xcarlink vs grom vs others

[isdf]

Hi,

I am wanting to be able to play mp3s in my 2005 Accord Euro Luxury. Having done a bit of research, there are two ways to do it;

1. installing a head unit below the centre console or
2. an adapter for use with iPod/USB

At this stage, my preferred method is number 2 (easy and quick to remove when returning to stock + cheaper).

The most popular accessory to cater for this on this forum seems to be xcarlink.

Here is a summary of my research of xcarlink below:

xcarlink
+
steering wheel controls work
can play mp3s

-
hissing sound or whining noise
no song titles (and so would be hard to find a song)

I really would not like to 'put up' with the hissing and would rather see if there was something out there that was better.

My question is, has anyone else used alternatives (like grom: http://www.gromaudio.com/usb.html), etc that may out perform the xcarlink?

isdf

[doosra]

of course there's gonna be no song title as the stock head unit is a cd player not mp3, hence will not cater for titles..

the xcarlink is a good product.. i dont really hear much hissing. i find it quite clear..

[crinchi]

u rarely hear the hissing noise unless u dled some heaps dodgey quality mp3 song.. find it funni how the hissing gets louder when u hit the throttle... neone else notice that

[scott1e]

I am also contemplating setting up the xcarlink in my car - surely the ability to charge your iPod/iPhone and play mp3's through the stock system far outweighs any intermittent hissing sounds?

xcarlink does charge the iPod/iPhone right?

[doosra]

my xcarlihnk charges my itouch and the 1st gen iphone (2G), but it didn't charge the 3g iphone..

[euromandeluxe]

my xcarlihnk charges my itouch and the 1st gen iphone (2G), but it didn't charge the 3g iphone..

hmm, on this topic...

are there any products (like the xcarlink) that can function as ipod integration kits AND as bluetooth sets for calls for the iphone 3G?

it'd be awesome if there was a product that plugs into the back of the headunit which could play your music on your iPhone with full steering wheel controls, and then function as a bluetooth system for handfree calls using the car's speaker system and a small microphone.

any such thing?

[scott1e]

my xcarlihnk charges my itouch and the 1st gen iphone (2G), but it didn't charge the 3g iphone..

Mmmm this could be a problem... can anyone else confirm or deny they have this same problem?

[felixd]

just get a mp 3 headunit from jb hifi or sumthing

[aaronng]

u rarely hear the hissing noise unless u dled some heaps dodgey quality mp3 song.. find it funni how the hissing gets louder when u hit the throttle... neone else notice that

It's not hissing, it's a whining sound. And it appears worst when you are inbetween songs where there is nothing being played, but the background electronic noise. On mine, it sounds like a supercharger. Noticeable when the volume is set above 10.

[aaronng]

hmm, on this topic...

are there any products (like the xcarlink) that can function as ipod integration kits AND as bluetooth sets for calls for the iphone 3G?

it'd be awesome if there was a product that plugs into the back of the headunit which could play your music on your iPhone with full steering wheel controls, and then function as a bluetooth system for handfree calls using the car's speaker system and a small microphone.

any such thing?

I remember seeing one that had a bluetooth handsfree function and had a microphone input. You had to route the microphone around the trim, but the function was there.

[doosra]

i can't actually hear any hissing on mine..

[huey888]

I don't get any hissing or whining at all with my xcarlink.
However, I've also installed an Alpine PDX4150 amp and they had to fit line-level reducers. From memory there may have been a whining noise detected during installation, but I think line-level reducers may have eliminated this noise as well.