Do you play your ipod through the aux jack in the car stereo?

[Rio Rebel]

Many people aren't aware that plugging a cable from the headphone jack to the aux jack on the car stereo is not the sound quality they could be getting. Coming out of your dock connector gives you two advantages: better signal to noise ration, and you don't have to turn your ipod all the way up to get a strong signal.

Buy a dock connector cable like this one: Text

You get the same audio quality as the devices that integrate to your car stereo, you just have to control the ipod from the ipod itself.

By the way, there are other places that carry this type of cable.

(of course, when I say "highest possible quality" I am leaving out some of the extreme audiophile solutions)

 

[Deeko]

People are stupid and like giving Apple $800 for the iPod fm modulator (I'm sure they have some stupid iName for it). It has the apple logo on it and it's white plastic, it's superior quality!

 

[Rio Rebel]

I couldn't stand the audio quality through the FM transmitter, nor through the cassette adaptor. I'm constantly amazed at what people accept in the name of portability.

 

[Deeko]

Yup. The same goes for satellite radio. Sad thing is, people are being misled by lazy installers too. Friends of mine have told me that the installers at CC/Best Buy tell them to use the built in FM modulator instead of aux input. I'm sure those installers know better, they just don't want to run the cable.

 

[imported_Mike]

If my deck didn't have ipod integration, I would use a std. aux input. FM modulators sound as good as the radio just about...too inconsistant.

 

[onlyCOpunk]

I sucked it up and bought an aftermarket stereo that has iPod integration (Pioneer), and I'm happy as a pig in his own filth now. That will teach me to buy a car on the verge of technology! Now every car pretty much has iPod integration standard.

 

[frostedflakes]

Tape adapter is good enough for me. FM modulators are *horrible* though. I tried one once assuming it would sound like what FM stations broadcast (which isn't amazing quality or anything, but it's decent to my ears), but no, it sounded like complete crap. Maybe it just has to do with the quality of parts used, or maybe FCC limitations on personal FM transmitters.

Anyways, moral of the story, don't bother with FM modulators, even the more expensive "good" ones. All of them suck.