Factory Radio Service aux-in on 2000 LS400
01-05-13, 06:10 PM
#16
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
And so far, most of the time, my car's electrical system has been emitting too much EMI and/or RFI to charge my phone while listing to audio from it. I've tried ferrite chokes on the phone's micro USB charging cable with no improvement. Any suggestions for suppressing this interference would be appreciated.
For some reason, this little miracle device also allows streaming audio when the the audio cable is connected to the aux-out port of my Samsung phone cradle ... very odd since this couldn't be done directly from the cradle's 3.5mm port. Unfortunately, there is still a tiny bit of distortion when I connect the ground loop isolator to the phone cradle so I will attach the ground loop isolator directly to the phone's 3.5mm jack. I sure would have liked to avoid manually plugging the audio cable into my phone each time I want to stream audio from it but this is close enough to perfect for me.
The next step is to hide the PAC ground loop isolator box inside my leather Kuda phone console. It's getting awfully crowded in there with the Garmin's traffic receiver antenna and all the cables that are already crammed in the small space.
Last edited by Kansas; 01-05-13 at 06:16 PM.
02-01-13, 07:44 PM
#17
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
I'm bumping this thread to report on how this aux-in mod has been working during the nearly one month I've been using it.
I've spent MANY hours listening to music streaming from my Samsung GS3 phone to the Nakamichi in my 00 LS400 during the past month - a little music stored on the phone but mostly from Internet services -- the free version of Pandora, a lesser amount from the free version of Slacker with a little from the free TuneIn Radio service.
Sound quality is remarkable - no it's incredible. Crystal clear, so close to CD quality that I can't tell the difference. No hiccups, zero distortion, no dropouts, no problems. I'm damned hard to please. If I had to rate the sound quality on a scale of 1 through 10, I would have to give it a 10.
It took me a few days to realize that I needed to turn the volume on my phone all the way up and to control the volume level only with the volume control of my Nakamichi. While I generally listen to FM radio or CD's with the radio volume **** set at about 50%, I get about the same volume level when streaming from my phone when the radio volume **** is set at about 25%.
The ground loop isolator causes no detectable base dropoff although the base level did seem a little lower before I learned to turn the phone volume level all the way up. Maybe it's the power of the Nakamichi but music with a strong base part streaming from the Internet from my phone will vibrate my driver seat and steering wheel just like music playing from a CD will.
I particularly like being able to toggle between FM radio and audio streaming from my phone by pressing the button that Factory Radio Service installed on the front of my radio.
The quality of the free versions of Pandora and Slacker are surprising. I can't imagine the pay versions with their higher bit rate providing noticably better sound but I may pay the $36/year just to get rid of the occasional audio advertisements and the continual pop-up and occasional video ads on Pandora.
I'm also wondering if the particularly good AT&T 4G/LTE cell phone service here (Kansas City metro) allows Internet audio streaming to work better than in other areas. We did, however, have continual excellent service during a 400 mile round trip although most of it was on I-70 through Missouri - might not be so good or even have service when off the beaten path.
After telling people about Factory Radio Service's aux-in mod for the past couple of years, I'm kicking myself for not having it installed on my own radio sooner. Right now I'm enjoying it too much to mess with it any more but maybe I'll install a Bluetooth receiver on the aux-in when it gets warmer so I can stream audio either through the cable or wirelessly.
To address PD's question on why Factory Radio Service didn't tap into the CD section, I'm assuming that:
1) They had to open the headunit anyway to install the on/off button on the front and the RCA jack on the back,
2) They use a standard install method for headunits with or without CD capability,
3) Tapping into the CD section would not provide better sound quality than the FM section ... i.e. "an input is an input"; there is no physical difference ... learned that in the early 70's when I built my own home stereo systems from kits.
I've spent MANY hours listening to music streaming from my Samsung GS3 phone to the Nakamichi in my 00 LS400 during the past month - a little music stored on the phone but mostly from Internet services -- the free version of Pandora, a lesser amount from the free version of Slacker with a little from the free TuneIn Radio service.
Sound quality is remarkable - no it's incredible. Crystal clear, so close to CD quality that I can't tell the difference. No hiccups, zero distortion, no dropouts, no problems. I'm damned hard to please. If I had to rate the sound quality on a scale of 1 through 10, I would have to give it a 10.
It took me a few days to realize that I needed to turn the volume on my phone all the way up and to control the volume level only with the volume control of my Nakamichi. While I generally listen to FM radio or CD's with the radio volume **** set at about 50%, I get about the same volume level when streaming from my phone when the radio volume **** is set at about 25%.
The ground loop isolator causes no detectable base dropoff although the base level did seem a little lower before I learned to turn the phone volume level all the way up. Maybe it's the power of the Nakamichi but music with a strong base part streaming from the Internet from my phone will vibrate my driver seat and steering wheel just like music playing from a CD will.
