(Original Wonder Bar Radio Pictured for 1958 Corvette) The Original Wonder Bar Radio The original Wonder Bar radio (introduced by General Motors in the late 1940s) was the one of the first car radios that could automatically seek to the next strongest station. The auto-seek worked quite differently than modern radios…
A long time has passed since the days of big blocks and four speeds. And while we miss the good ol’ days of timeless design and tire-burning horsepower of the 1960s, we have to admit that classic cars are poorly insulated, hot, noisy, and rattly inside. They squeak, creak and…
Officially Licensed GM Screen Protector Installed on a RetroSound® Wonder Bar® Radio For a Period-Correct Look The holidays are upon us, so we’ve gotten together and created a list of our favorite items that are perfect gifts for classic car owners. 1. Exile Battery Keeper™ Buy Now – $59.99 The Exile Battery Keeper™…
Pictured above: Interior of a 1958 Corvette Most modern in-car stereo systems and cell phones feature Bluetooth® hands-free technology. Most people already know what Bluetooth® is and why it’s so popular. But for those of you who don’t know, Bluetooth® enables devices to communicate wirelessly to other devices. It gets…
In 1956, world-renowned custom painter, Jon Kosmoski, founded House of Kolor, because the custom pigments he was looking for were unavailable in the market. Since then House of Kolor has grown to become the premier paint supplier for hot rodders across the globe. House of Kolor paint has been used…
RetroSound® radios are the designed to imitate the appearance of a factory OE radio for your classic car. To achieve the most accurate period-correct look, we are constantly improving our products. One of these improvements is a change to the length of our radio shafts. The old shaft design set…
SiriusXM is one of the world’s largest pure-play audio entertainment companies and is among the largest subscription media companies in the United States, offering an impressive array of exclusive content that spans virtually all genres and interests, including Howard Stern, Dr. Laura, Hoda Kotb, Jenny McCarthy, Andy Cohen, Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable…
It’s spring time, and that means it’s time to move your clocks ahead. By now, most people are already accustomed to the time change. But many people are just now rolling their classic cars out of the garage for car shows and Sunday drives. When you take your vintage car…
Before we can explain what dual voice coil speakers are, you first have to understand what a voice coil is and how a speaker works. All speakers have what is called a voice coil. The voice coil is a coil of wire wrapped around a cylinder that accepts the current…
Retro Manufacturing is now offering complete audio systems for select classic vehicles. Retro Manufacturing, the industry leader in audio solutions for the classic car restoration market, is now shipping complete audio systems for select classic vehicles. These complete audio systems include everything you need to build a high-quality sound system…
Installing a modern stereo in the glove box has become commonplace with classic cars. People want to keep their classic vehicle looking completely original but still want to have the convenience of a modern stereo. And let’s be honest, there aren’t very many companies out there making shafted push-button radios…
These days, almost every device plays MP3 files. Many devices also support a wide variety of file formats. You may be wondering, “Why would I want to use any audio format other than MP3?” While MP3 has become the industry standard for audio playback, iTunes uses its own Apple proprietary…
The Rise and Fall of the Compact Disc The compact disc was introduced in 1982 and heralded as the first commercially available prerecorded digital audio format. Initially, sales were slow, but by 1985 sales started to grow rapidly. In 1988 CD sales surpassed vinyl LPs, and by 1989 they outsold…
A Brief History of 1988-1994 GM Trucks The late 1980s was a transitional time when poor quality vehicles with little horsepower and less than desirable designs were commonplace. By the middle of the decade, advances in technology helped bring conveniences, safety, and increases in horsepower. Before the late 1980s, the…
It’s July 5th 1954. It’s surging past 90 degrees outside but inside Sam Phillips’ recording studio things were about to heat up even more. On that day, it can be argued that Elvis “the King” Presley accidentally goofed his way into creating the genre of rock ‘n roll, but at…
Classic cars are great, classic sound can be great, classic speakers are far less likely to be great. Even worse is when you need to replace classic speakers – but hey, that’s where we’ve got you covered. Not only do we offer a wide range of replacement and premium speakers…
