aux volume much lower than regular volume

[epolieboy]

I have installed my ipod in my car with the P.I.E. gm9-aux, Ultra low profile monster charger with line out, radio shack's 12V DC cigarette adapter, a ground loop isolater and some neccesary cables. The install is sweet and it has actually been installed on a 01' Suburban and now a 00' Blazer.

Anyway, the problem is...on both installs when I am listening to the ipod, I switch over to CD, or AM/FM and the volume goes sky-high. I have to turn down the volume while listening to the ipod first so I don't blast my ears when I switch over.

Does anyone know why or maybe could help? I was thinking about switching to a Belkin Auto Charger (even though its not true lineout) to adjust the volume so its even with the other components. [and for the auto-pause feature, which is awesome] Someone said the belkin with a group loop isolater sounds just as good as a true line out. The monster charger I am using has true line out and it sounds good too, but I can't stand this volume jumping problem. It's not the end of the world but I'm picky like that.

[WookieMoFo]

try using the dock with it...you should get much aproved sound going of the dock over the ipod. Only problem is finding a good way to install it.

Also, if your running off the headphone jack, make sure your adjusting the volume on the pod

[MOCKBA]

Did you try phone out? I use it with volume set to high, and there is no volume steps when I switch to CD or radio.

[mvague]

gotta say, do ANYTHING you can to avoid using the phone out, the sound quality on the line out is worlds better.

[BarracksSi]

I have the Belkin charger, and the volume is just fine.

I also don't have a ground loop isolator -- on my PIE adapter (for 2002 Civic Si), there is a ground wire that is only optional. If I use it for a self-powered audio device, the wire supposed to be connected to ground; if I use it for a device that's getting power from the car (such as my iPod and the Belkin charger), it's supposed to NOT be connected to ground.

Only occasionally do I ever hear any noise, and even then it's nothing bad. There's no alternator whine or other clicks.

[PJsTelecaster]

use the lineout man, thats what it's for.

[Lew]

Okay, I gotta vent.

Do folks actually read a post before they comment?

epolieboy said he was using line-out via the Monster charger.

Anyway... It's certainly worth picking up a Belkin charger to try out, they're pretty cheap on eBay. With a little patience (and some help from www.esnipe.com ) you can get one for around $15 shipped.

[wowsoleet]

I just did an aux in install today with a new Clarion Headunit. I too have this problem of the radio/cd player being louder set on the same level as the iPod through Monster i charger. I don't believe it has anything to do with the Monster charger tho because plugged it into the headphone jack and it did the same thing. Anyone have a fix for this?

[Getahead]

I have had the same problem. i bought an aux input adapter for my pioneer. installed it and had this horrid whining noise....which was not affected by alternator. it was affected by hazzard lights and indicators though. The volume was ridiculously low too, nearly full whack on the head unit. I had none of these problems with the tape adapter. Great volume, no noise.

It is to do with the belkin auto charger i think.

[wowsoleet]

I have no whining, its just the reduced volume. I probably have turn my volume up to 28 for the iPod as 23 would be for the cd player.

[MOCKBA]

Originally posted by mvague
gotta say, do ANYTHING you can to avoid using the phone out, the sound quality on the line out is worlds better. You mean if I connect headphone in line out, then I'll gett better sound? Nice tip, thanks.

[Smudge]

I've got the same problem. I'm using a 3G iPod with a Sik Imp (line out) to a Radio Shack Ground Loop Isolator to a JVC Direct Wired FM Transmitter (http://www.crutchfield.com/S-lJWYuBjOthc/cgi-bin/prodview.asp?i=257KSIF200&search=JVC+FM+Transmitter) (broadcasting on 88.1) and receiving on a Kenwood head unit.

I normally listen to the radio and CDs at volume levels of -28 to -24. With the iPod, I have to turn it all the way up to -14 or even -12. Of course if I don't turn on the iPod, I get a deafening blast of static. The JVC unit even has a 3 level input gain control and I have it on the highest setting.

I used to have a Belkin adapter that was a bit better but the amp in the adapter caused the volume to clip yet I still needed to turn the head unit volume up.

Hopefully someone figure out what the problem is soon.

[gozomonster]

Hi. I'm having the same problem too, using the Monster Cable ULPC jacked into the AUX input of my head unit. Really soft volume, plus I do hear that whining noise some of you have mentioned.

I understand that the ground loop isolator thingie (sorry, am not a very electronics-minded person :) ) is supposed to help with/take care of the whining noise. Can anyone explain that to me -- what that does, how to set it up?

My setup is simple, just running the ULPC from one of the power points in my car, and I connect the stereo jack (from the RCA that's plugged into the AUX of my head-unit) to the line-out of the ULPC, and that's it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[epolieboy]

the ground loop isolator indeed does eliminate the whinning noise you hear when no music is playing. How it works, I am not sure. All I know is that the noise is created because of a ground interference from the charger. If you hear the noise, unplug the charger from your dc socket and you will hear that then noise goes away because the charger isnt on, even though you can still play music through the line out. The group loop isolator uses its technology to eliminate some of that interference, minimizing the noise or sometimes completley eliminating it. It does wonders for me, but if I crank my volume all the way up when the ipod is on pause, I can still hear a little noise. Nothing you can hear when music is playing though. But it can be annoying in between songs if the noise is really loud, thats why I originally bought the groud loop isolator. I would reccomend one, you can get one at most radio shacks for around 20 bucks.

Unfortuantley the problem we are trying to solve isnt the ground noise, but the softer volume from line out on the aux input. O well, I guess I will get an alpine with the ipod connector when I get the $, and when I get my license back... damn

[gozomonster]

That's true, even if the whine isn't that annoying, the volume is still very, very soft.

Has anybody figured that out yet? :) In the meantime, I've switched back to using my iTrip. It's not bad at all, except when I'm in high radio-traffic areas, but on long out-of-town trips, it's nice and clear.

[Jason Allen]

I'm using the same monster charger with an aux line in on my Kenwood. The volume is a little bit higher when I switch to cd or tuner, but I adjusted the offset volume for both the tuner and cd(audio menu). now they are all at the same level. I don't know if this is a common feature on other head units, but it works great for me. Hope that helped.

[YoungClay]

Make sure you have "Sound Check" turned off. This "feature" basically makes all of your music the same level as your lowest gain track.

You should hear a significant volume boost with this turned off. (Unless of course you are listening to the afforementioned low gain track)

-Clay

[epolieboy]

thanks, its good to hear a clear solution. I will check it out. although i still think there is more to the problem, but i am sure this will indeed help

[m3latino]

I have the monster profile charger with line out and the volume is loud like the cd and fm tuner. Make sure to have your aux volume set to high on your in-dash receiver. I have a pioneer deck and it has the option to adjust the aux volume. Hope that helps. Too bad I have to return my monster because its defective.

[epolieboy]

thanks for the tip, I would do that, but i am using my oem headunit with an auxillary input converter (gm9-aux) by P.I.E. i guess i have no choice, until i upgrade to a new headunit. probably the alpine