You quickly get used to good things, therefore, having bought yourself a new car without Bluetooth (it was in the past), I was immediately puzzled by the question of how to connect my smartphone to an audio system. In the process of solving it, I got acquainted with interesting devices and today I will tell you what connection options are possible and how much they cost.
Let's get started!
AUX cable, or we solve the issue on a budget
The cheapest and fastest way to connect a smartphone to a car audio system is to buy an AUX cable, that is, a wire with 3.5 mm mini-jack plugs on both sides, at the nearest stall, communication store, computer store or any other suitable place. This is exactly what I did when I got behind the wheel of a new car.
The cost of such cables starts at about 50 rubles and depends on the length and quality of performance. Quality options are sold in the same DNS for 200-300 rubles.
Don't forget to make sure you have a port in your car before buying!
Pros:
- Low price
- Availability in stores
- Good sound with good cable
Minuses:
- Every time the smartphone needs to be connected and disconnected
- Extra wire in the torpedo area
- Will not fit smartphones without a 3.5mm jack
Cost:
- From 50 rubles
Bluetooth FM transmitter, or create your own radio station
The AUX cable was initially considered by me as a temporary option, since I physically did not want to constantly connect the smartphone. Remembering that Xiaomi has a line of Bluetooth Roidmi FM transmitters, I immediately ordered the latest Roidmi 3S model.
The principle of operation is as follows: you connect the smartphone to the transmitter via Bluetooth, and it, in turn, broadcasts sound on the FM frequency, that is, we just have to catch the desired wave in the radio receiver mode. Roidmi transmitters from Xiaomi skillfully disguise themselves as a regular car charger – there are 2 USB ports with a total power of 17 watts. Here is a 2 in 1 device.
The transmitter is configured using the Roidmi app, it is available on both Google Play and the App Store.
I assumed the FM sound would not be of the best quality, but still hoped for 'magic Xiaomi'. And it didn't happen. The sound is really dull, noises appear at high volume, even on standard speakers the music does not sound very high quality. However, I note that at low and medium volumes, especially if you do not turn the sound in the smartphone to the maximum volume, but use the adjustment on the audio system, the quality is passable. On the forums, they say that the previous model Roidmi 2S sounds better, and they advise you to buy it, but I did not check it, continuing to search for a more interesting solution.
Pros:
- Will fit any car that has an FM tuner and a cigarette lighter socket
- Complete absence of wires
- Easy to set up
- Carries out the function of car charging (2 USB ports with a total power of 17 W, maximum 12 W for one).
- Firmware upgradeable
Minuses:
- Poor sound above average
- Unpleasant ringing notification sound when connecting a smartphone
Cost:
- About 1,300 rubles
Bluetooth – AUX receiver, or get high-quality sound without wires
Continuing to study the question, I came across Bluetooth – AUX receivers. Their principle of operation is similar to transmitters, only instead of the FM frequency, a wired connection is used through the AUX connector.
I note that even on AliExpress, there are not so many receivers sharpened for use in a car Bluetooth, and it is generally useless to look for them in Russian retail. But despite this, I managed to find an almost perfect device – Kript Bluetooth Car Kit.
The device looks like this.
On the front of the gadget there is an LED that notifies of the connection status, and a multifunctional button, with which you can answer a call, end a call, turn on music, pause it, switch a track or use voice dialing. Below the button is the microphone grid used for voice calls. Although the manufacturer claims high-quality noise reduction and crystal clear sound, my interlocutors often disagree with this.
There are two wires coming out of the gadget – USB for power supply and a 3.5 mm plug for connecting to the AUX port of the audio system. The kit comes with a car power supply for the cigarette lighter, but I supply Kript Bluetooth Car Kit from a standard USB port for flash drives, there is enough power.
And now about the most important thing – sound. There are no complaints about him. Music is played cleanly, as if using a direct AUX connection. Owners of Android – smartphones will be pleased with the support of the Apt-X codec, thanks to which the audio transmission via Bluetooth will go practically without compression. But paired with iPhone everything is very good.
The receiver automatically turns on when power is applied, and also independently connects to the last known device. Calls are forwarded to Kript Bluetooth Car Kit immediately, and to play music, you need to press the multifunction button once, then the last song will start. Double-clicking turns on the next track, triple-clicking the previous one.
This device solved all my tasks, so I can safely recommend it for purchase.
Pros:
- High-quality sound, support for the Apt-X codec
- Hands Free Operation
- Compatible with all audio systems with AUX
- Rich set with car power supply and two types of fastening (clip for deflectors and double-sided sticker on the panel)
- Auto-connection after ignition on
Minuses:
- No autoplay music, you need to press a key
- Do not hide the wire anywhere
- Not the best microphone quality during a call
Cost:
- About 1 800 rubles
Conclusion
In the end, I would like to note that these solutions are budgetary options for finalizing standard head units. If the budget allows, then you can search for a head unit with Bluetooth, the price for such options starts from 5,000 rubles. But this is already a topic for a separate material.