blaupunkt radios
-
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 11:42 am
blaupunkt radios
There are a number of Blaupunkt radios for sale on the "Classifieds" from a guy in Belgium. I bought one a couple weeks ago and had it professionally installed. I can't say it doesn't work, but it sure doesn't work very well. Reception is spotty, volume is variable, as is tuning. Too much brain damage to deal with a return and the another install. I think I'm left with getting it rebuilt in the USA.
Any suggestions on a reliable rebuilder?
Thanks
parobinson@cox.net
Any suggestions on a reliable rebuilder?
Thanks
parobinson@cox.net
- Sebastian Gaeta
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 3047
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:50 pm
- Location: Ann Arbor, MI
Re: blaupunkt radios
These guys are great if you want the correct original look on the outside and modern components inside. Perfect reception, the sound is as good as it can possibly be on a 55 year old radio and they even put in an auxiliary jack for ipod/iphone. I am very happy with their work and customer service and support.
http://www.turnswitch.com/
http://www.turnswitch.com/
Sebastian Gaeta
www.arbormotion.com
Registry #8339
'65 C coupe
'64 C cab
-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle
www.arbormotion.com
Registry #8339
'65 C coupe
'64 C cab
-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle
- David Campbell
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:54 pm
- Location: West Georgia
Re: blaupunkt radios
Hi Peter:
I am sorry about your purchase; I bought a set of Bosch horns for my T-5 (including the mounting brackets) from the same seller and the merchandise was fine and I think I got a fair price.
When one sends off a radio it is quite easy for the restorer to say "it is toast, I can't fix it" and "oh, btw you owe me $XXX for the time I spent to discover it doesn't work". This puts the customer at a complete disadvantage and it can easily spiral down from there.
Use a radio service that is highly recommended by the experts here. I caution using a certain "vintage blaupunkt" restoration service and seller who advertises a lot on Ebay. You can email me privately for more details about my experience.
I wish I had followed Sebastian Gaeta's advice and gone with modern upgrades to the classic radio chassis.
I am sorry about your purchase; I bought a set of Bosch horns for my T-5 (including the mounting brackets) from the same seller and the merchandise was fine and I think I got a fair price.
When one sends off a radio it is quite easy for the restorer to say "it is toast, I can't fix it" and "oh, btw you owe me $XXX for the time I spent to discover it doesn't work". This puts the customer at a complete disadvantage and it can easily spiral down from there.
Use a radio service that is highly recommended by the experts here. I caution using a certain "vintage blaupunkt" restoration service and seller who advertises a lot on Ebay. You can email me privately for more details about my experience.
I wish I had followed Sebastian Gaeta's advice and gone with modern upgrades to the classic radio chassis.
1961 B Coupe
1966 VW Type I
1987 944 NA
2000 Boxster S
1966 VW Type I
1987 944 NA
2000 Boxster S
-
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 79
- Joined: Wed Nov 06, 2013 8:22 am
Re: blaupunkt radios
I second the comments from Sebastian. I had my Blaupunkt rebuilt by Turnswitch and it is great -looks period correct but has modern insides. They do great work and it did not take very long.
Good luck.
John
Good luck.
John
John Parsley
1964 356C Cabriolet
1964 356C Cabriolet
- Peter Silten
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 1642
- Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 2:27 pm
Re: blaupunkt radios
I would recommend contacting Hernan Acosta, the owner of German Auto Radio Repair. He knows everything there is to know about the vintage Blaupunkt radios. He sells his radios at the LA Lit Meet and the Anaheim swap meet. (I have shared a table with him at both meets. He is a nice guy and has a good reputation for honest service.) German Auto Radio is located at 10544 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91606. Hernan's phone # is (818) 769-8919.
-
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 142
- Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 5:31 pm
Re: blaupunkt radios
Mr Peter RobinsonPeter Robinson wrote:There are a number of Blaupunkt radios for sale on the "Classifieds" from a guy in Belgium. I bought one a couple weeks ago and had it professionally installed. I can't say it doesn't work, but it sure doesn't work very well. Reception is spotty, volume is variable, as is tuning. Too much brain damage to deal with a return and the another install. I think I'm left with getting it rebuilt in the USA.
Any suggestions on a reliable rebuilder?
Thanks
parobinson@cox.net
You have not been completely honest to write all this. I've sold you a perfect worked 1961/62 Blaupunkt Köln TR de Luxe radio.
After you received the radio you have send me this email:
Luc,
I took the radio to a stereo specialist for installation. He has tried to bench test it without success. He can’t determine where the speaker wires connect
to either the radio or the amplifier. Can you tell me how to connected speakers, or at least furnish a wire diagram?
