mac911

My car has no iPod kit, and I suffer the low volume input. I even have an adapter to send line-out audio to the car from the iPod, but it's still very quiet compared to CD and Sirius.

I think I'm going to try one of these from Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007Z7XTO

It's a little headphone amplifier that takes 2 AA batteries. The reviews aren't terrible. There is also some reviews of it at Radio Shack website (where it is $10 more), and one guy says it made his car input better.

I also found a $150 one made for iPod, but I thought I'd try this first.

What I wish was that there was one that could be powered by the power in the glovebox instead of batteries.

Anyone else have one they've used? I'll let you know how this one goes.

Stick Girl

I'm interested in finding out, too. I have that problem and the dealership told that it is what it is.

DucatiGuy

Since the amplifier uses two AA batteries, it needs 3V to operate. To make it run off the cars 12V and use the power port within the glove box, get yourself a cheapo cigarette lighter phone charger (any brand or phone application will do) with an output of 3 to 5V (most will have the output level written on it or on a sticker) and run it directly to the battery + and - terminals (two wires) in the amplifier. As long as you keep the voltage over 3V and under approx 5V (don't go over), the amplifier will work. An extra 1-2 volts won't harm anything, but be sure it's not like over 6V or a straight 12V. To be sure, and to also help with the install, I recommend you use a hand held digital volt meter.

Considering you can often get a cig/lighter phone chargers for as little as a buck or two (from the discount rack at most electronic stores), the whole mod with tape and misc supplies shouldn't cost you more than a Mickey D's value meal.

Even the most novice of individuals can put this together in about 30min or less. Hope this info helps...

mac911

Thanks Ducatiguy.

I've also been sharing some emails with the manufacturer, and I wouldn't be surprised if they had a more car ready solution someday. The original model is also available with USB power, which you could buy a USB port cigarette charger.

Also note though they are recommending this product instead:

http://www.amazon.com/UPBEAT-R234-2-.../dp/B000EIWCF4

While they said the original boostaroo might work, the revolution they claim would really knock our socks off. ha-ha.

The revolution uses AAAA (not a typo).

I will be trying both products and will report back.

CE EXO

Please report back i really need to find a solution because i m using my Archos to listen and watch music videos in the car but the volume really sucks its to low for my standards.

mac911

I'll have the more expensive model tomorrow night ($50 from Amazon), so I will report back then. Thursday I get the cheaper model ($20 from Amazon).

tanktube67

siejoka

Hey mac911, I'm also experiencing the same problem. I'm now considering to get the Dealer's ipod integration kit instead. Do you know if that kit will enable us to navigate through our songs from the dashboard screen instead of the iPod?

mac911

The iPod kit gives you control on your steering wheel with display below the speedometer. The large display in the middle of the dash will only say AUX.

That is why I do not get the iPod kit. If you're the only one in the car as a driver, the iPod kit is ok. However, in my car, it's often the passenger wanting to play around with the music, so the iPod kit doesn't do a lot of good, for that reason.

Furthermore, if you get the iPod kit make sure they include the amplifier, or the audio will still be quiet, even though you get the control of it on your wheel.

I'm hoping that for my next Mercedes Benz, they will have integrated the iPod controls into command. Then it would be a no brainer, for me, to get the iPod kit. Scrolling through playlists, artists, albums, etc. with the central control wheel would be as good as using an iPod directly IMHO.

I should get the Boostaroo Revolution in a couple hours, and I will be trying it out.

mac911

Ok, review of the Boostaroo Revolution that is available at boostaroo.com and on amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/UPBEAT-R234-2-.../dp/B000EIWCF4 Again, this is the $49.99 product.

Have a straight blade screwdriver ready to get the battery cover off. Furthermore, you need to really push on the AAAA (quadruple As) to get them down into it, but otherwise the device seems decent quality, and the cable included to go between your iPod and the revolution is good quality (use your current cable to go from revolution to AUX-IN).

