ipod - in car suggestions

**PNWbrit** · 03-09-2007, 12:43 PM

What's the preferred wireless hook up to a car stereo for an ipod. Something that charges from power outlet in cuby under armrest would be nice.

06 Outback - There is no way to hard wire connect without futzing with circuitry of integrated HVAC/hifi in dash. I already checked.

**skimoore** · 03-09-2007, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

What's the preferred wireless hook up to a car stereo for an ipod. Something that charges from power outlet in cuby under armrest would be nice.

06 Outback - There is no way to hard wire connect without futzing with circuitry of integrated HVAC/hifi in dash. I already checked.

In my experience, all the wireless/radio transmitters clearly diminish sound quality...Rumor has it the first generation of the radio transmitters were much better, but were so strong they were interfering with radio in other cars.

If you're lucky enough to have a tape player, your best option is a $10 sony tape adapter.....the wire really isn't a pain to deal with.

**PNWbrit** · 03-09-2007, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by skimoore

In my experience, all the wireless/radio transmitters clearly diminish sound quality...Rumor has it the first generation of the radio transmitters were much better, but were so strong they were interfering with radio in other cars.

If you're lucky enough to have a tape player, your best option is a $10 sony tape adapter.....the wire really isn't a pain to deal with.

no tape player.

I realize wireless less than ideal - but in their wisdom the otherwise excellent folks at Subaru didn't think it necessary on this model/year. Probably someone from GM was involved in the process before they were sold to Toyota.

**serge944** · 03-09-2007, 01:05 PM

Radio transmitter or getting a new head unit with an aux input are pretty much your only options.

**P_McPoser** · 03-09-2007, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

no tape player.

I realize wireless less than ideal - but in their wisdom the otherwise excellent folks at Subaru didn't think it necessary on this model/year. Probably someone from GM was involved in the process before they were sold to Toyota.

Funny how most GM's have an aux input for this, huh?

USA Hater.

**El Chupacabra** · 03-09-2007, 01:12 PM

If there is no aux-in for anything (not even an external CD changer), then you can always add a hardwired FM modulator.

Works just like the wireless, but sound quality is far better -- think perfect FM stereo reception, and that's your sound quality. FM modulator will wire in-line between the antenna and the head unit, and give you a set of jacks to which you connect the MP3 player.

**skimoore** · 03-09-2007, 01:12 PM

My girlfriend has the Griffin dock that plugs right into the cigarette lighter plug...it works pretty well, although in areas with tons of radio stations (within SF...) it can get some interference. Definitely go with the powered ones, the type that plug into the top of the ipod are total crap.

**PNWbrit** · 03-09-2007, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by P_McPoser

USA Hater.

No. Just a crappy USA car co. hater.

Nice edit! Someone a little trigger happy this morning?

**brannen** · 03-09-2007, 01:27 PM

they all suck, but get the job done. i have a wireless one i use at home, forget what brand, cant find it, and i have the ciggy hook up one in my truck, cant think of that brand either, maybe monster. it has 3 presets, which is kinda nice, but no lock button, so if you have a dog, or a soda in the cupholder and you hit a bump, even the slightest touch of the thing makes the station change
basically, i use both, they both work, but i get frustrated as fuck with both of them
the original iRadio ones did rule, but with the new iPods they are missing that second jack in the top, so no dice

found one of them
http://www.monstercable.com/productdisplay.asp?pin=3029
and oh yeah, the display broke too, so you can barely see the radio station display, which sucks when youre driving across country and need to change the station a bunch

**geo039** · 03-09-2007, 01:27 PM

Ice Link: Should be the same radio as the Legacy?
http://www.dension.com/oem1.php

Here some options too:
http://www.legacygt.com/forums/searc...archid=2317696

Good luck!

**Dudley** · 03-09-2007, 01:30 PM

I have an 06 Outback as well and have struggled with both the Monster and Iplay adapter (damn them for waiting till 07 to integrate the Ipod... and damn my impatience for a new car).... I was looking at that Harmon Kardon system that integrates an aux. screen, a scroll wheel, and a docking stage. Anyone have any experience or thoughts on this?

