Does Porsche really charge $350 for this...

[ryem3]

I'm sure everyone is aware of this product: http://e-partssales.com/Merchant2/me...997ELECTRONICS Does Porsche really rip us off when the damn thing really costs this much to make: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Lot-5...4506.m20.l1116 Of course it costs much less than that to make and I intentionally chose the one that costs $50, when many people are selling them for $20. I'm an audiophile and realize either of these things will really not float my boat. Has anyone seen the audio specs on the Porsche one? I bet it is limited to the same basic specs produced by the $50 one from Taiwan. The P model may as well be made in Taiwan - has anyone seen the back of it? Before I go the $500 Dension route, I might just hook up the $50 model from Taiwan. I just finished reading the LONG threads from a year or two ago on the Dension and mObridge units. Boy they had some problems. I expect the firmware is now better and those things work well. Those really are a ton of money for what they are though. I suppose with fiber optics and software interfaces it takes a fare amount of engineering to make them, so that goes into the price. Anybody car to chime in about the P FM modulator? The thing is a perfect integration to the car, granted. I haven't seen any recent threads about the Dension. Don't know if that means everybody is avoiding it or that everyone has them and they don't have any issues. Thanks!

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[westloop]

I just installed the Dension unit in my 06 - no bose, no nav, PCM 2.1 and i think it works great. I use an iphone (original model) as my ipod and it charges it without a problem. It also charges my 3g iphone without a problem. The menus and functionality are 90% of the way there. Totally worth it in my opinion.

[mass]

I can tell you that the 2nd generation IPOD adapter is nothing like the one you showed us on Ebay. The quality is better than that of a CD as it does not us an FM modulator.

[ryem3]

Originally Posted by mass

I can tell you that the 2nd generation IPOD adapter is nothing like the one you showed us on Ebay. The quality is better than that of a CD as it does not us an FM modulator.

If you have an '08 or newer 997, that is clear. I'm talking about the one on the link. It is an FM modulator. And while the design is clearly integrated for the car, I really doubt the electronics are much different than the one on Ebay.

On the other hand, glad to hear a Dension is working well. Did you install it yourself?

[omes]

I did some homework and went with the Denison unit, it is en route from eric at bumperplugs.

Scott at Mobridge sent me some very compelling info on their filtering/conversion technology but it was the ease of install and some of the other nice touches on the Denison that sold me.

I am not a big audiophile...although i enjoy music alot, so just having access to my ipod will be "good enough".

[AP 997S]

Go Dension GW500 . . . . It's rock solid and seamless.

[skizot]

I can speak to this quite directly, as I do have the official Porsche 997.1 iPod adapter, the one listed in your first link, although luckily I purchased this at quite a discount from what it currently sells out. The sound quality of the modulation that this device provides is QUITE different then the $50 version and others like it that your second link takes you to. The biggest difference is that it is a hard wired modulation, rather then over the air. So when you turn your radio to the AUX position, at first you will hear static like a radio station that it not quite tuned in all the way, however once music starts playing, it sounds clear and crisp. I am completely satisfied with the sound quality, especially seeing as the in car sound system is not the best to begin with.

With that said, there are definitely better sound quality and integration options available, but cost substantially more to purchase and do still require a detailed installation.

[ryem3]

Interesting skizot. Thanks for the feedback. Glad to hear it sounds good. It is an FM modulation unit though. Not exactly sure how it works with the PCM, but it looks like it just plugs into the cigarette lighter and then transmits an FM signal to the radio. Unless it has some other kind of wiring, it is simply FM modulation, very similar to the stuff from Ebay. Very limited in S/N ratio since it is simply FM band.

[yrralis1]

I have come to terms with the idea that it's really not that bad to use my 6 CD changer rather than go the ipod route . I have ipod in the M3 and in the new PDK car and for what its worth if I need more than 6 CD's and a radio to entertain myself then I am not enoying what i really bought the car for -- to drive .

Also .. the ipod in the 09 P car is awful . The manner in which one has to go through the various steps is distracting IMO compared to the M3 which in every audio/sound system category blows the Porsche away.

[JEllis]

Originally Posted by skizot

I can speak to this quite directly, as I do have the official Porsche 997.1 iPod adapter, the one listed in your first link, although luckily I purchased this at quite a discount from what it currently sells out. The sound quality of the modulation that this device provides is QUITE different then the $50 version and others like it that your second link takes you to. The biggest difference is that it is a hard wired modulation, rather then over the air. So when you turn your radio to the AUX position, at first you will hear static like a radio station that it not quite tuned in all the way, however once music starts playing, it sounds clear and crisp. I am completely satisfied with the sound quality, especially seeing as the in car sound system is not the best to begin with.

With that said, there are definitely better sound quality and integration options available, but cost substantially more to purchase and do still require a detailed installation.

