Good evening to all of you MINI maniacs,

I have a situation that I can't seem to figure out using the search feature on this excellent forum. Hopefully one of you with wisdom can point me in the right direction. Today I went to Best Buy to have XM or Serious radio installed on my 2005 MCs, with the upgraded Harmon Kardon sound system. The sales assistant sold me the Serious box/reciever that I needed, and mentioned that I would need an additional connector (which they didn't have in stock) to hook me up. He then sent me to Circut City to get the connector. I spoke to the installer at Circut City, and left disappointed. He said because there is no auxillary plug on the Harmon Kardon radio, that he would have to wire the Serious box to my FM antenna. The downstroke of this being that the sound would only be about 80% as good as a CD. I immediately cancelled the install, and wanted to confirm this with you audiofiles. Is there an auxilary plug somewhere that I'm missing? Would wireing the unit into the FM part of the radio make the system sound inferior to a CD? The installer suggested that I change out the radio, but I just don't want to do that, as it sounds and looks so good. Best advice will recieve a canned ham, and a bear hug from either me or my 310lb housekeeper.


Best,

Mark

 

OOPS!!

I think I might have posted this on the wrong forum, since my MINI is a 2005! So sorry! Can the moderator move it to the correct forum? or should I repost?

Best,

Mark.

 

One solution would be to get the AUX input connector to your HK radio. You should be able to get this from the dealer for around $40. Installation is not too hard. Probably could get the Sirus installation guys to do that part for you.. Then the quality will be as good as listening to headphones..

This AUX input cable allows you to plug in a male 1/8" stereo plug.

Hope that helps,
BBCooper

 

So long as your MINI was BUILT in 2003 or later, it can have the AUX input cable fitted to it; Circuit City are correct that you may not have an AUX as standard (it was fitted as standard sometime in late '06) but as BBCooper said, the cable is inexpensive and easy to fit. I use it on my '05 Convertible which also has the H/K upgrade, and Sirius sounds fine through it.

 

BBC,

Thanks for your quick reply. So I am able to get an auxillary input cable from the dealer? Would this plug into the back of my radio? I'm a little retarded when it comes to audio equipment...so any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks again,

Mark.

 

Ian,

Many thanks for your imput. I'll run over to the dealer (Braman) monday morn to see what I can get.


All the best,

Mark