**PeachesN'Cream** · 03-09-2007, 01:39 PM

ahhhh the power of google.

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18504

i have also heard of piggybacking a line in to your antenna jack with a switch and an mini jack AUX input. so you switch between the the antenna for input or the AUX input through the antenna jack. not sure if this will work for your all in one system easily tho.

looks like magnolia did it for this guy for $200ish

http://www.idealog.us/2005/11/ipod_your_subar.html

good luck!

**PNWbrit** · 03-09-2007, 02:16 PM

Thanks BC.

I'd already looked at the LegacyGT.com stuff and decided against tearing dash apart. One of those "if you screw it up I'll never let you live it down" scenarios - don't want to go there.

**davep** · 03-09-2007, 02:40 PM

I use the Monster iCarPlay (same one brannen linked to), I think it was $40 on ebay.

Sound quality is better than a few other cheap-ies I've played with. (But still not great quality, particularly the low-freq response is teh sukc)

Since the antenna is in the cable, you can move the cable around in your car a bit to get better reception - I think that's an advantage over the type that plug straight into your cig lighter, where if the antenna falls into a null in your car then yer fucked.

**brannen** · 03-09-2007, 03:36 PM

PEANUT BUTTA JELLY WITH A BASEBALL BAT!!!!
I love it man,
NOW FREESTYLE, FREESTYLE!

**PNWbrit** · 03-09-2007, 03:55 PM

Great.

However it is not possible to replace the headunit in an 06 Outback.

**Flexon Phil** · 03-09-2007, 04:31 PM

I have a customer with 06 OB XT, he had a JL audio "cleansweep" installed and it works great.

**CantDog** · 03-09-2007, 06:18 PM

If your goal is just to run an ipod, then cleansweep might be a bit over to top. It still requires a bit of wiring and placement of the new volumen control, so its not exactly plug and play. If you plan on upgrading your sound system later(amps, subs, new speakers, etc) then cleansweep might be worth it.

A hardwired FM modulator sounds decent, or take it one step better and pick up one of these: http://www.jazzyengineering.com/prod...8162f45bb043e5 you'd use it for the same thing you use cleansweep for, and is less expensive...but again requires taking things apart. Its not really that hard, considering the amount of detailed writeups about stereo installs there are available on the internet. Short of holding your hand the internet is great for car stuff.

If you do go with a hardwired FM modulator, make sure you pick up a ground loop interrupt(GLI) otherwise you'll get some nasty background hum.

**road trip** · 03-13-2007, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by CantDog

If you do go with a hardwired FM modulator, make sure you pick up a ground loop interrupt(GLI) otherwise you'll get some nasty background hum.

This kicks ass:

http://www.harmankardon.com/drive-1/

Got it installed at Circuit City and they did a stellar job.

**bio-smear** · 03-13-2007, 03:34 PM

My grandma had a '90 Legacy wagon that had a 1/8" stereo miniplug aux input. Who's the big brain who decided to pull that from the OEM stereos? Pisses me off...our '04 Matrix doesn't have one either, and you can't use a tape adapter because it detects a "broken tape" and ejects it.

**The AD** · 03-13-2007, 04:13 PM

So they put a power outlet in the armrest but no aux jack? That was smart.

Is it a 6 disc or single disc CD player? If it's a 6 disc and it will play mp3 files then you've got, what, 4 GB or so of storage right there. Maybe you don't need to connect your iPod after all

**skifree** · 03-13-2007, 05:03 PM

Pioneer makes an Ipod connector that is compatible with some of their decks. It charges your Ipod, and you can change songs/artists/playlists using the deck.

**PNWbrit** · 03-13-2007, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by The AD

So they put a power outlet in the armrest but no aux jack? That was smart.

Is it a 6 disc or single disc CD player? If it's a 6 disc and it will play mp3 files then you've got, what, 4 GB or so of storage right there. Maybe you don't need to connect your iPod after all

The six disc in-dash changer in 2.5 Turbo doesn't play MP3s but the one in the otherwise identically trimmed and equipped 3.0 Does. Go figure?

Guess I'll just suffer the miseries of a wireless set up until driven to rip apart the dash.