iPod FM Modulator – Beauty or Brains?

iPods are the gold standard of portable music players. Thanks to Apple, iPods and iPhones are easily the most popular mp3 players on the market. Hooking up an iPod in an older vehicle is not usually easy, because older car stereos do not have an auxiliary jack to easily connect with your iPod. To overcome this problem, a wireless FM modulator is used to play your iPod in the car. FM modulators allow you to play your music using the car’s FM radio.

A wireless iPod FM modulator works by converting your audio into RF signals. These are sent to the car’s antenna and played on an FM station. The modulator and radio must be tuned to the same frequency for the music to be heard.

Transmission distance is the most important thing to look for in a quality iPod FM modulator. Lower quality modulators usually can only transmit about 10 to 20 feet. This results in very poor audio quality. If your music ends up sounding hollow and lifeless then there is no point to the modulator. Quality modulators can transmit over a hundred feet, resulting in static free audio.

Another important feature if an iPod FM modulator is how many frequencies it can transmit on. Some modulators only allow you to transmit on 3 or 4 frequencies. This is not good if you live in an area where the frequencies of the modulator are already taken by large radio stations. The best iPod FM modulators can broadcast on any frequency from 88.1 to 107.9, which eliminates the problem of finding an open station.

Some modulator companies would like you to believe having a modulator that is specific to iPods is an advantage. They want to lure you in with style, but then ultimately give you a modulator with poor performance. This doesn’t make sense because audio quality should really be the only thing an FM modulator customer is concerned with. Style doesn’t matter if your music ends up sounding hollow and lifeless.

The problem with iPod specific modulators is that they cannot be used with any other kind of audio device. A universal FM modulator will give you more versatility and functionality than a modulator that only works with iPods. Owning a universal iPod FM modulator ensures that no matter what kind of audio device you have, there won’t be any compatibility issues.

The bottom line is that iPods are extremely enjoyable to have around in the car. They can make even the most mundane car rides fun. Therefore when you purchase an iPod FM modulator make sure you with the most quality unit available.

Are you ready to enjoy your iPod in the car? Read our guide: iPod modulator to learn which features are important to look for when purchasing a wireless FM modulator. Also, check out the Whole House FM Transmitter 2.0 and judge for yourself why it’s truly the best FM Transmitter available.