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People Must Love Crappy Car Audio Sound!!!

TheSpaz

TheSpaz

macrumors 604
Original poster
Jun 20, 2005
7,032
1
Yes, that's right. Consumers out there must be addicted to the low quality sound of FM radio and that's why there are like a billion FM transmitters for the iPod. Why is it so hard to find solutions to connect your iPod to your car CD player while using the dock connector and charging at the same time? It's crazy! I walked around in a Best Buy for 30 minutes looking at all the FM transmitters and car chargers and I couldn't find ONE SINGLE SOLUTION to charging and playing the iPod through the line-in RCA jack in the back of my head unit.

What I have now is a Belkin car iPod charger (which I can't find at any stores anymore) and it happens to have a Line-Out function built right in! Can you believe it? It's so nice but, I want a solution where I don't have to use a cigarette lighter to charge my iPod as well as I really want multiple cables. So while this is working for now, I've got something else in mind.

So anyways, upon searching Amazon I came across only ONE cable that actually looks like it will work correctly. I'll link it to you if you like. http://www.amazon.com/Direct-Audio-...Q&pf_rd_t=1501&pf_rd_p=186414201&pf_rd_i=home

Line-In is SOOO much better sounding than any wireless FM transmitter! Most CD players come with an AUX input on the front or the back now-a-days and yet FM transmitters are still so much more popular. Why don't manufacturers make more products that make sense? Like the Belkin and the cable from Amazon, would be perfect on the shelves of Best Buy... I guess I really am an audiophile.
 
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http://www.icarkits.com/

Neo

Also, another brand "DICE".

Both have solutions which terminate in a dock connector.

I've had several different units over the years (from 2000) in my BMW. The latest being the NEO, for iPhone compatibility.
 
That you can't find one brick & mortar stores doesn't mean that they don't exist . It either means that they sell well (because that's what people really want) or that the vast majority of buyers want FM 'cause their HU doesn't have AUX or they already have a wired iPod solution....

Anyhow, just buy online:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16855999613

Also available cheaper in black.

FWIW I've also got a pocketdock for this purpose, but the added amp in the Belkin makes it so much easier to balance the iPod and radio levels.

B
 
You could always pick up an iPod ready head unit from Alpine.

ida-x001.jpg
 
I have one of those Dice type components in my 2001 Audi, and though it worked flawlessly with my old Nano, with the Touch the music randomly pauses. Anyone else experience anything like this or have suggestions? (it is hooked up by the dock port, not the headphones)
 
I use a $4 Belkin male-male audio adapter. All I do is plug it into my iPod and my car's audio in/out jack, it's so easy. It also detects when I plug in my iPod and switches to that and starts playing. :) Oh, and it's perfect quality!
 
What's really funny is that most people with hotrodded car systems think they sound great, but they really are crap. The inside of a car, by its nature, is a terrible acoustic space. Pointing drivers at each other in such a small space adds phase/time distortion. Add to that, the overpowered subwoofers they install that have AUDIBLE distortion that is absolutely hideous. Then they enter dB contests! After a certain loudness threshold, you ears add to the distortion you are hearing. Anyone complaining about the quality of an FM transmitter, in terms of audio quality in a car, is just asking to be hit upside the head with some real facts and figures. Bottom line - car audio sucks.:D
 
The Ten Technology FlexibleDock is a mount/charger/lineout.

There's also a older version for the Mini called FlexDock, I am wondering it the Touch will work with that since it is pretty light (the newer one is for full-sized iPods.)
 
uburoibob said:
What's really funny is that most people with hotrodded car systems think they sound great, but they really are crap. The inside of a car, by its nature, is a terrible acoustic space. Pointing drivers at each other in such a small space adds phase/time distortion. Add to that, the overpowered subwoofers they install that have AUDIBLE distortion that is absolutely hideous. Then they enter dB contests! After a certain loudness threshold, you ears add to the distortion you are hearing. Anyone complaining about the quality of an FM transmitter, in terms of audio quality in a car, is just asking to be hit upside the head with some real facts and figures. Bottom line - car audio sucks.:D
Click to expand...
Most car audio does suck BUT, if you've been in a car that's been designed for audio it sounds quite nice and perhaps better than in most places. Take for example a Cadillac STS. Good grief it sounds good but then again, it's been designed for it. It's almost like putting headphones on, your own unique sound stage.
iSaint said:
People don't love crappy car audio, they've never been exposed to anything else so they don't know the difference.
Click to expand...
Now that is spot on.
 
Does the Neo car kit result in the "Accessory Attached" lockdown?

gr8tfly said:
http://www.icarkits.com/

Neo

Also, another brand "DICE".

Both have solutions which terminate in a dock connector.

I've had several different units over the years (from 2000) in my BMW. The latest being the NEO, for iPhone compatibility.
Click to expand...

gr8tfly,

Quick question...does attaching the iPod touch to the Neo car connector result in the "Accessory Attached" lockdown on the iPod? I definitely want a direct line connection to the car stereo rather than an FM transmitter, however, I would really like to be able to control the iPod directly from the iPod rather than from the steering wheel controls. I've found a Neo ProLink that will work on my car, so I was hoping you could shed some light as to whether or not you get the "accessory attached" lockdown?

