Car Adapter For CD/MP3 Player

Bruise Lee · Feb 19, 2003

I'm planning on buying a car kit for my CD and MP3 Players. I have an old 1972 Ford Mustang which only accepts the old style dual shaft car stereos. I have a ton of MP 3's and CD's, and 2 portable players to play them in (a cheap Phillips CD player and a Creative Nomad Jukebox 3), so I want to get a car kit for them.

You know, those funky looking devices which has a cassette looking apparatus you stick in your car stereos tape cassette slot. Attached to said device is a wire you plug into your player.

I have no idea how these things work. Are they capable of providing high fidelity?

I'm considering the following models, but if you know of a good one, please tell me!

I've seen 2 Sony car adapters at Fry's Electronics, the cheaper of which was about $25. I've seen a Jensen model for about $20. I know I've also seen a Coby(?), and I think GE makes one too. Oh, and the most expensive one is Creative Labs, which I've seen on the net advertised as an accessory for the Jukebox 3 for about $40.

So, what is the best car adapter out there?

Bruise

draftaman · Feb 19, 2003

You might want to look at an external disk changer. These new changers,10 disk or whatever, play mp3's as well as cd's. Also, some of them are wireless which is very nice not to have wires running everywhere.
edited to add: 10 disks full of mp3's is a pile of music!

AlphalphaPB · Feb 19, 2003

I'm no expert, but I doubt you would get any sort of high-fidelity stereo out of those things. They probably work by taking the input (from your MP3/CD/etc. player) and translating it into a temporary magnetic field on the tape deck end, which gets read by the car stereo. However, it is a pretty smart design to get an 1/8" jack in a tape deck. You could even plug in a laptop.

The nerd in me really wants to build a nerdmobile with a small computer, so I can get all 17 days worth of mp3's I have into a hard drive in the car. Get a wireless card, and I could wirelessly throw songs onto the car computer while the car is parked outside. Heh (adjusts pocket protector).

Bruise Lee · Feb 19, 2003

Originally posted by draftaman
You might want to look at an external disk changer. These new changers,10 disk or whatever, play mp3's as well as cd's. Also, some of them are wireless which is very nice not to have wires running everywhere.

Naw, dude, you don't understand. A set-up like the one you mentioned will still need to a have a reciever in the dash. All the units made now are DIN mounts or whatever, not my old dual shaft style. Most places carry one low end cassette player that will fit my old car, if that. I've never seen an MP3 player that will fit an old vehicle like mine. If there is one, I'd love to hear about it!

Bruise

BobHWD · Feb 19, 2003

Get an IROCK!! These are wirelss FM transmitters that need no wires at all. Simply tune to your radio to the special frequency. Works like a champ, and these are not expensive either!

Plug your CD player into the gizmo, tune your car radio to the proper frequency and that's it.

https://www.myirock.com/myirock/custom/img58.jpg

Bruise Lee · Feb 20, 2003

Originally posted by BobHWD
Get an IROCK!! These are wirelss FM transmitters that need no wires at all. Simply tune to your radio to the special frequency. Works like a champ, and these are not expensive either!

Plug your CD player into the gizmo, tune your car radio to the proper frequency and that's it.

https://www.myirock.com/myirock/custom/img58.jpg

I considered a wireless option, but I have a fair amount of experience with microphones, and in my opinion I always try to use a wired mic instead of a wireless one if at all possible. The reason, of course, was superior sound quality, although the wireless Shure microphones we have today are great!

Maybe the FM signal the IROCK and products like it produce is better than the standard wired faux cassette's signal. I've read a few reviews about the conventional car adapters from Sony, Coby, Jensen, and Creative, and basically it sounds like they all perform decently, but far from spectacularly.

Bruise

Crookshanks · Feb 20, 2003

I don't do mp3's, so I can't comment on them. I use an adapter for my Sony discman all the time, and am very pleased with the results.
The first adapter I bought was a Recoton and it didn't work. It would play for about 45 seconds then it would flip, (my deck has auto-reverse) then flip back. After flipping back and forth 8 or 9 times, it would eject.
So I went to Circuit City and bought the cheapest Sony adapter there. I think it was $14.95, but I can't be sure. There were other, more expensive Sony models, and I seem to recall that at least one of the other sony products had the word kit in it.
The one I bought has worked flawlessly for me.
As far as fidelity, I'm no audiophile, but when I'm at home, I normally listen to my discman through Grado SR60's. My untrained ear can't distinguish much loss of fidelity when listening through the adapter.
Hope this helps.

draftaman · Feb 20, 2003

If you have a reciever in the stang right now this one will work I thinkhttp://www.dealtimeshopping.com/car_audio/kenwood_kdc-cmp59fm_cd_changers_players.htm
This one's a little pricey But Im sure there are others that dont hit the wallet so hard.

BobHWD · Feb 20, 2003

Originally posted by Bruise Lee
I considered a wireless option, but I have a fair amount of experience with microphones, and in my opinion I always try to use a wired mic instead of a wireless one if at all possible. The reason, of course, was superior sound quality, although the wireless Shure microphones we have today are great!

