Aftermarket Radio/Speakers for 93 Ex

[timber22]

Hey what it do everyone,

I was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions for a simple aftermarket radio. I've been looking for one that's close to what the factory one looks like. All the new radios look like stuff out of an alien space ship and I hate it haha. Just want something simple with an Auxiliary Cord Input and a USB port. Green lighting if possible.

As for speakers, I was curious what size speakers are in a 93 Explorer? Again, just looking for simple speakers with enough bass to be comfortable. Nothing like subwoofer level though.

Also, just purchased my Explorer a couple of weeks ago in Tualatin, Oregon and drove it 1800 miles back to Wisconsin. Super stoked to have one finally. Here's a photo of it on a muddy farm road somewhere east of the Cascade Mountains (if the image loads).

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUXF9wKBJ43/?taken-by=kylejengman <-IMAGE

 

[Number4]

Welcome to the forum and the 1st Gens. Nice picture.

Blaupunkt used to make some pretty bland looking stereos. Might check them out, perhaps look for older used ones. I understand what you mean, most aftermarket stereos look like a giant pimple or mosquito bite in the dash. They never truly blend in well.

For speakers, 5x7 or 6x8 will work. Check out Crutchfield.

 

[iLoveMyExploder]

this is what i put in my explorer... the head unit is simple... and cheap. it does not have a cd player, but it does have a built in 50 watt amp, aux input and a USB port, and is also bluetooth ready. perfect for me since i wanted to play my music from a flash drive. the display is large and easy to read. i think it looks nice in the dash.

i paid about $20 for the head unit at walmart. it works great, and sounds great in conjunction with the scosche 5x7 speakers i put in all the doors. everything fit in perfectly, and i didnt have to drill holes or do any other modifications.

i paid about $15 or so for the adapter harness, and $35 for each pair of speakers to go in the doors.

all in all, about $100 for a replacement sound system. and it sounds good to me- better than i expected.

you dont want booming bass, but decent quality sound on a budget, this is what you want

i dont regret buying these products... maybe you should give them a try.

only thing is, the adapter harness i got was cheaply made, the pins had a lot of play in them, and a few of them were pushed out of place when i connected the adapter to the harness...... but once i realized that was the problem, i filled the back of the adapter (where the wires go into it) with some thick glue, and after drying overnight, that problem was solved.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/XO-Vision-XD107BT-Car-Stereo-MP3-FM-Receiver-with-Bluetooth/46488438

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Scosche-...eakers-Car-Speakers-Pair-of-Speakers/17217820

 

[Jason94sport]

I'd just pick something from Crutchfield. You can get it all with easy to follow instructions & all adapters & harnesses you will need.

 

[larrydd999]

I went back to the OEM receiver - both of my GEN1's had/have the JBL sound and I like it. The new radios have too much 'eye candy' and too little quality IMO.

 

[uberninja]

Second with going with crutchfield. Price yourself around $75-100 for a decent deck if you want to balance quality and price. Order with their wire nuts and the install is super smooth. Those nuts lasted well over 5 years with no issues. My first EX had a Sony deck with iPod integration and a CD player. My current EX has a Pioneer deck that has AUX and CD. Both are hooked into the factory AMP so I can adjust the fade and balance to my liking.

My biggest take away on sound, tune to your liking. Look for something with custom equalizers and avoid the flashy lights (unless you enjoy them like I did). It might take some time to tune if you have to keep pulling your battery out because it resets the settings, but most stereos you can adjust to your liking if you've got decent speakers.

Also, where in Wisconsin are you at timber? I made that same journey from Idaho to Wisconsin about a year ago. Good to see another First Gen in Wisconsin, and one owned by another Kyle no less.

 

[timber22]

Turtle Lake, so like an hour from Minneapolis. So for the deck/speaker install, am I going to have to rewire everything or can I just use the factory wires that run between the speakers and the radio?

 

[Number4]

I used to use Pioneer but I'm really disappointed with my recent stereo of theirs. Only paid $50 new on CL though, can't really complain. I will be returning to Kenwood and will be sticking to them from now on.

 

[uberninja]

Turtle Lake, so like an hour from Minneapolis. So for the deck/speaker install, am I going to have to rewire everything or can I just use the factory wires that run between the speakers and the radio?

Unless you've got issues with your speakers being intermittent, I'd say use the original wiring. I have had no issues with them. You could go full audiophile and use the highest quality cables, but you'll be alright unless you're powering a really strong system. Like others have pointed out, Crutchfield is a fantastic option. Instructions, wiring adapters, fitment plates tailored to what you need for your build.

Best of luck!

 

[larrydd999]

Be ready to solder wires to the speaker terminals. I purchased adapters and the speaker push-on terminals were junk. I dislike having to do things twice and even more dislike intermittent connections, so ended up soldering.

 

[cbach1997]

I replaced all door speakers with Polk DB570 6x8's, odd that they say both that size and also 5x7 as if they were the same thing. All I know is they fit, they last a long time, and perform well for a reasonable price. I have them running off Pioneer head units and an amp.