By now you’ve probably heard or read something about the heated taxation situation between the United States and China. Regardless of your political preference, this conflict is primed to have a big impact on consumers in both countries and the aftermarket audio industry is already feeling the pressure. As consumers,…
As most people in classic car culture are aware, the Icon and the Legend that was Burt Reynolds passed away earlier this month leaving behind a legacy as one of the great American stars in the golden years of American cars. While the “Bandit” might’ve made off with the hearts…
By now, you’ve probably heard about DAB and DAB+ which stands for Digital Audio Broadcast and has gained traction in much of Europe. If you’re located in the United States, you might not know much about it and our closest comparison is the adoption of the HD radio format which…
Currently, RetroSound offers a range of amplifier options including the following: Stereophonic Quadraphonic Technophonic But which is right for your application? And why do you even need one of these things? Well, this short post should answer those questions for you. For starters, I’d like to point out that all…
The Importance of Maintaining Your Car Battery During Winter Months It’s that time of the year again where many of us heed the weatherman’s warning and safely store our pride and joy away from the snowy elements and salty roads. We’re careful to clean, cover and some of us even…
As the title might suggest “there goes the neighborhood”, the younger generations peaking interest in the classic car market couldn’t be any further from the truth. Millennials are looking to get in on the classic or collector car market that the baby boomers have dominated for decades. This youth market…
What is RF Interference? In the realm of classic cars, every detail holds significance. From the sunlight dancing off the chrome to the rumble of the engine, collectors and enthusiasts cherish the authenticity and nostalgia that classic vehicles embody. However, one aspect that hasn’t stood the test of time is…
Now that it’s officially springtime in the United States, many of us are eagerly pulling the covers off our classic cars and releasing them from the confines of the garage that they’ve spent all winter hiding in. Usually, we break in the season by taking a neighborhood joy ride or…
Now that it’s officially Spring the weather will start providing some great opportunities to take out your classic and get some awesome photos that’ll show off that wax job you painstakingly applied. You’ve spent your hard earned time and money to make the car look it’s best so here’s a…
The origin of the GTO, the vehicle that became an icon for the muscle car set, is really a story of one man’s battle against the corporate establishment. That man, John Z. DeLorean, was at the time, chief engineer of Pontiac. What he wanted was to build a normally mild-mannered…
Whether you’re looking to relive the past or simply appreciate a classic in the modern day, restoring the right vehicle is no easy task and you should really consider the amount you’re willing to dedicate to your project before you jump right in… Restoring a retro ride is no small…
Whether it is going for a stroll on a random night, or a spontaneous road trip with your best friends, music is always a necessity for any fun journey. Blaring music in your car can be therapeutic, create a forever lasting memory, or simply just make life that much more…
Automotive technology has come a long way over the years and RetroSound provides the best audio solutions that allow you to keep your classic car current with today’s standards. But what happens when you try to marry today’s tech to yesteryear’s infrastructure? Unfortunately, a lot of issues can arise when…
When navigating the world of car audio, the quest for powerful sound often leads to confusion surrounding watts, power output, and handling. At Retro Manufacturing, we understand the importance of clarity in choosing the right audio equipment for your classic car or truck. In this guide, we’ll break down the…
As the cruising season draws to a close, it’s important to remember that maintenance of your vehicle while off the road is just as important as maintenance to keep your vehicle on the road. The measures you take to store your classic for the winter will make a difference for…
SEMA 2019 SEMA Season 2019 has finally passed. SEMA Season? Yes, SEMA is officially four days, but planning takes months. This year the show ran from Tuesday, November 5th through Friday, November 8th. Retro Manufacturing began planning for SEMA back in May, even though the show is technically local. The…
Auto manufacturers design car stereo head units in various sizes. When choosing an aftermarket radio it’s best to search based on your vehicle’s year, make and model. The standard car stereo size is referred to as single DIN. DIN stands for Deutsches Institut für Normung. German automotive manufacturers used this…
Installation and Assembly guide for most RetroSound radios.
