Cracking noise from Monster iCarplay

[lairc]

I've got a 2002 Jetta and am working on getting the cash for a direct line in solution. In the meantime I've been using the Monster iCarplay tape adapter with my 60GB iPod photo.

When I'm playing music or audiobooks through the adapter there's a horrible cracking/ping sound that comes through. Its not there when there's silence in a song/audiobook. I thought it was a bad adapter at first and exchanged it at the local Apple store. The problem still exists. I tried putting the adapter into my wife's car and it didn't exhibit the cracking sound.

I thought it might be dirty/magnetized heads, although I wouldn't know why because I've never even put a cassette into the deck before. My local Radio Shack had a head cleaner/demagnetizer so I picked one up and gave it a try. It seemed to work, but only for a little while. I was able to drive home from work with no cracking, but the next morning it was back. Trying the cleaner again still didn't work.

Do any of you have any idea what I might be up against?

God I can't wait to get a direct connection!!! :)

[joggy]

Possibly a grounding issue. Run a search on this forum for ground loop isolator...there is a ton of info regarding symtons & resolutions...hth

[lairc]

Its not really a humming/buzzing issue. It actually sounds more like a static discharge. Like someone walked across the carpet in socks and is touching my iPod when it plays sound.

[joggy]

Sounds like you were right on track with the demagnitizer then. Wonder why it only worked once?

[nothingtoday]

my belkin tape adapter also crackles if you have the volume on the ipod turned up too high....if you have it too low you get a constant hiss and ring...its not easy to get it right....I nearly always listen to my ipod in the car and as I do most of my music listening on the road and im stuck with this crappy tape adapter but Im not technical and I dont understand any of these threads about installing in your car, I think I may have to pay someone to do it for me sometime.

anyway, If you gonna use a tape adapter you will never be satisfied with the quality

[PureUK]

Originally posted by nothingtoday
but Im not technical and I dont understand any of these threads about installing in your car, I think I may have to pay someone to do it for me sometime.



I'd say you don't have to be too technical at all. If you can use a screw driver then you will be fine. The hard part is finding all the details of what you need, what make and model your stereo is and whats compatable with it.

The easier part is unscrewing all the crap to put the wires in. Like I say, if you can read a manual and use a screwdriver you can get a perfectly good clean install with all the wires hidden.

But I agree that researching the stuff is a ##### when your not very tecnical..... you will learn a lot and get educated though. Use the forums and ask questions. Thats how I'm doing it.

[mavis29]

I went to radio shack and bought the same stuff...cleaner, demagnitizer, etc....worked for the first day and then stopped...i use a Sony cassette adapter and was happy with the quality for the first 2 months...and then the static cracklilng began. So, i then replaced the Sony with my old Belkin cassettte adapter and it didn't crackle with static. I'm thinking that the Sony is a lost cause...the head is too magnetized and there is no hope for it...My only solution is to buy a new cassette adapter until you can find the bread to install a hardwire connect to your car stereo...It's amazingly frustrating, but it's the only option...

[nothingtoday]

to hardwire the pod in, do you need a CD playing sterio, or will it work with the tape and radio thing that comes in the car?

[aruban]

The crackling noise comes from the G4 iPods. Because of the new feature on the audio plug (shuts down when unplugged) it has a small current running to the plug to sense if plug is present. The crackling noise comes from plugs the have metal on the rubber part of the headphones. One fix is to get a saran wrap plastic film from the kitchen and put a small pin hole in it and plug the headphone plug through it. Now when you plug in your device, the saran wrap act like a insulator between the ipod and plug.

I got this from another forum.:)

[nothingtoday]

also, does the hardwiring mean that you connect the firewire up to the electronics in your sterio...I have read on it but thats all I can seem to understand, and im not even sure if thats what your supposed to do.

and if it does this mean connecting the firewire from the ipod to the sterio, how does that play the music? wouldnt doing this just charge it???

[lairc]

You can get line-out from the dock connector. So if you have the right accessory (Sik-Imp, Belkin Car Charger) you can have it charge and provide a clean connection to your car stereo.

What I'm referring to in hardwiring is connecting the iPod to the CD changer port on the back of my head unit.

[GavinD]

Originally posted by lairc


What I'm referring to in hardwiring is connecting the iPod to the CD changer port on the back of my head unit.


Hardwiring is the way to go. You will have clear sound "cd quality". The site has some good info on it www.ipodcarkits.com

[mavis29]

Are there any big name retailers that sell the "Neo iON
Universal Direct Connect iPod Adapter"? This sounds like the perfect solution to my Crackeling Cassette Adapter Problem. Did all of you purchase this product online? If so, from whom...and how long did it take to arrive (as you can tell, i'm desperate).

[lairc]

I tried the plastic wrap fix and found that the crackling is still there. I even tried it with paper folded over several times.

I wonder if I"m going to have the same problem if I plug my tape adapter into a Sik Imp (which should be arriving today)?