First, I used to use a little adapter on my iPod to get line-out on the bottom rather than use the headphone jack that way I didn't have to adjust volume on the iPod itself. However, the line-out is too distorted for the boostaroo I guess, so I had to use the headphone port and put the volume between 80 and 90 percent, find the balance to ensure no distortion but maximum volume.

Does it increase volume? You bet! If you have the iPod volume loud enough (but low enough not to have distoration) and you feed it through the revolution, you can then switch over to satellite, for example, and the difference in volume is minimal compared to before. Also, I went back and forth between having the boostaroo in between and the direct cable I always had, and the difference is enormous. They say it amplifies the volume 3-4x, and I say that is accurate. Directly connected to the car, I would have it at a you can hear ok if car is parked volume level (on the MB side), but putting the revolution in between and the volume was up to a enjoy the music level. It is drastic, for sure, and it sounds good. They do a little processing to the music as well, and it does sound quite nice. I can't say it doesn't. Now, music that is a less on the rocking side and more on vocals with soft music, to me it sounds a little weird sometimes like it's being overprocessed, but it was still better than the low-volume direct input.

Overall, the device does what we expected it to do. I'm also, as I type this, using it at its intended use as a headphone amplifier with nice headphones. It is adding a slight hiss between songs with my headphones that wasn't there in the Mercedes, but the audio on my headphones sure is better too! It really sounds nice, and I hear things I never noticed with the headphones only before. This sucks that I have to carry around an amp with my iPod now. ha-ha. It's not very big though. About the length of a classic iPod, 1/4 the width, and 1.5x the height.

Drawback would be the AAAA potentially. They are available more places than you might think though. Plus, you can use it with your quality headphones too then and not only in the Mercedes. They tell me they don't want the device automobile powered yet cause they are worried of creating ground loop and adding a hiss to the music.

Overall, I hate that I have to go to even more effort to enjoy music in my Mercedes now. Also note that the revolution turns on as soon as you plug into the input on the device, so to save battery you need to remove the plug from the input.

However, despite the drawbacks, I can't deny that it brings the volume-in and even the *quality* of sound from my iPod to the stock Mercedes stereo system to an acceptable and appropriate level. I will have to use it more, to make sure it doesn't do anything to the music that upsets me. I plan to use it a hour or two in the car tomorrow driving around. I'll report back more then. It's also impressive, when used with high quality headphones.

So do I recommend it? Yes, $50 isn't that bad, for what it does. If you order direct with boostraoo they give 90 day return policy, or if you get on amazon they have their world class 30 day return policy.

I can't imagine I'll return mine, but I do need to use it more. Too bad Mercedes just didn't put an amplifier on the AUX in, but this makes up for it pretty much.

I'm also going to test the $20-$30 original boostaroo tomorrow, but considering the revolution brings the volume up to the level I want (at what they say is 400 percent), I suspect the original product won't be able to bring it up as much as I like (as they claim that one is only 100 percent increase), but we shall see.

Hope this helped someone a little.

CE EXO

Mac911 thank you really much for your very detailed info.
I am definitly going to get one of those as soon as i find a way because at the moment even Amazon dont ship it outside US.
They sell it in Best Buy so maybe my unt from Philli will send it to me .

Again many thanks for your effort.

mac911

Sure. It was one thing bothering me, so it's nice to fix it. I still hate that I don't have an easy way to control it though (my iPod). I might get some kind of bracket or something I don't know.

Also note on Best buy I only saw the cheaper one on their website, so I don't know if they have the one I tried yet. The manufacturer might ship to you, if you asked.

You might also wait until I use it some more, to report back. You'd have a harder time returning, so better to wait until I test it more. ha-ha.

