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Thread: HOWTO: Nakamichi CD400 Installation

  1. #1
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    Lightbulb HOWTO: Nakamichi CD400 Installation

    I had a chance to install a Nakamichi CD400 inside sf280's car which is 2000 C280 with bose system last weekend.

    What you need to do installation without cutting your wires/harness inside a car:
    VW Audio harness

    You could buy these in circuit city or best buy near you.

    Once you get the harness, connect each wire correctly using the wiring diagram I posted here:
    http://www.club202.com/forums/showth...=&postid=19298

    The result:

    For '98 and later bose system and '94-2000 NON bose system


    For '94-'97 Bose system, you need a line converter. I used ven 4.5 in the past


    After you are done with wiring, try to take out your OEM head unit with the

    The tool:


    It should just clip in like in the climate control and you can pull:


    You need to unplug the wire, connect the harness and You also need a European antenna to universal adapters.

    Once you are done, here is how it look:

    Fitment


    Evening:


    At night:



  2. #2
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    Damn that is a pimp stereo

    Oh, and it is a 99, not a 2000.


    pnsji is the man on this, can not thank him enough. Sounds so much better than the stock headunit.

  3. #3
    How did he get red on the cluster?
    E55 2000
    M-3 2014

  4. #4
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    Originally posted by JRE320
    How did he get red on the cluster?
    It aint red - it is more of an orange - get those eyes fixed would ya

  5. #5
    Originally posted by sf280
    It aint red - it is more of an orange - get those eyes fixed would ya
    O'k aint red. How did you get the orange flavor?
    E55 2000
    M-3 2014

  6. #6
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    Where can you get one of these Nakamichi CD400 players? Pnsji dot you have one in your car too? How much do they run?
    BAN HIS ASS!!
    744 C36 AMG- carlsson
    040 C43- way to many modifications
    744 CLK55- even more mods
    CLS55 IWC edition
    744 CLK500 Rocket Bunny widebody

  7. #7
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    Originally posted by JRE320
    O'k aint red. How did you get the orange flavor?
    That the sport package one... White faces and orange...


  8. #8
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    Originally posted by jnolte
    Where can you get one of these Nakamichi CD400 players?
    Pnsji dot you have one in your car too? How much do they run?
    try www.ebay.com
    I don't know how much they run. I just install the head unit.

    I do not have the same model I have the previous model in the past:

  9. #9
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    THanks, nice V1 too
    BAN HIS ASS!!
    744 C36 AMG- carlsson
    040 C43- way to many modifications
    744 CLK55- even more mods
    CLS55 IWC edition
    744 CLK500 Rocket Bunny widebody

  10. #10
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    Originally posted by jnolte
    Where can you get one of these Nakamichi CD400 players? Pnsji dot you have one in your car too? How much do they run?
    the retail value is $800 but you can get them for $250ish on ebay.

    The retail value comes from a few of the ads on ebay. i dont know if any high end audio stores list them differently, because 800 ($799) seems like a little much.

  11. #11
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    Big thanks to Pnsji for hooking my CD400 up. Looks great and sounds great. Thanks

  12. #12
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    I really like this unit, look at home in W202! Pnsji - great work man!

    D

  13. #13
    the cd 400 retails for about $349.... they mosty appear as "buy it now" option on ebay for $298 plus shipping......
    95 M3 (US)
    87 190E 2.6
    95 318is (EURO)

  14. #14
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    Thank you! Thank you!

  15. #15
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    Hi pnsji:

    Excellent instruction on that 2000 c280 cd install. I have an 98 E320 with the Bose system, and have recently upgraded to a sony cdx-7705x cd/mp3 unit. I've connected the wires much the same way you did in your photos, but i've been getting a nagging hissing sound ever since the sony unit's hooked up.

    It's a consistent hissing sound during silent moments when the unit's playing cd/mp3 discs. I've tried to tone down all the sound properties, but i'm still getting the hissing noises. The noise is prevalent even if i turned down the volume knob to the lowest level possible.

    Another thing is the hissing is at the same volume level whether i've cranked the volume all the up or all the way down. I can accelerate without getting increased hissing level, which leads me to believe that the problem is not ground/ alternator related.

    I've connected the usual blk ground, red pwr, yellow ignition, and blue amp lead wires to the corresponding wires from the factory harness. The only wire that was different was the orange illumination wire from sony's unit. I connected this orange wire to the illumination wire from the factory wiring harness.

