# Kenwood KRC-554D/L



## mart.nek (Aug 27, 2020)

Hello,

I just bought this piece of beauty:
















Its running perfectly!

My question is: does anyone have acces to service manual? If anything happens and also for me to study it and complete the collectibles.

Thanks! 
Martin


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## mart.nek (Aug 27, 2020)

Hi, 

so Ive bought the service manual for 5 euros online. I immediatly started to think whether i can use CD changer input with my phone via jack. Theres a solution on the internet, that works with the din connector:









DIY : kenwood headunit AUX adaptor


This article will guide you through the procedure to make an AUX adaptor which can be connected to yours cars Kenwood CD-player which supports Kenwood CA-C1AUX adaptor connectivity to play songs from your portable media player which can be a mp3 player, mobile phone, laptop or any other device...




www.pakwheels.com





Considering my head unit has different square connector which is (as you can see on the photo) later ended with din connector, i think it should work.

What do you think?

Has anybody tried that?

Thank,
Martin


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## grtpumpkin (Nov 24, 2016)

Are you trying to hook this up to a Non Kenwood Head unit? If so you will need a Kenwood control head such as KCA-R71FM and a Kenwood switching unit such as KCA-S210A. And also possibly a line diver for gain control such as a Wavetech link D to level match the signal. At least this is how I got everything to work with good SQ. If you have a Kenwood head unit you shouldn't need any of this stuff unless the years of units, Head unit and changers, are not close, in which case you may still need the switching unit. I think the compatibility year cutoff is around 1998'. I just went through all this for the past year or so, but in the end I was successful getting it all to function. Not the perfect solution as I have to control the cd changer via the separate control head, but at least I achieved SQ with my old trusty Kenwood 10 disc changer.
Hope this helps.
Rich.


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## mart.nek (Aug 27, 2020)

Hello, 
Thanks for reply, this head unit (1993) with this changer (1997) works fine. I am figuring out how can I use my cell phone with 3,5 mm jack putput a an input for this head unit, i fount (link) a solution for later models, where you use resistor to simulate cd changer and then you can use any analog input. While the radio thinks its playing music from cd changer. My question is, whether it would work on this head unit. Or whether is outthere any other solution to play music from external source.


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## grtpumpkin (Nov 24, 2016)

So you have a Kenwood head unit. So your looking to add an auxiliary input to your 1993 head unit? That can be a challenge. Have you checked out you tube? I've watched a few that demonstrate how to add an auxiliary input. Kind of delicate work and not the route I wanted to go. Just search you tube for adding auxiliary jack. There's actually a couple of good ones worth watching. Most show adding to factory radios though. The problem is your head unit probably doesn't have a selectable auxiliary source. Everything's a compromise with this stuff.
Rich.


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## mart.nek (Aug 27, 2020)

Yes thats what i want to do. The worst case is to open the unit and find input to pre amplifier from cassete or radio, but I will do that when anything else wont work. The easiest way is to simulate the cd changer with a resistor like they do in the link I posted, but it probably wont work. Another way is to actually plug in the cd changer and put a switchable jack female connector on the wires from changer to head unit. It will actually play the cds but the connector would cut of the sound from cd and play whats connected to it. But I dont really want to place cd changer in my car because of it.


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## grtpumpkin (Nov 24, 2016)

The other problem is you don't have a way to control the cd changer, ie: change tracks, change disc, FF, RW etc., as I don't believe your 1993 head unit has the 13 pin connector. Right? I think you would have to do it the way I did with a switching unit and the KCA R71FM controller but you would still need to do the auxiliary input hack to get the line level into the radio. It's a lot of work but doable. Seeing how you already have an aftermarket radio it might be worth getting a newer Kenwood head unit that supports the 13 pin connector. Then it would be plug and play for the changer. I have a KDC 715S head unit in one of my cars and the changer plugs right in and the head unit has full control of it. No extra hardware needed.


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## mart.nek (Aug 27, 2020)

I see, but my head unit has the connector.It can manage the cd changer above. I have ordered the resistor and will try that solution next weekend. But from what i learned, this hack will not work, I have seen people program arduino in that way it simulates cdd changer, but for another unit.


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## grtpumpkin (Nov 24, 2016)

If your head unit has the 13 pin din and has a source control it should work. However, it could still be a compatibility issue due the year models. I only found out about the year compatiblity issues from the KCA- S210A manual. Ive attached a pdf manual for the S210A. Take a look. Maybe it will help.


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## grtpumpkin (Nov 24, 2016)

Looks like the file link doesnt work so I deleted it. you'll have to google kenwood KCA-S210A
Is it possible you have a bad data cable?


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## grtpumpkin (Nov 24, 2016)

Martin, I guess I misunderstood you. I just re read some of the above posts. Post #4 you stated the head unit and changer work fine. That's what I thought wasn't working. My apologies. Now getting a 3.5 mm jack to function may still be possible with one of the S210A switching boxes. Take a look at one of those manuals when you find one. There is an auxiliary input selection option with that unit. That may be the key for getting it all hooked up. Might even be worth a call to Kenwood tech support.
Check out this link.









Kenwood KCA-S210A


Two-changer switching unit




www.crutchfield.com


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## mart.nek (Aug 27, 2020)

Thanks for the manual - the link worked for me, it seems that the hack with the resistor might work, and the KCA-s210a will work 100% Thank you! I will go one of these two ways.


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