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McIntosh Double Din modified to RCA's and amber illumination

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Old 06-09-10, 02:12 PM
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O. L. T.
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Default McIntosh Double Din modified to RCA's and amber illumination

In my Lexus IS300 a single din radio just doesn't cut it. I need a radio that is double din, amber illumination, and has rca's. The Mcintosh barely had just one of the requirements, but I love this radio and decided to make it mine.

The following pictures show me cleaning up some existing wiring from another RCA attempt on this radio by a previous owner, and the final result.












This is the area where work was needed to repair a previous attempt.









Old 06-09-10, 02:13 PM
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O. L. T.
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This blue tint must be removed to be turned another color, but I do not have amber plasti-kote on me today so we'll do this later.

Notice the color change on the caps.





Not going back into a Subaru



Fixed for installation into a Lexus.











Old 06-09-10, 02:14 PM
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So while we still have the blue screen for today, we have amber illumination and front and rear out RCA's. (and it doesn't say Subaru on it. )

For anyone that is not aware, this radio was built for a special edition Subaru by McIntosh Labs for two years. It's sonically identical to a McIntosh MX406.



Old 06-09-10, 02:27 PM
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This is the only way to get a Double Din Mcintosh. They do not sell them. I'm not using some ugly fit kit in my IS300. I have the DD kit in there to hold it up right now and I am fabricating a new custom trim as we speak.

On a side note, you can find the JDM version of this head unit on ebay fairly inexpensively (for a McIntosh), but that requires you to use a completely useless Fm converter that doesn't pick up any stations and the display always reads wrong. This is one of the very rare to find USDM versions so everything is as it should be.



Last edited by O. L. T.; 06-09-10 at 02:32 PM.
Old 06-09-10, 03:26 PM
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Sure brings back some memories. I used to have the 406 back in the day. Only thing wrong with it - the CD didn't have a fast forward / fast reverse mode. And the volume **** tended to collect alot of junk inside. Had to take it all apart to clean it out.

If I remember correctly, they were still using some BB2604 op amps. Not the best, but definitely not the insult of the Alpine F#1 Status (both generations) - they used the cheapest ones possible.
Old 06-09-10, 04:45 PM
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Out with the Eclipse Navi.

In with the McIntosh

I have GOT to go get the amber plasti-kote tomorrow.













Old 06-09-10, 04:50 PM
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Or you can go with high intensity red LEDs. I put the blue ones in my Mc amp. Runs quite a bit cooler.
Old 06-09-10, 05:27 PM
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I still have to remove the blue tint and recover it with more tint or else that cathode heater grid will show badly.
Old 06-09-10, 07:31 PM
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damn that HU is sexy
Old 06-10-10, 08:57 AM
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Here's the Amber


Old 06-10-10, 09:21 AM
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Despite the fact I couldn't use it because I want access to all my music at once, that thing is a dream and nothing short of sexy. Fantastic work on the conversion and all that.

Now if I could only afford a Mcintosh 4-channel. . .
Old 06-10-10, 10:54 AM
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The 4 channels can be found at your local fleabay every once in a while. Get the ones with the meters.

In stock form, they sound very very good. In modded form, nothing can touch them.
Old 06-10-10, 02:19 PM
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I spoke with you in 2006 about modifying MC's since I had a few MC420's in my other IS300, but I don't recall what it takes to modify one.
Old 06-10-10, 03:27 PM
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Very nice.

One day, one day.
Old 06-11-10, 07:53 PM
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I just bought a second one of these for my truck! I get to do this all over again next week, LOL!


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