I particularly like being able to toggle between FM radio and audio streaming from my phone by pressing the button that Factory Radio Service installed on the front of my radio.
The quality of the free versions of Pandora and Slacker are surprising. I can't imagine the pay versions with their higher bit rate providing noticably better sound but I may pay the $36/year just to get rid of the occasional audio advertisements and the continual pop-up and occasional video ads on Pandora.
I'm also wondering if the particularly good AT&T 4G/LTE cell phone service here (Kansas City metro) allows Internet audio streaming to work better than in other areas. We did, however, have continual excellent service during a 400 mile round trip although most of it was on I-70 through Missouri - might not be so good or even have service when off the beaten path.
After telling people about Factory Radio Service's aux-in mod for the past couple of years, I'm kicking myself for not having it installed on my own radio sooner. Right now I'm enjoying it too much to mess with it any more but maybe I'll install a Bluetooth receiver on the aux-in when it gets warmer so I can stream audio either through the cable or wirelessly.
To address PD's question on why Factory Radio Service didn't tap into the CD section, I'm assuming that:
1) They had to open the headunit anyway to install the on/off button on the front and the RCA jack on the back,
2) They use a standard install method for headunits with or without CD capability,
3) Tapping into the CD section would not provide better sound quality than the FM section ... i.e. "an input is an input"; there is no physical difference ... learned that in the early 70's when I built my own home stereo systems from kits.
Last edited by Kansas; 02-01-13 at 07:52 PM.
02-01-13, 09:47 PM
#19
Also my right channel works intermittently--which I am guessing is a loose solder joint on the balance control. (Either that or I need to check the connections to the amp--perhaps use some deoxit).
(1998 LS400.)
02-26-13, 05:00 PM
#20
just sent my nak head unit(97 LS400) in yesterday to get the aux- in mod added. Excited to get it back! 
02-26-13, 06:53 PM
#21
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
My wife just has to listen to a particular Kansas City radio station on Saturday mornings and the signal started to fade at about 50 miles out. No problem. I just streamed the same radio station from the free TuneIn radio ( http://tunein.com/ ) app on my phone to the Nak during the rest of the trip out. On the way back we listened to Pandora all the way. I did have to restart Pandora once during the 200 mile trip back. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the fluidity of the hand-offs between cell phone towers when streaming data/music but I am. And there is no hiccup in the audio streaming when my phone automatically switches from using the cell network to my super long range WiFi as I approach my house. I'm a professional techy but it still amazes me how far this has come since I got my first cell phone 33 years ago in my then-new 1990 LS400.
TuneIn radio is very cool. It looks like every Kansas City metro area radio station is on TuneIn. During my weekday evening commute, I sometimes listen to the morning drive time/comedy show on a Sydney Austraila radio station - the station that made the news a while back when the woman DJ made a prank call to the hospital in England pretending to be Queen Elizabeth.
I'll be interested to see if you can charge whatever device you are going to stream from without having to use a ground loop isolator to get rid of background electrical/engine noise. Looking forward to your report.
03-08-13, 01:51 PM
#22
I just received my Nakamichi back from Factory Radio Service. Kansas, thank you for your posts - I had an input placed on the right side where your switch is, and a switch at the same level on the left side. I will post a pic later.
John did great work, neat as a pin. It did take 4 days to arrive and 4 days to ship back via Fedex ground for $15 each way (from Chicago). He reused my shipping box but added even more packing. He e-mailed me the day he received it (Friday) and had it shipped out the following Monday after sending a Paypal request for payment. There was also an option to save $25 and have an input without a switch that would cut-off the FM station when an input is connected. I liked the switch option better. The input and switch are very inconspicuous, and the sound is glorious.
BUT, Right now I have one problem...I have lost the front right channel of audio no matter what the source. This is disappointing, as I specifically tested all channels just before removing to verify, and all worked fine. Nothing from the front right speaker or tweeter. I do notice that when I turn the volume up with the balance to the right and fader to front only, that a tiny bit of sound leaks into the other channels. I just spent some time putting everything back together, so I don't even want to think about what to do next. I just send John at Factory Radio Service an e-mail.
John did great work, neat as a pin. It did take 4 days to arrive and 4 days to ship back via Fedex ground for $15 each way (from Chicago). He reused my shipping box but added even more packing. He e-mailed me the day he received it (Friday) and had it shipped out the following Monday after sending a Paypal request for payment. There was also an option to save $25 and have an input without a switch that would cut-off the FM station when an input is connected. I liked the switch option better. The input and switch are very inconspicuous, and the sound is glorious.
