# 2002 GTI, double-din Monsoon, non-iPod MP3 player, is this the right option?



## trismegistus4 (Aug 22, 2002)

Apologies if this has been done before, but I couldn't find anything with the search feature.

I have a late-in-the-model-year, '02 GTI, with the Monsoon system, no CD changer. My MP3 player is not an iPod. One thing I have found confusing in what I've looked at so far is that you sometimes can't tell whether products/instructions are specific to Apple iPods or whether people are talking about MP3 players more broadly. I take it that products with "iPod" in the name only work with actual iPods, correct?

Anyway, I was looking on the enfig website, and it looks like this product is the right one for me. Is it? I would prefer to connect to the back of the radio rather than running a cable from the trunk. Is this plus an RCA-to-male-headphone cable all I need?


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## tahada (Jun 19, 2009)

I bought one of these from a member in the classifieds. I THINK it is the same one. Anyway, the unit plugs into the back side of the radio (at least it did in mine, a 2005 model). You then connect the RCA plugs with an adapter cable available at Radio Shack and other places. The other end of the adapter cable plugs into the earphone hole on the mp3 player. The best way to explain the function at least from my point of view is that the Monsoon becomes the equivalent of or takes the place of the earphones. You do have to control the functions of the mp3 player from itself, however, rather than the Monsoon, except for volume. Works fine.


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## trismegistus4 (Aug 22, 2002)

Thanks for the info. Right now I'm using a tape deck adapter. Do you notice a difference in sound quality over the tape deck adapter? Also, I've found that with the tape adapter I have to crank the volume on the MP3 player to max in order to get a decent volume--leaving it at a setting that would be comfortable with headphones (e.g., 1/3 to 1/2 max) makes it so quiet that I have to turn up the car stereo volume so far that there's unacceptable hissing. Does this adapter work any better?


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## tahada (Jun 19, 2009)

I think I have a tape adapter that belonged to my son. I will try it tomorrow and let you know, assuming of course that the thing works.


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## tahada (Jun 19, 2009)

I just discovered that the tape player on my Monsoon does not work! Oh well, am into the CD and other digital aspects nowdays. I was able to get the tape converter to work with a boom box and you do have to crank it high to get the same volume you had with the radio. 

With the adapter we are talking about, I am using a Toshiba Gigabeat MP3 player. Just got it used, has 40G hard drive, so room for lots of music. I put the volume on the player to about 3/4 volume and use the Monsoon to control it from there. If I set the volume on the MP3 player lower, I have less volume range on the Monsoon. But either way I do it, I get no hissing or distortion that I can discern. Volume is fine, even when driving. Sounds great. When I turn off the MP3 player and switch back to FM, the volume is comparable. I do not get bombarded with an unexpected blast before I can turn the volume control back down.

Not trying to sell you on the adapter, just letting you know how it sounds to me. It sounds as good as I suspect the CD changer would have been, installed through the same plug on the back of the radio.


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## trismegistus4 (Aug 22, 2002)

I got really busy for a while and dropped this project, but now I'm ready to order this thing. One other question: once you have this thing installed, how do you switch to using it as input? There's no button on the stereo for "CD Changer."


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## tahada (Jun 19, 2009)

You just push the CD play button. When the reading says track 99 you are there. You may have to push more than once. I have to if the MP3 player is not yet plugged in.


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## trismegistus4 (Aug 22, 2002)

OK, I finally got this thing, along with an RCA-to-headphone adapter cable to connect my MP3 player. To tahada or anyone else with a similar device, what I'm now wondering is: how to I run the cable out from behind the stereo? It seems like such a tight fit, I'm not sure you could jam the stereo back in with the cable along side of it. Did you guys drill a hole somewhere?


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## tahada (Jun 19, 2009)

The room is tight but adequate. The module will fit down through recess on passenger side of cage. Ran my 6 foot cable through the glove box. However, cable is thick and I cannot close box with the cable in use, so I will probably run it inside the console toward the back seat through a hole somewhere. It will be readily available and not interfere with the glove box. 

Have you mocked it up to check operation yet?


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## trismegistus4 (Aug 22, 2002)

tahada said:


> The room is tight but adequate. The module will fit down through recess on passenger side of cage. Ran my 6 foot cable through the glove box. However, cable is thick and I cannot close box with the cable in use, so I will probably run it inside the console toward the back seat through a hole somewhere. It will be readily available and not interfere with the glove box.
> 
> Have you mocked it up to check operation yet?


No, I was waiting to do everything all at once, because my apartment building's garage light is not adequate so I need to drive it to a sunny parking lot to be able to see well enough to do the job. But I'm certainly going to plug it in and check operation before I do anything permanent.

How can you know where it's safe to punch/drill a hole?


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## tahada (Jun 19, 2009)

In glove box, most anywhere. Mine had a slot that could be knocked out. As far as the console, I have not done that yet. Should be simple enough...


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## tahada (Jun 19, 2009)

I rerouted my cable through the center console, up through the coin holder (slightly modified), then through a knockout on the bottom of the armrest into the inside. The cable reaches easily and gives plenty of extra length to pull it out and use easily. I like this much better than through the glove box.


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