Both cars that I use have a tape player and CD changers. For a long time, because we could play CDs in the cars, we didn't need any kind of adapter. However, now in the age of iPods and other MP3 players, adapters have come back with a vengeance. There is no lack of options out there for adapters. With all the different types of music players available, I wanted an adapter that would not only work with my current iPod, but any future versions that I might buy, not to mention friends and family who might be carrying a completely different model.
So, in the interest of simplicity, I decided to go "old school" and try the Cassette Adapter first. The main reason was because it will work with any MP3 player (unless of course it doesn't have a headphone jack and that's just crazy talk).
I also didn't want to spend much because I figured there couldn't be much difference between one that costs $10 and another that is twice as much or more. And if the cheaper one really was garbage, I wouldn't be out much.
I have to say that I am very happy with this product. It works just as I expected. Because it is using a tape head, you can expect some hiss on different tape players. The way to avoid that is to turn down the car stereo volume a bit and use the volume on the MP3 player instead. It might take a bit of fiddling to find the right combination but it wasn't hard to figure out. Now I have no problems with tape hiss and it sounds great. Of course, I have an average stereo system in the cars. Someone who has upgraded to bigger and better speakers/amp/etc. might notice more hiss but I sure don't.
The only downside with this or any other cassette adapter is you are limited to using it in cars that still have a cassette player. But that has nothing to do with how much you paid or the quality of the adapter. Cassette Adapter
I didn't know what to think about this inexpensive device that plays your IPod thru your car radio. Once I put it to use, I was highly satisfied the way it performed and what it accomplished for such a meager price. Like an American Express card, I won't leave home without it!
I drive a Ford Escort. I'm not entirely sure what year it is, but I know it's from the late '90s. I bought this product because of the reviews that said it works fine with cars that have the auto-reverse feature. This is not the case for me, though this does work better than the Sony adapter I had that would stay on side one for a maximum of ten seconds before switching to side two and staying there. With this adapter, it's kind of a crap shoot. Sometimes it will reverse several times during one song and sometimes it will reverse once every few songs. On the plus side, this one at least switches back to side one on its own. So it's not intolerable, but it's annoying.
Okay, okay, I finally broke down and bought a MP3 player and I was shocked. This thing produced amazing music. I started thinking that it would be great to use it in the car but, alas, I only have a 2001 Civic LX with a factory stereo. (Although I have installed Polk speakers all around.) I happened to notice this CHEAP gadget on Amason.com and figured I'd give it a try. Imagine my amazement when I found that THIS CHEAP LITTLE GADGET WORKS! As a matter of fact, it works great. It produces music much, much better than I thought it ever would. I read several reviews that said that they had a slight problem with hiss (sounding like tape hiss) but I could never get it to hiss at any volume level. I did't have any problem with the auto reverse like some other products seem to have. I can't find anything wrong with this. Give it a try - you'll like it. How can you go wrong for the price?
It does what it advertises, lets you play your MP3 player (or iPod) over the car stereo via the cassette player. Compared to the issues I've heard about FM transmitter devices intended to let you use your MP3 player in the car, this device has no issue with interference or needing to switch among frequencies as you drive. I had read on Amazon that users of other cassette adapters experienced problems with autoreverse tape players, but this device works with no problem on the autoreverse player in my Subaru. The audio quality is good--as good anyway as FM radio and certainly adequate considering the background noise level in a moving car. I have found that turning off the Dolby noise reduction on the tape player significantly improves the audio--otherwise it sounds muddy with too much base and no high range. It does make a low whirring noise that is audible when the car is stopped or on a very quiet stretch of road, but generally is not a problem. I'm happy and wish I had bought this or a similar unit a long time ago. I've only had it a few weeks, so can't report on reliability.
Switches sides. Manipulating the wheels and cartridge doesn't help. Begging or smashing it against the car doesn't either. This is one case when paying a few Xtra bucks will save frustration. Get a reputable brand. - Mp3 Cassette Adapter - Cassette - Mp3 Accessories - Ipod'
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