Aftermarket andriod auto HU works with stock microphone
 

Anyone know if or why all the units do not work with the stock microphone. Can it be rewired to work? If so what's the best way? I am looking at the Sony or jboss unit on crutchfeild.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114212
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95444

In a nutshell, it's an externally amplified circuit that is powered by the radio. Aftermarket radios do not operate in this way. Many have tried, but all have agreed that in the rare case you get signal to the headunit, it's garbage compared to just running an aftermarket mic.

I have given up on this idea and will run the new mic via the passenger side pillar and up the headliner to replace the stock mic. I picked up from Crutchfield a Boss BVCP9675A with a pre-made wire harness and a few adapters for 300$ shipped. Its the cheapest digital only Andriod Auto/Car Play receiver that fits the twin they sell. I just want AA and something that matches the stock head unit sound wise.

How'd your install go? I just purchased a 2016 BRZ earlier this week and a new head unit is priority #1. Looking for similar thing as you - just something with Android Auto, CarPlay, and reasonable-looking controls and interface.

install went well. Took less then 1 hour thanks to the ready made harness. This includes running the new mic to the OEM location. This radio is very bare bones, but it's simple, looks decent, no menu lag, good touch screen and decent startup speeds. AA works well. Have not tested Car play yet. Stock USB port works perfectly and raido reception was fine. No HD radio but the stock HD radio reception was very hit and miss so I am glad it's gone. For sound quality is decent. I would say it's very close to stock. The EQ adjustments are basic at best. All in all I am happy with it and fits very well. Looks OEM with the kit from crutchfeild. Let me know if you want to anything else.

Hey, so I went a similar route and got the Sony XAV-XA100, another very cheap CP/AA compatible unit. My two remaining issues are:

1. The rearview camera only works when in reverse, not when I try viewing it with the "Camera" button on my head unit.
2. I grounded the e-brake wire from my car, and the e-brake connection to the head unit. Now my BRAKE light on the dash is constantly on.

Did you run into either of these problems?

1. Connect your camera hot wire to +15V, not reverse. The only issue is that your camera will be powered when key is on, IDK if it affects lifetime.
2. You don’t have to wire the handbrake wire, but just the wire from the unit. Leave the e-brake wire where it is.

Thank you! So just remove the e-brake wire of the 28-pin connector from my bundle of grounds?

I understand that some people are very anal about everything looking stock, but it no longer looks stock once you swap out the head unit anyway... so I don't understand why people want to go to so much trouble to force the stock microphone to work. The mic included with an aftermarket head unit will work better anyway and it can be tucked away so that it is out of sight.

Yes, the pin 28 from connector has not to be connected.



Because aftermarket mic is ugly.

Again... the aftermarket mic can be hidden where it won't be seen. Some have installed it under the same cover where the factory mic is located, so you literally can't tell that it is there.

So i did that once.. it badly impacts audio quality for the caller. The aftermarket mics have little noise canceling inlets on the sides that dont function correctly if you bury the mic into the oem housing. Mines now just in the same location, but attached to the outside.. not a single person has ever noticed that I didn't point it out to.

Yeah... like I said, I just don't see it being worth hacking into the stock microphone just to end up with subpar microphone quality (based on what users who have done this reported) when the tiny aftermarket mic can be positioned to where nobody is going to notice it or give a damn except the anal retentive owner.

I ended up making a small closed cell foam housing which the after market HU mic slips into. All is then placed into the OEM bracket / grill with the OEM mic removed and setting off to the side above the headliner. The foam isolates the JVC / Kenwood HU mic and it's side openings from that roof / road noise above the headliner. Audio quality for those at the other end of the conversation is now the same as when the the aftermarket mic was installed below the headliner.

As my car doesn’t have a stock mic, can you please measure the distance from the room light, so I can cut the hole? Preferred in mm, please...

Sure, I'll go do this now. I'll try to get a few good pictures for you too.

Hole starts 17mm from the edge of the light. Hole measures 31mm wide by 43mm long.

https://i.imgur.com/aPzLns8.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/feB7W7D.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/OL5tYsZ.jpg

Many thanks! I’ll post the results of my experiments as I’ll get the microphone grill...

If you would not mind can you post a picture of this. I am going to do this over the winter break but not sure on the foam type etc...

OK, fitted mine. I cutted the head liner, as my car didn't have stock mic. It's quite easy, as there is a plastic chassis on the inside, so you can't cut it wrongly.
I put the mic in vertical, closing around with some foam. This covered the side holes of stock DDX917WS mic, but test call went flawless. I'll make some other calls in the next days while in movement.

Update: closing side openings of the mi is absolutely not a good idea, I now tried making a cone that insulates mic from rear noise, but keeping the openings free.

snip

Dash? Mic is not in the dash, it's near the room lamp. Check some post above...

snip

@gpvecchi What headunit is that? Looks a like Kenwood DDX... something

Yep, Kenwood DDX917WS.

@gpvechhi, I'm looking to cut my headliner as well with the microphone grill but feeling nervous about it..

What is the plastic chassis you are referring to? How did you cut the hole and what did you cut it with? Do you have any more pictures? The previous one you posted seems to be gone now. Thanks in advance!!!

Under the headliner there is a plastic support, that is shaped as the grill. Just use a cutter to cut...

@gpvecchi:
Can you help me out with a part # of that microphone grill?


THX!

Subaru 86265CA000. Not available in Toyota. There is a support under the liner, so you can't cut it wrong...