I'm out in the sticks and not sure what mobile DAB would be like :)

 

The reception can be patchy in the sticks, so it's worth getting one with a booster. I keep it all tucked away in the glove box and have the booster wired to the glove box light. If you don't like the look of one stuck permanently on the windscreen, you can get them with little suckers on (like a sat nav) and then just take them down when your out of the car (or want it looking standard at shows!)

[Jim 2]

Does it do ipod? Been thinking of getting a new headunit with dab

 

Indeed it will do iPod. I've not tried it with mine yet though as I tend to just prefer sticking a load of MP3's on a Pen Drive.

 

In terms of coverage. As promised I drove up to Grimsby and back today (250 mile round trip) and made sure I had the DAB on for good portions of the journey. I was a little disappointed as I went through some of the Lincolnshire countryside that DAB reception on more local and less well known stations did break up and even vanish a few times, but switching back to the main national stations, reception remained very strong and clear for the entire trip. For example we had BBC Radio Humberside on for the local football results and even by the time we were out at Caistor there were periods when I was struggling to keep reception for it.

 

So certainly a mixed bag, but overall I'm still extremely pleased with the head unit and DAB in general. I only ever really listen to Radio 4 (grandad!!) so I'm sorted.

 

There really are some weird DAB stations too - found one call BIRDSONG that was, you guessed it, just the sound of birdsong. Crazy.

[daves16v 1]

I'm thinking of going DAB too but will the antenna reach to the rear screen?