A question looking at getting an '06 and up TSX and I know there is an aux audio jack in the center console. My question is how good is the sound quality. I have used Fm transmitters and there ok but the sound quality is

So
1) is THE SOUND better or just as good as audio quality coming from the cd player
2) are there any other equipment you need (wires, adapters) or u just plug your ipod in and listen too some tunes

Reason Im asking becuase if it sucks I rather just add an aftermarket deck (alpine, pioneer etc) becuase they all have the ability for you to plug in your ipod directly into them.

This is important to me becuase I want ther best sound possible and FM transmitters are kind of lame

 

I find the quality to be okay. I'm not sure how it's going to be better than the CD player; aren't MP3's slightly lower quality to begin with?

I use a 3.5 mm mini plug to connect my Creative Zen. I have to turn the MP3 volume all the way up to get decent sound quality. Downside is that I sometimes plug in headphones, start it up, and get blasted with full volume!

 

Just like BulldogHockey said, I believe MP3's have slightly lower quality than CD's to begin with. I tried the whole FM transmitter route and it sucked pretty badly, so I got a Harman/Kardon Plug+Play and the sound quality is pretty damn good. I think pretty close to CD quality in terms of clarity. If you do decide to go that route, make sure whoever installs it does it through the aux jack and not the fm radio.

 

Depends on how you rip your digital music. On my Ipod, I rip all of my stuff using the proprietary Apple Lossless codec which transfer over music at CD-quality bit rates (but at the cost of large file sizes).

I also use something called a TURBODock adapter (similar to a PocketDock or Sik Ram Din) which plugs into the dock port on the bottom of my Ipod. This utilizes the Ipod's line out port and bypasses the internal amp (which is terrible, btw). IMO, the sound quality when hooked up to the AUX jack is definitely CD-level.

Again, the two keys here are to hook up your DAP via a line out jack (bypass the internal amp) and rip your music using the highest-resolution codecs possible.

Hope that makes sense .

 

some mp3's are lower quality but I have some that ppl rip that are ripped at a really high rate so the quality is really good. Most of my mp3's are good quality and if i can just use the aux jack it would be better than lugging around tons of cd's

 

That makes sense I will make sure they are high quality but from what your telling me I think it willbe ok but i will keep in mind about using the line out port

 

I don't have proof but I perceive that the aux jack lacks some high and low end. CD's in the deck sound more bassy and more present to my ear. If your mp3 player has an EQ you can tweak to make up for it.

 

Are you using a lossless codec to rip your digital music? If not, that's more likely why you're hearing high/low rolloff.

 

From what I have been told, the same problem exists on all portable media devices. The solution is to use the devices "line-out" (i.e. non-amp'd) signal. I use a SendStation Pocket Dock with my iPod and the output is much louder and less distorted compared to using the headphone jack. Something similar may exist for the Creative products.

 

Belkin has a charger that plugs into the line-out on hte bottom of the iPod. There is a 3.5mm jack on the power plug to run a wire from there to the Aux jack. Sounds OK & charges the iPod too.

 

I wish the stereo had a graphic EQ. Reviews called the TSX a geek's car but I don't think they realy know what they're talking about. There's so much potential for customization with such a computer driven car that it's sad things are as dumbed down as they are.

 

The aux input sound quality isn't as good as CD quality but is still really good IMO

but i also download 192-320 kbps quality songs to begin with

 

i have a creative zen vision m and i use that all the time in my car. i never connect the aux cable to the earphone jack since it will twice amplify the sound, and hence lower quality. instead, i use the dongle that it comes with because it has an AV out port, so i just plug the aux cable through that and the quality is the same or better than CDs.

 

I find my "dongle" to be lacking in features. USB connection only for mine. Plus I just like to say dongle.

 

I've heard those and the AUX port is much better. With some of those FM transmitters half the time you're trying to get it with a clear view of your antenna and tuning it in. My dad tried a Belkin w/his Odyssey and it was terrible.
I agree with others here that CDs can sound better, but it's a matter of how you rip. I have primarily 128kbps & 196kbps MP3s, so they are reasonable but not the best. I get decent sound quality if I turn up the headphone jack to at least half volume; dynamic range is worse if I have it lower than that.

I bought a $6 3.5mm male-to-male at Radio Shack and haven't looked back. Use it all the time.

I would hesitate buying a different deck to play MP3s - you may end up with the same result. Ask the question: where is the sound degradation occurring? Is it 1) due to amplification at the headphone jack? 2) due to analog transfer of the audio signal through the AUX wire and to the stereo? Or is it 3) just because the moderate-bit-rate MP3, when converted to analog, already is not as good as a CD? I would bet #3 has the greatest effect, and getting a different deck will have no impact on it.

PS Dongle is a funny word.

 

I don't think the problem is the mp3's themselves because right now I'm playing mp3 sourced mp3s and they sound bassy and bright but an ipod through the aux jack lacks top and bottom and sounds thick in the middle.

 

THAT"S WHAt iI'M TALKING about WHOAITSJON. YOU understand what im saying. my songs well the ones in my mp3 player are all over 192 kps most i have at 320 kps so i alreayd have the qaulity but thanks to THE OTHERS ON HERE that let me know about the line in feature because this will help to get the best out of that jack.

Im thinking what i might do is make a dvd cd so i can have 4 G's worth of music on one disc or some mp3 cd's about 100 songs per disk at good quality. I would have to add an aftermarket deck but so be it if thats what i need to do then I will go that rout . My music is just really improtant to me and sicne i drive alot its best to hear it how it was intednted to sound from the studio

I just want my tunes to

 

Hi folks. I think I may be jumping in a little late on this, but mp3's sound as good as cd's if you want them to. Lossless obviously keeps all of the data, but when it's mentioned that files will be larger, we're talking about ~40 mb files for a 4-5 minute song. I ripped all of my cd's with the 3.97 lame encoder with the "-v 2" setting, and that encoder and setting is the consensus among the likes of forums like hydrogen audio... very good sound quality. I doubt many would be able to tell the difference between those mp3's and cd audio. Consider also that we're talking to an environment that is far from the ideal listening environment, and I don't think you're giving up anything that wouldn't be taken away from you by factors that you cannot control anyway. File sizes tend to be about 6 mb instead of ~40, too.