SLKDawg

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Posted this the other day on the end of another older post (another board):

OK, finally got around to installing the WIRED FM modulator in the SLK. Install took about 2 hours, which included accessing the back of the radio (following directions from Metra's website), installing modulator and antenna wire adapters, running dual RCA to stereo plug jack adapter, and tapping the fuse panel.

Sound quality at first was not impressive - was getting a lot of distortion. Then I did some tweaking of the stereo and I think I moved the station down one and it improved greatly. The only issue I have now is that I have diminished some of the weaker FM stations and pretty much eliminated reception from the one and only AM station I usually listen too. But....

I NOW CAN LISTEN TO MY IPOD ON AN AUDIO20!!!!!!!!!

Pros - (1) see previous statement. Sound quality is probably not as good as CD, but pretty darn close - better than radio quality. (2) can still use CD changer (3) only paid about $70 (US) for the entire install.

Cons - (1) reduction in reception on some other stations - I am going to try some shielding of the modulator to see if maybe it is picking up electrical interference in the dash (2) iPod connects thru headphone jack, so auto shutoff and charging is not available - I am OK with this because I have a separate iPod car charger. I just have to make sure I turn the pod off when I am done with it.

Here is what I used:

FM Modulator - Parts Express:FM Modulator

MB Antenna Adaptor - XM Satellite Radio at MyRadioStore - FM Modulators - Metra Antennaworks 40-EU30 VW / BMW / European FM Antenna Adapter

Used these directions to get the radio out of the dash - http://documents.victorytechnologies...ct/99-8713.pdf The instructions tell you to remove the gear shifter and the panel surrounding it (Steps 1-3), but I found you can manuever these around and not totally take them out (I never could figure out how to get the gear shifter and boot removed).

Plugged the adapters into the antenna wire to the modulator and then to the radio.

Tapped the fuse panel on the driver's side dash and grounded the other wire from the modulator.

Used a dual RCA-to-stereo plug adapter to connect the iPod to the modulator. This wire was run next to the gear selector and comes out of the center console next to the driver's seat. The stereo plug plugs into the iPod where the ear phones plug in.

Radio is tuned into one of two stations that the modulator broadcasts on - I programmed the station into one of my preset buttons.

Only control of the iPod is with the iPod, but at least I am able to listen to it now over the car radio.

Now, once this was all hooked up, I realized that I had lost reception on a few of the weaker FM stations and almost totally lost reception of the one AM station I listen to. I unplugged the modulator from the fuse panel and the reception returned, so as a fix I am going to install an on/ off switch under the dash that when I want to listen to the pod I will turn it on, otherwise it will always be off.

Also, after playing around with the volumes and the treble/ bass of the radio, I would say the sound quality is now as good as CD.

I will add pics for the entire process soon.

etyu

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Thanks for the post. Would be interested in the pix and narrative.

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Eddy

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