Custom Autosound head unit
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 474
Likes: 25
From: Springfield MO
Custom Autosound head unit
My '68 came with a Custom Auto Sound radio (not hooked up). I was, at first, pleased when I found it since it has an aux input. Then I started noticing that these units are universally hated. My question is what is bad about them. I searched, but can't find specifics. I'll be running on an amp with good speakers properly crossed. And the music will come from my phone 80% of the time (i.e. not the radio). If it's poor radio reception or weak power, I think I'll be ok. But if the problem is something more fundamental (like ***** that fall off or that the units just don't work), I'm not going to bother installing it.
Can somebody give me the low-down on what makes these things so unpopular?
Can somebody give me the low-down on what makes these things so unpopular?
Racer
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 306
Likes: 20
From: Greenville SC
I have one in my GTO. It is sorta of cheap, as in the chrome has come off the ***** and I have to wrap Teflon tape on the volume and other stem to keep the *****.
I have now got it hidden in the glove box. I'll send you a pic if you like.
Just my opinion.
I have now got it hidden in the glove box. I'll send you a pic if you like.
Just my opinion.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,219
Likes: 365
From: Tolland CT
I have been doing some research on these units. The general complaints are the quality of the build and quality of the sound.
For the price, people feel they are cheaply constructed and the audiophiles all say that the sound quality is sub-par. Because of this I have decided to go a different route with my own vehicle.
For the price, people feel they are cheaply constructed and the audiophiles all say that the sound quality is sub-par. Because of this I have decided to go a different route with my own vehicle.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 474
Likes: 25
From: Springfield MO
Good info. Thanks. I'm trying to keep everything stock-ish looking (while still having a modern system), so I've been resisting cutting the surround to fit a modern head unit. I may be able to fix the sound quality with a good sound processor (for instance, tame weird frequency output if that's the problem). But I can't fix build quality. I was hoping this would work, but if it's going to fall apart on me, I may just skip it.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 296
Likes: 30
From: Westchester NY
I literally just 1hr ago pulled a custom autosound radio out of my 80 to replace with a stock unit.
The custom autosound felt cheap to the touch, sounded tinny, and didn't really work well. By that I mean it got stations really well, but had all sorts of interference issues with in car electronics and was very hard to get it to tune to the station I wanted, not the one it thought I wanted.
The custom autosound felt cheap to the touch, sounded tinny, and didn't really work well. By that I mean it got stations really well, but had all sorts of interference issues with in car electronics and was very hard to get it to tune to the station I wanted, not the one it thought I wanted.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 224
From: Pawleys Island, SC
I had mine for two years, car stereo shop professional install. They had to order it for me. Sound and radio reception weren't great. First the on/off started malfunctioning, would go to 'mute' instead of shutting off. Called the manufacturer thinking I was doing something wrong. Nice lady, said the on/off button was broke and she'd send the parts to fix it. Right. Then it wouldn't shutoff at all and then one day just quit altogether. Although I was out of warranty my shop gave me credit toward another radio. Just told them to cut the console bezel and put in an Alpine. BIG improvement.