Bruise

I am not sure you are aware of this, but a lot of the CD changers that fit in the trunk these days are actually wireless. They work pretty well. Heck I'm typing on a wireless connection. We've gotten a lot better with wireless technology.

Bruise Lee · Feb 21, 2003

Originally posted by BobHWD
I am not sure you are aware of this, but a lot of the CD changers that fit in the trunk these days are actually wireless. They work pretty well. Heck I'm typing on a wireless connection. We've gotten a lot better with wireless technology.

Am I missing something here? I can see how I can fit the CD/MP3 player in my trunk, but isn't there a tuner/control box/whatever that still needs to be mounted in the dashboard where the stock AM radio was? Because, if this is the case, again I'm willing to bet the unit won't fit a '72 Ford. Remember, 8-tracks were state of the art then, 91 octane was low grade, there were no catalytic converters or smog tests, it was a different world! Is there just a tiny wireless remote control you can velcro to your dash now?

Bruise

BobHWD · Feb 21, 2003

Originally posted by Bruise Lee
Am I missing something here? I can see how I can fit the CD/MP3 player in my trunk, but isn't there a tuner/control box/whatever that still needs to be mounted in the dashboard where the stock AM radio was? Because, if this is the case, again I'm willing to bet the unit won't fit a '72 Ford. Remember, 8-tracks were state of the art then, 91 octane was low grade, there were no catalytic converters or smog tests, it was a different world! Is there just a tiny wireless remote control you can velcro to your dash now?

Bruise

Yeah... you use your existing radio, the one that came with the car, providing that it still works. Just like you said, there is a small remote control. You tune your existing radio to the proper frequency, and it picks up the CD cignal. It works great.

draftaman · Feb 21, 2003

Yeah... you use your existing radio, the one that came with the car, providing that it still works. Just like you said, there is a small remote control. You tune your existing radio to the proper frequency, and it picks up the CD cignal. It works great.

Thanks Bob, for some reason I was having a hard time trying to say exactly what you said :footinmou

Skyline · Feb 21, 2003

In your case, I would go for the cassette adapter. You'll get higher quality sound than any wireless solution can possibly provide. Why? Because it's due to the limitations of FM band radio.

Btw, I have the Arkon wireless adapter. It's definitely NOT on par with cassette adapter. It's fun to play with though.

Sid Post · Feb 21, 2003

I have considered one of the these "FM antenna CD jukeboxes" due to the simplicity of the design. Putting it inline with the antenna cable is easy (especially if your antenna is mounted in the trunk

). Then all you have to do is run the wired controller somewhere where you can reach it, tune your existing FM radio the right frequency, and pick up your CDs and MP3s like any other FM radio station.

A simple CD only jukebox setup like this can purchased for $150 where I live (Sony, Kenwood and, a couple other brands). If someone has a link to one of these that accepts MP3s, I'd appreciate a link.

BobHWD · Feb 21, 2003

Originally posted by Skyline
In your case, I would go for the cassette adapter. You'll get higher quality sound than any wireless solution can possibly provide. Why? Because it's due to the limitations of FM band radio.

Btw, I have the Arkon wireless adapter. It's definitely NOT on par with cassette adapter. It's fun to play with though.

Actually, in Bruise's case I would have said he could actually go with the wireless solution, "despite" the limitations of the FM band. He's talking about a 1972 Mustang. I've owned two 1969 Mustangs, and currently own a Corvette. While they are thrill a minute rides, opera houses they are not. Now if I was driving a nice quiet Mercedes or Lexus, I might say you'd really notice a difference, but in the bone jarring environ's of a rumbling muscle-car, the FM wireless solution won't be a problem. In fact, my brother has a Kenwood CD player with wireless connection in his 1991 Corvette.

Bruise Lee · Feb 26, 2003

Originally posted by BobHWD
Actually, in Bruise's case I would have said he could actually go with the wireless solution, "despite" the limitations of the FM band. He's talking about a 1972 Mustang. I've owned two 1969 Mustangs, and currently own a Corvette. While they are thrill a minute rides, opera houses they are not. Now if I was driving a nice quiet Mercedes or Lexus, I might say you'd really notice a difference, but in the bone jarring environ's of a rumbling muscle-car, the FM wireless solution won't be a problem.

I want to thank everyone who responded to my post. Bob is absolutely right, a musclecar is an absolutely horrible sound listening environment. Loud 2 1/2" dual exhausts, non-resistor spark plugs, solid core spark plug wires, an insanely rough high lift camshaft, and the squeaks and rattles that are inherent in any car that is over 30 years old and has over 200,000 miles on it, makes it an audiophile's nightmare.

I think I'm just going to go the cheapo route and buy a $20 or less cassette adapter. It's simple and inexpensive. MP3's don't sound as good as CD's to begin with, but like I said, in my car, who cares?

Bruise