Replacing Volvo tape unit with non-Volvo CD player in early 850 saloon

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stuart Cormie
  • Start date Start date
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Stuart Cormie

Santa brought me a swanky JVC CD player for Xmas, which will replace
the ageing CR-708 tape unit in my early '93 850 saloon.

I've ordered an ISO-to-Volvo connector adaptor from an online source,
thinking that's all I would need to make the swap, but having taken
out the CR-708 today, I notice there's an additional lead connected to
the tape unit, which attaches to a 6-pin DIN-style socket. There's a
"AMP" caption on the backplate nearby, but it's ambiguously located,
so I'm not entirely sure it relates to this socket. (I wasn't aware
that my car had a separate amp anyway!)

There isn't an equivalent socket on the JVC unit unfortunately, so I'm
at a loss. What does this lead do? How do I deal with it?!

TIA,

Stuart Cormie
 
Stuart Cormie said:
Santa brought me a swanky JVC CD player for Xmas, which will replace
the ageing CR-708 tape unit in my early '93 850 saloon.

I've ordered an ISO-to-Volvo connector adaptor from an online source,
thinking that's all I would need to make the swap, but having taken
out the CR-708 today, I notice there's an additional lead connected to
the tape unit, which attaches to a 6-pin DIN-style socket. There's a
"AMP" caption on the backplate nearby, but it's ambiguously located,
so I'm not entirely sure it relates to this socket. (I wasn't aware
that my car had a separate amp anyway!)

There isn't an equivalent socket on the JVC unit unfortunately, so I'm
at a loss. What does this lead do? How do I deal with it?!
Click to expand...


Most any post-'85 Volvo has a separate amp. I'm not sure where it's located
on the 850, but follow that wire and then remove the amp. There'll be a
connector going to the rear speakers and the wiring kit should have come
with a mating connector which you plug into it, then extend the wires as
needed to reach the radio and connect them to the rear speaker outputs it
has, pretty simple.
 
James said:
Most any post-'85 Volvo has a separate amp. I'm not sure where it's located
on the 850, but follow that wire and then remove the amp. There'll be a
connector going to the rear speakers and the wiring kit should have come
with a mating connector which you plug into it, then extend the wires as
needed to reach the radio and connect them to the rear speaker outputs it
has, pretty simple.
Click to expand...

The separate amp may have speaker wires in connectors running up to the
radio. Is there another connector in both 10 pin and 14 pin plugs 2-3"
from the radio - both of which when disconnected will plug directly into
your existing radio?

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
 
Mike said:
The separate amp may have speaker wires in connectors running up to the
radio. Is there another connector in both 10 pin and 14 pin plugs 2-3"
from the radio - both of which when disconnected will plug directly into
your existing radio?
Click to expand...

Thanks guys for your suggestions. Will follow them up shortly.

In the meantime, here's another question for ya!

The PC2-19-4 adaptor harness that I have on order has been described by
at least one other person elsewhere as an "amp bypass harness". So
could it be that that there are separate (and currently unused) leads
in the main wiring bundle that I'll connect into, going straight to the
speakers that were previously powered by the amp? So the new CD player
will power those speakers directly, and if I leave the current AMP lead
unplugged, the Volvo amp will be effectively leapfrogged in that way?
Or is that just a naive pipedream? ;-)

Thanks.
 
Stuart said:
The PC2-19-4 adaptor harness that I have on order has been described by
at least one other person elsewhere as an "amp bypass harness". So
could it be that that there are separate (and currently unused) leads
in the main wiring bundle that I'll connect into, going straight to the
speakers that were previously powered by the amp? So the new CD player
will power those speakers directly, and if I leave the current AMP lead
unplugged, the Volvo amp will be effectively leapfrogged in that way?
Or is that just a naive pipedream? ;-)

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Well you just have to make sure that the outputs (i.e. the wires going
to the speakers) are not connected to the old amp. Obviously, power to
the old amp won't hurt anything, but you might as well disconnect that
as well. Did you look and see if you have the extra plugs?

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)
 
Well, the PC2-19-4 finally arrived today, after a wait of more than 2
weeks. (Halfords Direct in the UK that was -- not impressed!)

All is sorted now. The harness has 4 connectors on it -- 2 that go into
the back of the new head unit, one that plugs into the Volvo-side loom,
and one that attaches to the speakers connector after it as been pulled
from the Volvo amp (which in my car was located at the foot of the
centre console -- had to remove the panel beneath the steering column
to gain access to it).
 
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