About a week ago, I posted that I was going to take pictures during my head unit installation.

While I *was* going to do that, the installation was so easy I decided against it. Installation took less than 10 minutes.

Blaupunkt uses the exact same plug as our head unit. The only tools you'll need for installation are the removal tool ($4) and an antenna adapter ($20).

1) Disconnect the positive battery contact from yoru car battery
2) Pull the factory head unit with euro / oem din removal tools, available at Wal-Mart for $4
3) Pull both the big plug and the antenna connector out of the back of the OEM head unit
4) Insert the included mounting bracket into the cavity formerly housing your OEM head unit, pushing it all the way in until it can't go any farther. Then bend a few tabs, allowing the bracket to bite into the foam.
5) Plug the big plug into the Blaupunkt head unit. If you're using the stock speakers and amp and haven't added a subwoofer, you don't need to change the position of any wires.
6) Plug your Scosche VWA3B antenna adapter into your antenna line / head unit.
7) Run your auxiliary lines, if you need to.
8) Pushing the head unit into the bracket, reconnect your car battery, and enjoy!

I've ordered these accessories for my vehicle:
Scosche Vwa-3B radio antenna adapter ($20) -- http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...X0DER&v=glance (You can order from other stores for less, but with Amazon's free shipping, you might as well order from them)
Blaupunkt AUX2 RCA cable ($10) -- http://www.amazon.com/Blaupunkt-AUX-...3531483&sr=8-2
Belkin - Nice RCA to mini cable ($10) -- http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-7-Foot-...3531513&sr=1-1
Radio removal kit ($4) - Available at your local WalMart

As soon as I connect my accessories, I'll upload a picture of this thing. The silver on the MP56 is a dead on match with the silver in our cabins and the 4096 colors allow me to perfectly match the LCD to the color of our instrument panel's green switches. I really couldn't be happier.

 

how is the sound, any difference?

is the bass and trebble better?

 

I would order from crutchfield, they will give you a free radio removal tool, antenna adapter, maybe even free shipping.. and the price will probably be pretty cheap as well..

Also.. why disconnect your car battery? You definitely don't have to do that..

 

1) I got the Blaupunkt St. Louis MP56 brand new, in box, for $130, shipped. Granted, I had to buy $24 of accessories that I would have otherwise received for no charge... but that still brings me to only $154. Even with the optional accessories, I still would have ordered off of Amazon.com. Crutchfield marks up their accessories too much. While I've heard their customer service was excellent, I don't remember the last time I needed "customer service."

Crutchfield also doesn't have the MP56. The MP57 doesn't match our Crossfire... at all.

2) I *highly* recommend disconnecting your car battery before beginning installation. Otherwise, I'd be worried about shorting out the unit.

 

The sound IS better! The equalizer in this thing rocks while the bass customization is immediately noticeable. (There's a second equalizer for bass called XBASS... I haven't quite got the grasp of how it works. While the equalizer has control of six bands, it looks like XBASS gives you control of three additional, lower bands.)

I had no idea our speakers packed as much thump as they do! I need to clean out my car to get rid of some rattle

 

thanks for all the info, that was what i was hoping to hear!

where did you get yours, ebay?

 

Yes, I bought the head unit on eBay.

One of our members foolishly shared an auction link on our board while considering purchasing it for himself.

 

lol there is nothing wrong with that, who ever bought it was lucky. i wonder who it could have been?

 

XBASS is basically a loudness control that alot of stereo's have. It makes more bass when volumes are low. It appears to work like a parametric equalizer. It has three bass frequencys that can be set seperatly. It is the best loudness control I've ever used.

 

How does the St. Louis handle an iPod? Is it the same as it handles other USB drives, from the head unit? I switched over to an iPod about six months ago, and it's become my sole little box o'music now going from one car to the other, so I need an HU here that is seamless in its iPod support. I don't want to go back to running off an AUX and fiddling with the iPod itself while driving. I know I'll eventually kill myself doing that.

Also, can the St. Louis handle AAC files off an iPod? I'm seeing just WMA and MP3 support mentioned in the manual, which is a little scary as all of my iPod files are AAC. And I'm not coverting. Did that already from WMA and it took freaking three days non-stop and way too much screwing around with tags. But the manual doesn't mention iPod at all, which is kinda weird in this day and age.

I have a feeling the Alpine X100 Marine (silver) unit would be the absolute best for me, given its iPod support. But it's $400, and I was hoping to go cheaper than that. These Blaupunkt St. Louis and Memphis HUs seem pretty awesome, but not if the iPod support is wonky.

 

While I would like to answer your question, I know nothing about iPod compatibility.

I am a proud Zune owner (So AUX for me)

 

Has anybody found the installation guide online for the St Louis MP56?

 

here you go:

https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...60&postcount=1

 

IRS?smurf
Sounds like the unit for the Xfire! What about the speakers? I've been reading a lot about the front (door) speakers generating the tinny sound on the factory issued system.
So; is it the speakers or the head unit? https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...s/confused.gif
Thanks!
MacLovinXhttps://www.crossfireforum.org/forum/images/smilies/icon_cool.gif

 

Be careful on this one as the standard radio cable is plug and play as I installed one in the Wife's Crossfire taking about 5 to 10 minutesl total putting it in (only extra part added was the din adapter for the antenna.

Now I have a Crossfire with the NAV radio and went to do the same thing -- plug and play and no such luck for a quick install. Radio locked in "Telephone" mode and would not play or switch functions. The NAV / Radio cable must be wired differently and I will have to get into whether the wires and their connections are lined up the same as stock or those extra NAV connections in the plug are screwing things up.
If anybody knows for sure - please comment. Ideally you should be able to move wires around in the plug by pulling them out from the back -- but I suspect they are difficult to release without knowing some trick or using a special tool !!

 

 

I have a post on here about the nav unit, there are others as well. the telehone wire has to be cut on the navi unit. The power leads may need to be reversed as well. I didn't do that on mine and it has only affected the clock.

 

Heh, funny. More specifically, is the PDF manual from Blaupunkt anywhere online. It isn't listed here:

http://blaupunkt.com/us/downloads_1.asp

 

Here's the manual, as noted in another thread.

http://akamaipix.crutchfield.com/Man...023STLMP56.PDF

 

I won mine on ebay for $112.00 shipping and all, new in the box. They are dicontinued so you can get pretty good deals on them. I got a 2nd one from him for the same price to put in my semi. Makes it easier to use when you have the same strereo in two vehicles