Sound Quality of 3.5mm Aux Mod to OEM Radio from factoryradioservice.com
02-06-11, 07:28 AM
#16
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Thread Starter
Daveychan,
I have no experience with actually performing Puredrift's modification, so I cannot answer any of your wiring questions. I suggest posting to Puredrifts original post on this procedure as he seems to answer everyone's questions there still.
The purpose of this tread was for me to find out any information or speak to someone who has used a service out there offered by factoryradioservice.com.
-Brian
I have no experience with actually performing Puredrift's modification, so I cannot answer any of your wiring questions. I suggest posting to Puredrifts original post on this procedure as he seems to answer everyone's questions there still.
The purpose of this tread was for me to find out any information or speak to someone who has used a service out there offered by factoryradioservice.com.
-Brian
02-06-11, 08:01 AM
#17
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Thread Starter
My Review of factoryradioservice.com AUX In Modification
Ok, as I mentioned in a previous post, I decided to ship my wife's radio to factoryradioservice.com and have them install a 3.5mm AUX input on her '99 GS300 factory unit. This is my personal review of the process and overall experience.
I removed the unit, packed it up and shipped it to CA along with a filled out order form I printed out from their website that included all my info and the location on the face where I wanted the jack installed. I got an email the night it was received saying the work was completed and giving me the total and payment options. The job was $60 plus $15 shipping back to me in FL. This included a male-to-male 1/8 cable to connect the unit to an iPod, MP3 player, etc. I chose PayPal as payment and paid the same night. I received an email the next day with a USPS shipping tracking number.
Received the unit and inspected it. The jack on the front looked really good, as if it was meant to be there. It did not look 'after market' at all. In fact, you wouldn't know it was there if you weren't looking for it. I installed the unit back in the car and tested it out. I was pleasantly surprised at the sound quality. It sounds just as good as my direct-connected XM unit. There is no hiss or other noise, no 'low volume' issue-- just clean audio from your device. We use iPods and iPhones.
The way it works is when you plug the cable into the head unit, it interrupts the FM signal (not the CD like Purdrifts mod). You unplug the cable, FM radio comes back on. You don't even have to find a weak or empty frequency position on the dial. It works just the same if your radio is tuned into a strong/local FM station. I don't know exactly how they did the work, but they had to have opened the unit and hard-wired the jack into the FM leads somehow; that is my best guess.
I've uncluded a few pictures of the unit to this post. They gave me a few stickers that say 'AUX' and I stuck one on. Note that the area around the jack in my photos looks a little white. That is because I used rubbing alcohol to clean the surface of Armor All and dirt before putting the sticker on. It is not from the work performed.
I would highly recommend this as an option for anyone who wants a great sounding AUX input on their unit. It is cheap, looks and sounds great. The guy said in his last email to me that he is about to offer Bluetooth add on's to factory radios. I may consider sending my LS430 unit when that happens.
His name is John and he can be reached at: factoryradioservice@gmail.com
I removed the unit, packed it up and shipped it to CA along with a filled out order form I printed out from their website that included all my info and the location on the face where I wanted the jack installed. I got an email the night it was received saying the work was completed and giving me the total and payment options. The job was $60 plus $15 shipping back to me in FL. This included a male-to-male 1/8 cable to connect the unit to an iPod, MP3 player, etc. I chose PayPal as payment and paid the same night. I received an email the next day with a USPS shipping tracking number.
Received the unit and inspected it. The jack on the front looked really good, as if it was meant to be there. It did not look 'after market' at all. In fact, you wouldn't know it was there if you weren't looking for it. I installed the unit back in the car and tested it out. I was pleasantly surprised at the sound quality. It sounds just as good as my direct-connected XM unit. There is no hiss or other noise, no 'low volume' issue-- just clean audio from your device. We use iPods and iPhones.
The way it works is when you plug the cable into the head unit, it interrupts the FM signal (not the CD like Purdrifts mod). You unplug the cable, FM radio comes back on. You don't even have to find a weak or empty frequency position on the dial. It works just the same if your radio is tuned into a strong/local FM station. I don't know exactly how they did the work, but they had to have opened the unit and hard-wired the jack into the FM leads somehow; that is my best guess.
I've uncluded a few pictures of the unit to this post. They gave me a few stickers that say 'AUX' and I stuck one on. Note that the area around the jack in my photos looks a little white. That is because I used rubbing alcohol to clean the surface of Armor All and dirt before putting the sticker on. It is not from the work performed.
I would highly recommend this as an option for anyone who wants a great sounding AUX input on their unit. It is cheap, looks and sounds great. The guy said in his last email to me that he is about to offer Bluetooth add on's to factory radios. I may consider sending my LS430 unit when that happens.
His name is John and he can be reached at: factoryradioservice@gmail.com
02-06-11, 08:07 AM
#18
Lead Lap
I did not see it mentioned in this thread that factoryradioservice.com also gives you the option of having the aux-in cable exit at the back of the head unit with an aux-in long enough to route to the center console.
factoryradioservice.com has been doing the aux-in mod for years and most of the older radios he sells on eBay has it. I just saw on his website that he now offers a switch that allows toggling between FM-mode and Aux-in mode - definitely a nice improvement. His ebay seller name is: factoryradios
I would be interested in hearing pizitz70's opinion when he gets his radio back. The comments I've seen on non-Lexus forums have been positive but I don't remember hearing much about the sound quality on Lexus forums.
