# Connecting an MP3 player to car's speakers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 25, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-an-mp3-player-to-cars-speakers/296136 "2005-03-25T02:46:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-an-mp3-player-to-cars-speakers/296136/1 "2005-03-25T02:46:49Z")
I really like my new MP3 player (Zen Nomad 30Gb). I bought a little FM transmitter for it so I can use it in the car. It has a short range of frequencies (88 - 89.5 Mhz). Unfortunately, there’s so many stations in town that are in that range, I get a lot of interference and the player sounds like crap. Rather than find a more powerful transmitter or one with more range, I’d like to be able to wire the player directly to the speakers in conjunction with the radio. I can get a mounting bracket for the player, so I’d like something that doesn’t look like I just slapped it together. What would be the best way to do this? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-an-mp3-player-to-cars-speakers/296136/2 "2005-03-25T02:51:20Z")
Does your car’s stereo have a tape deck? [Get one of these.](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=73835&item=5763022522&rd=1) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-an-mp3-player-to-cars-speakers/296136/3 "2005-03-25T02:56:15Z")
It’s a CD receiver and it doesn’t have an AUX jack, either. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-an-mp3-player-to-cars-speakers/296136/4 "2005-03-25T02:56:58Z")
I just started using one of those tape adapters with my Zen, and it sounds like hell. It does sound somewhat better if you turn off “Dolby”, but still not good. I was going to buy the FM transmitter, so I’m glad I read the OP. Not sure if there are any other alternatives. ---
**Author:** ![tofergregg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tofergregg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofergregg)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-an-mp3-player-to-cars-speakers/296136/5 "2005-03-25T02:59:00Z")
I think you should get a better FM transmitter. I have a $20 one from BestBuy that has the entire FM radio range. It is decent, although I do admittedly use my tape-deck adapter more frequently. -Tofer p.s. Inline-dash hacks abound on the internet, and you might find one that you’re willing to do. If you have a high-end stereo, there may be a jack under the dash for your player and you just need a cheap cable to connect it. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-an-mp3-player-to-cars-speakers/296136/6 "2005-03-25T04:29:24Z")
Depending on the radio, you can buy adapters that plug into the wiring harness in the back and give you an AUX IN jack. Basically, you need a ‘CD Changer Ready’ CD player. It will have a plug in the back for the CD changer, and you can find adapters to plug into it. ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-an-mp3-player-to-cars-speakers/296136/7 "2005-03-25T05:33:01Z")
If you don’t have a Aux In or tape deck, you can get a FM modulator (try searching on [froogle.com](http://froogle.com)). It puts the signal through your wired FM antenna input so it will sound better than an FM wireless trasmitter, but I don’t if that is better than a cassette adapter. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-an-mp3-player-to-cars-speakers/296136/8 "2005-03-25T05:38:10Z")
I also have, and use, the Tunecast II wireless transmitter, which allows me to go over a nice large range, any FM frequency I want. I think that around the DC beltway, I keep it on 93.5, and that works well. I’ve borrowed a friend’s Tunecast where you just get the four lowest frequencies, and it’s crap in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/connecting-an-mp3-player-to-cars-speakers/296136/9 "2005-03-25T22:40:05Z")
I want to do this too. There is a place called [phatnoise.com](http://phatnoise.com) that has trunk-mounted digital media players, but they are only compatible with certain cars and my car is not on the list. I went to a message board that is devoted to my car, and there is a hack to add an aux jack to my existing stereo that involves soldering and would void my warranty. GRRR!