Thanks.
 
I've been using a tape-adapter to 3.5mm thingy for some time now. While it's not as good as a true line-in (my stereo doesn't have one obviosuly), it's definitely better than the FM transmitter junk.

My next car will be iPod compatible lol. :p
 
ipodinhtown said:
gr8tfly,

Quick question...does attaching the iPod touch to the Neo car connector result in the "Accessory Attached" lockdown on the iPod? I definitely want a direct line connection to the car stereo rather than an FM transmitter, however, I would really like to be able to control the iPod directly from the iPod rather than from the steering wheel controls. I've found a Neo ProLink that will work on my car, so I was hoping you could shed some light as to whether or not you get the "accessory attached" lockdown?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

It's probably worth a call to them. Hopefully, it's been out long enough for them to have tested it.

I'm using an iPhone, actually, but I'm guessing the Touch could work the same way. The references below are for my 5G iPod.

It has two modes - integrated & manual. With the integrated mode, the iPod can be controlled from either the changer head or the iPod itself, and displays song info on the head.

In the same mode, the iPhone's interface is locked, but it can be controlled through the changer head. There's much more control through the iPhone, so I have the NEO in manual. I still have control of track forward or back through the steering wheel (or head), but no data is displayed. I'll have to try the integrated mode again, since there have been reports of compatibility improvements over the last few iPhone updates. I should also check with the Neo people and see if they've had any firmware updates on their end. The shop that did the installation will update it for me, if one's available.
 
ChrisBrightwell said:
Moral of the story? Use line-in and the headphone jack. :)
Click to expand...

If one has a line-in. The only way to get line-in on my car is with the changer adapter. It's moot, since the adapter has the dock connector.

When using line-in, it would be better to use line-out through a dock connector, rather than the headphone jack. For one thing, you won't get blasted when forgetting to turn down the volume (it usually has to be up to provide enough output for line-in).
 
Back in January I bought a $140 Sony CD car deck that has the AUX input on the face of it. No need to worry about compatibility this way, anything I connect to it plays through the stereo. Works great with either one of my iPods, even my XM satellite radio.
 
I don't like using the headphone jack for line in because I don't like it when I have to adjust 2 volume controls. I like the dock connector because it's one constant volume out of the iPod at all times and I control the volume with my head unit... also, when I turn off my car, my iPod pauses for me (because it notices that it lost power and then pauses) which makes it really handy so that I don't have to remember to pause to save battery when I get out of my car... very sweet. I think using the dock connector is the best solution. Like someone mentioned above, I also want to control my iPod from my iPod and not the head unit... using the head unit is hard to navigate, the iPod is easy!
 
Here is mine.
It's an ice link branded by Renault.
No quality loss so I have better music quality than here at work where I get a lot of noise from my machines and from the street.
It's an old picture, it also works with the video iPod G5.5 that I bought in january. I think It should work with every iPod with a dock connector.

DSC_6447.jpg
 
uburoibob said:
Then they enter dB contests! Bottom line - car audio sucks.:D
Click to expand...

No. It doesnt.

The people and cars you described, do.

There are two, or three, schools of Car Audio: SQ and SPL

Sound Quality is based on good components all around, a fuller cleaner, sometimes, louder sound than stock. (i stay in this category)

Sound Pressure Level is based on loudness and bass alone, quality need not apply.


Once you add a subwoofer to your car, you wont ever go back. Its not about booming bass, but adding the bottom end of your musical spectrum.
 
Wireless FM transmitters exist (especially at big boxes like Worst Buy) because they require no wiring, and are brain-dead simple to use.

A lot of people don't want to hear about wiring or anything, they want to buy ONE and only ONE thing and be able to hear their iPod in the car.

Yes, more and more new cars are coming with a front aux input standard (as well as even low end decks), but most cars on the road are used and do not have this. As time goes by, this will change and fm transmitters will go away.

I use that Belkin kit, but I also installed it hidden, wiring in an additional cigarette port behind the head unit, and tying everything up behind the dash. The dock cable comes out through the front and my ipod sits in a phone holder (so I can control it, although this only worked for my mini and nano, there isn't a phone holder i've found that holds my itouch securely :( ).

My next head unit will definately have built-in iPod-specific solution, as well as bluetooth, I just haven't seen any iPod-specific decks that have blown me away as far UI and ease of use.
 
Sdashiki said:
No. It doesnt.

The people and cars you described, do.

There are two, or three, schools of Car Audio: SQ and SPL

Sound Quality is based on good components all around, a fuller cleaner, sometimes, louder sound than stock. (i stay in this category)

Sound Pressure Level is based on loudness and bass alone, quality need not apply.


Once you add a subwoofer to your car, you wont ever go back. Its not about booming bass, but adding the bottom end of your musical spectrum.
Click to expand...

Exactly! I have 2 12" Sony Explodes in my car and they help take care of the low end of most of my music and I love it... however, it's not overpowering the other frequencies. In my mind, I think I have the perfect mix of Bass Mids and Highs and my car audio sounds better than a home stereo.... but, then again, that is only my opinion, as I'm not a car audio expert.
 
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