hmmm i've noticed that you can also use ipod interface installation as well as the auxiliary port.... the latter seemed cheaper...does that compromise any sound quality? i'd rather install the auxiliary port to play the new iphone 3G? any suggestions?

 

MINIs don't get digital access to music on the iPod, regardless of the connection, so theoretically audio quality should be the same since the car is getting the same line-out audio either way.

I don't have first hand experience with it though, so you'll probably want to hear from someone that's tried both.

 

when u mean no digital access....does it mean it will get equivalent sound as listening to cd on the HK system? thanks

 

I'm probably the wrong person to comment on the HK system in the 1st generation cars- I've never heard it personally.

In my car (an R56 w/HiFi) a CD sounds slightly better than an MP3 CD, and the MP3 CD sounds better than an MP3 player using the AUX in. I'd guess that it's similar with the R53's too.

 

I've read on other forums that the sound coming from the dock is better than the headphone jack, because the ipod amplifier for the headphones distorts the music.

Several companies sell line-out (dock to AUX) adapters for ipods though, and I have read good reviews on most of them (e.g. here: http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Go-3550...6780882&sr=8-1 )

You have to be careful though because some of them don't work with the iphone. (like the one linked above, for example)

I just got a Griffin Autopilot (check it out here: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/autopilot ). I really like it so far - it sounds good, works with the iphone, and has controls for play/pause and forward and reverse - plus it charges your iphone while you listen! The only "problem" is that it asks you if you want to put it in airplane mode when you first connect it - if you really think that's a problem...

Good luck!

 

Doh!

Sorry, I'm stuck in 2nd Gen mode, and thinking of the output of the iPod being line out...

 

the bottom line is, anything that uses the source of the headphone jack will always be a little worse than anything that uses the data jack on the bottom. The downside of that is it almost always requires a new headunit.

 

I think you'll find that anything besides a computer connecting through the dock connector is still getting analog audio. The only way for a MINI to get digital audio off of an iPod is using the 2nd gen's USB port and putting MP3's on the iPod in generic USB storage mode.

Even though the dock connector's audio is analog it's still better than the headphone jack, since it's a line-out signal.