Edit: Funny ... pizitz70 and I must have been typing at the same time. Great to hear this mod works as good on your GS as others have reported on their non-Lexus cars. Personally, I think this aux-in mode makes the CD hack look silly ... but I would want the aux-in cable exiting from the rear of the head unit and want to see if John could put the optional toggle switch on an external cable instead of on the front of the head unit.
factoryradioservice.com has been doing the aux-in mod for years and most of the older radios he sells on eBay has it. I just saw on his website that he now offers a switch that allows toggling between FM-mode and Aux-in mode - definitely a nice improvement. His ebay seller name is: factoryradios
I would be interested in hearing pizitz70's opinion when he gets his radio back. The comments I've seen on non-Lexus forums have been positive but I don't remember hearing much about the sound quality on Lexus forums.
Edit: Funny ... pizitz70 and I must have been typing at the same time. Great to hear this mod works as good on your GS as others have reported on their non-Lexus cars. Personally, I think this aux-in mode makes the CD hack look silly ... but I would want the aux-in cable exiting from the rear of the head unit and want to see if John could put the optional toggle switch on an external cable instead of on the front of the head unit.
Last edited by Kansas; 02-06-11 at 08:15 AM.
02-07-11, 09:26 AM
#19
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Thread Starter
Kansas,
Yes, you do have the option of having an external Aux in which he leaves a long cable coming out the back so that you can install it wherever you wish. I'm not sure about the toggle feature being avabile on the external option. You'd be best to contact him yourself and ask.
-Brian
Yes, you do have the option of having an external Aux in which he leaves a long cable coming out the back so that you can install it wherever you wish. I'm not sure about the toggle feature being avabile on the external option. You'd be best to contact him yourself and ask.
-Brian
11-27-11, 05:20 PM
#20
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aux cable intallation
Hey guys i read before about a mod for a gs300 about the AUX cable installation. and it worked. this is what i did.
i have a 2002 gs300 with no navigation just the regular cd-changer in the glove comp.
i removed the whole glove compartment,
then i disconnected the cd changer.
then the four wires on one end of the connector, i cut them about 4 inches from the conncector,
then i branched off the aux cable that i bought at radioshack. and connected the wires back up. then plugged in the cd changer.
after simply push cd on the audio panel on the dash, then it gonna say no disc. but when you have your mp3 player hooked up via the aux cable the audio is crystal clear.
this mod was super easy.
and all i bought was a cable from radio shack that has the 3.5mm aux male end on side and it had the 2 audio RCA connectors on the other end.
i cut the audio rca's off then i spliced them on to the audio input wires at the back connector of the cd changer.
the audio input wires at the back of the cd changer are:
red-pos
> these two i connected to once of the cut off RCA conncector end.
green-neg
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
white-pos
> these two i connected to the other cut off RCA connector end.
black-neg
after i did this i hooked up my mp3 player to the aux cable and pushed cd and the audio was clear and nice.
after i ran the cable under the center console.
i have a 2002 gs300 with no navigation just the regular cd-changer in the glove comp.
i removed the whole glove compartment,
then i disconnected the cd changer.
then the four wires on one end of the connector, i cut them about 4 inches from the conncector,
then i branched off the aux cable that i bought at radioshack. and connected the wires back up. then plugged in the cd changer.
after simply push cd on the audio panel on the dash, then it gonna say no disc. but when you have your mp3 player hooked up via the aux cable the audio is crystal clear.
this mod was super easy.
and all i bought was a cable from radio shack that has the 3.5mm aux male end on side and it had the 2 audio RCA connectors on the other end.
i cut the audio rca's off then i spliced them on to the audio input wires at the back connector of the cd changer.
the audio input wires at the back of the cd changer are:
red-pos
> these two i connected to once of the cut off RCA conncector end.
green-neg
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
white-pos
> these two i connected to the other cut off RCA connector end.
black-neg
after i did this i hooked up my mp3 player to the aux cable and pushed cd and the audio was clear and nice.
after i ran the cable under the center console.
12-06-11, 09:06 PM
#23
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aux
As long as you can still use ur stock disc changer, you can tap into the 4 audio (cd) wires from the disc changer then push CD and its not gonna recognize a disc but the audio should come through.
I have no dics in my cd changer and it plays crystal clear.....
now i can speak on the phone while in the car through the speakers.....
Whoop WHoop!
I have no dics in my cd changer and it plays crystal clear.....
now i can speak on the phone while in the car through the speakers.....
Whoop WHoop!
12-11-11, 11:11 AM
#24
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If I do recall, the tape player has 3 wires for input. A left signal, a right signal, and a ground... I solder an aux cable to them 3 wires on my maxima and works flawlessly to this day..
All I had to do to turn the tape player deck on was throw a blank tape.
IMO, sounds ALOT better then the fm transmitter and the tape adapter...
All I had to do to turn the tape player deck on was throw a blank tape.
IMO, sounds ALOT better then the fm transmitter and the tape adapter...
05-07-12, 04:16 PM
#25
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This looks awesome! I realize this thread is old but it's exactly what I'm looking to have done on my '99 GS 300. $60 + shipping is a steal too. I currently just use a cassette tape adapter but this would be so much cleaner.
I'm a little apprehensive about mailing my stereo to Cali but I'm getting quotes of $250 here in Chicago so this definitely seems worth it.
I'm a little apprehensive about mailing my stereo to Cali but I'm getting quotes of $250 here in Chicago so this definitely seems worth it.
05-07-12, 05:30 PM
#26
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The car audio place I take all my cars to has an 80 adapter that hooks up to stock head units and its just a female USB adapter, I intend on getting that installed and get a 32gb usb key and keep my music on it.
That's always another option.
That's always another option.