    I'm fresh out of ideas on how to attack this problem.

    Thanks in advance!

    Mars

  16. #16
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    Can you please tell me if this is the same wiring harness needed for the Nakamichi CD-400 install? It looks the same but it has a side connection -- I just want to make sure.

    Thanks!


  17. #17
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    it should work.

  18. #18
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    Since I'm wondering about a new headunit (now I've a JVC top line of '99), please do you think I'll appreciate Nakamiki sound also without a suitable amplifier?

    I'm actually very sactisfied of my JVC sound, with two 16" woofer in the front door, 2 tweeter (kit with relefant x-over), a coax in rear door plus a sub in the trunk (sub with a nice Harman Kardon CA240)

    Further how is FM reception of Nakamiki deck?... yes I know it's not the first reason you buy that kind of deck.


    Plus, does the 1 to 6 push key (for the memorized broadcasting) come with illumination? Don't seems me from that photos.

    Thanks a lot

  19. #19
    I also purchased the vw harness and rewired it to the factory HU's specifications and it worked fine. Thats about your only choice other than purchasing one from autotoys.com or installer.com
    => 1995 C36 AMG ::


  20. #20
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    Ok, so I just got a new HU and going to install it. I picked up a hi-lo converter and received it today. It is this model:

    With this thing in my hand it's HUGE! It's like the size of of two cassette tapes. Are their any smaller ones or is this typical of what a hi-lo conveter is like? Will this even fit? LOL
    1998 C43
    1994 C280 (Retired)

    "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." - da Vinci

  21. #21
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    That's about typical size, I picked up the VEN 4.5 for my failed install in my 95 and it was huge. I could've swore that this thread said you didn't need one for 98 and up models, but I could be wrong.
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  22. #22
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    You need a Line converter instead of high low converter.

  23. #23
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    Originally posted by pnsji
    You need a Line converter instead of high low converter.
    Maybe I erroneously called it a hi-lo converter, but I think this can be used for addingan aftermarket HU to the stock bose (as it states here: Description)
    1998 C43
    1994 C280 (Retired)

    "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." - da Vinci

  24. #24
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    Originally posted by Denlasoul
    Maybe I erroneously called it a hi-lo converter, but I think this can be used for addingan aftermarket HU to the stock bose (as it states here: Description)


    Dennis,

    I think the one you have is different adapter all together.

    The one you have will allow you to add additional Ampilifer.. via RCA connector. (this is assuming you want to use your stock Headunit which doesn't have RCA ouput).

    The one pnsji means is the hi-low / line converter in which provide the ability to tweak the speaker output line from the aftermarket headunit to feed the OEM Bose Amp.



    What you need is VEN 4.5
    http://peripheralelectronics.com/per...ut_convert.htm


    It also show in this diagram different usage for VEN 4 and VEN 4.5
    http://peripheralelectronics.com/per...s/ven4_4.5.pdf


    Looks like it might be discontinued.

    However depending on brand headunit you might not this Line Converter unit.
    So I would try to hook it up without it. And if does sound good the you need the hi-low/line converter.



    Regardz,
    J Irwan by AMG........Motorsport.

  25. #25
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    Originally posted by J Irwan
    Dennis,

    I think the one you have is different adapter all together.

    The one you have will allow you to add additional Ampilifer.. via RCA connector. (this is assuming you want to use your stock Headunit which doesn't have RCA ouput).

    The one pnsji means is the hi-low / line converter in which provide the ability to tweak the speaker output line from the aftermarket headunit to feed the OEM Bose Amp.



    What you need is VEN 4.5
    http://peripheralelectronics.com/per...ut_convert.htm


    It also show in this diagram different usage for VEN 4 and VEN 4.5
    http://peripheralelectronics.com/per...s/ven4_4.5.pdf


    Looks like it might be discontinued.

    However depending on brand headunit you might not this Line Converter unit.
    So I would try to hook it up without it. And if does sound good the you need the hi-low/line converter.



    Regardz,
    This is what I was saying earlier, I don't think you need it. Just wire it it straight with the VW adapter and see what happens, yu should be fine. I hoioked it straight with my 99 and it works great.
    2011 Audi A3 2.0T Quattro S. Tronic Ti Package
    APR FMIC
    APR Stage II Software
    Carbonio Intake
    B&B Turboback Exhaust

    2006 Audi A4 2.0T Quattro 6MT (Sold)
    1999 C 280 Sport (Sold)
    1995 C 280 (Sold)

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