Playing MP3s in my car - options?

[Stupidlikeafox]

My A3 was fitted with a cassette player for some reason, not a CD player. Looking at the original purchase receipt it appears it was a base spec car which an old person has fitted a load of options too - heated seats, climate control etc and a load of other stuff I wouldn't have picked over a flippin' CD player. But they were old, and probably didn't own CDs, so they are forgiven.

Anyway, I digress. What I would like you lovely people to help me with is finding a way to play my MP3s through the car stereo. I must stress I do not want to replace the actual stereo with an after market one, I just can't stand the way they look, all shiny and bling. I've also ruled out those tape adapter things which you attach to your player, as they look ste and the quality isn't at all good.

This, by my reckoning leaves me with two options. One of those wireless transmitter things, which you match to a spare frequency on the radio, and attach to your player. Or, and I know literally nothing about this, finding some way to get a 3.5mm jack or something fitted to the existing stereo. Having searcvhed (badly) for threads on this it appears the transmitter things are also a bit crappy, leaving the other option.

The only things I know about this method is the wire would have to go through the glovebox or something? And that's it. I'm hoping you wise sages can help with finding a way to get my player connected to the stereo!

I've attached a pic of the stereo, and also the glovebox (which much like a rather lovely young lady in one of my classes at Uni, seems un-penetrable).






Cheers ears.

[Godzuki]

Well, I don't know about your particular audi, but you could get connectors that would enable ipod use through the stereo, using the steering wheel controls.

[devnull]

Well, first of all, I am no expert in this, but I'd look at things in this order:

• Existing stereo, you can probably find an 'ipod adapter' for it, which fakes a CD changer. If you don't want to use an iPod, then you can usualy find the same adapters which have a 3.5mm jack instead of a ipod connector.
• Rip and replace existing stereo for a secondhand audi stereo which supports an ipod already

Personally speaking the radio interfaces sound gash in my experience.

Also with regard to the glovebox, it should be very easy to remove the glovebox liner, carefully drill a hole and add the aux lead in there. Have done it on my Merc and my old vectra neatly with zero issues.

[Superhoop]

Have you tried sourcing a second hand Standard Audi CD player? Breakers/eBay should turn one up I would have thought

[weezb]

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5...


+

[va1o]

Forget using FM transmitters and cassete tape adaptors, the quality is rubbish!

You should easily enough be able to retro-fit some sort of AUX input to that stereo, its usually been possible with all VAG cars built in the past 10 years.

Something like this would probably do the trick - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&am...

[Baryonyx]

I had one of those transmitter things, it was a bit of a faff to use but quite adequate in terms of sound quality. However, I used to knock it with my hand sometimes when I was changing gear in my Focus, which was a pain and there wouldn't be room for one in my MX5!

[Stupidlikeafox]

Thanks for all your replies so far chaps.

Godzuki - This was the route I was thinking (just have no clue about!) but I have no steering wheel controls for the stereo.

Devnull - any idea on where I could get such an adapter, and a guide to fit it?

Superhoop - Audi CD players go for £100+ used on the 'bay, and won't play MP3s.

Weezb - Just no!

Va1o - that is what I was thinking of! Is it hard to fit?

[MrC986]

I had a similar head unit in an 2003 S4 & I think I had a Dension 'gadget' fitted though all it will allow you to do is move back/forth through the playlist you have selected on your MP3.

As an alternative, you might want to consider a topend Parrot system that provides bluetooth, MP3/Ipod & USB though it would mean that you had a little screen somewhere on the dash & also a small controller - I had one in a V40 & the system is really good and has all the user features of the Ipod unlike some of the 'boxes' you can buy & the bluetooth also had voice recognition for your phone (assuming it is fully compatible?).

[swamp]

I had exactly the same dilemma with and A3 with its Chorus tape player. I went for a (non MP3) CD Changer in the boot from these people: http://www.addacdchanger.co.uk/

The lead should already be in the boot, and I with some black electrical tape it was 'mounted' in the boot quite well. Unfortunately you the CD changers that support MP3s aren't compatible with the Chorus stereo in early A3s. Later Audis are okay, but even then by account the interface was rubbish, with 100's of songs in a top-level folder.

The big problem though is all those Chorus stereos have a known hardware fault which means the volume eventually starts jumping of its own accord to full volume (too many writes to the flash RAM -- see Google). Really annoying and it's a £90 fix on eBay So my advice would be to rip it out and get a standard DIN MP3/hard disk stereo with fascia adapters.

[va1o]

Stupidlikeafox said:

Va1o - that is what I was thinking of! Is it hard to fit?

Installed one in a Polo and it wasn't too difficult. You'll probably want to get hold of some radio removal tools and find out how to remove the glovebox.

I'm not 100% sure if the one in the link would work, its just the first that came up on an eBay search, your probably best of asking on a dedicated Audi forum which exact adaptor you would need.

[Stupidlikeafox]

Cheers for the further responses guys.

I've now decided that cutting a hole in the glovebox for an aux input adapter is the way forward, and I'm fairly sure this should work:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AUDI-A2-A3-A4-Aux-Input-Adap...

I'm off to ask in the Audi forum on PH, and on a general Audi forum (AudiSport.net any good?) on how to fit it.

Hope this goes well, I'm about as practical as Clarkson (even if he is putting it on, I'm not)!

[va1o]

Try asking here - http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.ph...

[monthefish]

Stupidlikeafox said:

One of those wireless transmitter things, which you match to a spare frequency on the radio, and attach to your player.

These are very good actually.
The only downside is battery life, but I've recently got some 'Duracell rechargeables' and it is no longer an issue.

I think they are only about £6, so its worth trying one of these and seeing how you get on with it, before committing to more serious money and hacking up your glovebox.

[NiceCupOfTea]

What you have to remember is that the quality of the standard HU (especially an old tape one) will be awful. I doubt you would be hampered by the sound quality of a FM transmitter or tape adaptor.

Personally, I would junk the HU and fit one of these:

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/alpine-idax305s-bl...

If that's too pricey there's plenty of £100-150 HUs that have aux ins and aren't blingy

[addey]

I've got one of these (or possibly a slightly older version)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Griffin-Ga22042-Transmitte...

which I used in my old car when the CD autochanger broke. I found the sound quality absolutely fine with nothing in the way of interference or distortion. They also work really well having the controls on the cigarette adaptor part, so you don't have to faff about with the ipod itself. My current car has a Parrot unit so the iTrip is surplus to requirements if you want it? (for a few beer tokens of course )

[monthefish]

I would recommend one of these at £8.

[andy-xr]

Re the headunit - cant you rip it out, grab a mounting plate from Halfords or somewhere and put the headunit of your choice in there that has a dock connector or AUX out on it? Thats what I did with mine, albeit a Ford.

Takes a bit of time and patience, and I had to drill through the outer plastic to be able to push the lead through but got there in the end.

Re the young lady, last line of above

[balls-out]

monthefish said:

I would recommend one of these at £8.

Maybe, but the 3 people who reviewed it all gave it the thumbs down

[monthefish]

balls-out said:

monthefish said:

I would recommend one of these at £8.

Maybe, but the 3 people who reviewed it all gave it the thumbs down

First review, first line "In my car, this worked well with an IPod."


The rest of the reviews seem to be based on interferance, something that I have not had any problems with. Seems harsh to blame the product for this, if it is dependant on the geography of the user.