We’ve come a long way since the era of cassette tape hiss. From optical media to digital downloads to streaming, the way we’ve listened to music has seriously changed over the past 40 years, and although the prospect of connecting your phone to your retro car is tempting, most modern head units just don’t look right in cars from the decade of new wave and hair metal. Here’s one that does. This is the Pioneer SXT-C10PS, and while it might look straight out of the late 1980s, it’s a fully modern single-DIN head unit with Bluetooth and a USB port.
Yep, behind what looks like the door to a cassette player sits both a 3.5 mm auxiliary input and a 1.5-amp USB 2.0 port. While USB-C would be nice given how pretty much every device now uses it, most of us have plenty of USB-A memory sticks laying around, so there’s something to be said about using existing storage for FLAC files.
Speaking of connections, the Pioneer SXT-C10PS comes with RCA pre-outs for front, rear and subwoofer channels, a decided advantage over the popular Continental TR4512UBA–OR. Should you not wish to run aftermarket amplification, the Pioneer head unit’s internal MOSFET amplifier has each channel is rated at 50 peak watts which should translate to a real 22 watts RMS. Fairly standard stuff.
In addition to a 13-band equalizer, time adjustment to dial in staging, and high-pass and low-pass filters, this radio also offers RGB illumination so you can match the glow of the head unit to your dashboard lighting. Combined with the retro styling, the result is a brand new aftermarket head unit that would look at home inside a Porsche 964, a fox body Mustang, or just about any other car from the mid-to-late 1980s, or even the early 1990s.
Firstly, the SXT-C10PS is aimed at the European market, meaning its actual radio functions work a bit differently to U.S. market radios. For one, you won’t find DAB stations in America, and while European FM stations operate within the same bandwidth as U.S. stations, tuning is often slightly different. While we’ll have to see whether this head unit skips odd frequencies when tuning, there’s a chance it might not be the best radio choice for well, listening to the radio in America. Secondly, there’s the price. I’m seeing these units listed for €399, or about $452 at current conversion rates. That’s about three times what a reasonably high-end modern-looking single-DIN head unit goes for, and that’s before you factor in shipping. On the plus side, since it’s not officially going on sale until October, that’s time to save up.
Finally, it’s not like the SXT-C10PS is without competition. For ’80s aficionados, the Blaupunkt Bremen SQR 46 DAB offers period-correct looks and the cred of a Blaupunkt, but the Pioneer does beat it on specs. This Blaupunkt only features a three-band equalizer, but it does feature an extra USB port. It’s also a little on the pricey end, as you’ll likely be paying more than $500 to get one in America.
If you’re looking for a more bubbly ’90s look, the Blaupunkt Frankfurt RCM 82 DAB is likely more your speed. Aping the design of the original Blaupunkt Frankfurt of 1992, this head unit would look perfect even in early-2000s cars. With a 14-band equalizer, plenty of RCA outputs, and steering wheel control compatibility, it goes blow-for-blow with the Pioneer on specs and falls in the same ballpark when it comes to pricing.
Still, if you can stomach paying more than $450 for a head unit, the Pioneer SXT-C10PS looks like a great option for a number of ’80s and early ’90s cars. Plus, with the car industry having moved to widespread built-in infotainment over the past few years, almost all aftermarket systems in newer cars use the factory head unit coupled with a combination amplifier and DSP, so the market for single-DIN head units is becoming a classic thing. Don’t be surprised if, over the next few years, we see more retro-style radios for sale.
Top graphic image: Pioneer
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Ooh I like these!
With how much better Bluetooth FM transmitters have gotten, it’s really pretty easy to run an authentic head unit in your classic car while still enjoying your spotify playlist when you want to. I searched for quite some time to source an original tape deck and in-dash amp for my 200SX. My Ram 50 came with a recent Wal-Mart brand BT head unit, which actually works really well. However I scored an original Mitsubishi-branded unit with a separate tape deck at a local junkyard last year. A little more restoration and that’s going in.
I’m always thrilled to see a rad-era vehicle rocking the original audio equipment.
Can I rant just a little bit? Not about how most head units look like they were drawn by a 9-year-old with ADD, but about the USB ports. Specifically, how hard would it be to write a data file with all your settings to the memory stick, so you don’t lose them every time you disconnect the battery?
It is very cool that some of the original aftermarket manufacturers are making retro radios.
Personally, I had to source a used shaft style cassette radio for my Jeep because a) I didn’t want to cut the dash b) I wanted to have the fun of sourcing cassettes c) I wanted my kids to learn about listening to the whole album
Now to bring back some cool shaft style vibes!