RetroSound or Classic Auto Sound?

[TheBandit]

It's been very interesting reading threads like this on RetroSound vs Custom Autosound vs bluetooth amps / hidden radios. My experience is a bit dated, but I'll add it here along with plans for my next system.



I had what was then the top-of-the-line Custom Autosound unit made in around 2001 or 2002, complete with an auto-reverse, auto-scan tape player and trunk-mounted CD changer. I don't think it had an aux input - at that time it was not a common thing, but they did sell aux-cassette tape adapters that would allow you to plug in a portable CD player or later on, an iPod. That radio worked great for about 10years running a pair of 3.5" in-dash speakers and pair of 6x9s directly from the unit, along with an amp and dual subwoofers in the trunk. I was happy with the sound and general quality of the unit. The CD changer worked great - it did not skip like most in-dash CD players of the era, but it was a bit annoying to pop the trunk to change out my tunes on longer trips. My how times have changed! Eventually I had two issues with the unit. First it developed an excessive power draw with the ignition off and later it completely stopped turning on at all. I contacted Custom Autosound and they repaired the unit free of charge, even though it was years out of warranty. That unfortunately only lasted a couple years and the unit would no longer turn on. Now it is a paperweight in my garage - I have no idea if it's repairable.

Now it's 2022 and after researching the current options, I've decided to try the Retrosound Long Beach with external amps for both speakers and subwoofer. Custom Autosound would have my business still, were it not for the overlays that, in my opinion, make the LCD display hard to see. I decided against a Bluetooth amp because I wanted something integrated into the original radio location where I can quickly get to a knob and change volume or sources. There are Bluetooth amps that have wired controllers - I just don't think they would look as good as a head unit that fits the original location. Either way I think a physical set of knobs or buttons should be mandatory for quickly adjusting volume (ever turn on a car and get blasted with a previous volume setting?) and changing tracks while keeping eyes on the road. I chose the Long Beach over the Hermosa because it has a separate subwoofer RCA output and you can adjust the subwoofer level directly from the radio. I find this kind of feature helpful when changing among different kinds of music. I also decided to use an external amp to drive the speakers, because the Retrosound unit is very limited (25watts rms) and I've heard from others the sound quality out of the internal amp is poor at best. Custom Autosound has more power available directly out of the head unit, so it might be a better option when not using an external amp.

I have gone without a radio for quite some time, but now in the era of cellphones, having a handsfree calling option and ability to stream music have become important. One thing I could not find much info about was how good the Bluetooth calling is with these units. If anyone can comment on their experience, I'd love to hear. My car is a bit noisy between the exhaust and wind noise. I will have to decide on a location for the microphone, so any input there would be appreciated. My initial thought is to run the wiring up the a-pillar and either mount it to the top of the a-pillar or run the wire along the windlace/headliner and position it under the rearview mirror.