Four Ways to Play your MP3 through your Car Stereo
If you’re like many of us, you’ve invested a lot of time and money in creating a great collection of songs on your MP3 player, and you want to be able to enjoy them wherever you are. Sure it’s great to hear your music when you’re walking, riding a bike, or out jogging, but what about when you’re in your car? Listening to music while traveling seems to be a natural combination, but how can you listen to your songs using your car stereo? Here are some options:
AUX input on stereo itself
If you’re lucky enough to have a relatively new car, your stereo probably has an AUX input on its face. All you need to do is connect a 1/8″ (5mm) stereo cable from the headphone jack on your MP3 to the AUX input jack on your stereo. Select AUX as your input on the stereo itself and you’re in business. The cables only cost about $5 and are available almost anywhere electronics are sold.
The only downside to this set up is you need to be sure your MP3 is well charged and have your charger close by as your stereo won’t charge your MP3 while it’s playing.
Don’t have a new car with an AUX input? You’ve still got some options.
Cassette adapter
This is probably the most cost-effective option you can find. A cassette adapter looks like an old cassette tape except it has a small 1/8″ inch wire coming out of it that you plug into the headphone jack of your MP3 player. Simply insert the cassette adapter into your car’s cassette player and your digital music will be played through your stereo.
The obvious problem with this solution is that not many cars have cassette players in them any more.
Wireless transmitter (FM transmitter)
This tiny transmitter device plugs directly into the headphone output of your MP3 then transmits the music as FM radio waves that can be picked up by your car stereo. You set the transmitter to a particular FM frequency (station) that isn’t being used by a radio station then tune your stereo to the same station and you can listen to your songs through the stereo.
Unfortunately this option has a couple of issues associated with it. Both the transmitter and MP3 are being powered by the MP3 so it will quickly run out of battery power (although some newer transmitters do include a charger option that can actually charge both your MP3 and the transmitter.) Also if you’re travelling any distance, a radio station along your route could use the FM frequency you have selected, so you may need to adjust the tuning on your transmitter and radio.
Direct connection
A wired adapter that connects directly to your car stereo provides the best possible sound quality. Just as the name implies the adapter is wired right into your car stereo (usually on the back of the unit), and a 1/8″wire is run out front to a convenient location. You simply plug the wire into your MP3, and it plays directly through the stereo unit with the added advantages that you can often control your MP3 (volume, song selection) through your stereo and the adapters will often charge your MP3 while it plays.
The disadvantage is these wired adapters usually require professional installation.
If you need to find a user manual or get product support for your MP3 player or your car stereo system, visit the OwnerIQ Library.
9 Responses to “Four Ways to Play your MP3 through your Car Stereo”
As a Ford owner, the stereo has controls for CD changer that would be located in the trunk. There is a device that plugs in the CD Changer connections that has RCA spreaker inputs. A $5 cable that is RCA to 1/8″ plug is then run from the trunk to the cabin. Viola! Your MP3 device is connected to the via the earphone. The conversion device is fairly inexpensive and took me about 15 minutes to install with no tools required. It took longer to route the cable to a convenient spot in the cabin. Check e-bay and Amazon for the conversion devices. Good Luck!
By Bookman on Feb 24, 2009
My newest car stereo unit, a Dual, has a USB port built right into the front, so you can plug in your flash drive or your MP3 player if it has a USB connection or a USB cable. The sound quality is very good this way, also, the USB will provide power for your device, so no need to be concerned about the battery going dead in the middle of \Stairway to Heaven\ or \the 1812 Overture\!
By Mike on Mar 1, 2009
Very nice blog! This guide helped me tons
really appreciate it. thank you.
By Mp3 Player Music on Apr 11, 2009
Stick with wired, USB, or FM. Cassette is too finnicky and the sound is poor.
Personally I use a Blaupunct DAB / CD unit in the car, but never play CDs now. I’m lucky and have Aux and SD card slot. I just rip all my CDs to a network drive (PC would do most folk) and as all my music is in MP3 (plus some flac and DTS) copy to mem card OR an mp3 player as required. SD is great as I control it from the head unit, like a CD, but you get a lot of albums on a 3gB card.
Cassettes are dead; CDs too (for car use anyway; personally speaking). So look for USB slot; SD slot, and Roll on the digital revolution ! I Hope this helps.
By John on May 10, 2009
Please be Careful with the FM TRANSMITTERS> I bought an IRIVER FM Transmitter for my car, and because the 12V outlet is situated underneath my car stereo, the signal was powerful enough to fry the radio circuits of the Stereo. The CD and the cassette work just fine, but I can no longer receive any radio, FM or AM because of this. If you are going to use the FM transmitter, locate it as far from the stereo unit as possible. And GO big or go home. I thought I was getting a good deal on the IRIVER. I should have spent the extra to get a higher quality brand. Don’t get “burned” like I did.
Ken
By Ken on Jun 3, 2009
Roadmaster USA makes a really good car stereo fm transmitter. They even have one that will take a USB thumbdrive and play your files off of it.
By Troy on Jun 3, 2009
My car stereo has a USB port. I wonder if I can play the mp3´s stored in my cellphone connecting to the USB port from the headphone output on the cellphone, provided I find a cable or a connector (3.5mm male into USB).
I know there are easier way to listen to MP3´s, I just wonder if it can be done this way?
Any thoughts on this?
Gaby
By Gaby on Jun 16, 2009
i need an audio sound for my pc
By karekezi on Jun 21, 2009
Georges response regarding a 12vdc FM transmitter frying his radios receuiver is just assanine. FM transmitters fall under FCC guidelines for sale in the us and are limited to a maximum of .50 mIlliwatts of output, in comon terms that is .005 of 1 watt. That is nowhere near enough frequency modulated RF output to fry anything.
By george on Jun 21, 2009