Cobra 425 (aka ?) bluetoothed

H3NK3L

H3NK3L

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Got this Cobra 425 , which - as rumours have it - is an aka of telefunken cr-100 and some others but....upon opening it its nothing like any of those aka's - it's kindof built like a Crown (tape deck, its mechanism, fixations,...) - it s tuner and pcb-layout... So no idea what this actually is or even where its made...but helll its LOUD.

IMG_20230416_105129.jpg

IMG_20230416_105336.jpg



Its a german version, with no AUX/line in but with the european (dreaded) DIN... however it has one oddity to it....DIN doesnt require "REC" to be activated, so i put in a bluetooth module (usb-c, amazon 15 euro box with a multifontion "tuner"wheel like button - added in a USB-adaptor, plugged in the RCA's and soldered them directly onto the DIN inputs and look and behold.... bluetooth works fine without having to hit REC. Inconceniance : when bluetooth is ON tape/radio give no output soundwise but work great with bluetooth OFF.

Other odity : to record from bluetooth one has to select "PHONO" (aka din) to record otherwise tape records from the microphones.

Great very aluminumed and chromed device otherwise - great to work on - very accessible - and kindof gave me deja-vu....its construction and mechanisms feel and look a lot like some CROWNs, in no way anything like a panasonic or sharp (despite rumours having it to be a panasonic aka...)
 
H3NK3L

H3NK3L

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goodman said:
Looks very good. With this update is easy to listen music from phone and other modern devices...
Click to expand...
Thanks, Bluetoothing is often a challenge but quite rewarding. Sortof gives these devices a new life for a new generation.
Not easy to do without disturbing the original design (or worse : disturbing the original electronics).
 
floyd

floyd

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Jan 9, 2022
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H3NK3L said:
Got this Cobra 425 , which - as rumours have it - is an aka of telefunken cr-100 and some others but....upon opening it its nothing like any of those aka's - it's kindof built like a Crown (tape deck, its mechanism, fixations,...) - it s tuner and pcb-layout... So no idea what this actually is or even where its made...but helll its LOUD.

View attachment 56893

View attachment 56894



Its a german version, with no AUX/line in but with the european (dreaded) DIN... however it has one oddity to it....DIN doesnt require "REC" to be activated, so i put in a bluetooth module (usb-c, amazon 15 euro box with a multifontion "tuner"wheel like button - added in a USB-adaptor, plugged in the RCA's and soldered them directly onto the DIN inputs and look and behold.... bluetooth works fine without having to hit REC. Inconceniance : when bluetooth is ON tape/radio give no output soundwise but work great with bluetooth OFF.

Other odity : to record from bluetooth one has to select "PHONO" (aka din) to record otherwise tape records from the microphones.

Great very aluminumed and chromed device otherwise - great to work on - very accessible - and kindof gave me deja-vu....its construction and mechanisms feel and look a lot like some CROWNs, in no way anything like a panasonic or sharp (despite rumours having it to be a panasonic aka...)
Click to expand...
Oh the Panasonic 5500 is the original all the others are the AKA boxes and the bottom line is not many of them have the same parts or even built the same they just look the same or close.
 
H3NK3L

H3NK3L

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LXYQ Recepteur Bluetooth 5.0,Adaptateur Bluetooth Récepteur Audio Faible Latence 3D Surround, avec 3,5mm et RCA Supporte la Carte TF Mini Adaptateur Bluetooth Jack : Amazon.fr: High-Tech

it s a basic one from amazon - it comes as a black square box (easy enough to open though) - several brandnames sell the same one - there are 2 types : 1. with "megabass" "superbass" button 2. withouth that button
The one WITH the button (although i remove it) is the better one. Its usb-c.

3rd box I used it on, first one was an ICS (there s photos of it somewhere here), then on a Philips D8614 to put blueooth on the front facade - replaced the original BT-adaptor button by an original philips d8614 button)

drillhole is approx 6mm, and I make 4 little holes for the backlight leds to light up the button. The pcb is square and flat (once the "bass" button removed), I attach it to the side using hotglue to keep it in place and then fix it with epoxy (it has 4 holes) so it doesnt come loose. To open the original black box : remove the 2 rubbers strips, unscrew and thats it... the button comes off by pulling it (it is quite stirdy though !)

The idea kindof came to me when I stumbled upon it by accident...figured it disfigures a boombox way less than any other method.
 
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H3NK3L

H3NK3L

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Dec 17, 2020
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I see, though I dont understand the "look alike" idea... the tweeters (real ones on this one) are not at all in the same place, nor or the vu-meters...
It is exactly the same make and build as a telefunken CR-100 . the only difference is that the CR-100 doesnt have the mic. and rec level pots and the ALC/manual button. but the telefunken does have the holes and places for those buttons. The button covers are different as well,... but their mechanisms are the same...

Its an odd bird lol
 
goodman

goodman

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Тhanks for the detailed info on installing the BT module.
How do you power the BT module?
Do you use a DC isolator B0505S to eliminate parasitic noise?

DC ISOLATOR
 
H3NK3L

H3NK3L

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Dec 17, 2020
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goodman said:
Тhanks for the detailed info on installing the BT module.
How do you power the BT module?
Do you use a DC isolator B0505S to eliminate parasitic noise?

DC ISOLATOR
Click to expand...

I m rather not fond of tapping into DC or any original pcb on any vintage device...

I power my Bluetooth devices by tapping in directly from the power inlet. And use a 220/240 (I m european) to usb adaptor. Then shield it's wiring and the actual adaptor with aluminum tape (avoiding any passage nearby tapedeck / heads of course) Never had any disturbance, interference,... Or other issues doing it that way and I feel way more comfortable then if I were to add some powerdraining things to an existing pcb or powersource that wasn't intended for that).

On a side note : totally separating powersources, and using existing and well working (over time) premade usb modules that come with a USB cable and a RCA or jack cable, also allows for them to be placed on the back cover, being easely un pluggable for opening or even just to replace them in the event a better Bluetooth comes along (ie 7.0 8.0..) or another technology comes by.. It's easy that way to just unplug, remove and replace.

(perhaps not the most elegant of solutions I concede)
 
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