RADIO...which way to go?

The rear speakers in my '99 996 Cab are inop, and testing shows that they work fine when connected to the front wires, so either wiring or the head unit's rear speaker output are shot. I don't think that wiring should be suspect because car has not been damaged or wet, and any pinch would then have to be inside the dashboard in order for both speakers to lose signal. That leaves the head unit, and the CR210/cassette player can use a replacing anyway. The question is......what to replace it with? I'm not a high-end audio guy; just want CD option in the head unit (already have a changer in the trunk). IF I stay with a Porsche branded head unit, are there any particular yeas that are a direct fit, or are all 996 model years good to go? Were there upgrades during the model run that are worth the money? ...or, should I source something like a Kenwood and get a better sound?

Check out the Continenal radios from Bergvill. They have a nice retro look with all the newer goodies. I also got the harness and a porcshe sticker that covers the continental logo so it looks more factory. They do have a cd model.

Im likely going in this direction sooner or later

To be honest, I've never had an aftermarket headunit that I've liked better than the factory option. Aftermarket never matches and always ends up with weird quirks and sub-par interface. I have a really high end Kenwood in my 996 that the previous owner installed and I HATE it. It is complete junk despite having a $1400 price tag. My favorite radio mod to date was installing a DICE bluetooth adapter in my BMW. It kept the factory headunit, but added bluetooth calls and music streaming + ipod integration.

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Respect your view and in alot of cases, newer factory stereos are so well integrated into the functions of the vehicle (and design of the dash) that an add on bluetooth module is a very attractive option. Our cars dont have steering mounted controls or any other similar functions that i'm aware of (remember I'm a 1999 C2 owner) so replacing the factory unit with a more modern unit will likely result in clearer sound (depending on the condition of your speakers) and the quality of the unit you install, along with the method of install. NOT ALL PLUG AND PLAY HARNESSES ARE THE RIGHT WAY TO GO Spending $1k+ on a head unit then slapping on the "included" plug and play harness may be taking a step backward. Cut, splice, solder and heat wrap each wire correctly and interference should be non existant. Your mileage may vary of course.

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I should mention I'm not an audiophile - so I'm not out to improve the stock sound quality. The system installed in my car by the PO seems to have been done with great care and expense. All top notch stuff and installed very neatly. But, they couldn't do anything about radio manufacturers AWFUL interfaces (we're spoiled by what Apple has managed to do). The Kenwood unit is a DNX890HD and I hate it. The interface is clunky and poorly designed, the bluetooth takes way too long to establish a connection - and when it does, it will automatically start playing whatever audio was most recently viewed on my phone regardless of whether or not its been paused. So, if I'd been watching a video on Facebook last, it will just start playing the audio from it abruptly, usually a minute or two after I start driving. The backup camera is great, but the system shuts off the screen for a few seconds about 15 seconds into boot up - which also happens to be right as I'm using the screen to back out of a parking space or my garage. On paper, its incredible, in practical use its just an infuriating nightmare. So, long story short - I wouldn't recommend a Kenwood headunit.

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I needed bluetooth in my old daily driver (2006 Ford Expedition) so I picked up a cheap Kenwood unit from Best Buy to slap in there... didnt realize it didnt have preset buttons, just a rotary **** (all in the name of cost savings). I HATED IT every mile I was in the car from that moment on... and I had the car for at least three years before I sold it (~25K miles a year) Moral of the story, do your research!

I went with a Pioneer Deh-80prs and I love it. The coral color matches the interior lights nicely. It also has a ton of features and a lot of adjustments for audiophiles.

I went the DD Kenwood route and am pretty happy. BT, Handsfree, and such all work exceptionally well as does Android Auto.

Clean and modern. Its nice to have Appleplay, Siri, Bluetooth etc. Modernizes the whole look of the inside.

My car has a $900 Kenwood unit in it installed by the PO and an amp in frunk. I really like the backup camera but I can't rate the sound because only the dash speakers work. No sound from the door or quarter speakers. I haven't dug into it yet because I mostly listen to talk radio. I will get around to it after a couple of other todo items though because I do occasionally like to rock out. Bleh.

I put in a Continental unit but after having it for a while, I�ve pretty much decided to put the stock Becker back in. The Becker sounds better and I realized I never use the �modern conveniences� of the Continental. My 996 is a Sunday driver and one of the reasons I drive it, is to get away from the rat-race . I�m coming up on my two year anniversary of ownership and so far, I�ve never made a call or sent a text and every call I�ve received I�ve let go to VM.

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Mike, That looks great! I just picked up a 2002 996 Cabrio last weekend ( will post pics soon) and want to do the pioneer as well - where did you get the relocation kit? Scott

I cant believe u guys like the sound from the factory stuff. Everything about my stock equipment was awefull. I swaped the speakers first but the factory amp has weird crossover built into to try and help the factory sound. Next i put a nice kenwood amp in, it fit in the factory spot, and that helped but the becker just doesnt have the freq range. When i put the conti in it pulled it all together. I guess the moral of the story is u have to look at it as a system just like performance upgrades.