CE EXO

As you can see in the pics i am a gadget freak.
The archos i think is a better solution from the ipod because it fits perfectly in the dashboard , you can control it by its buttons ,and at the same time i can watch music videos and have my gps showing the way.
The only problem was the volume when i connect the Archos with the AUX of the car but with the little amp we are talking about everything will be perfect.
Thanks for the tip on best buy im just searching to find a way to get any little amp i can from the states since i cannot find anything like that in Europe.
I am waiting for any other report before i buy anything thanks again.

mac911

Wow. Your car is very tricked out. I love all your gadgets. iPods and iPhones are just what I have cause I am a Mac person, and I get anything Apple just cause, and I don't take time to see what else is out there. ha-ha. The archos is super cool. I might have to get one someday. I love how it looks in your car. That way you can control it easy. Right now I just have to hide away mine in glovebox.

Ok, back to the amp. I used the revolution for about 1.5 hours of driving today, and it was a treat. My AUX input was always a joke before compared to how it is now. You do need to take a few moments to get the volume right on the iPod (or your Archos) to make sure it is high enough, but not into the distortion area (perhaps the archos has even less distoration at high levels anyway). Once you do that, you have much louder and better quality audio than without the revolution. I think it might even sound better than the CD source, in terms of the depth and everything, but that is just my still early interpretation.

I really like it though as you can tell.

Also I got the cheaper $20 model today. It's ok for headphones sorta, but not in the car alone. It doesn't increase the volume enough, so I wouldn't recommend the $20 original version to fix our C-Class AUX issue.

*However, I did something crazy. I went iPod -> the cheap $20 one -> to the revolution -> AUX IN. That made it even better, but I only tested that a few minutes will do more tomorrow. It allowed me to turn down the iPod volume even more (also saving device battery more) and yet the audio was even louder still and I think as clear, but I need to test more.

Ok, I will do more testing tomorrow and over weekend, to see if I prefer the revolution alone, or the revolution plus the cheap one working together. I read a review of one guy who used 3 of them! ha-ha.

However, so far, what I would recommend would be 1 revolution, which is the approx. $49 version.

CE EXO

I am waiting for your finall desicion to try and get it from the states because the fedex expences only are about $60 for anything i purchase so i dont have the luxury of testing them all.
Thank you very much for the feedback.

CE EXO

I found also this this amplifier that must be seriously manufactured
http://www.headphone.com/products/he...e-mobile-line/
but is more expensive.

mac911

Sorry. It's been crazy, and now my car got injured.

Anyway, yes I think the Boostaroo Revolution ($49) product is a good way to go. I am keeping mine for sure. I decided not to use the extra one with it cause it seemed to cause too much distortion unless I cranked the volume down a bunch.

With the revolution and the iPod at a comprimise level (between as high as possible without distortion) the volume is a *lot* better. It doesn't freak me out when I switch from AUX to Satellite for example. Satellite is a bit louder, but it doesn't blow out your ears.

Furthermore, the quality of the sound through the revolution is very interesting. It has a good feel to the music, and I love the way it sounds compared to the AUX directly. I like the processing the revolution does to the music, but others may or may not.

Overall, I wouldn't want to use the AUX at all the way it is from the factory, but with the revolution I like it. I've used it everyday since I got the revolution.

You do need to unplug the input cable directly from the revolution to save batteries. Also remember it takes the who knew they existed AAAA . See if you can find them locally maybe first. I ordered some on Amazon. The manufacturer of boostaroo has a pretty good price on them you can get when you order too. I still have the ones from the 8 days ago in mine, and I use it 1-2 hours per day on average.

Sorry, I'd write even more, but I'm upset about my car's flat and scratch. haha

Overall, I do recommend the boostaroo revolution, but don't hate me if you don't like it. I think you would like it though. It's not perfect, but I sure enjoy my sound more, and I'm not as mad about not having he ipod kit.

Also, they said they might develop one later this year a bit better for the car, but in the meantime, I'm happy to use revolution.

Do you think the shipping should really be $60? It's very light. You can message me, if you wanted me to get it for you or something, maybe I could do that if it isn't too confusing on shipping it. I have a fedex pretty close to me.