I’ll be honest: I use the cassette deck in my car way more than I use my CD player. In fact, I hardly ever use the CD player, and use the cassette deck every day.
And no, it’s not because I have a bunch of cassettes with old-person music that geezers like Chris Breen probably listen to. Nor is it because I’m one of those “post-modern” analog-loving hipsters who make mix tapes Old Skool style to demonstrate their chic non-conformist approach to the our “evil” consumerist culture.
I actually just use the cassette deck because I have one of those nifty cassette adapters that let you play your iPod music through your car speakers. And these days, most people I know play more iPod music in their cars then they do CDs — either with cassette adapters, or FM transmitters, or integrated iPod player systems.
Seems that car stereo manufacturers are taking notice of this, too, according to a piece at MacNewsWorld by USA Today detailing a few companies’ new stereo products that do away with CD drives entirely, replacing them instead with iPod/MP3-player/USB/SD card player systems (adapters, slots, ports, etc.).
Stereo-makers like Clarion, Alpine Electronics, and Blaupunkt have all jumped on the CD-player-less (it has an iPod jack instead) bandwagon, offering car stereo units sans optical drives. Some, though, like Pioneer Mobile Entertainment, are standing their CD-lovin’ ground until the disk-less concept builds some momentum.
Check the MNW article for more details, and sound off in the comments: How do you listen to music in your car?
[image from Car Domain]
Be careful how you insult the Mothership, Dan, they might cut your funding. :D
What's a cassette deck?
I use the CD player, but only because my Dodge Caliber has no aux input (in order to get the upgraded speaker system, I had to get the 6-disc changer which, unlike the base head unit, has no input) and the full iPod integration kit costs about $200.
Am I the last person in the world to listen to FM radio?
I bought the stereo for my truck about a year ago. I still have the same CD in it that I put in to adjust the audio the first time. I don't think I ever ejected it! It's been all iPod for me.
If they would have had an affordable unit with no CD/cassette back then, I probably would have gotten it.
I'd be fine if they did away with the am/fm tuner, too. Just give me an iPod hookup, a means to adjust the sound, and a clock, and I'd be happy.
The cassette deck has a cassette adapter to allow XM playback without the annoyance/low quality of an FM transmitter. My '95 has no aux. jack. The power antenna broke (with help from the wife--don't ask) about the time that I first got XM. FM radio is a wasteland where I live, so no great loss. XM has traffic, weather and sports.
My iPod can swap in for the XM, so that's covered. There's a CD changer in the trunk if I feel the need for that. I do use it to preview new music before I decide if it all goes into the iPod. I only synch my iPod when I have a "stable build" in the iTunes library. I do most podcast listening/viewing on the Mac.
Does anyone make a unit like that shown in the photo?
That's the kind of integration I'm looking for.
I have a FM transmitter unit that plugs into the cigarette lighter and powers my iPod, but it's a hassle to deal with. It takes up all the storage in my center console, leaving no room for my iPod... which I forget to bring with me most of the time because I can't leave it in my car. Corded units sound even worse.
I was in Germany last year and amazed that ALL the car stereo units for sale had iPod adapters. The Japanese are slow to do similarly (as Seinfeld would say: "they are anti-iPodites"). America makes nothing and tries to sell you older stuff first. If you are lucky enough to have a cassette player, Belkin makes a great adapter ($20) that seamlessly brought my iPod into play on my older BMW. I fly often too - and the iPod has make the time on the airplane tolerable for me - I truly love them!
ipod and cassette adapter looks ugly and has nerd written all over it, not that there is anything wrong with being a nerd.
Shortly after getting my first iPod a few years ago, I bought a wired FM transmitter that connects the iPod to the cigarette lighter jack and sends a signal to 88.7 FM on the FM dial. Very nice. Been listening to all of my favorite music through my various iPods using that setup since.
There is no need for CDs or tapes in cars anymore.