BUT, Right now I have one problem...I have lost the front right channel of audio no matter what the source. This is disappointing, as I specifically tested all channels just before removing to verify, and all worked fine. Nothing from the front right speaker or tweeter. I do notice that when I turn the volume up with the balance to the right and fader to front only, that a tiny bit of sound leaks into the other channels. I just spent some time putting everything back together, so I don't even want to think about what to do next. I just send John at Factory Radio Service an e-mail.
03-08-13, 05:58 PM
#23
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Bummer. Maybe a connection got knocked loose during shipping. My entire Nak right channel went out in early 2008 but Car Stereo Help in Florida fixed it by resoldering the balance control. Don't think parts are still available for Naks - hope John can help you out.
03-09-13, 09:50 AM
#24
got my HU back, and initial impressions are good! Sound quality is definitely better than any other option i've tried(fm receiver, tape insert). I wish I had read your initial post better tho, kansas. I didn't realize that getting the aux-in installed in the back with the on/off button was a special package, so mine just came back back with the aux-in on the face, right where your push button is. inserting the 3.5 mm jack automatically switches from fm to aux, and it works just fine. Just won't be as invisible as I would have liked. I do get interference when charging, and just got my ground loop isolator yesterday, so we'll see how it works.
I hope you will be pleased. My wife and I did a 400 mile road trip on Saturday and listened to audio streaming from my phone to the aux-in on my LS Nak most of the way.
My wife just has to listen to a particular Kansas City radio station on Saturday mornings and the signal started to fade at about 50 miles out. No problem. I just streamed the same radio station from the free TuneIn radio ( http://tunein.com/ ) app on my phone to the Nak during the rest of the trip out. On the way back we listened to Pandora all the way. I did have to restart Pandora once during the 200 mile trip back. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the fluidity of the hand-offs between cell phone towers when streaming data/music but I am. And there is no hiccup in the audio streaming when my phone automatically switches from using the cell network to my super long range WiFi as I approach my house. I'm a professional techy but it still amazes me how far this has come since I got my first cell phone 33 years ago in my then-new 1990 LS400.
TuneIn radio is very cool. It looks like every Kansas City metro area radio station is on TuneIn. During my weekday evening commute, I sometimes listen to the morning drive time/comedy show on a Sydney Austraila radio station - the station that made the news a while back when the woman DJ made a prank call to the hospital in England pretending to be Queen Elizabeth.
I'll be interested to see if you can charge whatever device you are going to stream from without having to use a ground loop isolator to get rid of background electrical/engine noise. Looking forward to your report.
My wife just has to listen to a particular Kansas City radio station on Saturday mornings and the signal started to fade at about 50 miles out. No problem. I just streamed the same radio station from the free TuneIn radio ( http://tunein.com/ ) app on my phone to the Nak during the rest of the trip out. On the way back we listened to Pandora all the way. I did have to restart Pandora once during the 200 mile trip back. I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the fluidity of the hand-offs between cell phone towers when streaming data/music but I am. And there is no hiccup in the audio streaming when my phone automatically switches from using the cell network to my super long range WiFi as I approach my house. I'm a professional techy but it still amazes me how far this has come since I got my first cell phone 33 years ago in my then-new 1990 LS400.
TuneIn radio is very cool. It looks like every Kansas City metro area radio station is on TuneIn. During my weekday evening commute, I sometimes listen to the morning drive time/comedy show on a Sydney Austraila radio station - the station that made the news a while back when the woman DJ made a prank call to the hospital in England pretending to be Queen Elizabeth.
I'll be interested to see if you can charge whatever device you are going to stream from without having to use a ground loop isolator to get rid of background electrical/engine noise. Looking forward to your report.
03-09-13, 10:32 AM
#26
03-09-13, 04:56 PM
#27
That's correct, it's $60 + $15 return shipping for just the input, $85 + $15 return ship for the input + switch.
I also picked up the ground loop isolator for around $10 on Amazon. Works great.
John mentioned that if both my front and rear right channels were out, that I should send the deck back to him,
but if it was just the right front that is out (which it is) that I should check the amp or speakers. Where is the amp for the head unit? This was never touched.
I'm now officially upset about this problem, as it did not exist before I sent him the deck. I doubt it's the speakers
since both the front speaker and tweeter are out at the same time, and both worked 100% before. My previous '98 with almost 340k miles had zero issues with the Nak. system.
I also picked up the ground loop isolator for around $10 on Amazon. Works great.
John mentioned that if both my front and rear right channels were out, that I should send the deck back to him,
but if it was just the right front that is out (which it is) that I should check the amp or speakers. Where is the amp for the head unit? This was never touched.
I'm now officially upset about this problem, as it did not exist before I sent him the deck. I doubt it's the speakers
since both the front speaker and tweeter are out at the same time, and both worked 100% before. My previous '98 with almost 340k miles had zero issues with the Nak. system.