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I replaced an Alpine Head unit with the DEH-80PRS for the same reasons. The original owner had install a McIntosh amp so it pairs well with the Pioneer.

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I have the factory "HiFi" option in my 2000 Cab and I'm very happy with the sound. I see many people who think the factory setup is horrible and few that go back to the factory system after installing aftermarket systems. It's puzzling. I added a bluetooth adapter for streaming and calls and it works great. I'm not an audiophile but I do appreciate good sound. My home system is a high end Bang & Olufsen system.

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Hey Scott, I got the whole kit from Crutfield and it was super easy! I can message you more details if you'd like.

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Mike: Can you post the Crutchfield relocation kit? I assume that is for the HVAC and double DIN? Looks amazing! Bob

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Thanks! The HVAC relocation was a perfect fit to where the HI FI controls were, those just get tucked behind the console. The hardest part of this whole conversion was finding the path to ge the HVAC wiring down there. Here is what I ordered.... Shop | Support [phone removed] Hello, Thank you for your order! Your order number is #44870525. Here's what you need to know: � When your order ships, we will email your tracking information. � You may check your order status online . Questions? Please reply to this email or call [phone removed]. Best regards, Gordo [phone removed] Items Pioneer MVH-2300NEX QuantityPriceTotal1$349.99$349.99Metra 99-9605B Dash Kit Matte Black QuantityPriceTotal1$6.55$6.55 Metra 70-1787 Receiver Wiring Harness QuantityPriceTotal1$4.36$4.36 Metra 40-VW12 Antenna Adapter QuantityPriceTotal1$1.74$1.74 Metra 86-9001 Factory Radio Removal Tools QuantityPriceTotal1$1.31$1.31 Bojo Trim Panel Tools QuantityPriceTotal1$11.99$11.99 Posi-Products Wire Connectors QuantityPriceTotal1$6.99$6.99 Crutchfield ReadyHarness Service QuantityPriceTotal1$19.99$19.99 T-Spec 4-Channel RCA Patch Cable QuantityPriceTotal1$29.99$29.99 MasterSheet Installation Instructions We will send your MasterSheet by email. QuantityPriceTotal1$0.00$0.00 Rhode Island Use/Sales Tax Sta QuantityPriceTotal1$0.00$0.00 Pandora Premium 3 month free t QuantityPriceTotal1$0.00$0.00Subtotal $432.91 Shipping FREE Sales Tax $0.00 Total $432.91 Payment MethodPayment TypeAmountAmerican Express$432.91

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"Audiophile" and Porsche 996 (or any 911 for that matter) should never be used in the same sentence... It's just not a good listening environment, no matter how you slice it - or how much $$ you throw at it.

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People are into different things. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean someone else won't. I just changed my headunit and it greatly improved the sound from the stock speakers. I could actually hear what's coming out of the speakers now. If someone were to go all out with amps, subs, and speakers I honestly don't see a problem with that, as long as the owner enjoys it. I'm sure many of them sound great and I often miss having a full on aftermarket setup, but I rather not add the weight.

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I never said said you shouldn't do whatever you want with the audio system. What I did say, was that it will never be "Audiophile" quality - especially if you're actually driving the car as opposed to sitting in your garage. This is also not to say that you can't enjoy what you've done i.e. buying/installing equipment - just that it's NOT an "audiophile" quality system regardless of how much you like the sound.

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+100

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I'd like to do this as well. Maybe still keep some audio by using an amp with built-in bluetooth or else just an AUX cable that runs to the center armrest cubby. Love the clean look without only the HVAC controls and an empty cubby in the center stack. My current solution:

^^ Why the Savanna beige seats with Natural Brown dash? Or is it just the lighting?

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Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man. Unless you have bore scoring or a failing imsb, a stock 996 cabin is a pretty quiet place. I've seen a few builds that I would say are "audiophile" quality.

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Which image are you referring to? My car is Boxster Red interior. And yes, that image has very poor color rendition It's a difficult color to properly photograph, especially under fluorescent lights using a cell phone... Here's an older one before the center console changes. Also have black floormats now.

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Uh no, it's not just my opinion - "audiophile quality" is a quantifiable specification that can be measured by things like frequency response and dynamic range (unlike your spec of "pretty quiet place" - and no, if you're driving the cabin of the 996 is not a particularly quiet place). I'm not an audiophile, but I know the type. A true audiophile would argue that a car can't possibly be a good listening environment due to it's very nature - limited size, large amounts of reflective surfaces, background noise, etc...Once again, you can say "audiophile quality" if you like, but that doesn't make it so.