Thanks.
Pete
My answer:
Pete,
I hope your radio specialist haven’t power up the radio before connecting the speakers, otherwise it could be that the radio doesn’t work anymore.
Here you can read all about the blaupunkt radios for porsches
http://derwhites356literature.com/DerWh ... adios.html
I've send you also a picture of the same blaupunkt radio where to put the speakerplugs.
After that email I didn't hear from you anymore.
I can't imagine which professional radio-specialist doesn't know where the speakers should be connected on these radios.
Will you tell me who's the radio-specialist?
I think your professional radio-specialist has power up the radio without connecting the speakers. And because of this something has damaged in the radio, so that the radio no longer works perfectly.
Before I sell a radio and send it to the buyer they are always tested for operation, so I'm sure they are perfect. If they aren't, they will not be sent, but will be restored first.
Luc
-
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 446
- Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2010 7:42 am
Re: blaupunkt radios
" Reception is spotty, volume is variable, as is tuning. "
That pretty well describes analog AM radio. Presence of buildings and power lines makes a difference in signal strength. And in tube type radios, oscillator frequencies drift with warm-up. Retuning may be required. As they say, "stay tuned".
That pretty well describes analog AM radio. Presence of buildings and power lines makes a difference in signal strength. And in tube type radios, oscillator frequencies drift with warm-up. Retuning may be required. As they say, "stay tuned".
- Fred Otjen
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 168
- Joined: Tue Mar 16, 2010 4:51 pm
- Location: Lake Oswego Oregon
Re: blaupunkt radios
I've sent 2 to the German Radio place for repair. Neither one worked when I got them back. Hernan let me return 1 for re repair, it didn't work when I got it back. Lots of money and frustration. So now I just look at them in the dash.
- Wes Bender
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 4861
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:54 am
- Location: Somewhere in the Gadsden Purchase, USA
Re: blaupunkt radios
I've had excellent service from Radioman in San Diego, http://www.radiomanrepair.com/
I would use him if you want to keep your radio original. If you have the guts replaced with modern electronics by Turnswitch, be aware that you will lose the SW band and the FM band tuning will not match the dial (which is reversed on some models).
It all boils down to whether you are interested in originality or modern functionality.
I would use him if you want to keep your radio original. If you have the guts replaced with modern electronics by Turnswitch, be aware that you will lose the SW band and the FM band tuning will not match the dial (which is reversed on some models).
It all boils down to whether you are interested in originality or modern functionality.
Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints.....
- Richard Sjolund
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 206
- Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:40 pm
- Location: Iowa - USA
- Contact:
Re: blaupunkt radios
I worked in my undergraduate days as a radio/TV repairman .. back in the days of tubes. When I purchased my 1964 356C coupe 35 years ago it had a Blaupunkt radio that did not work. I enjoyed taking it apart and repairing it. It is the AM/FM signal seeker version. A few years ago I turned it on and there was a very loud buzzing sound .... my first guess was a bad electrolytic filter capacitor -- I repaired that and it works great again. The reality, however, is that at speeds above 35 MPH the tires, the wind and the engine override the sound from the radio.
It looks great and it sounds great in a parking lot, but when I am driving thousands of miles across the country I stream my iPhone music to my hearing aids ... I use an older set of Phonak aids that I had my audiologist modify by blocking off the ambient sound channels and blocking those opening in my earpieces ... Now I have the Beach Boys singing Barbara Ann straight into my ears - with the high frequencies boosted. Amazingly the Phonak aids turn off the Beach Boys and switch to a phone call when I get one. The microphone is in my bluetooth streamer around my neck - but at speed no one can understand me over the engine noise ... It's an excuse to ignore calls and avoid work while Ruby and I go for long rides ...
Richard Sjolund
Solon, (Iowa City), Iowa
1964 (September 1963 build) 356 C Karmann Coupe (Ruby Red, color:6402)
(On the 356 Registry cover- November, 2005)
Ford F150 4X4 (Winter Snow Plow)
2015 Audi A4 Quattro (Wife's car)
It looks great and it sounds great in a parking lot, but when I am driving thousands of miles across the country I stream my iPhone music to my hearing aids ... I use an older set of Phonak aids that I had my audiologist modify by blocking off the ambient sound channels and blocking those opening in my earpieces ... Now I have the Beach Boys singing Barbara Ann straight into my ears - with the high frequencies boosted. Amazingly the Phonak aids turn off the Beach Boys and switch to a phone call when I get one. The microphone is in my bluetooth streamer around my neck - but at speed no one can understand me over the engine noise ... It's an excuse to ignore calls and avoid work while Ruby and I go for long rides ...
