Ipod/Iphone in z3

Tom. · Post by **Tom.** » Wed 30 Mar, 2011 17:37

Whats the best way (if any) for connecting your iphone to you car to play music. I only have a cassette player so i decided to get one of those cassette adapt ors which goes into the cassette opening with a wire to the iphone but the quality is really poor. Do i have any other options or do i need an after market head unit?

Richardenigma · Post by **Richardenigma** » Wed 30 Mar, 2011 17:59

Other than doing major 'audio surgery' I'd recommend an FM transmitter that connects to your iPhone...I have a Belkin product which works fine...there are many products that do this but I particularly like the Belkin one as it has a built in 'stand' for the iPhone to 'sit in'...

GazHyde · Post by **GazHyde** » Wed 30 Mar, 2011 19:28

I've just fitted a Sony head unit which has Bluetooth and a front USB socket.

I found the Bluetooth streaming to be problematic when my iPhone was being used for sat nav as well as music. Bought a cheap USB lead, and it's very impressive.

The difference in sound quality just in changing the head unit was huge. The head unit also allows you to search easily through the albums, artists, playlists etc without touching the phone.

Fitting was really easy using an ISO connector. Took about 45 minutes.

Gets my vote...

Jonttt · Post by **Jonttt** » Wed 30 Mar, 2011 19:29

The best product I've seen on any car is a Becker headunit with iPod adaptor. It gives full ipod control from the unit with OEM looks. They are usually fitted to high end supercars (porsches and ferraris) but they are expensive (c£500).

There ae cheaper head units that have ipod inputs or you can go the FM transmitter route as mentioned above (but these are inherently lower quality and you cannot control the ipod from the headunit)

TitanTim · Post by **TitanTim** » Wed 30 Mar, 2011 19:29

If it were me I would just get a new headunit thats ipod compatible, theyre not that expensive these days and you can just plug the ipod straight into the front of the headunit, or have an ipod connection taken through to the glovebox. I did mine last weekend as my old Sony Unit wouldn't take and ipod, never fitted a ICE headunit before was a doddle, here's my thread.

http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30038

Would echo what jonttt says, I have just fitted a Becker which cost me £600 plus £80 for the ipod connection kit, yepp eyewateringly expensive but also has an integrated satnav, the Becker was secondhand and would have retailed around the £1200 mark, all I can say is, they are fab units, look OEM and have everything you will ever need without all the flashing lights. If I ever change the Zed for another I can just transfer the Becker over so money well spent.

Tim.

XVar · Post by **XVar** » Mon 04 Apr, 2011 08:46

Only just bought my Z3 but I'm planning on having the same setup as in my old car. I've got an Alpine headunit (can't remember the model) which has a 3.5mm in and a 1 meter extension. For holding the iPhone I've got a Brodit dock from http://www.dsldevelopments.com/ They're a bit pricey for the ones with the pass through connector (£50 ish) but you'll be able to transfer it to most cars should you wish to in the future as the bracket is sold separately from the dock itself.

Personally I can't stand using the iPod connectivity on head units as browsing through 6000 mp3s with a dial is painful.

TaffZee · Post by **TaffZee** » Mon 04 Apr, 2011 09:15

XVar wrote:Only just bought my Z3 but I'm planning on having the same setup as in my old car. I've got an Alpine headunit (can't remember the model) which has a 3.5mm in and a 1 meter extension. For holding the iPhone I've got a Brodit dock from http://www.dsldevelopments.com/ They're a bit pricey for the ones with the pass through connector (£50 ish) but you'll be able to transfer it to most cars should you wish to in the future as the bracket is sold separately from the dock itself.

Personally I can't stand using the iPod connectivity on head units as browsing through 6000 mp3s with a dial is painful.

Gotta agree with XVar, what a pain trying to find tracks, I load my discs with around 150 tracks (MP3), a lot easier getting the music you want. Even when you split the tracks into folders on your I Pod.

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Mon 04 Apr, 2011 10:46

I recently installed the Kenwood KDC-BT60U headunit.

It's a fine piece of kit with the Parrot bluetooth module built-in so making/receiving calls is easy and of good quality.

