Stirletz1 Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Good morning everyone, Curious to know if anyone has any experience or pointers for this desire of mine to add an AUX port to my car. I have some tech experience ( assembling my own PC ) but nothing extensive ( I have never soldered anything, and I would say zero electrical skill .) This is an 06 Forester, the most base model, as I have mentioned in the topic, I wasn't able to find anything for that specific car on Youtube. People seem to be doing plenty "easy" AUX adds on other models though. If someone has suggestions or pointers for this project would be greatly appreciated... I need to hear those Joe Rogan podcasts on the car stereo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 I don't have any specific experience with your model, but I've added an Aux input into my last 3 Subarus with stock radios, in 3 different ways. Look up your specific radio (either with a part number/manufacturer on the faceplate, or use your VIN on parts.subaru.com and look up the subaru number there, the former will likely be more helpful, though). Subaru doesn't make their own radios, and they use many different manufacturers, so there will be different answers depending what radio you have. Every Subaru radio I've looked at in the last 25 years, has had an unused CD changer plug on the back. The McIntosh in our '04 Outback VDC, I bought a yatour digital music adapter, which plugged right in, and was super simple, but cost like $100. I had a '97 Legacy that had a pretty simple input, I was able to make a quick adapter using a rocker switch and a panel mount audio jack. When I looked into it on my '00 Outback, I don't think the Yatour one was available (or I just didn't want to spend $100 on a $500 car), and when I looked into a DIY, I discovered it was a digital signal, so would require a converter. I found someone who made a converter for it designed to integrate into an ipod or thumb drive, but was way overkill for what I wanted. I ended up just using a hardwired signal modulator. Works the same way as one of those crappy remote modulators, but it's actually wired inline with your antenna, so it gets a much better connection to the radio, and disconnects the car antenna so you don't get any interference. I got this one, and their install kit, simple install, works great. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carfreak85 Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 I've got an 05 Forester head unit (with WB radio) in my '02 WRX with an Aux input from Jazzy Engineering. The music doesn't get as loud as I'd like, even when turned up all the way, but it works and is plug-n-play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvu Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Why not a bluetooth to fm adapter that plugs in the lighter? Some even have aux input. https://www.google.com/search?q=bluetooth+fm+adapter+car+aux Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 42 minutes ago, nvu said: Why not a bluetooth to fm adapter that plugs in the lighter? Some even have aux input. https://www.google.com/search?q=bluetooth+fm+adapter+car+aux In my experience, the signal on these between the adapter and radio generally sucks. Which is why I went with a hardwired unit. Same idea, but cleaner looking and better looking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightning Racer Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 (edited) 38 minutes ago, Numbchux said: In my experience, the signal on these between the adapter and radio generally sucks. Which is why I went with a hardwired unit. Same idea, but cleaner looking and better looking. For a few weeks of online research, I looked into youtube videos of people soldering stuff (bluetooth units, AUX) onto the back of stock radios as well as that iSimple thing that you recommend (based on your earlier recommendation). My goal was just to get sound from my phone to my 2003 Legacy's stock radio while keeping the stock head and having good quality. After reading/watching more reviews, my solution turned out to be an FM bluetooth adapter. Some of those units must have improved a lot in quality since you tried them, because the quality is essentially perfect (as good the FM radio coming through the speakers, haven't tried a CD yet in the stock deck) on my car with this $13-$17 unit. I'm now glad I didn't waste my time trying to solder stuff on the back of the radio head unit. It is as clean looking as what I had before (I had a USB charger plugged into the cigarette lighter already, this was just a simple swap). I selected FM107.9 for the frequency because that's always far from any station that I listen to (typically public radio on the lower end of the dial), even on road trips, and the higher frequency might (?) keep quality marginally higher than in the lower frequencies. In 6 weeks thus far, I haven't noticed any interference with FM. It's a 100% perfect solution for me. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GJ7DHMP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Edited October 31, 2019 by Lightning Racer 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stirletz1 Posted November 3, 2019 Author Share Posted November 3, 2019 Hey Lightning, Thank You Ill give this a try, simply because I want to hear my music in my car already! The product you reccd. is Free Returns on Amazon so in any case, if it does not work nothing to lose there. However I will keep researching and working on the project to get the hardwired AUX mod in. After all hardwired connections do create a huge difference in audio quality in my experience, and I would appreciate less new style looking gadgets on my nice 2006 nostalgia trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stirletz1 Posted November 3, 2019 Author Share Posted November 3, 2019 On 10/31/2019 at 11:52 AM, Numbchux said: Look up your specific radio (either with a part number/manufacturer on the faceplate, or use your VIN on parts.subaru.com and look up the subaru number there, the former will likely be more helpful, though). Subaru doesn't make their own radios, and they use many different manufacturers, so there will be different answers depending what radio you have. Every Subaru radio I've looked at in the last 25 years, has had an unused CD changer plug on the back. The McIntosh in our '04 Outback VDC, I bought a yatour digital music adapter, which plugged right in, and was super simple, but cost like $100. I had a '97 Legacy that had a pretty simple input, I was able to make a quick adapter using a rocker switch and a panel mount audio jack. Hey! This is still probably the best advice I have found anywhere on the web. You clearly understand a great deal about these radios. I have finally had the time to find my unit on Subaru website and was able to find a similar item on Ebay as an example. From my understanding its set up as two DIN even though the actual radio itself is only 1 DIN intself. The company is Matsushita Panasonic. https://www.ebay.com/itm/2003-2006-Subaru-Forester-FM-CD-Player-Radio-ID-86201SA021-OEM-TESTED-STOCK/352817197294?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D40719%26meid%3Dc4c5b2e624404a65af7f0b6960b38199%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D113876767871%26itm%3D352817197294%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851 Any further pointer, greatly appreciated! Also by rocker switch are you reffering to a a regualr on off electrical switch at a smaller size (electrical board sizes) Excuse the noobness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 I don't see a CD changer port on the back of that. So the modulator is probably your best hardwired option. Yes, rocker switch just a simple on-off switch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FXT Posted December 15, 2019 Share Posted December 15, 2019 On 10/31/2019 at 8:20 AM, Stirletz1 said: Good morning everyone, Curious to know if anyone has any experience or pointers for this desire of mine to add an AUX port to my car. I have some tech experience ( assembling my own PC ) but nothing extensive ( I have never soldered anything, and I would say zero electrical skill .) This is an 06 Forester, the most base model, as I have mentioned in the topic, I wasn't able to find anything for that specific car on Youtube. People seem to be doing plenty "easy" AUX adds on other models though. If someone has suggestions or pointers for this project would be greatly appreciated... I need to hear those Joe Rogan podcasts on the car stereo! Try looking up OEM part #86257SA010. This is what came stock in my 2008 SG forester. I just checked the subaru parts website and it looks like they didn't start offering this option until 2007. FWIW its probably cheaper, easier and more beneficial in the long run IMO to just go with an aftermarket head unit with bluetooth/aux/USB etc. They aren't very expensive and are pretty straightforward to install. That's the route I went with mine, just be aware the the OEM subwoofer if you have one will be disabled. I went with a single DIN pioneer unit and added a 150W powered-subwoofer under the passenger seat which works great. That being said, I have my old OEM 6 disc changer and aux port up for sale on OfferUp, you may be able to retrofit the aux port in an older model but I'm not certain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 15, 2019 Share Posted December 15, 2019 (edited) Easiest solution is an inline FM Modulator. You just plug the cars existing antenna wire into it right behind the stereo, and then the modulator has its own antenna that plugs into the Stock stereo antenna location. give it power (easy) and you’re done. the cigarette modulators haven’t worked well for me. And to be clear my only requirement is to be able to hear it without turning the volume to 100% with road noise, storms, wipers. That’s it. I’m not an audio buff and usually listen to interviews/books and phone calls. ive tried a few and I’m not sure how they get 5 star reviews. Maybe a few out of 10 are good, or maybe it depends where you live, or I have terrible luck. But the ones I’ve tried have many issues. I’ve experienced all of the following - they usually have most of these symptoms, not just one: weak as soggy cornbread. Turn volume to 100% to be audible over road noise on interstate or having wipers on. don’t handle any teeny distant station noise at all. They interfere with other stations. Set it for 87.7 and other stations buzz until you unplug it. They exhibit interference from the cars engine. I’ve heard some go in and out simply by putting things like your arm or a lid over top of them. If you drive through any cities - real annoying, constantly changing it. the cigarette lighter ones are so easy and cheap just like they were 10 or more years ago. Thats their chief value and some people seem to get them to work. And I was hoping they were better now with better tech. I was convinced by another thread here just a month or so ago to try some again. I did and they work exactly as “good” as 15 years ago. the cheap wireless are worth a try for some people. Otherwise get the wired ones and be done with it. . Edited December 15, 2019 by idosubaru Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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