Double DIN aftermarket replacement for the SC-810

CHicks · Post by **CHicks** » 03 Jun 2010, 21:55

Hello, I'm new to this forum. What a great source of info. I recently replaced the radio in my 1996 Volvo 850 Wagon, an SC-810, with an aftermarket Double DIN stereo. The replacement unit I chose is a Panasonic CQ 5800U. I paid about $130 shipped from Amazon. I was really considering replacing the SC-810 with a single DIN unit because of what I read about the modifications necessary for an aftermarket Double DIN or a used SC-810 which are expensive and lacking a lot of modern features like an Aux port, etc.. Specifically, with regard to the double DIN replacement, I was concerned with sawing off the side support rails an creating a custom trim piece or faceplate. Neither modification as it turns out was neccessary with this Panasonic radio. I pulled out the SC-810. Slid the the metal mount/ support sleeve that came with the new radio into the unmodified opening about 2/3 of the way in. It was snug and the sides bowed in slightly which is why I couldn't slide it all the way in yet. Leaving in part way out allowed me to easily slide the radio into the sleeve as the entrance remained unbowed. I then connected the wires, and slid the whole assembly in the rest of the way, leaving enough of the frame exposed to mount the face trim that came with the new radio. It is snug and everybit as secure as the factory unit. It sounds great and I now have an Aux in and USB in. Also, it picks up weather channels. Point is, with this particular radio, a Double DIN swap worked just fine without mods. Again, great forum.
Chris

: Volvo 850 Radio.jpg (76.21 KiB) Viewed 5081 times

Post by **j_cd** » 03 Jun 2010, 22:32

I just got one of these http://alpine-usa.com/product/view/ida-x305/ used on ebay for $200 and a mounting kit w/ harness for $20 shipped. Also a new iPod Classic 160 GB. No more CDs in the car. The Alpine should be here tomorrow hopefully.

Post by **matthew1** » 03 Jun 2010, 22:45

Welcome, CHicks and thanks for the report on the Panasonic. J_cd, likewise, thanks for the report on the Alpine.

Folks, here are those two units at Amazon... I've embedded the MVS tracking code so if you buy them after clicking these links, I get a cut. Helps me keep the site running. Thanks!

Panasonic CQ 5800U
Alpine iDA-X305

Post by **FlyingVolvo** » 03 Jun 2010, 22:53

I'll probably be getting once of these in the next several months. I'll be sure to use that link!

CHicks, glad to see that went smoothly. Hopefully it'll be the same on my XC, but I doubt that...

Post by **j_cd** » 03 Jun 2010, 23:06

Thanks Matthew. Love this site. Alpine also has the same unit with Pandora radio for $50 more. That would be the IDA-X305S. Pandora requires iPhone though, and I don't have one. I prefer to keep my phone and my music separate anyway, and I couldn't pass up that deal on the used 305.

Here's a link to the mounting kit I bought on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/Volvo-C70-S70-Car-S ... 5ad9fd23ce

Post by **vjaneczko** » 04 Jun 2010, 09:49

Did you guys use the factory speakers or replace them? I'd read somewhere that factory ones are 6 ohm.

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 04 Jun 2010, 11:29

The speakers are usually 8 of the 8 ohm units, but they're wired to show the HU a 4 ohm load.
So, no problem. Just get a wiring harness adapter and plug on in. Some cars may also have
OEM amps, but that's pretty easy to work with on these cars.

CHicks · Post by **CHicks** » 04 Jun 2010, 15:51

I kept the factory speakers and I did read that they are 8 ohm. There are 8 total. The back rear and rear door are wired parallel so I kept that configuration. The front speakers have seperate leads going to the front dash and front door. I dont know how they are wired for sure when the stereo plugs into the harness but I would think parallel. I wired them parallel. I couldn't wait for the wiring harness I ordered

. It sounds fine. In series, I think, you add the ohms of the speakers per channel to get the total resistance. In parallel you multiply the ohms then divide that number by the sum of the ohms on that channel to get the total resistance. So these speakers would be 16 ohms (not a likely configuration) wired in series per channel and 4 ohms wired parallel.

Mr-Glass · Post by **Mr-Glass** » 05 Jun 2010, 06:16

CHicks - Glad everything went so smoothly - Just a few questions - Do you know the limit of the flash drive size that you can use with the USB port? Also I saw one review that stated it did not work his power antenna (surely thats not right).. I am guessing you needed to purchase your wiring harness and just splice into the decks harness - This looks like a nice/reasonably priced setup for my SC-816 replacement... One thing I will miss that seems pretty unusual is the Volvo remote that came with my car for the SC-816 (people who have Volvo's always seem to think that is pretty rare) .. thanks for the info and good write-up thinking about getting this....

Glass

CHicks · Post by **CHicks** » 05 Jun 2010, 07:31

I dont know the limit on the flash drive. I haven't used it yet, except to charge my phone, which is pretty nice.
That's a good point about the power antenna. The Panasonic did not have a specific lead for that and I have a wagon so I dont have a power antenna. I didn't use the wiring harness. I cut and spliced the wires. I ordered one, got the wrong one, reordered, but recieved the radio in the mean time and couldn't wait. The second one I ordered would have worked though for me. I don't know if the harness would make a difference with regard to the power antenna but I doubt it. So maybe this radio is only a good option for wagons.

This harness did NOT match my 96 Volvo:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1993-199 ... ioQ5fVideo

This one did:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Volvo-85 ... 5ad9ce7d1b