Focus stereo + mp3 player

NO2 · 12-01-2010, 10:56 AM

The stereo in the 2007 Focus is apparently a Sony and yet my Sony mp3 player sounds rubbish through it compared to an ipod. It needs all volume controls turned up to near max, way beyond the ipod or cd player. Just using the glovebox jack and standard lead out of the headphone jack of the mp3.

Is there anything that can be done to fix this?

casabonka · 12-01-2010, 12:52 PM

Buy an Ipod? Dont think there is really much you can do

RicOz · 12-01-2010, 01:50 PM

Unfortunately Sony has not been in the portable music market since the cassette Walkman! IPod is pretty much the VHS/Blueray of players... may not be the best but the market leader.

warren77 · 12-01-2010, 01:59 PM

Are you using a decent cable?
I was using a cheap one, and then upgraded to a better quality shielded cable. Worked a treat.

rand0mn00b · 12-01-2010, 10:26 PM

brand of mp3 player and head unit shouldn't make any difference to compatibility with one another

if you're using the same cable and playing the same mp3s then it may just be that the output on the sony mp3 player is not very loud

NO2 · 14-01-2010, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rand0mn00b

brand of mp3 player and head unit shouldn't make any difference to compatibility with one another

if you're using the same cable and playing the same mp3s then it may just be that the output on the sony mp3 player is not very loud

Using headphones the output levels are about the same, like full volume through sennheisers is too loud on a nano and the Sony.
Its a puzzle because I don't understand why there is a difference. A better cable may help. I think I will check out a car stereo shop and see if their units or cables make a difference.

BlackLS · 15-01-2010, 10:08 AM

Standard head unit is a FMS unit (Ford Mazda Sanyo alliance).

The XR5 unit is a Sony (although I get a feeling its still manufactured by FMS), but keeping in mind its not like Sony is known for it's great car stereos anyway.

As for the audio quality, make sure you turn off all EQ settings on the source (ipod etc). Distortion higher up could also mean the internal amp of the source is not great.

scotartt · 07-02-2010, 07:32 PM

Hi, I just want to add apart from turning off the EQ in your ipod/mp3 player make sure to listen with the stereo unit's EQ flat/off as well. And put the output of the mp3 player to about 70% of the volume.

Headphone outputs can vary greatly in terms of impedance from 75 ohms up to 600 ohms. I think portable units are usually in the low range. I don't know what the Focus stereo wants but unless it's up one extreme and the mp3 player is at the other it should not make a huge difference. However mp3 players and other consumer electronics like that can have *really poor* analogue components like headphone amps. Try another mp3 player.

NO2 · 11-02-2010, 01:41 AM

Sorry I don't get here often to check on updates.
The problem isn't the audio quality but the volume required to get the same volume output as the CD or radio. If I have a CD on around 9 the comparative volume with the MP3 is 18.

scotartt · 11-02-2010, 09:42 AM

I have to first ask these dumb questions though - is the volume on the mp3 player turned up to 70% or more (e.g. maximum) when it is plugged into the car? Have you tried making sure the cables is fully/correctly inserted at both ends? Try wiggling the cable while it's playing and see if it the volumes jumps around (do this at a LOW volume!). Have you tried another cable?

If after all that it still has busted volume it's definitely the impedence of the mp3 player's headphone output. If it's a really low impedance output it maybe that it expects to drive headphones so sensitive, that the output doesn't supply much current to drive the headphones. Which is a battery-saving technique. So you're side effect is, it's not very loud compared to what the stereo expects. On the other hand, it could be the other way around and the line loading is wrong causing a volume problem. Either way there's nowt you can do about that really, short of building something like this - http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.ed.../cmoy2_prj.htm

As an alternative, you may want to try another type of mp3 player. You originally said "way beyond the ipod" so I assume you've been able to test the system with an ipod before and found the level and sound quality satisfactory.

NO2 · 14-02-2010, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotartt

I have to first ask these dumb questions though - is the volume on the mp3 player turned up to 70% or more (e.g. maximum) when it is plugged into the car? Have you tried making sure the cables is fully/correctly inserted at both ends? Try wiggling the cable while it's playing and see if it the volumes jumps around (do this at a LOW volume!). Have you tried another cable?

If after all that it still has busted volume it's definitely the impedence of the mp3 player's headphone output. If it's a really low impedance output it maybe that it expects to drive headphones so sensitive, that the output doesn't supply much current to drive the headphones. Which is a battery-saving technique. So you're side effect is, it's not very loud compared to what the stereo expects. On the other hand, it could be the other way around and the line loading is wrong causing a volume problem. Either way there's nowt you can do about that really, short of building something like this - http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.ed.../cmoy2_prj.htm

As an alternative, you may want to try another type of mp3 player. You originally said "way beyond the ipod" so I assume you've been able to test the system with an ipod before and found the level and sound quality satisfactory.

Scottart.
I theIpod sounds good through the home stero and the car.That I think rules out the cable. Line Loading - so bascially the cable draws all the power because the impedance of the output is too low. I'll need to check the specs against an Ipod for that to be valid won't I?
What confuses this luddite is that there is already volume from the MP3 player and yet more volume is needed from the stereo.Shouldn't it go thru the same amplifier circuit as the CD and radio?
Sony online said that the volume on maximum is normal and that different devices have different output levels. A bland nondescript statement that tells me nothing. I will give them a ring and speak to one of their trained specialists as they have suggested.
Maybe nowt I can do about it, but hopefully I will have a definitive answer.

scotartt · 15-02-2010, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NO2

I theIpod sounds good through the home stero and the car.That I think rules out the cable. Line Loading - so bascially the cable draws all the power because the impedance of the output is too low. I'll need to check the specs against an Ipod for that to be valid won't I?
What confuses this luddite is that there is already volume from the MP3 player and yet more volume is needed from the stereo.Shouldn't it go thru the same amplifier circuit as the CD and radio?

It's not the cable that will 'draw all the power' but essentially, because of the mismatched impedance of the Sony's output to the stereo's input, the stereo will only receive a small fraction of the required signal to drive it. Hence you have to turn the stereo's volume way up.

Think of it like trying to power something that wants a 9 volt power supply input with only a 1.5 volt AA battery.

The only way to change the situation is to either change the mp3 player or the stereo. A new mp3 player will probably be cheaper, sorry to say, and you already know what brands will work!

davewalton · 01-03-2011, 08:58 PM

Not sure where to put this info, but I looked for a long time to see if I could get an aftermarket cable for my iphone into the Mondeo MB sony stereo. I didn't want to pay Ford $80 for a charging cable and 3.5mm jack combined so bought one of ebay for $3.78 with free postage.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....=STRK:MEWNX:IT

There are a couple of gotchas though - at first I thought the cable was faulty. With Iphone you can't run bluetooth / phone connection and music together which is really dumb. So basically glad I didn't spend the $80.

Hope this helps.