When connecting a Bluetooth® device for the first time, you must first pair the device with the unit. For most devices, pairing only needs to be done once. TO PAIR YOUR DEVICE, FOLLOW THESE STEPS: 1. Make sure the BT (Bluetooth®) function is turned to “BT CONNEC” in the radio sub-menu….
Basic Wiring: If you do not connect ALL of these wires the radio WILL NOT work. Yellow Wire: 12 Volts Constant Is the factory radio still in the car? If so, this is a good place to start. Remove the factory radio to access the wiring behind the radio. There…
RetroSound® radios are designed to work with 4-ohm speakers. Be sure to check your existing speakers and replace them if they are not 4-ohm speakers. Your RetroSound® radio’s speaker output wire CANNOT be wired to a common ground system. COMMON GROUNDING When speakers in the vehicle use a chassis ground or a common grounding point for the…
Our radios are high-powered and are designed to work with 4 ohm speakers. Check or replace your existing speakers if they are not 4 ohm. Speaker output wires CANNOT be wired to a common ground system. What is common grounding? Common grounding is when the speakers in a vehicle use a chassis…
Possible Cause: Invalid media or device. Action: RetroSound® radios will playback Mp3, WMA, or FLAC files via a flash drive. Only Motors 4 and 6 will read from Apple devices. No other devices are supported. Also make sure USB Drive is formatted FAT32 and has no folders or other files.
STANDARD DUAL VOICE COAL (DVC) DASH SPEAKER WIRING USING A SINGLE SPEAKER USING THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SPEAKER OUTPUTS TO CONNECT EACH SIDE OF THE DUAL VOICE COIL DVC TO IT’S OWN SPEAKER OUTPUT Be sure to “cap” off any unused speaker outputs separately to insure they do not touch…
There are five main issues that cause this problem: Because our radios feature an external USB cable on a three-foot umbilical, the USB cable itself can act as an antenna for RF interference. Some vehicles simply either have too much RF interference or other wiring issues to be able to…
General Operation Power On/Off Volume Rotate the Left-Front Knob to change the volume. Changing Source Modes Rotate the Left-Rear Knob clockwise to cycle through the source modes. Tune Rotate the Right-Front Knob to scroll through the stations. Mute On/Off Press the Right-Front Knob to mute and unmute. Equalizer (EQ) Setting…
Please Note: This model is discontinued. General Operation Power On/Off Press the Left-Front Knob to power the unit on. Press and hold the Left-Front Knob to power the unit off. Volume Rotate the Left-Front Knob to change the volume. Changing Source Modes Rotate the Left-Rear Knob clockwise to cycle through…
General Operation Power On/Off Press the Left-Front Knob to power the unit on. Press and hold the Left-Front Knob to power the unit off. Volume Rotate the Left-Front Knob to change the volume. Changing Source Modes Rotate the Left-Rear Knob clockwise to cycle through the source modes. Tune Rotate the…
General Operation Power On/OffPress the left-front knob to turn the unit on. RETROSOUND will appear on the screen. Press and hold the left-front knob to turn the unit off. GOODBYE will appear on the screen to confirm that it has turned off. Volume Rotate the left-front knob to adjust the…
General Operation Power On/OffPress the top-front knob to turn the unit on. RETROSOUND will appear on the screen.Press and hold the top-front knob to turn the unit off. GOODBYE will appear on the screen to confirm that it has turned off. VolumeTurn the top-front knob to adjust the volume between…
Please Note: This model is discontinued. General Operation Power On/Off Press the Left-Front Knob to power the unit on. Press and hold the Left-Front Knob to power the unit off. Volume Rotate the Left-Front Knob to change the volume. Changing Source Modes Rotate the Left-Rear Knob clockwise to cycle through…