I have the BOSE in my 2003. Obviously no Bluetooth or NAV. I got a cigarette lighter adapter that plays USB, built in mic, transmits through radio. $20. Yes it is not perfect. My jeep has 600 watt factory alpine. Designed just for the jeep wrangler (one of the reasons I bought the jeep). Here is a documentary on the jeep radio alone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b25jj_zzINQ Video is about the engineers that developed the stereo around AC/DC believe it or not. My jeep sounds 20% better than my 996. Having said that, I don't use the jeep NAV. Waze on my phone is way better. So, why not just live with the factory system which is not actually that bad IMHO.

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Yea well show me the numbers Mr. audiophile's friend. Listen all I was saying on my first post was that there's a lot of settings a true audiophile would be happy with playing around with in the deh-80prs. I know alot of people have gone all out with their stereo setups and have very good sound whether it's audiophile or as close an audiophile can get to it.

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I figure a visor mounted bluetooth speaker would help with phone calls, etc and is easy enough to remove when not needed. I cant remember if it was the upper cubby or lower cubby from the center console that is used for this delete however. Any help?

Actually, I'm not an audiophiles friend, nor am I an audiophile - I said "I know the type" - and I do ... True Audiophiles don't like "playing around with settings..." They want the signal path to be as short, clean, and unadulterated as possible - that means no equalizers, processors, boosters, pre-sets etc. - pure as possible. So, you'd be wrong on that point. They go to great lengths and spend crazy amounts of money to achieve this (many more times the amount of very expensive cars). Believe me when I say the cabin of a 996 is not on their radar when they're thinking of listening environments. There are a few #'s here... https://audiophilereview.com/room-ac...-it-right.html It seems like an actual dynamic range of 40-60db (program material - in other words, the difference between the quietest and loudest passages of a piece of music) is considered good, or an overall dynamic range of 120-130 db (the difference between silence and the loudest peak signals). Google Dynamic range... just for reference sake, the noise floor of a driving (highway) 996 is probably at least 60-80db... Frequency response: The generally accepted "audible frequency range" of human hearing is 20hz - 20khz... Audiophiles expect the output of/from their speakers to be as flat as possible (no peaks or valleys) throughout this entire range . The problems start when you put these speakers in an enclosed space - a room, or in this case a 996 - all kinds of crazy things happen from reflections, comb filtering, and nodes or resonant frequencies. https://www.alesis.com/kb/article/2227 - This is sort of a good primer... Google Frequency Response and you'll find lots more. "I know alot of people have gone all out with their stereo setups and have very good sound whether it's audiophile or as close an audiophile can get to it. " "Very good sound" is highly subjective. I'm sure that they guys driving around with bass notes rattling their fenders, think their systems sound great - maybe they even think they're "audiophile quality" I'm sure they spent big $ too... Anyway, it all comes down to the fact that there's no such thing as a 996 with "audiophile quality" sound, and there probably never will be. (never say never)

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Thanks for the post Mike, this made it super easy for me. Got next weekends project figured out! Scott

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Scott, Anytime, if you need any advice let me know!

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I think they are all interchangeable, but I'm not sure. Probably a parts diagram would have the answer...

I like the look of the double din's in here but I really like the look of the center console delete. My car came with an aftermarket unit that I am not crazy about the looks so I might replace it with something cleaner looking and do the center console delete at the same time.

IT"s probably NLA but I opted for a Clarion FZ102e. It's super bare-bones, roughly the correct color and styling to blend in with the 996 interior. Has an aux input and USB charging, so it works well for my needs. Super lightweight too, and no moving parts.

Here's my recent project. Kenwood DDX9905S head unit from Crutchfield, Alpine PDX-V9 amp and backup camera from CAI-store. backup camera boot screen amp

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Nice

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Are those stock drink holders? My '02 996 has the skinny holders way up top, my coffee cup tips over 'cos they're not deep enough, pretty useless. Do you ahve a photo of them open/in use? I'm about to go from teh Bose navigation to a single din Kenwood so I'll have some additional space to play with...

I wil get a pic today. I have no info on them as they came with the car and i bought the car as a roller with very little background. A Dunkin medium coffee and soda cans fit into them very well.

I recently went the Continental VDO route (w/ CD bc I found my old CD sleeves from 20 yrs ago, so nostalgia) with a Kenwood Excelon 5-channel amp to replace the MOST unit in my 03 C4S. Even on factory speakers it sounds considerably better than stock (even my installer was impressed). The Conti/VDO looks like it belongs thanks to the yellow lights. Bluetooth and hands free calling is a nice addition. I'm looking to replace the factory rears and dash speakers with Hertz DCX 100.3s soon.

Still got the original system in the car. In fact, a cd has been stuck in the CD player for over 10 years and I can't figure out how to get it out. Funny thing is it really doesn't matter. I am one of those guys that listens to the engine, exhaust and every noise the car makes. Kinda relaxing believe it or not.

I went with the below and couldn't be happier. Obviously not the stock look but more modern as I make for upgrade in mt 99' 996. Before and after pics. I also just added a Porsche vinyl sticker over the ATOTO and it almost looks factory. ATOTO S8 Premium 7inch Double-DIN Android Car Stereo