Plug n Play Aux-in mod for 2005 6cd radios

[GTWag]

Just installed mine! Took me about 2.5 hours, but I did have to open the radio back up and tape up my audio cable connector. The gold at the end of the cable (radio shack gold 1/8" cable) was touching the metal box inside of the radio - which caused a noticable hum. Once I wrapped some electrical tape around it and re-installed, everything sounds great!

 

[EDIT -- I would also like to add that the removal of the grounding screw on the passenger side of the radio on my radio is IMPOSSIBLE. I stripped mine out after much effort and ended up cutting the ground wire and removing the other 3 so I could rotate that bracket enough to get into the radio. I had to re-attach a post mount for the ground wire - which I screwed onto one of the other non-stripped screws.]

 

Anyway - This mod is AWESEOME AWESOME AWESOME! Instructions are detailed with pics, and Jazzy even provides the blank disc to play in your CD player. I am getting a slight ground loop hum from my Belkin power adapter, but only when the volume on the radio is up to like 27 or so, with nothing playing -- I dont think I will notice it when Im driving. If I do, I can just unplug the power adapter.

 

THANKS AGAIN! THIS TOOK CARE OF MY BY FAR #1 (and only real) GRIPE ABOUT MY LEGACY!!!!!!

[morrias]

Do what centerpunch and I did. Folow that link, take apart your belkin dock and hardwire it adn put a ground loop isolator inline with it. I actually soldered the belkin kit to a ground loop isolator I had, and then put a 1/8" jack on the end of it. I wired the power into the accessory plug underneath the center console. My belkin white cord just comes out of a hole inside the center console armrest area. It's great, pure line-out sound with no noise, and when the car is turned off, the iPod pauses automatically. MUCH cleaner sound than the stock belkin plug/amp thing.

[Ken S]

I am getting a sligh ground loop hum from my Belkin power adapter, but only when the volume on the radio is up to like 27 or so -- I dont think I will notice it when Im driving.

 

 

Good Lord! 27! I'm using my iPod with the Belkin auto kit and I rarely go past 15.

 

Ken

[GTWag]

Good Lord! 27! I'm using my iPod with the Belkin auto kit and I rarely go past 15.

 

Ken

 

LOL - I was just testing it with nothing playing to see how quiet the connection was. Yeah, even with my non-amped stock radio, that would be a little loud!

[twowheels00]

I'm using a Pioneer AirWare for XM (its an XM2go), and jazzy's tie in board. My volume levels have to be about double on my car stereo to get the same output in the car compared to a music CD. The line out level on my XM is at max. I'm guessing that because this unit is an XM2go its line out levels are much lower than other XM systems (SkiFi or Roady). When I run my XM through the built in FM transmitter, volume levels are even when compared to a CD.

 

Anyone else out there using an XM2go system (MyFi or AirWare) and seeing the same response? I would like to have the volume levels the same across the board, but I never really turn them up really high anyways.

 

I requred a GLI in the system also, the noise was loud.

[GTWag]

Do what centerpunch and I did. Folow that link, take apart your belkin dock and hardwire it adn put a ground loop isolator inline with it. I actually soldered the belkin kit to a ground loop isolator I had, and then put a 1/8" jack on the end of it. I wired the power into the accessory plug underneath the center console. My belkin white cord just comes out of a hole inside the center console armrest area. It's great, pure line-out sound with no noise, and when the car is turned off, the iPod pauses automatically. MUCH cleaner sound than the stock belkin plug/amp thing.

If I felt a little more annoyed by the sound I would definitely do this. It is not audible unless you crank it way high (with nothing playing).

 

Also, I will agree that the fact that the Belkin pauses the iPod when I turn off my car is one of my favorite things about it! My Monster iCarPlay just left it running - which was ridiculous.

[bemani]

I'm using a Creative Zen Xtra, which has the built in function of shutting down and starting up (and start playing) along with the car. Its excellent as a car player. Portable, not so much.

[morrias]

If Jazzy is using the same mixer circuit design as centerpunch for the aux-in board, then there would be a 6db drop in volume from the input. This is why you have to have the volume cranked up quite a bit on different sources. on average I have to run the audio at about 18 - 20 on the iPod depending on music, sometimes 25 for older 80's tunes that aren't normalized. It can be quite a shock to switch from silent CD to FM if the volume is cranked

[AKLGT]

just ordered mine from Jazzy! can't wait to get it. of course i'll have to wait until they swap out my stereo since it skips.

[rony]

This works really well!!! Thanks all that where involved in making this work, espcially Jazzymt!

 

I have my new Ipod Nano connected through the Berkin Ipod adaptor and it works like a champ!!

[bryanbrazil]

Jazzy is sending me a board to test on my single CD hu. Hopefully it will come tommorrow and I'll get it installed in time for my weekend trip. If it does come tommorrow, I should have photos posted here either Thursday night or after the weekend. Thanks again -- I'm all ready to try the install.

 

For anyone dying to know (including me), I'm sending a board to someone with a 1CD headunit (2.5i) today to test it out & we'll have final word one way or the other Thursday (assuming USPS keeps up with their mail). I've just built up my parts stock again and should have assembled boards in stock for a good while longer.

 

Hope everyone else's week is going well...mine's been busy as hell.

