Modern sound & Bluetooth with original radio connected help

I am looking for those who have a modern sound system, blue tooth ability (for playing from a phone, for example) while still having an old stock radio connected and functional. I do not want to upgrade the original radio nor do I want to purchase a new "look alike" radio. I would mainly use my phone for music as there is hardly anything good on the radio. I will be using modern 4 channel system, 2 6 x 9s in the rear deck and 2 full range 3.5" in dash. I am looking at the "outofsightaudio" MK2, but for $300, there has to be something less expensive that will do the same thing. I was looking at this unit from BOSS, it looks like I could hook the old radio up using the AUX connection.. LINKY TO UNIT

What are your opinions and if you recommend other products, please let me know. Thanks!

if your original radio has fm, you might consider one of the fm transmitters instead.
it would plug into your phone and transmit over one of the unused frequencies and let you pick it up as a radio broadcast over your radio.
not sure if they have an am equivalent.
you do plug in your phone to it via audio jack plug instead of bluetooth.
I bet there is a more modern version with that.

Original radio does have FM. The thing I see about plugging the phone into a receiver to the original radio is that the radio is only a 2 channel 8 ohm system. If I use the radio as an "AUX input" to a modern device, I can get the 4 channel, 4 ohm setup with quite a bit more power to drive modern speakers. That is my thought process, anyway.

I use one of these.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QTJZ1ST/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&aaxitk=a517179b8c214442a7d499137eccf0d3&content-id=amzn1.sym.552bcbb2-81a1-4e8b-b868-3fba7d5af42a%3Aamzn1.sym.552bcbb2-81a1-4e8b-b868-3fba7d5af42a&hsa_cr_id=3561111830701&pd_rd_plhdr=t&pd_rd_r=08da1885-9b44-43f5-8353-f119c2c87761&pd_rd_w=P3ols&pd_rd_wg=Ph5DI&qid=1671738690&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_lsi4d_asin_0_title&sr=1-1-9e67e56a-6f64-441f-a281-df67fc737124&th=1

Doug

With the advances in bluetooth speakers, I just use one of those and my phone . . . leaving the OE radio alone . . . . only need to worry about charging up the phone/speaker . . . and tuck away in trunk when not using speaker, or take with you . . .

I don't have any speakers in the car at the moment (car is still apart too), so I need all new everything. I would like a more permanent system and not have to worry about forgetting to bring/charge a battery.

Doug..that looks nice but do you have a modern radio unit that receives the signal? I want to keep the old radio, which is low power and 1970 electronics, so I need a more modern main system to receive the signal.

actually it doesn't need to be a "modern" system to receive.
you aren't receiving the broadcast from far away. it can be wired up right next to the anttena instead of the cig lighter.

as for using modern speakers, you just need an amp that can take a 2 channel feed and split it to 4 channels.
you might need to check specifics since it won't be a non-amplified source.

depending on the quality of the audio you want, you might be getting close to that 300 when it all adds up though.

That is true, with it running through the old radio though, does the music still sound like it should? Or does it get distorted somewhat due to the old radio? If it sounds the same then I think you are on to something. Run modern speakers from a 2 to 4 channel amp and have the bluetooth transmitter to an FM station.

I just had the AM/FM for my Demon restored by Reto Radio.
It has an iPod/iPhone jack and I also had them install Bluetooth so I can play/stream music as well, if I don't want to use the cable. Have not hooked it up as the dash is all apart at the moment. Looks bone stock from the outside.

https://retroradio.biz/

Is the original radio even stereo? Do you really want whatever signal that comes out of it amplified? How about leave the single dash speaker intack, and have the Bluetooth/Aux jack, amp, and four speaker setup separate?

I would call the helpful people at Crutchfield https://www.crutchfield.com/m_362950/Classic-Car.html , I've been dealing with them for years and they have always taken the time to talk options and help you with a good decision even if it is not with them. Good people.

Mike

You could also do what I did back in 1969 with my new at the time '69 Road Runner. 8-tracks were the thing along with better than OE FM tuners. I had worked at a friend's custom car audio business and the friend was well aware of customers getting their under dash 8-track stolen so when we put one in my RR we cut the back of the glovebox out just enough to allow the back of the 8-track player slip through and allow room for the tape to be in or out and still be able to close the glovebox door. Hooked the player up to the standard AM radio for the volume and power control and added a good FM receiver and everything looked normal. No one wanted the standard AM radio so it was safe. Then we put two good speakers in the front kick panels so they were under the dash and "out of sight", (yeah a cheap pun). Put a couple of 6x9 in the trunk under the package shelf and pretty good sounding four speaker system that you could see. Friends, girlfriend and passengers were shocked how good a Plymouth AM radio sounded.......well at least until I had to open the glovebox door to flip the 8-track tape to the "B" side. They also realized why there was no DJ or no commercials then too Find something nice for a Bluetooth player and hide it and a couple of amps, a subwoofer and some nice speakers. Easy to hide everything and just leave the stock radio alone.

Mike

“Flip the 8 track tape to the “B” side” ?

I do want to leave the original radio alone and wasn't sure how well the sound would be if it received a signal from the FM transmitter. I don't know if it is a stereo signal, but it does have a left and right speaker output. That is why I was looking for a unit that receives the blue tooth, has 4 channel stereo and powers modern speakers. This is the unit I was talking about... BOSS BPS4B

I don't want to put a second radio in it as I don't think I need to do that with the equipment that is available today.

Someone I know has had one of those retro looking modern radios and they didn't like the sound. I don't know the details but since I already have an original radio, I want to use it.

I do want to know if the FM transmitter idea plays a modern sound through the old radio and modern speakers. I guess I will order the speakers first and bench test a FM transmitter. If it doesn't sound good, I can contact Crutchfield, etc. before getting that BOSS unit as I mentioned above.

Oops Now I know I'm really getting really old, guess I was thinking cassette tapes Thanks for pointing that out, I think

This is what I do, a lot cheaper than buying one of those modern OEM style radios.