tape adapter vs. rca

Hello,
I've recently installed my mp3 car player in my volvo s60. I've started building the player before I got the car and no one could tell me if the tape deck has rca inputs(or ouputs)which it doesn't. I hooked up my mp3 system through a tape adapter and I guss it was okay(after solving a SB problem) but stil there is a hiss when I switch to tape mode I'm gussing it's because of the tape adapter, and the sound is more like a cassete rather a cd. I contact a lab That told me they can add rca inputs to my head deck my Q's are do you think this would help the sound quality I just want to be sure before I invest more money that with the rca input every noise can be eliminated(eventually).
Thanks

If it definatly does have RCA inputs, the sound quality will definatly improve. Using RCA inputs you have a physical connection for your audio, where as using a tape adaptor the audio is converted from electrical, to magnetic(?) then back to electrical, each time, loosing quality.

Of course it is going to sound like a cassette when you are using a cassette adaptor, because that is what it is, your simulating a cassette in the player.

As for investing more money, unless you need a special adaptor to utilize your RCA inputs the only things u should need are a decent set of RCA cables.



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My plans and progress on my install http://www.mp3car.com/usersites/hornet

This is sort of on the topic. I have an old head unit with only tape and I was thinking there might be a way to "hardwire" the sound in. The idea was to skip the tape adapter and solder a line in into the cassette deck. I connected the wires right after the magnetic? pickup of the cassette deck. I tried this and could get excellent sound as long as i only used the left or right channel but there was loud popping if i tried to use both. Can anyone explain this? This seems like a good way to get a cheap aux input on your head unit.

My head deck doesn't have a rca input but I contected a lab and they told me they can make it an rca input that connects to the units amp.

If it costs more than $50 to add RCA's, just get a new HU.

Dartman.... Humm I tried this a while back, and ot worked great for me. Im not sure why yours is poping. Maybe over voltage, try a small resistor or variable resistor to adjust the levels, the tape deck is expecting a verry low signal to come into the magnetic pickup line. its probably just too loud.

the other thing is- An audio isolation transformer. radio shack sells them for about 2 bucks. you could throw one of those on there.