Electrical: CD changer in boot

[capt jack]

I've only had the car for two years, but this week whilst tidying out the boot I noticed a couple of leads / connectors tucked away. One is a DIN plug, the other a flat two-pin affair with little plastic locking tabs.

My guess is that a CD multi-changer has been installed at some time, either that or the car was pre-wired for one when new.

The stock radio is just that - a radio / tape player, and so now I'm thinking that it'd be good to fit a CD changer in the boot - if I can get one. I had a look on eBay, and while there are dozens of units for sale, some as cheap as chips, I'm not sure what will fit.

Can anyone shed any light as to which models are likely to be compatible? Are the connections Volvo-specific?

Cheers

Jack

[HDAV]

Car model year ?

[capt jack]

Sorry, yes, I should have said. The car is a 1997 S90 3litre auto. And I’m guessing that the audio fittings are common to most late 90’s models.

Jack

[DaveNP]

As I understood it when I looked a few years ago for my 98 V70 and assuming your 97 S90 is much the same-
It's not so much the physical connectors that are the major problem, as the 'language' that the CD changer and the head unit speak to each other in. Whilst my head unit has all the buttons for a boot changer unit the only one that it will work with (AFAIK) is the Volvo unit of that era, which was an added cost option back when they were new so not easy to find on ebay etc. If you go with a modern head unit and changer combination you bump up against the original Volvo head unit being in a double din sized slot but actually fitting like two singles so you have to do a bit of work to open up the double din slot.

[Dippydog]

My '95 960 saloon is also pre-wired for the boot mounted multi changer and my '00 V70 while it has a head unit with the button for operating a muti changer isn't wired into the boot for one.Anyway while the head units in both mine have a single shot CD player I've looked into buying multi changers for them[but so far not actually bought any]and as far as I can make out you can either go with a Volvo branded one or an Alpine branded one.I'm sure I've seen at least one thread on the forum[with pictures]of cars with the Alpine unit fitted and the model designation can be seen so if you can find said thread[s] you'll be able to see which model number of Alpine unit is compatible.

[capt jack]

Ta. yes, I know that the car's SC802 head unit is an Alpine, branded as Volvo, so my guess was that an Alpine changer would be the right choice. But they don't seem to have two connectors- just the one DIN plugYou can pick them up for £30 - £40 on Ebay. They aren't available new I don't think.

I'll keep searching - it'd be nice to add CD playability. I've got one of this little plug-in FM gizmos, which is pretty good as a phone hands-free kit for the little bit I'd ever need, and it's OK but not great for playing music from the phone.

I've looked at SC805s on Ebay too, but they're always grey, and of course the S90 dashboard is black. Plus the few that are on Ebay look pretty ropey, and generally come minus the security code.

I thought about the HU unit as fitted to the x40 series cars. These are double-DIN too, but the aerial connector looks entirely different, and I haven't been able to trace an adaptor for this.

It also occured to me to simply get a brand new audio. But unless you spend mutliple £hundreds the stuff on offer looks and feels cheap, brash and nasty, and would be well out of keeping with the 1990's style of the dashboard. When you lookt at the present crop of what I'd perceive to be quality brands - Pioneer, Sony, JVC etc, you realise just what good quality older kit is compared with the "use-once-chuck-it-away" stuff that lines Halfords shelves these days.

Jack

[Dippydog]

Yes I've seen the ones in the chav section of Halfords and...no...just NO! My V70 has the grey fronted SC805 while the 960 has the black fronted SC805 with the words premier sound system[or something like that]in gold lettering above the CD slot,presumably a previous owner had this installed in place of the original head unit.Single shot CD is ok but at times annoying as I can't swap CDs while driving.

[migrator]

Originally Posted by capt jack

Sorry, yes, I should have said. The car is a 1997 S90 3litre auto. And I’m guessing that the audio fittings are common to most late 90’s models.

Jack

Your '97 S90 should have been fitted with an SC-905 head unit (Premium Sound System) (just like mine was). Mine also had the 6 CD changer unit (badged as Volvo). Many cars without the changer unit fitted did have the cables fitted. The twin cable fitment is the power supply and earth for the changer. The audio cable fitted was to transfer music and control signals to the head unit.

You could also fit the Alpine badged 6 CD changer unit like this one (must be CHM and not CHA)
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-A...sAAOSwsnVd92SX

(Unfortunately this one comes from USA and is heavy on delivery costs.

The cartridge from the Alpine will fit the Volvo version. The cable is different as it carries the power supply from the head unit to the changer unit

Your head unit needs to be from the SC-8nn range - the HU units will not work in your car.

Hope this helps a bit.

[ITSv40]

Originally Posted by capt jack

Ta. yes, I know that the car's SC802 head unit is an Alpine, branded as Volvo, so my guess was that an Alpine changer would be the right choice. But they don't seem to have two connectors- just the one DIN plugYou can pick them up for £30 - £40 on Ebay. They aren't available new I don't think.

I'll keep searching - it'd be nice to add CD playability. I've got one of this little plug-in FM gizmos, which is pretty good as a phone hands-free kit for the little bit I'd ever need, and it's OK but not great for playing music from the phone.

I've looked at SC805s on Ebay too, but they're always grey, and of course the S90 dashboard is black. Plus the few that are on Ebay look pretty ropey, and generally come minus the security code.

I thought about the HU unit as fitted to the x40 series cars. These are double-DIN too, but the aerial connector looks entirely different, and I haven't been able to trace an adaptor for this.

It also occured to me to simply get a brand new audio. But unless you spend mutliple £hundreds the stuff on offer looks and feels cheap, brash and nasty, and would be well out of keeping with the 1990's style of the dashboard. When you lookt at the present crop of what I'd perceive to be quality brands - Pioneer, Sony, JVC etc, you realise just what good quality older kit is compared with the "use-once-chuck-it-away" stuff that lines Halfords shelves these days.

Jack

All head units fitted to the X40 cars are grey to match the dashboard.