03-10-13, 08:04 AM
#28
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
The amp is under the front passenger seat - can be removed and reinstalled without removing the seat. I suggest first checking the HU and then the amp connectors for loose or damaged wires.
03-18-13, 06:03 PM
#29
Hi Jim! Thanks for your note. It's funny you asked, I just received the player back from Factory Radio today. It was a simple problem, that neither he nor I thought to address. Somehow, one of the pins on the back of the head unit was bent almost completely. John said he spotted it as soon as he opened my shipment. I have no idea if it happened when I tried to re-install the 1st time or when in his possession. I paid to send it to him and he paid to return it, and I think that was fair. It works! I couldn't be happier. I am new to all of this. I just yesterday activated my 1st iPhone, an iPhone 4. I also bought the Belkin bluetooth speakerphone that another member mentioned here, but I can't figure how that can work in tandem with the iPod/iPhone and allow me to stream music and then cut-off the music for a call. The Belkin goes directly into the input on the Nakamichi. There is a usb port on the 12v car plug for the Belkin, but when the iPhone is plugged in I do not hear the music through the stereo. Is there any other brand that offers Bluetooth through the car radio and incorporates the iPod/iPhone?
03-18-13, 07:12 PM
#30
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Gumart, I can only tell you how my Garmin GPS provides handsfree phone capability for my Samsung phone -- concept should be similar to what your Belkin speakerphone can do. I connect the audio cable from the audio port on my Samsung phone to the new aux-in port on my radio via a ground loop isolator that reduces electrical system noise.
(I assume that you will want to connect the audio from your iPhone (not your Belkin) to the aux-in on your Nak head unit but I'm not familiar with the Belkin device..)
I paired my Samsung phone to my portable Garmin GPS via Bluetooth. My Garmin provides handsfree phone capability similar to what your Belkin speaker phone should do.
When a phone call comes in, the streaming music automatically mutes (a feature of the phone) and the phone call audio is transferred to the Garmin. The Garmin's microphone routes my end of the conversation back to the phone. If I'm just listening to the car radio when a phone call comes in, I have to manually turn the radio volume down or turn the radio off -- should work the same way for you.
I assume that your iPhone will automatically mute the streaming audio when a phone call comes it -- pretty standard on phones.
Have you been successful in pairing your Belkin speakerphone to your iPhone via Bluetooth? That has to be done. I assume your Belkin came with instructions on how to pair it. You may also have to consult the instructions for your iPhone. You will likely have to key in a pass code on the phone or on the Belkin - should be in the pairing instructions.
My phone does not always automatically connect to my Garmin GPS when I start me car in the garage since my cell phone is still connected to our household Bluetooth phone system which routes calls from our cell phones to the wireless phones around the house. I usually have to go into the Bluetooth settings on the phone and select the Garmin from the list of paired devices to force my cell phone to disconnect from the house system. When I am away from home, my phone almost always connects to the Garmin when I start the car since it is not contending with an existing Bluetooth connection.
This probably sounds more complicated that it is. If your iPhone does not automatically connect to your Belkin, you may have to select it from the paired device list on your phone. This assumes that your Belkin is compatible with your iPhone.
(I assume that you will want to connect the audio from your iPhone (not your Belkin) to the aux-in on your Nak head unit but I'm not familiar with the Belkin device..)
I paired my Samsung phone to my portable Garmin GPS via Bluetooth. My Garmin provides handsfree phone capability similar to what your Belkin speaker phone should do.
When a phone call comes in, the streaming music automatically mutes (a feature of the phone) and the phone call audio is transferred to the Garmin. The Garmin's microphone routes my end of the conversation back to the phone. If I'm just listening to the car radio when a phone call comes in, I have to manually turn the radio volume down or turn the radio off -- should work the same way for you.
I assume that your iPhone will automatically mute the streaming audio when a phone call comes it -- pretty standard on phones.
Have you been successful in pairing your Belkin speakerphone to your iPhone via Bluetooth? That has to be done. I assume your Belkin came with instructions on how to pair it. You may also have to consult the instructions for your iPhone. You will likely have to key in a pass code on the phone or on the Belkin - should be in the pairing instructions.
My phone does not always automatically connect to my Garmin GPS when I start me car in the garage since my cell phone is still connected to our household Bluetooth phone system which routes calls from our cell phones to the wireless phones around the house. I usually have to go into the Bluetooth settings on the phone and select the Garmin from the list of paired devices to force my cell phone to disconnect from the house system. When I am away from home, my phone almost always connects to the Garmin when I start the car since it is not contending with an existing Bluetooth connection.
This probably sounds more complicated that it is. If your iPhone does not automatically connect to your Belkin, you may have to select it from the paired device list on your phone. This assumes that your Belkin is compatible with your iPhone.
Last edited by Kansas; 03-19-13 at 04:01 AM.