Any options to upgrade/repair the stock head unit?

[DrVolkl]

Trying to keep the interior of my NSX somewhat stock looking... there used to be people who could upgrade the stock head unit to even include bluetooth, HD radio etc. I'd be happy with just using the CD port as an input and having the damn thing turn on.

Is there anyone still working on these things?

 

[MaxGeek]

There's the retro fit you mentioned and a few other mod options.

Some people bypass the entire headunit for just bluetooth to their phone with a basic adapter. Someone had this installed into the coin slot tray.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_13691369/JL-Audio-MBT-CRXv2.html

I've seen others use a retro sound radio and put a new faceplate (reproduction) on it.
https://www.retromanufacturing.com/collections/hermosa
https://www.oeplusdesign.com/nsx-bose-radio-faceplate

Not my pics but I saw this on FB.

 

[vf2ss]

If you want to keep OEM, I can vouch for the quality and turnaround with Hi-Tech in Van Nuys. I just mailed them my unit and they repaired it and sent it back within a very reasonable timeframe (basically replaced all the capacitors). It's been working flawlessly now for 6 years without issue... link

If OEM isn't as important, like mentioned there are a lot of options like the Willman's mod

 

[DrVolkl]

Ok cool... just got off the phone with Daryl Willman in TX. Sounds like he’s still doing what I’m looking for, shipping my head unit off tomorrow.
Thanks!

 

[centerpunch]

If your head unit is working ok, Grom makes an adapter to add bluetooth and aux in (via usb or 1/8” jack). It connects to the cd changer wire, either behind the radio, behind the driver seat, or in the trunk. I just did this on my 2005.

Search the site for grom and you’ll find many threads.

 

[neuronbob]

Ok cool... just got off the phone with Daryl Willman in TX. Sounds like he’s still doing what I’m looking for, shipping my head unit off tomorrow.
Thanks!

Solid choice. I have had a Willmans unit for over five years now. I bought a used stock head unit, mailed it off, and voila! I also connected XM radio to my Willmans unit. Maintains the stock look, but has a 2000’s-2010’s functionality.

 

[DrVolkl]

Solid choice. I have had a Willmans unit for over five years now. I bought a used stock head unit, mailed it off, and voila! I also connected XM radio to my Willmans unit. Maintains the stock look, but has a 2000’s-2010’s functionality.

Yeah he seems pretty cool and keeps upgrading the units.. so happy someone does this for such a niche car. Unit is coming back with HD, Sirius, Alexa etc...

 

[drew]

Any source on the RetroSound retrofit?

 

[B. Kotcher]

I got the Willman unit about five years ago and am superbly happy with it. Sound quality is dramatically improved over the stock unit (after you put it in the mode that accentuates the bass and treble...I forget what it's called). It's hummed along perfectly ever since.

 

[drew]

Heineken and I have been working* on a drop-in replacement internal circuit board for the stock OEM Alpine stereo. The system uses the original buttons, knobs, and display for a seamless stock upgrade.

Our goal is to make a full stock look with extended functionality.

Features FM-RDS, DAB, and AUX input.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Rk3djAPinMcy4jfQ7




*mostly Heineken really

 

[Honcho]

Heineken and I have been working* on a drop-in replacement internal circuit board for the stock OEM Alpine stereo. The system uses the original buttons, knobs, and display for a seamless stock upgrade.

Our goal is to make a full stock look with extended functionality.

Features FM-RDS, DAB, and AUX input.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Rk3djAPinMcy4jfQ7




*mostly Heineken really

Lars is quickly becoming the new NSX electronics guru. This looks like a fantastic project. The circuit boards on the Gen1 generally are reaching the end of their design lifespans and stuff like this is going to become more and more critical to keep these cars going.

 

[Heineken]

Thanks for the kind words, just trying help out on things.

The projected started in 2016 (in Japan, actually) and went to sleep for quite a while until Andrew became aware of it. It's currently heavy coding on a prototype basis but the display and buttons of the non-European radio have been fully reverse engineered and turned into a microcontroller library. The code runs on an Arduino, controlling an external radio module. So far FM reception with added RDS naming is working and dab+ was confirmed to work but not much else.

There's still a lot of work ahead ..

 

[vf2ss]

!!!

 

[northernexposure]

Any progress in the last few years?

 

[Heineken]

Not really - sometimes life just goes ways different from the expected.

 

[drew]

Haven't forgotten about it...a bunch of life got dumped in my lap.

A dedicated lab to make this work and my shop space is full of restaurant equipment. The wife project is a cafe and that has been in process for 3 years now and looking like another year.

Stumbling blocks are:
1. OP amp issues
2. power supply for the vacuum florescent display
3. Time
4. Space

 

[northernexposure]

Haven't forgotten about it...a bunch of life got dumped in my lap.