Richard Sjolund
Solon, (Iowa City), Iowa
1964 (September 1963 build) 356 C Karmann Coupe (Ruby Red, color:6402)
(On the 356 Registry cover- November, 2005)
Ford F150 4X4 (Winter Snow Plow)
2015 Audi A4 Quattro (Wife's car)
- Jules Dielen
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 3166
- Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 3:25 pm
- Location: Arizona
Re: blaupunkt radios
the best music i can think of in a 356 comes from the engine bay, especially when you depress the throttle. Pete, you should try listening to that!
Jules
Water pumps are for windshield washers only.
Water pumps are for windshield washers only.
- Dave Wildrick
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 1953
- Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:10 pm
- Location: Houston, TX
Re: blaupunkt radios
+1 on Turnswitch.com
The Blaupunkt in my 65C coupe worked fine when I got the car, but there's no way I could get enough volume to hear it well at speed with the windows down. I tried different speakers, FM transmitters from iPod to the radio, and a device made 356talk lister Jeffrey Kloth, which plugged directly into the input of the amplifier section of the Blaupunkt, allowing connection of almost any modern gizmo. None of these made much difference; still not enough volume.
The Turnswitch setup uses some kind of JVC board (I think), and your pushbuttons for station selection still move the pointer on the dial reasonably close to the stations you set them at. There's plenty of power to get enough volume to hear the music at 75mph, if you have decent new speakers. I don't believe the Blaupunkt radios from 50+ years ago were designed to have that kind of power.
Also, I never worried about trying to tune in bands other than AM and FM, so losing shortwave or marine bands doesn't bother me.
Bluetooth capability wasn't available at Turnswitch at the time my radio was converted, but they can add it now if you pony up the $$.
The Blaupunkt in my 65C coupe worked fine when I got the car, but there's no way I could get enough volume to hear it well at speed with the windows down. I tried different speakers, FM transmitters from iPod to the radio, and a device made 356talk lister Jeffrey Kloth, which plugged directly into the input of the amplifier section of the Blaupunkt, allowing connection of almost any modern gizmo. None of these made much difference; still not enough volume.
The Turnswitch setup uses some kind of JVC board (I think), and your pushbuttons for station selection still move the pointer on the dial reasonably close to the stations you set them at. There's plenty of power to get enough volume to hear the music at 75mph, if you have decent new speakers. I don't believe the Blaupunkt radios from 50+ years ago were designed to have that kind of power.
Also, I never worried about trying to tune in bands other than AM and FM, so losing shortwave or marine bands doesn't bother me.
Bluetooth capability wasn't available at Turnswitch at the time my radio was converted, but they can add it now if you pony up the $$.
Dave Wildrick
Houston, TX
#10230
64C coupe
65C coupe
Houston, TX
#10230
64C coupe
65C coupe
- Jim Alton
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 1772
- Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 12:11 pm
- Location: Los Angeles County
Re: blaupunkt radios
Good lord!luc verschueren wrote:
Luc,
I took the radio to a stereo specialist for installation. He has tried to bench test it without success. He can’t determine where the
speaker wires connect to either the radio or the amplifier. Can you tell me how to connected speakers, or at least furnish a wire diagram?
Thanks.
Pete
If this is true, I would hardly call someone who can't find banana plug jacks by a little speaker cartoon a professional installer.
Jim Alton
Los Angeles County, CA
1958 Porsche 356A Cabriolet
1965 Porsche 911 Coupé
1966 Volkswagen Type 2
2003 Porsche 986 Boxster
- Wes Bender
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 4861
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:54 am
- Location: Somewhere in the Gadsden Purchase, USA
Re: blaupunkt radios
They're out there. I once had to interrupt a cable installer when he was trying desperately to get a color picture on my small black and white Heathkit portable.
I'm thinking this "stereo specialist" never saw a tube type radio and had no idea that turning it on without a speaker connected could kill portions of the circuits.
I'm thinking this "stereo specialist" never saw a tube type radio and had no idea that turning it on without a speaker connected could kill portions of the circuits.
Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints.....
- John Lindstrom
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 336
- Joined: Mon Oct 23, 2017 9:51 am
- Location: Stanford, Ca. USA
Re: blaupunkt radios
Surely someone must know of a radio repair specialist in Norcal.
Does anybody have experience with “Short Circuit Radio Repair” in San Jose?
Does anybody have experience with “Short Circuit Radio Repair” in San Jose?