Phanatic

Hi there.

I've gotten pretty much fed up with listening to my iPod over an FM transceiver. Unfortunately, my '06 GT was made in that dead zone between cassette decks and front-panel auxiliary inputs. I've looked around and done some research here and on other forums, and here are the options I've considered:

1. P.I.E. or Brandmotion auxiliary input adapter or iPod adapter. Don't like this option for a couple of reasons. One, I've read too many reports of one of the stereo channels dying shortly after installation. It's not even the cost of having a unit die out of warrant that bugs me, it's that if I'm ripping into my center console and dash to wire this thing in there, it better just work from that point forward. I also figure that if they're going through all the trouble of making wiring harnesses that you can just plug-and-play with, having to tap power and ground off of the other connector to the head unit is an ugly hack.

2. Next time I'm at the dealer, see if they've got a Shaker head unit from '07 or later that I can buy. Don't like this option because it'll probably be as expensive as just replacing the head unit altogether, will be pretty much the same level of effort, and I'll end up with the same mediocre receiver I have now, just with an auxiliary input on the front.

3. That brings us to replacing the head unit. Sounds good. Only two problems.

First, actual real specifications for the Shaker unit can be found *nowhere on the entire internet*. Manufacturer claims 500 watts, which is incredibly bogus. That's certainly the combined peak power from all channels, instead of RMS power per channel. If I want similar power levels to what the Shaker delivers, which I'm fine with because I don't want to blow speakers and end up having to replace them too (well...see below), I'm not sure what I should be looking at in a replacement.

Second, the Shaker looks to be a four-channel amp, with wire connections for LF, LR, RF, and RR speakers, and individual amps driving the door subs. I'm not sure how it feeds those amps, if it's a pass-through-and-filter from one of the driven channels, or if it's a pre-amp output that runs directly and only to the amps, or what. Now, whatever it is, checking around on Crutchfield they say that if I'm going to stick in another head unit I need a special-plus-extra wiring harness, dubbed the PAC 127C2R-FRD1, to deal with the fact that my vehicle has an "upgraded sound system."

Does anyone know if this PAC 127C2R-FRD1 deals with the fact that the door subs are individually driven? I've read that even the plain old regular cheap harness will still result in working door subs, but that I'd need to wire in a voltage regulator to prevent them from popping every time I turn the radio on and off. Can I assume that the 127C2R basically does the same thing?

And actually, I'm fine with blowing the rear deck speakers and having to replace them, I just really, really don't want to go having to take the doors apart. I'm looking at the Kenwood DPX303 and DPX503, which are 22 watts/channel RMS, so I figure either one should be plenty for the stock speakers.

oldsch00lf00l

The door speakers are extremely easy to swap out and I'd highly recommend replacing them before you replace your rear deck speakers. In fact, unless you shoehorn people into your back seats, rear deck speakers are almost obsolete.

As for the Shaker 500 Radio itself, it is connected to drivers that are 4 ohms and rated to handle 25 watts. This is what I pulled out of the rear deck of my 2006 Mustang GT that came equipped with a Skipper 500:


I'll be nice, give Delphi the benefit of the doubt, by saying the factory Shaker 500 head unit makes 12 watts per channel RMS.

The amplifiers for your door subwoofers are located in the driver's side kick area, and are just your standard, run of the mill, Chinese produced chip amps:


As for your aftermarket harness, pick your poison. The PAC 127C2R-FRD1 will do, but I've also used the Metra Shaker 500 harness for my Mustang with a Radio Shack 7805 voltage regulator or a 1,000 ohm resistor going to the stock shaker 500 amplifier's remote turn on lead. The advantage of the PAC is that it is Plug and Play whereas you will need to be handy with a soldering iron or a crimp tool to wire in the voltage regulator (or resistor).

ttocs

you will get much better performance and probably half the price of a shaker deck if you go aftermarket. IT is no big deal to put a deck in the car and this will allow you to integrate your ipod as well. I thought the pie piece had the voltage regulator built in but you can also just put a resistor inline on the remote wire to get the same result with less trouble.

Unfortnatly I know the mach systems inside and out, not sure if we have anyone on the shakers yet.

oh6vee6

Aftermarket all the way. Ditch the Shaker and the stock 6X8's. Easy upgrades on both fronts that can be done by just about anyone. Worth every penny IMO.

Iskwezm

I have done everything from replacing the stereo to amplifying the stock speakers to replacing the stock speakers.I also work for PAC so weve done a few things with mine also.I had the Shaker 1000 and NEVER had a problem with it.I used our iPod interface and in the 3 years it was used, never had a channel go out.After using the HD tuner on the stock stereo,i will never listen to analog stereo again.the cheapest thing i did was put a better amp on the door subs and a better 4 channel.I have since replaced everything, but now im in the thousands of dollars in my stereo.

ttocs

sooner or later it will know it has your 6 most favorite disks and decide to keep them

SkyStang06

I'm am currently in the exact same dilemma. However, my budget is low and replacing the entire head unit for an aftermarket system w/ an aux cord seems to be no less that 600-700 installed. All i want it so be able to hook up my ipod with the stupid radio receiver crap i have to deal with....

Iskwezm

5 years later and its still used daily for testing...............maybe i got lucky?

oldsch00lf00l

I'd say you are one of the lucky ones because the problems with the Shaker head units were so bad, the series was dubbed the "Skipper" 500/1000.

When I purchased my 2006 Mustang used in October 2007, the prior owner said it was on radio number 3. I was still DJing at the time, and I absolutely HATED how the Skipper 500 would cut off the last 10 seconds of the track that was playing and switch to the next track. Continuous DJ mixes and live recordings were a pain to listen to with the Skipper 500, so it had to go.

Phanatic

Never had that problem, but what I hated was how it would simply choke on mp3s with long file names and skip past them to the next track. Since my mp3s are named 'Artist - Album - Track # - Title" I might burn 100 or so mp3s to a CD, and it would skip a dozen or so because it couldn't handle the file name length.

Anyway, I ended up picking up a JVC KW-XR610 and sticking that in. Everything works, with the exception of the auto-dim when I turn my headlights on, but the thing's bright enough on the low setting that I just have it set low all the time. 20 watts RMS/channel sounds like way more than what the 500 was actually capable of.

Next up is replacing the rears, I guess.