Here is what I am going to try:

Charger/Line out LINK

Noise filter LINK

Cable LINK

The monster charger appears to have a direct line out on the dock connector which would certainly provide better sound quality than the belkin which appears to use its own amplifier in the adapter. If you read the specs on the belkin it says "Controls your iPod device's volume level with adjustable amplifier". To me this is the ML/Lexus stereo's responsibility. No use having more circuitry than you have to...

 

folks, it's really not that difficult. First, charge your ipod in the house (if you can), or charge it in the car when you are not listening to it.

When you are listening to it, unplug the power adapter and turn the volume on the ipod to 3/4 of the max. My ipod sounds great in my is. I am using monster cable and get no interference as long as I'm not charging it.

 

which one are you using storm and where did u get it?

 

I actually haven't tried the iPod connector yet, but can understand why it would sound terrible. There was a similar thread on my.is where the following products were mentioned, you should probably research them to see which one would work the best:

Simple Noise Filter, personally I think the less stuff between your signal (iPod) and your amp (stock radio) the better)
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-uMUyLOR...+loop+isolator

This device jacks right into the dock/DIN connector:
http://www.sik.com/ram_din.php

Another DIN/Dock connector:
http://www.sendstation.com/us/produc...neout-usb.html

I just burn my music onto MP3/WMA CDs, seems much more convenient.

 

Using the iPod power with the dock connector is important. When you shut down the car, your iPod pauses. Before I used the connector, there were many times I would return to my car to find my ipod's battery dead because it was playing continuoulsy (I like shuffle play) after I left the car. You can easily forget to pause it especally since the sound stops when you turn off the car.

 

The monster iCharger also has the line out on the dock connector. I like the compactness of the two listed above, but does anyone know if someone makes a USB or Firewire car charger? Never mind I should have looked myself...

 

SIK Makes one with the firewire.

 

True, if you don't have the best memory or car to keep shutting off your ipod manual (which is somewhat a pain), just use a [permanent] car charger.

 

I didn't like the clutter in the center console. Here are some solutions:

First I installed a product from mp3yourcar that creates a virtual CD changer that lets you navigate playlists on your steering wheel. Look up my discription on the myis site in the 350 owner's forum.

I put the unit in my glovebox ran the cables to the backk of the nav unit and put the ipod cable into the ashtrey. I'll post a how to soon. It works very well.

There are a couple of other options.

1) You can use the monster cable which has a sound output in the jack. Remove the ashtrey, pull the whole assembly out of the console along with the nav unit. Cut the plug from the end of the monster cable and solder it to the adjacent lighter. Running the cord through the hole for the ashtrey light.

Run a 1foot sound cord connected to the monster cable from the ashtrey through the same hole, connect it to the ground loop isolator and plug it into the aux in port on the back of the nav unit. I immagine you could put a splitter on the port so that you could still use the aux in in the console.

Now you can just plug in your ipod at the connector which is where the ashtrey used to be.

2) Pull the nav unit and plug the ground loop isolator into the back of the unit and connect it to the aux in line. This would at least eliminate the isolator from the center console and give you a clean aux in line. Haven't tried this one, but I expect that it would work.

 

I just charge my iPod at home, bought a Monster Cable, and connected AUX to headphone port. Sound quality is great. I don't see why it really needs to be more complicated than that.

 

I've been waiting for someone on this forum to confirm that the Neo iOn SP works in the IS. I'll check out your thread in the 350 owners forum (do you have a link for that?). If you're talking about the owners forum at lexus.com I can't see it because my car is still on order (it requres a VIN).

 

Hehe, this I gotta see....

 

This is exactly what I do now. I did however get out of the car the other day and left it running. When I came back out 6 hours later, the Ipod was still running and the battery was almost dead.

 

if you open your door while the car is still running, doesn't it chime incessantly? i guess it doesn't but it should beep at least once so you know something is out of the ordinary.

 

Does anyone have a link to where I could buy one of these types of cables instead of the headphone to headphone cable? I've searched but can't find anything online that has them.