All of the Ways to Connect Audio Devices to Your Car - AllCarIndex
Most car owners treat their vehicles almost like their babies. They always look for the newest tech and gadgets to give them only the best that modern technology has to offer. If you spend a lot of your time in your car, then you're probably looking for ways to entertain yourself during the many hours you spend driving around. Most people enjoy listening to music while others like to make use of that time to listen to useful audiobooks or seminars. Whether you're looking to cruise around while blasting your favorite music or listening to that long-awaited audiobook, here are all the ways you can connect your audio device to your car to make it happen.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is the most convenient way to connect audio devices to your car without the hassle of cords. If you have a recent car model, they usually come with their own built-in Bluetooth. In that case, you'll only need to link the device to it like you pair with any other device. This way will allow you to see what's playing as well as other information on the display and some cars allow you to control the music from it. It also supports hands-free calling, unlike auxiliary cables. If you don't have built-in Bluetooth, you can purchase a Bluetooth car kit that is very easy to use.
USB Input
If you have a modern car model, you'll find that using its USB input is a great way to stream music while driving. The best thing is that they can also be used to charge your phone without needing a power outlet. You can plug your audio device into the input or even a flash drive that has your favorite music or audiobooks. That's not all, this method also allows you to make hands-free calls if you have your phone plugged in! It's also the method that produces the closest sound to the original file you're playing since USB connections send unprocessed data to the car's system. The most important thing for this method to work is that you have an alternative cable that always stays in the car.
Auxiliary Cable
This is the most popular and reliable way to play music in your car if it has an auxiliary port. Different makes and models require different auxiliary jack sizes, but most of them come with a 3.5mm auxiliary jack. A speaker wire or auxiliary jack allows you to connect your phone or any audio device using a cable if your device also has a stereo jack. You'll usually find the car's jack either built into the stereo unit or under it. While this method doesn't allow you to control the device using the car's stereo, it provides better sound quality than most other methods.
FM Radio Transmitter
This one is the go-to for most people for how easy and reliable it is. Using an FM Radio transmitter to stream music is especially ideal for older cars without aux, USB, or Bluetooth. Can you imagine that you can use a cigarette lighter or power socket and an FM radio to connect your audio device? All you need to do is plug a transmitter into the power socket or cigarette lighter and link your audio device to it using its Bluetooth or plug it into the headphone jack. Then you search for a non-used station and the music from the device using the car's stereo.
Cassette Adapter
This is another great way to connect audio devices to older car models that come with a cassette slot. The adapters are shaped like a cassette to be able to fit into the slot with a cable on the outside. Now you can use that cable to plug into your audio device or you can opt for connecting with Bluetooth. The cassette adapter will then serve as a wireless connection that you can link your phone to on the condition the adapter has a battery inside. The downside of this method is that the sound quality isn't always the best and it doesn't quite work with all phones and audio devices.
So there you have it! These are all the ways you can connect an audio device to your car to listen to pretty much anything you want while driving. At least one of these methods is bound to work with the type of car and device you have. If you find that more than one of these options works for you, start trying each one and comparing sound quality to determine which method gives you the best listening experience. Keep in mind that the quality of your car's or device's speaker will affect the overall quality and clarity of the audio output.