[jazzymt]

If Jazzy is using the same mixer circuit design as centerpunch for the aux-in board, then there would be a 6db drop in volume from the input. This is why you have to have the volume cranked up quite a bit on different sources. on average I have to run the audio at about 18 - 20 on the iPod depending on music, sometimes 25 for older 80's tunes that aren't normalized. It can be quite a shock to switch from silent CD to FM if the volume is cranked

Actually, I'm not running the same circuit. I modified it slightly to maximize the isolation between the CD changer and the aux port and minimize the impedance to the amplifier...so there is only half the resistance to the deck.

 

Also, I think it should be noted that there is a big difference between headphone levels & line level outs. Line levels are essentially the maximum volume you can achieve without distortion to get the strongest audio signal possible & drop your S/N ratio whereas headphone voltage levels are much lower on average because they're generally not meant to be reamplified. Actually, there are similar problems with using LOC's on OEM radios & generally they're calibrated for use with relatively high volumes too.

 

Anyway, if you're using a headphone jack, with *ANY* receiver/amplifier, you're going to have to turn it up louder than normal to hear it properly. I had to crank up the volume on my notebook and mp3 player headphone levels for use with my last stereo which had a aux port right on the front. The line level out on my Roady2 however is much louder and allows me to listen to music at a "talking" level at around 7-9 on the new stereo, "listening" level at around 15 and "rock out" level at around 22-24.

 

Ipod/mp3 users should also be using some kind of a converter/docking mount that provides a line level out to achieve the best sound quality & a much closer match to internal volume/voltage levels (CD/FM) in the headunit. (morrias, I'm not sure why your line out levels seem to be below par, it should be a close match with CD/Radio volume?? Is anyone else experiencing low volume with a line level out?)

 

One last thing to note is that most GLI's are passive transformers and will also add a small amount signal loss to your setup. Unfortunately, it's a necessary evil for several people, but if you're already at headphone voltage levels, it will further emphasise the problem.

[gfxdave99]

Slightly off topic.. Has anybody thought there might be a way to make an "aux-out" out of the headunit?

 

Hmph

[LegacyMUN2k6]

Any word if this will work with the single disc in a 2.5i

[LegacyMUN2k6]

Maybe the dealerships would be interested as a unoffical option.

[jazzymt]

Slightly off topic.. Has anybody thought there might be a way to make an "aux-out" out of the headunit?

 

Hmph

It's possible, but difficult. For one thing, it would be a fixed line level out since the volume is applied at the amplifier. Getting the CD audio would be simple, but the audio for AM/FM is elsewhere on the board & would require soldering...and again...no volume control. So, with some soldering, yes, you could get line level outs for both, but you'd still need separate volume control of your amp. So...I don't think that's quite what you were hoping for eh?

 

bryanbrazil - I can't wait to hear if this works w/1CD units. Good luck!

[highwaydrifter]

damn i think i am going to have to jump on this one.. seems to be the only way to keep fm and be able to have XM with out that annoying ass fm modulation

[liquidiq]

Ordered mine last night.

 

I also ordered one of these for my iPod, should work good, and keep the connector coming out of the cubby "generic" 1/8" so I can use any device.

 

https://www.sendstation.com/us/products/pocketdock/lineout-fw.html

[gfxdave99]

It's possible, but difficult. For one thing, it would be a fixed line level out since the volume is applied at the amplifier. Getting the CD audio would be simple, but the audio for AM/FM is elsewhere on the board & would require soldering...and again...no volume control. So, with some soldering, yes, you could get line level outs for both, but you'd still need separate volume control of your amp. So...I don't think that's quite what you were hoping for eh?

 

 

Yeah, just gives me more motovation to get my jdm climate control unit to work

[bryanbrazil]

I'm trying to take the head unit out of my 2005 2.5i Legacy Outback with single CD and manual HVAC controls. There's a blue cable running to the manual temperature control that I can't seem to remove from the head unit. Any ideas?

[bryanbrazil]

I had to take off the side brackets and remove the HVAC unit from the bottom of the head unit to remove it.

 

I'm trying to take the head unit out of my 2005 2.5i Legacy Outback with single CD and manual HVAC controls. There's a blue cable running to the manual temperature control that I can't seem to remove from the head unit. Any ideas?

[bryanbrazil]

Ok, I plugged the white harness into the head unit and turned the key. The radio get's power, but the CD player doesn't work. The drive won't pull a CD in. It does however flash "CD In" whenever I start to stick in a CD. Does anyone know why the CD wouldn't be powered?

[bryanbrazil]

Ok, I tried the ribbon both ways, with same result -- CD isn't powered. Here's a photo of the single CD unit. Any ideas?

 

http://www.bryanbrazil.com/legacy.jpg

[jazzymt]

What's the radio portion look like? It's the same type of cable (14pin flat) ...damn...there's got to be a way... You've already tried most everything I can think of though. My only suggestion would have been to try the cable in the other direction...

 

Are you sure you're keeping the orientation in the same direction as how the cd normally plugs into the radio? Have you plugged it back in w/o the board to verify everything's still copasetic?

[bryanbrazil]

Here's a photo of the radio with the cd player on top...I don't have a photo of only the radio. I'll try it one more time in the morning, but that will probably be it.

 

http://www.bryanbrazil.com/legacy2.jpg

 

What's the radio portion look like? It's the same type of cable (14pin flat) ...damn...there's got to be a way... You've already tried most everything I can think of though. My only suggestion would have been to try the cable in the other direction...

 

Are you sure you're keeping the orientation in the same direction as how the cd normally plugs into the radio? Have you plugged it back in w/o the board to verify everything's still copasetic?