V70 Stereo/DVD: Help much appreciated - 2006 XC70 HU-850

[hikingviking]

Hi all,

I have been trawling the forums for information, for which there is gratefully plenty. However, I can't seem to get other users' accounts to line up with my car's wiring layout.

My HU-850 developed the dreaded "tick" and finding a reliable OEM replacement does not seem viable. I ordered an Android HU with alleged "plug and play" connectors, but the speaker outputs are not working.

Referencing threads like these leads me to understand that due to the underseat amplifier, audio output is via the grey DIN connector :

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/archi.../t-307250.html
https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showt...=305038&page=3

However, I don’t appear to have any amplified return cables behind the HU. The only connectors I have are the standard rectangle green connector, a grey 6-pin DIN connector for the pre-amp feed, and another grey DIN connector which I believe is for the RTI system.

Has anyone else encountered this layout and found a way to output to the speakers direct from an aftermarket HU without modifying the OEM wiring?

[stuart bowes]

My understanding was that you use these adaptor leads

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201373730...xoCob8QAvD_BwE

The one with the round end goes to the pre amp round connector obviously and the phonos go to the pre amp outputs on the head unit

the bundle circled in orange ?



if you only have one pair of phono out L/R then you'd have to 2 splitters and send the same signal to front and rear I suppose

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/400702507...BlBMUKanm5faYw

Presumably the blue is the signal wire that switches the amp on I've not used them though I'm only guessing, if that's correct it would just attach to any switched live

[stuart bowes]

that would mean you'd still be using the original amp though

are you trying to avoid that for some reason

[hikingviking]

Thank you for the input. That's very much appreciated and the link you have included to the adapter certainly looks like it will do the trick.


The aftermarket HU only has one pair of phono out channels, which isn't ideal in that I couldn't adjust rear/front balance off the bat. But it would mean I could get audio out, which is far more than I have currently. An analogue phono gain pot/splitter placed in line after the adapter could be a simple fix for that though, I guess.

Thanks again. Feel like all the complications put me in a bit of a tunnel vision state.

[hikingviking]

Originally Posted by stuart bowes

that would mean you'd still be using the original amp though

are you trying to avoid that for some reason

Perfectly fine to use the original amp, as far as I am aware. From what I have read, it is far more likely to be the HU causing the ticking/loss of audio, than the amp.

[stuart bowes]

from what I've read that sounds about right

I wouldn't get too upset about F/R balance, I think I've only ever played with it 2 or 3 times and that was checking each speaker was working, other than that it's always set bang in the middle anyway