Connecting iPod to MY10 Macintosh

[Wasbxt]

Hi all,

Still patiently waiting for delivery of our GT Wagon (it's arrived on the docks at last).....but in the mean time I want to get the iPod connectivety sorted.

At the moment we don't have an iPod at all so wondering what's best to go with?
iPod Classic 160gb? iPod Touch 32gb?
Will mainly be used for music, maybe a bit of video streaming.

Also, what cable is best to buy? iPod cable or USB cable?
Do you have to buy the genuine Subaru cable or are there other cheaper alternatives?

Thanks

[rsp8]

There is a very cheap alternative, but the compromise is that you can't control the iPod through the McIntosh controls. You have a L-R audio and video RCA socket in the centre console, just hook up a 3.5mm headphone jack-RCA cable through the AUX input. You can keep the iPod charged through a cigarette lighter to 5V USB adaptor if necessary. This is the way I went when I saw that Subaru wanted $400 for what is essentially a cable.

When you do get delivery I'd be really interested to know if your voice dialling over bluetooth works and what version of the software the McIntosh is running, be prepared to be underwhelmed by the McIntosh unit, but the rest of the car will not disappoint.

[nytrojen]

Hi all,

Still patiently waiting for delivery of our GT Wagon (it's arrived on the docks at last).....but in the mean time I want to get the iPod connectivety sorted.

At the moment we don't have an iPod at all so wondering what's best to go with?
iPod Classic 160gb? iPod Touch 32gb?
Will mainly be used for music, maybe a bit of video streaming.

Also, what cable is best to buy? iPod cable or USB cable?
Do you have to buy the genuine Subaru cable or are there other cheaper alternatives?

Thanks

Umm really depends how much music/video you have and whether it's going to live in the car or be used elsewhere as well. I have an older ipod video 80gb that pretty much lives in the car that I use for music only (no CDs FTW!) although you can also stream video off it. If you want to have something a bit more useful (ie apps, wifi, etc etc) the ipod touch can't be beat.

Basically: if you have a large library and you only want to use your ipod for music in the car - ipod classic

If you have a small library or are constantly changing it and don't mind not having your entire music collection with you + you want to be able to have useful apps/games + wifi + games and use it outside of your car too then get a touch.

Hope that kinda makes sense

P.S: also i have no idea about the MY10 ipod connectivity in terms of cables. I assume that you can just use the standard ipod usb cable that comes with the ipod if the MY10 has usb ipod connectivity

[Wasbxt]

There is a very cheap alternative, but the compromise is that you can't control the iPod through the McIntosh controls. You have a L-R audio and video RCA socket in the centre console, just hook up a 3.5mm headphone jack-RCA cable through the AUX input. You can keep the iPod charged through a cigarette lighter to 5V USB adaptor if necessary. This is the way I went when I saw that Subaru wanted $400 for what is essentially a cable.

When you do get delivery I'd be really interested to know if your voice dialling over bluetooth works and what version of the software the McIntosh is running, be prepared to be underwhelmed by the McIntosh unit, but the rest of the car will not disappoint.

Thanks Richard, sounds like the cheapest option.....what does the Subaru Ipod cable plug into? Didn't check on the test drive but sounds like there's more than 1 input.

Underwhelmed by the McIntosh??? In what way mate?

[rsp8]

Thanks Richard, sounds like the cheapest option.....what does the Subaru Ipod cable plug into? Didn't check on the test drive but sounds like there's more than 1 input.

The Subaru cable wires into the back of the McIntosh amp (presumably, I don't have one), so you wouldn't lose the aux (RCA) inputs - you also have the option of bluetooth streaming audio from a device that supports it. The only benefit, admittedly quite a good one, is that you can control the tracks and playback from the steering wheel or HU with a genuine cable and charge at the same time.

Underwhelmed by the McIntosh??? In what way mate?

Disastrous user interface, navigation very dated, audio has muddy midrange and too much bass (with hardly any options to adjust, but switching to 'cloth' interior helps!), inputs vary massively in volume (FM radio is quiet, switch to CD and blow your head off), FM radio varies in tone seeming to lose parts of the spectrum like someone's playing with an equaliser (maybe signal related, but the Bose in my Mazda never did it). All of this I can overlook, but the voice dialling just simply doesn't work - this is a dealbreaker, I depend on using my phone safely in the car for my job. Having it say 'pardon' is bad enough, but telling me 'the system is checking the disk, please wait' and bugging out really s*its me!

[teejay]

Interesting comments, I am planning on updating my MY08 GTB to a GT sedan mid year and was wondering on the difference between the ipod cable and the USB version, (If anybody actually knows please feel free to comment), I am not that fussy on sound quality as after 27 years working in heavy industry I can't tell the difference any more! I did notice that the MY08 liberty had different volume levels for radio and CD but they are not extreme.

[Subi82]

There is a very cheap alternative, but the compromise is that you can't control the iPod through the McIntosh controls. You have a L-R audio and video RCA socket in the centre console, just hook up a 3.5mm headphone jack-RCA cable through the AUX input. You can keep the iPod charged through a cigarette lighter to 5V USB adaptor if necessary. This is the way I went when I saw that Subaru wanted $400 for what is essentially a cable.

+1. This is the way that I have gone too using the iPod with the standard audio system. The iPod cable accessories are way overpriced.

[teejay]

There is a very cheap alternative, but the compromise is that you can't control the iPod through the McIntosh controls. You have a L-R audio and video RCA socket in the centre console, just hook up a 3.5mm headphone jack-RCA cable through the AUX input. You can keep the iPod charged through a cigarette lighter to 5V USB adaptor if necessary. This is the way I went when I saw that Subaru wanted $400 for what is essentially a cable.

+1. This is the way that I have gone too using the iPod with the standard audio system. The iPod cable accessories are way overpriced.

I have one of those cables in my 08 GTB and the volume difference between the ipod aux input and the radio is massive, I have the radio on volume 14-18 but have to have the aux on 30 for the same volume!

[rsp8]

I have one of those cables in my 08 GTB and the volume difference between the ipod aux input and the radio is massive, I have the radio on volume 14-18 but have to have the aux on 30 for the same volume!

Have you got the volume limiter set on the iPod? It's not that quiet on the MY10, but obviously the iPod volume has to be cranked up (above what you would typically have with headphones)

[teejay]

I have one of those cables in my 08 GTB and the volume difference between the ipod aux input and the radio is massive, I have the radio on volume 14-18 but have to have the aux on 30 for the same volume!

Have you got the volume limiter set on the iPod? It's not that quiet on the MY10, but obviously the ipod volume has to be cranked up (above what you would typically have with headphones)

Most likely have volume limit on but pain in the arse to change back and forth, as a matter of interest what if any usb ipod options did you go for in your My10?
As I will more than likely get a MY10 GT end of June and need to work out what accessories or options I get?
I'll also go for the white GT same as yours.