how to put AUX stereo input on 05 PW?

[bigchelis]

Hi all,
I have a 05 PowerWagon and want to plug in my MP3 so need an AUX input. What are my options or what have you done?

Thank you,
bigC

[bigchelis]

Im going to buy this and give it a try.

http://gromaudio.com/store/aux_adapters ... r_kit.html


best,
bigC

[Ducky's Dad]

Call these guys and give them the letter code on the front of your radio. They can sell you a refurbished factory radio with a new aux jack in it. Price is reasonable.
http://www.1factoryradio.com/dodge-1/

[Mule]

What's the budget?
For $500 or so and a weekend you can get all you need to put a much more capable headunit in...

[bigchelis]

Call these guys and give them the letter code on the front of your radio. They can sell you a refurbished factory radio with a new aux jack in it. Price is reasonable.
http://www.1factoryradio.com/dodge-1/

Ok, so I went ahead and called them. Took of my stereo and I have what is called an RBQ based PN #P05091507AE which is compatible with 2 of their units for sale. One is $245 and the other is $285. I went ahead and got the less expensive one. If my stock stereo was not working this would be a inexpensive fix, but for me its a very expensive aux input. I really only purchased it since it will retain the factory look. Well, lets hope I don't regret this.

Thanks,
bigC

[bigchelis]

What's the budget?
For $500 or so and a weekend you can get all you need to put a much more capable headunit in...

wow, that looks pretty dang cool. I am a big fan of stock look and feel, but otherwise that would definitely be the way to go.

[Ducky's Dad]

Speaking strictly for myself, I do not like the Japanese head units, even though I now have one in my '05. My truck had the factory six-disk in-dash CD changer (I think it was an RBQ), which I liked a lot. Unfortunately, I went through three of those units because the 6-disk changer does not seem to be able to take the pounding in an offroad truck. After the third one broke, I bit the bullet and bought an Alpine single-DIN head unit with all the bells and whistles except for GPS/Nav (don't like bright LEDs and screens on my dash). I have had the Alpine unit for about seven months, and I miss the OEM factory radio. The ergonomics on the Alpine are just horrible, and everything else I looked at was even worse. I keep thinking it will grow on me, but so far it has not. The main reason I went with the new head unit was because it gave me the options of connecting my iPhone through BlueTooth, USB, or an aux cable. As of now, the aux jack is the only thing that has been fool-proof. BlueTooth is inconsistent in pairing and the USB interface is poorly executed. The hardwire aux cable works every time.

[w2dodge]

if it helps ...this is what i did...
http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... rb1#p23131

[bigchelis]

if it helps ...this is what i did...
http://forum.powerwagonregistry.org/vie ... rb1#p23131

Ok so the Grom AUX input at $75 is best deal, but you loose the CD player in its entirety.
The one you mentioned W2Dodge seems like it would retain the CD player function and its $149, not bad at all.
The one I choose is a rebuilt factory radio at $245 because it will have AUX built into the radio but most importantly the company reassured me my factory steering wheel controls will work as usual and I can keep using the CD player ect.. as normal.

Just gonna get some good 6.5, 5.5, and 2.5 speakers to see if I can increase the sound quality to listen to talk radio better.

Best and thank you all for the ideas,
bigC

[Ducky's Dad]

Just gonna get some good 6.5, 5.5, and 2.5 speakers to see if I can increase the sound quality to listen to talk radio better.

Good luck with that. My '05 has the factory Infinity system and all the audio pros tell me that only way to change the speakers with the factory system is to rip out the factory system and start over. I did have a local shop add a pair of Memphis Audio tweeters to the stock system, mounted in the lower front corners of the front doors (behind the mirror mounts). The installation is clean and looks factory, and the Memphis tweeters are gimballed so that they can be aimed at your head. Aiming is important with tweeters because high frequency waves are very directional. Unfortunately, the Memphis tweeters sounded like crap, but that was probably because the local "pro" reversed the polarity on the wires. We discovered that reversed polarity when we installed the Alpine head unit, and one of the local audio tweakers figured out a way to drive the tweeters separately from line-level outputs on the back of the Alpine head unit. Sounded much better until the passenger side tweeter went dead (don't know why). At this point, I think my Infinity power amp under the back seat is completely out of the system and all speakers are being driven by the Alpine head unit.

I have had the Memphis Audio tweeters for over three years now and have never been all that thrilled with the sound vs dollar results. I'm looking for a set of tweeters for the Tundra and listened to an installed pair of Hertz 2.5s in another truck. They sounded much brighter than the Memphis stuff, and I'll probably have them installed in the Tundra within the next few weeks. If they sound as good as I hope they do, I'll probably swallow hard and have a pair installed in the PW to replace the Memphis stuff.

A big advantage of the hardwired aux jack in the 1FactoryRadio units is that it is connected internally to the preamp (so they tell me) and avoids the whole FM modulator issue that a lot of aftermarket solutions employ. FM modulators significantly restrict the frequency range that is delivered to your speakers. I have an FM modulator in the old GMC and it works in a pinch for internet radio in the boonies, but the sound quality is just so-so.