Bluetooth streaming works great as well. I haven't had any drop outs as such but I mainly use the iPod as my main source so not an exhaustive test. I have my old ipod permanently attached via the glovebox.

I agree with the previous post - scrolling through a large number of mp3s is a real pain so I have created several playlists to get around that problem.

One wee query of my own - does anyone know of a cable that has the rectangular BMW cd multi-changer at one end and the normal round din connection at the other?

Cheers

Jake

TitanTim · Post by **TitanTim** » Mon 04 Apr, 2011 11:51

XVar wrote:Only just bought my Z3 but I'm planning on having the same setup as in my old car. I've got an Alpine headunit (can't remember the model) which has a 3.5mm in and a 1 meter extension. For holding the iPhone I've got a Brodit dock from http://www.dsldevelopments.com/ They're a bit pricey for the ones with the pass through connector (£50 ish) but you'll be able to transfer it to most cars should you wish to in the future as the bracket is sold separately from the dock itself.

Personally I can't stand using the iPod connectivity on head units as browsing through 6000 mp3s with a dial is painful.

6000 mp3s

when on earth would you ever play that lot

Tim.

TaffZee · Post by **TaffZee** » Mon 04 Apr, 2011 11:57

TitanTim wrote:
XVar wrote:Only just bought my Z3 but I'm planning on having the same setup as in my old car. I've got an Alpine headunit (can't remember the model) which has a 3.5mm in and a 1 meter extension. For holding the iPhone I've got a Brodit dock from http://www.dsldevelopments.com/ They're a bit pricey for the ones with the pass through connector (£50 ish) but you'll be able to transfer it to most cars should you wish to in the future as the bracket is sold separately from the dock itself.

Personally I can't stand using the iPod connectivity on head units as browsing through 6000 mp3s with a dial is painful.
6000 mp3s when on earth would you ever play that lot

Tim.

While on a roadtrip to Spain

XVar · Post by **XVar** » Mon 04 Apr, 2011 12:03

TitanTim wrote: 6000 mp3s when on earth would you ever play that lot

Tim.

It's my accumulated downloads of the past 12 years, 450 odd albums. It's nice to have the option to listen to pretty much anything

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Mon 04 Apr, 2011 12:08

If you dont want to spend the earth then id recomend this sony cd player...

Sony CDX-GT540UI CD Radio with iPod Connection
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165474

Its a cracker of a headunit with dedicated ipod/iphone conection that allows you to select the songs from the headunit or your ipod/iphone itself.. and the best bit is it recharges while it plays too!! no need for phone chargers..

I used to sell headunits 10+ years ago and back then Nakamichi headunits were the best money could buy with there 24bit DAC converters. (most being 1bit DAC converters, even still today...)
these new sony units also have the 24bit DACs now and the sound quality is far superior than most 1bit dac units...

And the added bonus of now being under £100 is just fantastic....

Z3cade · Post by **Z3cade** » Mon 04 Apr, 2011 12:19

GazHyde wrote:I've just fitted a Sony head unit

The difference in sound quality just in changing the head unit was huge.

Another example of these new 24bit Dac (Digital-to-analog converter)
Sony units...... The sound differents is huge.....

Tom. · Post by **Tom.** » Mon 04 Apr, 2011 16:27

Cheers for the replies, looks like i am definately in need of a new headunit then with ipod connectivity.

jontymo · Post by **jontymo** » Mon 04 Apr, 2011 20:43

Tom. wrote:Cheers for the replies, looks like i am definately in need of a new headunit then with ipod connectivity.

Thats the way to go, i got a nearly new alpine hu from a guy on ebay, £90 just had to buy a new cage and iso lead, took 10 minutes to fit, ran the ipod lead from the back of the hu into the glovebox - job done and the sound is miles better the the standard hu.

Devon Z · Post by **Devon Z** » Mon 04 Apr, 2011 21:16

Have you seen the Sony DSX-S range of headunits?, they have no CD players in them but a tray which you put your ipod/mp3 into and close the facia so your ipod is inside the headunit

I like the sound of that plus I like Sony's rotory remote control which I have fitted to my steering colume under the indicator stork.