[justinsfa]

I was wanting to ask for 1 for xmas, but was concerned with the quality of the sound due to having to use the FM transmitter for it to play in my truck. I am getting tired of lugging around a huge cd case and switching them out constantly. I guess the quality is maxed out to what a radio station sounds like, right? Is there any way to rig it up to a stock head unit to get cd quality sound?

Any help would be great. Also any preferences on handheld type mp3 player brands with some good backup would be great too.

Thanks

Justin
Nac, TX

2001 Tacoma Xtra Cab

 

[chopaholic]

there is an adaptor that will plug directly into your changer port on your factory radio and jump tracks by using your factory radio. part is some what high though. average is about $200. I can get in for you if you need one. i am located in houston.

 

[Jeff B]

$65 cable will get you aux in to the factory radio/cd.

http://www.customtacos.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=388251&page=8&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

 

[Fishbone]

I was wanting to ask for 1 for xmas, but was concerned with the quality of the sound due to having to use the FM transmitter for it to play in my truck. I am getting tired of lugging around a huge cd case and switching them out constantly. I guess the quality is maxed out to what a radio station sounds like, right? Is there any way to rig it up to a stock head unit to get cd quality sound?

Any help would be great. Also any preferences on handheld type mp3 player brands with some good backup would be great too.

Hey man, I have an iPod, and have used both the Belkin and the Apple iTrip FM modulators. The belkin worked OK, but would get interference alot from other radio stations, plus the battery goes dead every other day.
The apple one works a lot better, that's what I'm using now, and it works off the ipods power, no batteries.

The best way to go is to get a head unit with an Auxilary in RCA jack. I have a Panasonic in my Taco with this option. This way you just plug it in, and there is no sound quality loss. Some of the newer Alpine decks have an ipod interface which displays all the ipod info on the display of the head unit.

Also, Monster cable makes a bad-ass charger for the truck, I just keep mine plugged in all the time.

--Scott

 

[VolcomTacoma]

I have an Alpine deck and cd changer, so i'm guessing my auxillary RCA outputs are used up right?

 

[MDTRD]

$65 cable will get you aux in to the factory radio/cd.

http://www.customtacos.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=388251&page=8&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

Do you happen to know the part # or part name? The stealership I go to has knuckle heads that don't know their ass from a hole in the ground.

 

[atwinda]

Aux inputs are the only way to do it. The products out there to interface (fm transmiter, ice-whatever that was) will not keep the sound quality. The only issue I have run into with my iPod hooked up to the aux ins is that the signal needs to be amped slightly. There are some 7watt or so amps around for headphones that will do the trick nicely, but it's a matter of having the time to do it.

 

[Jeff B]

The aux in cable adapter:
http://www.myradiostore.us/auxadapters/pie/factory/no-external-changer/toy-aux.html

With shipping, I paid $67 for this adapter. You may want to consider how badly you want to keep the factory changer. I just bought (as a gift) a am/fm/cd/mp3/wma, sirius radio ready player for $170. http://www.crutchfield.com/S-MTmrbI3LYdl/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?I=020dxz545&search=DXZ545MP

 

[mgyver1]

Alpine makes an Ipod interface that you plug into the ipod. It acts as a charger and you control the ipod from the deck so you could keep the ipod under your seat or something. http://www.crutchfield.com/S-1rAFtnJf0ox/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?i=500KCA420I&search=alpine+ipod

 

[Fishbone]

I have an Alpine deck and cd changer, so i'm guessing my auxillary RCA outputs are used up right?

They're two different things.....your Alpine has RCA OUTPUTS, what you need is an RCA INPUT. Not many head units have it. Aux in, rca in, line in, etc.

 

[justinsfa]

there is an adaptor that will plug directly into your changer port on your factory radio and jump tracks by using your factory radio. part is some what high though. average is about $200. I can get in for you if you need one. i am located in houston.

how is the quality by doing this? I am running pretty nice speakers in the truck, but have decided to stick with factory head unit due to high theft rates on campus and stuff. Infinity components and mids, JL subs, etc. Quality is pretty important to me, I just don't know anyone who is using an ipod to listen to in their cars. Will this aux cable keep cd quality sound or just sound like radio station quality? Or is this just to keep from having to keep recharching it? Any details will help. Where are u in houston. I will be moving to Baytown in January.

Thanks for the help

Justin
Nac, TX

 

[atwinda]

how is the quality by doing this? I am running pretty nice speakers in the truck, but have decided to stick with factory head unit due to high theft rates on campus and stuff. Infinity components and mids, JL subs, etc. Quality is pretty important to me, I just don't know anyone who is using an ipod to listen to in their cars. Will this aux cable keep cd quality sound or just sound like radio station quality? Or is this just to keep from having to keep recharching it? Any details will help. Where are u in houston. I will be moving to Baytown in January.

Thanks for the help

Justin
Nac, TX

a aux in cable will be cd quality. no loss of quality should occur.

 

[justinsfa]

why is the cable so expensive? 200 bucks?

 

[Uneasy Rider]

I used the old sony walkman "tapedeck" adapter from my cd player for my mp3 player. Works great if you have a tapedeck or stock radio. Those fm transmitters work like crap.

 

[atwinda]

I used the old sony walkman "tapedeck" adapter from my cd player for my mp3 player. Works great if you have a tapedeck or stock radio. Those fm transmitters work like crap.

A lot of quality loss occurs with those tape adaptors.. that would be an absolute last resort.

 

[Uneasy Rider]

A lot of quality loss occurs with those tape adaptors.. that would be an absolute last resort.

The tape adaptor actually sounds alot clearer than the FM transmitter. While not as clear as say a true RCA style plug-in its very acceptable & cheap.

 

[Jeff B]

why is the cable so expensive? 200 bucks?

It's not $200... it's $65

 

[MDTRD]

The aux in cable adapter:
http://www.myradiostore.us/auxadapters/pie/factory/no-external-changer/toy-aux.html

With shipping, I paid $67 for this adapter. You may want to consider how badly you want to keep the factory changer. I just bought (as a gift) a am/fm/cd/mp3/wma, sirius radio ready player for $170. http://www.crutchfield.com/S-MTmrbI3LYdl/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?I=020dxz545&search=DXZ545MP

I just ordered that AUX cable. Do you push the "CD" button to use whatever the AUX cable is hooked up to?

 

[SP Jon M3]

I have an Alpine deck and cd changer, so i'm guessing my auxillary RCA outputs are used up right?

http://www.alpine-usa.com/products/leading_technology/leading_tech_kca-420i.htm

Try this with your Alpine.

 

[pgtrd]

Ipod

Check www.sounddomain.com, they sell (its expensive) a conneciton which will hook up directly to your stock head unit.

I have a 1st gen 15gb iPod in my truck. It's connect through the RCA inputs from my deck. No sound quality was lost, however I recommend that you turn off the EQ setting on the iPod and adjust the sound settings on your head unit and amp (if you have one) to your preference.

Also, I highly suggest staying away from the FM Transmitters, their worthless. I tried both the iTRIP and the Belkin brands, both produced very poor sound quality. The salesman said it would work as a RF modulator for CD changers (which means the clearest FM frequency possible) but he was so wrong... A waste of money if you ask me.

If anything if you decided to go with an aftermarket deck go with an Alpine. The iPOD interface is kick ass and best of all, its a total bottom wire mount that will send the music signal to your stereo system and keep the iPOD battery chaged. Unlike using an the RCA hook ups which requires a signal cable to send the sound to your stereo and a second cable, which connects to the bottom, and charges the iPOD.

-James