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Subaru Legacy/Outback 2005+

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Comments

  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I second the '06 suggestion, but I would like to comment that reasonably priced aftermarket wheels are not a problem... say $1000 or less for a set.

    If you pay more than that, you should talk to your agent to see if you need an additional rider, and of course keep your receipts.

    ~c
  • bjubju Member Posts: 8
    I'm still on the fence about trading out of my allroad into a new OB, and believe it or not, one of my major hangups is the stereo. I've got an after-market XM Commander in my Audi which connects to the HU directly thru RCA jacks. It also has a cassette player which allows me to run my iPod using a cassette adapter. In the OB, it looks like the stock stereo has no direct-in for MP3, no line-in in the back, and no cassette player. Does that really mean being stuck with CDs and FM radio?? I've searched a couple other forums here to see what others have done, but any topics on XM are generally related to older OB models. Are there any real-world solutions out there yet fpr the 05/06?
  • sweet_subiesweet_subie Member Posts: 1,394
    This is a huge issue. my wife hates my 05 XT for this reason.
    What about IPOD with FM modulator ?
  • jvhaasjvhaas Member Posts: 5
    We haven't tried using our XM in our new OB, but we do just fine in our Pathfinder using the FM modulator. I'd give it a try...and of course I will report how the modulator works in the OB. (05 2.5i LTD, 5 days "old")
  • bjubju Member Posts: 8
    Not a fan of the FM modulator, but it may be the only option. I tried it (the Belkin one I think) and had no luck. I live in the SF Bay Area and finding a vacant station was difficult. In fact, I never did find one, so use the cassette adapter for the iPod. Between the two, getting XM is the priority, although the wife prefers the iPod on road trips. It'll be my car though, and she'll rarely drive it.
  • sweet_subiesweet_subie Member Posts: 1,394
    belkin doesn't make good stuff other than cables. i would try other brands
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Belkin makes an FM *transmitter*, and those can give poor quality. An FM *modulator* wires inline with the antenna cable and gives a consistently stronger signal. The quality is still only as good as FM, but it's generally way better than a transmitter. I am using a modulator for my iPod right now, and it works OK. However, a fellow over on another forum is perfecting a direct line-in solution that we have all been working on for a year. I think he'll be selling the parts within the next few weeks. It will require connecting an adapter board into the guts of the radio, but overall, it's a simple and reliable solution. It will give a clean line-in going directly to the amplifier. It basically toggles the CD input between the CD changer and an aux-in of your choice.

    Note that we have been working this for the GT/XT/Ltd models that have the 6-CD changer. It may or may not work on the base models with single CD.

    Craig
  • bjubju Member Posts: 8
    Good info, thanks. I'd be getting the LTD model, so should work for me. I'll keep my eyes/ears open for news on the parts. I also was not aware of the transmitter vs. modulator difference. Very important difference I see. Modulator would be acceptable, but direct line-in is ideal.

    Thanks again.
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    I personally think the sound from a cassette adapter is better than an FM transmitter or modulator so I think it's not too bad a choice -- other than it looking kludgy.

    I also live in the SF Bay Area and have found 92.7 to work generally well with my Belkin transmitter. I also did a simple hack of soldering on a segment of wire to the antenna lead to extend it's range.

    Sometime this week I'm going to be installing an FM Modulator, however, for more consistent performance.

    Ken
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Craig,

    I just was reading through the other forum and it sounded like a solution was ready, just without the CD mute function.

    Please let us know how the install goes when you do get it. It sounded like some through-hole soldering was required and I'd love to hear how difficult you thought the modification would be.

    Ken
  • bjubju Member Posts: 8
    Ken- I didn't think a cassette adapter was an option though, as the stock stereo doesn't appear to come with a player (like so many new cars these days)?
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    My bad -- I just realized you were referencing a 06 OB. Yes, cassettes have become a thing of the past.

    Ken
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Saw two 06 models today. As Bob mentoned a while back, thy have 17" wheels/tires now.

    Legacy 2.5i wagon -- had the same 17" wheels as the 05 GT, and Yokohama Advan tires!

    Outback 2.5i wagon -- had 17" wheels that were a new style (maybe 8-10 spokes) but still had the Potenza RE-92A tires.

    Craig
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Ken,

    I am hoping Mike can get the boards pre-fabbed (with connectors already soldered on). The pitch of the connectors is very fine (like 0.5 mm zig-zag), and I would not look forward to soldering that!

    Craig
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Craig,

    So, with the connectors already soldered on, the board simply plugs onto the back of the HU?

