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04 Forester XT stereo question

Hello. I'm new here. I just bought an 04 Forester XT (used - 16k Miles) last weekend and I love it1! What a cool car - it looks like a grandma or family truckster kind of thing but drives like a sports car. I also live in the mountains, so the AWD will definitely be handy this winter. Anyway, I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir, so I'll get on with my question.

I have the stock premium sound system, which has the in-dash 6 disc changer and sounds pretty nice for a stock stereo. I'm thinking I'll be keeping it for a while, but I have one gripe. I listen to most of my music on my MP3 player (Creative Nomad Zen that I upgraded to 80 GB). Currently I have a little FM transmitter to get the music into the car stereo, but the sound is mediocre at best. Ideally, I'd like a mini plug connection into the stereo but most head units don't have the inputs and I'd like to stick with this one of I can. I've seen third party accessories that will give you a line in by emulating a cd changer or XM radio and offer a line in for whatever sound source you want to feed it. I'd like to find one I could use with this head unit, but I figure it probably doesn't have the cd changer controls since it already has the changer in the head. So does it have support for an XM add-on? Has anyone found another way to add a line-in or am I doomed to either live with my modulator or replace the head? If I do have to replace the head, can another one make use of the amp (I assume there's an external amp based on the sound)?

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Matt

Reply to
MattB
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Hey Matt,

Are you the same MattB I have see in alt.mountain-bike? I can not answer you question directly-- but the factory 6 disc will play wma files so you could convert and burn your mp3s. That is what I do in mine.

Steve

Reply to
SuperPoo

Yep. That's my usual hangout.

It really will play wma's but not mp3's? What are you using to burn the discs?

Thanks!

Matt

Reply to
MattB

I have Outback 2005 Limited with 6 disk CD changed.

It def>

Reply to
LB

I would check out blitzsafe.com.

Reply to
D Ray

Subaru not on any of their lists :(

Reply to
LB

That's what I'd expect. I think if it played compressed CDs it would say something in the manual, on the unit it's self or both.

Matt

LB wrote:

Reply to
MattB

As usual I have my head part way in my ass. I played around making cds about a year ago and now that I have thought about it and looked at some of the discs I made it came back to me. No my Subaru will not play mp3 or wma files but it will play cd-rs (not cd-rws for some reason?) made from wma files converted to standard cd format. Sorry for the confusion.

Steve

Reply to
SuperPoo

Unless I'm remembering wrong, CDRWs are less reflective and play in fewer audio players.

Reply to
David

Yeah, cd-rs are less reflective than pressed cds and cd-rws are less reflective again. My last car cd player wouldn't do rw either. Anyway, I broke down and just ordered an Aiwa single disc head unit that has a line in socket on the face and should hook into the existing amp. It will play mp3 cd and cd-rw. That should keep me going for a while and was not too expensive ($150 shipped with harness and kit). As long as it sounds as good as the old one I'll be hapy with the new format options.

Matt

Reply to
MattB

With the factory speakers (even the upgraded ones in the XT), it's hard for me to imagine the sound quality of the head unit being detectable.

[switching topics] Got a hitch-mounted bike rack yet? You can carry bikes inside (I do regularly), but only medium or small frames will fit on a fork mount carrier.
Reply to
David

That what I imagine too. I'm making the switch to get the aux input and mp3 cd support and expect the sound to be about the same. The mp3 cds will be nice - I'll be able to put almost twice the music in I can with the six cd changer on a single cd. Or listen to my entire collection (over 8000 tracks currently) conveniently by plugging the Nomad into the line in. As an additional bonus, the new head will be a single DIN size and I'll have an extra little cubby underneath it to put stuff (like the Nomad).

Nope. I'm getting a roof mounted Thule system that attaches to the rails. It replaces those flimsy factory cross bars. I have skis, bikes, and kayaks to carry so I like to have one rack to carry everything.. I like roof racks better anyway.

Matt

Reply to
MattB

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