A dedicated lab to make this work and my shop space is full of restaurant equipment. The wife project is a cafe and that has been in process for 3 years now and looking like another year.

Stumbling blocks are:
1. OP amp issues
2. power supply for the vacuum florescent display
3. Time
4. Space

Thoroughly understand for both of you guys; been there. I appreciate seeing the attempt and how far you got. Honda really ought to make an organized attempt at a refurbishment program. I appreciate the occasional availability of parts, but this is never going to stop being a halo car.

 

[Honcho]

Thoroughly understand for both of you guys; been there. I appreciate seeing the attempt and how far you got. Honda really ought to make an organized attempt at a refurbishment program. I appreciate the occasional availability of parts, but this is never going to stop being a halo car.

They tried, but US owners balked when they were faced with the $50,000 to $120,000 cost of the program. Japanese owners happily pay it.

 

[drew]

Refurbishment of the head unit is not a good option. Broadcast standards have changed and users require additional features such as Bluetooth. Refurbishment is a dead end, it needs to be remanufactured which is what we are/were doing.

We are close, but the last 10% takes the other 90% of effort and time. I had a personal confluence of events that sidelined me. Too bad COVID didn't last another year and it would be all done

<Rant>
Japan is just one big black box that doesn't respond. Honda, Alpine, and Nippon Seiki simply do not wish to deal with outsiders. And I have tried.

I can't even get Kenwood USA to respond to requests other than "NLA" and "NFI". I even got the insulting "did you try online?" a couple of times. I drove down to Kenwood and got nowhere with $100 bills. I've spent hours on the phone with the folks in Texas. I'm about ready to start cold-calling workers on LinkedIn and Facebook to see if I can get anywhere. (Anybody who knows how the migration from Irvine was handled, please DM me).

The trunk mat, car cover, and service mat should be able to be revived easily with the right information. Again, I don't even know who to contact. The service mat was made in the USA too and, yet, I can find nothing. (On a side note: Hrant and I reproduced the Ivory floor mats *perfectly*, I see them being resold as OEM. I lost my shirt on the deal. I was selling them at 75% of my actual cost and people were grumbling. My set of floor mats effectively cost me +$1500.)

I have several NSX head units that I have taken apart. It seems that Alpine lost its institutional knowledge and redid things. I might be asking for things that do not exist. It might be like Japanese homes that are built, not maintained, and then torn down after their useful life is over.

Ford, Chevy, and Mopar will license and their OEM's will give up specs on their parts. There are published Tier suppliers that will at least respond and be helpful. They also have not issue selling off their molds and production equipment once it becomes obsolete.

The trail is growing cold as all the production agreements were +35 years ago and production stopped 20 years ago. A lot of key players are dead or on their way out. The next five years will be crucial and there isn't anybody else rooting around as far as I can tell.

</Rant>

tl;dr my goal is to get the radio off the ground. It is a very promising project. And it can be done without support from the OEMs.
.

 

[centerpunch]

That would be great, but I suspect the quantities are just too low, and the customers are too frugal, for it to make sense for anyone to spend any time or money working on it.

It’s not much different than trying to convert a 1990 television or camera to modern standards. Would it be possible? Sure, anything is possible. But would it make any sense? No.

A lot of NSX owners don’t really care if their radio works or not. And for the ones who do, there are already multiple solutions: convert to double din console and have nav or 2000 watts or whatever else you want, or do the Willman conversion and have modern features with stock appearance.

We’re actually very lucky the Willman guy offers to put modern Kenwood guts in our radios. I’m sure it took a bunch of time to develop that well-integrated conversion, and even charging what he does, he’s probably just barely making enough for it to be worth his time.

 

[docnsx]

I have the Willman 2nd gen model of his , for me it checks most boxes, first it is stock looking , sound is better then oem, not super high end but enhanced sound plus engine sound is good for me, with new components adds much more reliability vs every time I got into car was hoping the radio would continue to function as they are all destined to go bad.. if you add the money I spent over the years sourcing new old radios I would have been better off doing Willman at first chance , but to be honest his first edition was blue display and wanted more oem look , second gen has that plus hd radio, plus phone and satletie etc. I like it so much that when the radio I was using finally crapped out ( I had willmans already on my shelf in garage) I took the now defunct radio and sent to him as well to modify to have as backup because years down the line who knows if he will still be available to doit . plus I have another broken radio for the person who may buy my car if and when and wants real oem he can do what he wants . there are many options available to you and the level you want to achieve is up to you,
if anything call darryll Willman he is easy to talk to , knowledgeable , and eager to help in anyway he can .

 

[bsansx]

I have someone working on my 93 radio but seems to have run into a transistor issue and can't read what spec it was. He will send me a pic with the location if anyone has more information.