    It's too bad I no longer work with the semiconductor test group at work. I knew many EE and techs for whom something like this would have been a walk in the park.

    Ken
  • subiewtbsubiewtb Member Posts: 9
    Where did you guy get the info on hacking into the HU to add the Ipod?

    Lee
  • sweet_subiesweet_subie Member Posts: 1,394
    I thought FM modulator works wirelessly ? isn;t this true ? My DVD video in my MPV has built in FM modulator & it works just fine.

    Look at our pathetic life, we can;t connect this to a 30k car ? Subaru failed miserably on this.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yokohama Advan tires?!

    You mean OE tires that don't suck on a Subaru?

    I'm shocked.

    -juice
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    An FM transmitter is wireless and has to compete with other radio signals as it broadcasts to your antenna. An FM modulator is wired intoe the antenna line downstream of the antenna (and upstream of the radio), and can basically switch the antenna off so the modulator signal is piping directly into the radio receiver with no competition.

    Craig
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    What ever happened to the potential face plate that would allow standard DIN or double-DIN stereo units to fit in the dash? Was that a pipe dream due to the HVAC controls?

    Seems like there is a market for an adaptor to open up options.

    -juice
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Ken,

    The board will have two ribbon cable connectors, a short extra ribbon cable, a pigtail with RCA leads, and various power/relay wires.

    The ribbon cable going from the CD changer to the amplifier (inside the radio) would be disconnected and routed to the board. The extra ribbon cable would then go from the board to the amp. Relays on the board will switch between the CD changer input (on the incoming ribbon) and the RCA pigtails, then direct the output to the amp.

    You'd need to pull the radio out and remove the back panel of the radio (all easy). Then reach in and fiddle with the ribbon cables (also fairly easy, even more so if you have small hands!). Finally, either zip tie or tape the accesory board inside the radio (plenty of room) and route all external the cables/wires out through a hole in the back (which is currently covered with a plastic plug).

    Craig
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    There's another website specific to the "LegacyGT". Hope that helps -- if I get any more specific than that, Edmunds will delete the post.

    Craig
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    I think it's an option for 2.5i models, but it will never work on the Ltd and up models, as the radio and HVAC controls share a common circuit board. HVAC wiring actually plugs into the back of the radio!! There's really no good way to separate them. Best option is to add an aftermarket radio elsewhere and leave the stock system alone.

    Craig
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    What if we did go with a 2.5i, though, does someone make a face plate?

    -juice
  • chumchum Member Posts: 11
    Craig - Is it in bad taste to ask for the link to the other board? If so, can you send it to my email?

    EDIT: NM.. Missed your last post. Found the site :)

    I'd really be interested in finding a way to plug my 'pod into my 05 Outback XT. Thanks,

    Chad
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    There is a JDM Subaru faceplate that "should" work on 2.5i models. It will require moving the hazard button over to the other side (and associated re-wiring), but I think that's the worst of it. Nobody has tried it yet though!

    Craig
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Someone do it, take one for the team! LOL

    -juice
  • occkingoccking Member Posts: 346
    I also have the XM Commander in my outback. The unit with the controls fits very nicely flat on the part just in fromt of the cup holders. It works fine through the FM modulator. The unit "died" and while I was getting it replaced bought a XM Roady unit on sale for only $50 (cause I knew it would take a few weeks to get the XM fixed) That also worked fine with FM Modulator, in fact even more FM settings on that than the Commander. My only problem is antenna is on inside of dash & gets reception maybe 90% of the time. I will live with it to avoid having antenna outside on roof. I am not a "connosoeur" (don't ask me how to spell that word) when it comes to sound quality on a radio so perhaps the quality is not as good as a factory installed unit (which I have had previously) or one "direct wired" but fine for my purposes.
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    If you're electrical/electronical inclined, you could rig an auxillary input for the XM or iPod.
    I believe the auxillary circuitry is already there in the unit's board [remember coming across a thread of such over at nabisco].

    -Dave
  • twrxtwrx Member Posts: 647
    I tried an FM transmitter with my iPod in my 2.5i. (Yes it was a Belkin). Lousy signal, static and drifting. I think part of the problem is the in glass antenna at the back of the car.

    Apple just added Nissan, Mazda and Diahatsu in Japan to the list of cars with dedicated iPod connectors. Here in the US I know of BMW, Mini, Volvo, Scion, Jaguar and Benz. Get with it Subaru!
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Not at nabisco, it's at the "other" forum (though there are aux-ins for Forester/WRX models at nabisco). We ought to give that other forum a nickname too! LGT? Lacy GT? Lacy Underall? (10 points to the first person who can reference that last one).

