best equalizer/volume settings for use in the car?

Question

Level 1

8 points

best equalizer/volume settings for use in the car?

With my iPod connected to my car stereo (using Sony's cassette adapter), I find that my music suffers a loss at both high and low frequencies (loss of treble and bass). I have a pretty decent stock stereo, and I've always generally keep the treble and bass levels maxed out in the car. I get a really nice response that way. However, I notice a pretty sufficient loss with my iPod connected. I currently have the EQ on my iPod set at "acoustic" and the volume at 50% (comparibly, 50% volume on the iPod is pretty close to the levels I get from a CD or the radio when I switch back and forth), as it seems to work best, but I'm still not getting the same response I would get from listening to a CD in the car. I've messed with all the EQ settings (even tried turning EQ "off", which sounds incredibly flat), as well as trying different volume combinations, and everything sounds unnatural. I also know it's not the quality of the MP3s, as I get a perfect response when playing the same music with the earphones or through my computer. I assume the loss of quality has something to do with the cassette adapter, or the fact that the music is being processed by two separate EQs (iPod's and my car stereo's). Any tips and/or suggestions to get a better response would be helpful.

Thanks!

Dell DIM4600, Windows XP, 5G 30GB

Posted on Feb 4, 2006 4:05 AM

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Answer 1

Feb 11, 2006 12:45 PM in response to Reedus

NO NO NO You have to turn the volume of the iPod to 100%. Leave the Equalizer settings at none. I like to leave the treble on the car stereo at 0%, the base at 100%, and the mid turned down just a little.

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Answer 2

Feb 10, 2006 11:20 PM in response to Reedus

Ok, well what I like to do is:

Set the EQ to none on iPod.
Have the volume on the iPod arround 60 to 75%
Have the trebel turned all the way up in the car
Have the Bass about three notches from the top, or 80% to 90%
Set the fade more to the back than front(so it sounds like you are accually in the music). Set it so you can equally hear the stuff comming from behind you. and next to you.

Or just experiment some. Thats how I found all those settings. ..

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Answer 3

MacMuse

Level 7

20,796 points

Feb 11, 2006 6:11 AM in response to Reedus

... generally keep the treble and bass levels maxed out in the car ...

Based on that info, I'd recommend a hearing test. Seriously.

iPods operate on a very conservative power budget, and producing that much bass takes a lot of power.

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Answer 4

Reedus Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 11, 2006 12:52 PM in response to MacMuse

... generally keep the treble and bass levels maxed
out in the car ...

Based on that info, I'd recommend a hearing test.
Seriously.

iPods operate on a very conservative power budget,
and producing that much bass takes a lot of power.

What's wrong with maxing out the bass and treble? It's how I like to hear my music. I don't neccesarily play my music loud, but I enjoy dynamic frequency response.

I'm not sure what the conservative power budget of the iPod has to do with maxing the bass in my car, anyway. When listening to my iPod with headphones, I get an excellent bass response. The lack of bass (and treble) when I use the iPod in the car isn't due to any shortcomings from the iPod itself, but (I assume) from the fact that I am using the cassette adapter. I just want to get a general idea of what the best EQ/volume combo works best for most folks.

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Answer 5

Reedus Author

Level 1

8 points

Feb 11, 2006 12:51 PM in response to Jace Parkhurst

NO NO NO You have to turn the volume of the iPod to
100%. Leave the Equalizer settings at none. I like to
leave the treble on the car stereo at 0%, the base at
100%, and the mid turned down just a little.

I'm not sure if you are joking or not, but having the iPod volume set at 100% creates clipping/distortion that sounds awful.

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Answer 6

Feb 13, 2006 7:05 AM in response to Reedus

Hey Reedus I'm having exactly the same problem as you. I have to keep the ipod volume at about 40% (any higher will create baaad distortion) but my car stereo volume has to be 95%. The sound is awfully tinny and quiet with a hiss persisting throughout. The strange thing is that my daughter plays her ipod in my car and even though she imports her music from an itunes on the same computer as mine, her ipod works wonderfully and the car stereo only needs to be at about 50% but the sound is full and clear. It is driving me crazy!

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