    Craig
  • zman3zman3 Member Posts: 857
    Caddyshack???
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Caddyshack???

    Ding ding, we have a winner!
  • zman3zman3 Member Posts: 857
    Sweet. Now I have, let me see here, uh, 10 points total. Excellent.
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Hmmm. Nickname for the other place... Legit.com? Letusbe.com?

    Creative juices not flowing today...

    Ken
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    So I finally got around to installing an FM modulator in my Legacy GT wagon last evening. Up until now, I had been tolerating the use of a Belkin FM transmitter. The sound on the transmitter was actually not too bad. I had also soldered on an antenna extension to help boost the signal, but between occasional static and a jumble of wires, I finally decided to put my foot down and get to business.

    I followed the copious number of instructions available over at LGT.com and overall the process went fairly smoothly. The only accident I had was burning the tip of my thumb on a soldering iron after I modified the power cable on the FM Modulator. Ouch! Those things get really hot!

    I used an Audiovox FMM100A Modulator that uses an on/off switch. The overall sound quality is much clearer and stronger compared to the FM transmitter I had been using. It’s nice to hear pure silence with the modulator powered on and the tuner dialed into the right frequency. The only noise I seem to hear comes from when my iPod spins up it’s hard drive to access more songs. While it’s not CD-quality, it’s an acceptable solution until some of our more EE-savvy friends finish the direct AUX-in modification for the stock HU.

    Some things I noted that might help some others:

    - Budget a lot of time the first time you take apart the center console. The parts are held in by plastic clips and come out with some force, but the pieces are fragile and easily scratched. The learning curve is pretty steep and the process becomes relatively easy the second time around.
    - I used a plastic scraping tool from our kitchen to remove the chrome ring around the shifter to minimize scratching.
    - I used the 90-degree bend of hex-keys to pull up the trim around the shifter.
    - Cover the area around the gated shifter with a towel prior to removing the headunit to prevent scratches.
    - Use caution to not drop the two screws that hold the HU in the back – it’s easy to lose them forever in the jumble of cables and insulation.
    - Once the HU screws are removed, start with the hazard light harness on the back upper right.
    - I used double adhesive Velcro strips to attach the modulator to the center AC duct directly behind the HU. Some folks use the ABS unit below, but I wanted to stay clear of that unit.
    - I drew power for my modulator from the back of the cigarette lighter on the center console.
    - I drilled two holes in the bottom of the center box to run the modulator switch and RCA/minijack cable into the storage cubby. I cut small slits in the “carpet” to allow these to come through.

    Ken
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    And thanks for sharing the tips.

    Sorry to hear about the finger. They gotta get hot to melt metal.

    -juice
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    If you're electrical/electronical inclined, you could rig an auxillary input for the XM or iPod.

    I doubt the gain in sound with a stock headunit is worth that trouble, assuming you buy a GOOD fm modulator and not a crappy $20 radioshack unit.

    Too bad the climate control is integrated... if it wasn't, you could do what I did. I have a Clarion DRZ865 mp3/wma deck and for the last year have been connecting my mp3 player to the auxiliary input. Or sometimes I just put in a burned mp3 cd.

    But I'm thinking about getting a $99 module that controls an iPod as if it were a Clarion changer. http://www.crutchfield.com/S-P8RJ5114HLd/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=227550&I=020EA1251B

    Wicked cool.

    ~Colin
  • sweet_subiesweet_subie Member Posts: 1,394
    This is good. i went & talked to a professional electronics store & discussed. here is the solution for $350. you not only enhance the audio quality but also accepts Aux inputs for XM or MP3.

    http://www.jlaudio.com/press/CleanSweep05.html

    6) CleanSweep™ also integrates a stereo auxiliary input circuit for adding an additional stereo source such as a satellite radio tuner, MP3 player, aftermarket source unit, or any other audio source to the system.

    http://www.jlaudio.com/press/pdfs/CleanSweep_05.pdf
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Make sure you understand what this does -- it's essentially a fancy line-out converter that will take the speaker level leads from the factory radio, signal process them to remove any unwanted equalization (based on a calibration) and then make the cleaned up signal available for amplifiers. It also provides extra line-in capabilities going to the amps. It DOES NOT provide a true line-in to the head unit, which is what we are all seeking! When using the CleanSweep's line-in, it passes the signal to the amplifiers which means you cannot control the volume using the factory radio (in fact, the factory radio is pretty much irrelevant at that point). The CleanSweep includes a separate volume knob for this purpose.

    In the end, you could achieve the same thing by hooking up your iPod directly to an amplifier with a gain/volume control in between, such as provided by the $30 Belkin Auto-Kit (or just use the iPod's slightly noisier headphone output and the iPod's own volume control).

    The true benefit of the CleanSweep is that you can use it to clean up the factory speaker signal, which may have pre-canned equalization. The Legacy/Outback radios, and other Subaru radios, have a preset bass-reducer equalization that kicks in at high volume levels to keep the factory speakers from distorting. If you are going to install amps and high quality speakers downstream of the head unit, then this is unwanted. However, if you're keeping the factory speakers, you're probably better off with the preset eq curve.

    So the upshot -- if you're spending at least $1200-1500 on good amps and speakers (amps are required with the CleanSweep) and want to retain the factory head unit, the CleanSweep is a great idea. For any other purpose, it's not really needed. In fact, the radio in my 05 XT gives unmolested sound up to about a volume level of 17, and this would be suitable for my purposes when adding amps. The bass-reducing eq kicks in above volumes of about 20 or so. I honestly could get by with a volume range of 0-17, so I would not even benefit from a clean sweep when adding amps and speakers. However, people who want a volume resolution less than 1/17 may want to look into it.

    BTW, the VP of JL Audio, Manville Smith, is a poster over on the other Legacy forum and is a heck of a nice guy. He drives a GT and of course, has a pretty nice audio setup!

    CRaig
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Cool Ken! Sounds like you had a normal share of injuries....

    Did you use the Metra adapters?

    Hopefully I'll get the direct line-in capability going in the next couple weeks, depending on how Mike's work goes on the other forum....

    Craig
  • sweet_subiesweet_subie Member Posts: 1,394
    Craig,

    I thought it is a cleaner way to connect my IPOD to factory unit. If i keep factory stereo/speakers & not add amps, are you saying Clean sweep is NOT needed ?

    any other cleaner way to hook IPOD/MP3. I am happy with factory sound.
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Craig,

    Yes, I used the Metra adapters. They were relatively inexpensive (something like $20) and worked perfectly.

    Now that I'm fairly comfortable getting in behind the center console, I'm seriously considering buying one of Mike's boards if the installation doesn't involve some fancy soldering.

    It seemed like Mike was fairly close with the exception of getting the CD mute function resolved. I wasn't sure if he had connectors mounted to the board, however.

    Ken
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Krisshna,

    Craig summed it up, but with Clean Sweep, you're basically using the factory HU as an audio source (CD or FM). It intercepts the signal from the HU to the speakers and gives the added bonus of an AUX-in.

    I exchanged some emails with the Clean Sweep people and it's not worth the money if your sole purpose is simply to add a line in. Like Craig wrote, you no longer can control volume and other settings from the HU. Also, with Clean Sweep you need to add your own amplifier to drive the speakers. Since the stock HU has an EQ curve adjusted for the stock speakers, chances are the resulting sound (if you simply added a Clean Sweep and a basic amp) would be rather flat.

    Clean Sweep, IMO, is a great product if you are replacing the stock speakers and adding your own amp but don't want to change the appearance of your factory HU. It's simply overkill for adding an AUX-in.

    Ken
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
  • sweet_subiesweet_subie Member Posts: 1,394
    thanks, ken. very helpful.
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    any other cleaner way to hook IPOD/MP3. I am happy with factory sound.

    Are you happy with the quality when listening to FM radio? If so, then just get a wired FM modulator like Ken and I did. It is inexpensive, works quite well, and is a straightforward install. Further down the road (within a month I expect), we should have a direct line-level aux-in which will provide the best possible sound quality (basically as good as CD). However, it will have a bit more complexity.

    Craig
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    That was a good summary Ken!
  • ssmintonssminton Member Posts: 155
    I have been using a "wired" FM modulator for XM since my audio guy got creative enough last January to splice it in. Before, the "plug" was not yet available for the VDC radio. Don't know the status today. My current audio quality through XM is similar to the quality of digital FM stations. I do notice that when I am cruising at higher speeds on a nice day with the sunroof open, I prefer a CD or MP3. This is just due to the volume gain lost through the XM system. I can't seem to get it "loud" enough without distortion to fully enjoy in a noisy ambient enbironment. I use the XM Commander product.
  • chumchum Member Posts: 11
    Craig - Is this the same device that mvigeau is working on or something different? I'd much rather wait for a direct-in that allows me to use the phantom "Aux" button than an FM modulator.

    chad
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