Glad you posted this. At first I to believed this was a FM (over the air) modulator and wondered how Porsche got away with this kind of price. However, the hardwired device along with the ability to charge is awesome. Only downside is having to use the Ipod to scroll through songs. Not a problem, however, if you have good playlists

Originally Posted by yrralis1

I have come to terms with the idea that it's really not that bad to use my 6 CD changer rather than go the ipod route . I have ipod in the M3 and in the new PDK car and for what its worth if I need more than 6 CD's and a radio to entertain myself then I am not enoying what i really bought the car for -- to drive .

Also .. the ipod in the 09 P car is awful . The manner in which one has to go through the various steps is distracting IMO compared to the M3 which in every audio/sound system category blows the Porsche away.

You might be old if..........

Just kidding

Jason

[stevepow]

Interesting to hear that about the M3 - must have some significant upgrades since my '07 e60 550i - iPod in the 997.2 blows that away, and the DVDA discs sound incredible. I do miss fine tune EQ of the Logic7 and the superior faux surround and the HD radio, but the horrible Sirius and quirky iPod behavior (seemed good at the time though), I don't miss at all.

A 6-disc changer; I'm about as glad to be done with those as I am cassette, 8-track tape, and a single speaker in the dash Delco radio.

[JEllis]

Originally Posted by stevepow

Interesting to hear that about the M3 - must have some significant upgrades since my '07 e60 550i - iPod in the 997.2 blows that away, and the DVDA discs sound incredible. I do miss fine tune EQ of the Logic7 and the superior faux surround and the HD radio, but the horrible Sirius and quirky iPod behavior (seemed good at the time though), I don't miss at all.

A 6-disc changer; I'm about as glad to be done with those as I am cassette, 8-track tape, and a single speaker in the dash Delco radio.

I did not mind the Ipod interface in the new M3. However, I did mind that Logic7 was not an option as it is a better and cheaper system than the Premium 16 speaker sound system that was available in 08. Logic7 was available in the ROW but not in the US in 08...not sure about now.

Jason

[yrralis1]

Originally Posted by stevepow

Interesting to hear that about the M3 - must have some significant upgrades since my '07 e60 550i - iPod in the 997.2 blows that away, and the DVDA discs sound incredible. I do miss fine tune EQ of the Logic7 and the superior faux surround and the HD radio, but the horrible Sirius and quirky iPod behavior (seemed good at the time though), I don't miss at all.

A 6-disc changer; I'm about as glad to be done with those as I am cassette, 8-track tape, and a single speaker in the dash Delco radio.

The M3 is voice activated and much easier to navigate with the modernized i drive (sidenote -I never thought I woild praise anything about i drive .. at all ever ) compared to the dismal multi step touchscreen if the 997.2S .

I had the Logic 7 in my 06 330i and much prefer the sound of the premium system in the M3 . In contrast the Bose is archaic .

I didn't buy the car so much for the music ability and I even went to the point of refusing to even listen to any presentation on the Nav .

It woiuld be nice to have a high end system available for the car and even better if a retrofit for earlier 997 cars were available . I can only guess that Bose must have locked one heck of a contract because they have been with Porsche since I had my 996 cars . I didn't like Bose then .

[stevepow]

I'm really enjoying all the tech bits in my car - the Bose is not great, but OK. The Nav is really nice especially with touch screen and voice control - don't miss iDrive at all - I was never an iDrive hater, however; it worked fine for me. But for entering numbers or addresses, voice or touch screen is way faster. I really like it much better than my BMW's setup.

I have only recently gotten the voice module and while it can control audio sources and the iPod, I have not played around with it enough to know how useful it is. I typically put my iPod on random though and just let it go like my own "surprise me" radio station.

I know in a few years (months? ) the Nav will be outdated - already my Garmin Edge 705 knows loads more places of business than the 911, but that's OK - it does what I need it to do, and the XM traffic info integration is great.

[skizot]

Originally Posted by ryem3

Interesting skizot. Thanks for the feedback. Glad to hear it sounds good. It is an FM modulation unit though. Not exactly sure how it works with the PCM, but it looks like it just plugs into the cigarette lighter and then transmits an FM signal to the radio. Unless it has some other kind of wiring, it is simply FM modulation, very similar to the stuff from Ebay. Very limited in S/N ratio since it is simply FM band.

Technically it is a hard wired FM modulator, it connects directly to the back of the PCM, but it interrupts the factory antenna and that is how it gets installed. Essentially, think of putting a splitter on your factory antenna, one side goes to the antenna in the window for normal FM/AM radio and the other end goes into this device. When you turn the radio to 0 (which is considered AUX, it sort of flips the switch on the splitter and it is only then using the signal from the iPod adapter. That is when you will hear the static as no music is playing at the point. But, when you hit play on the iPod/iPhone, it works kind of like you just found the strongest possible FM radio signal possible and the static goes away and you hear whatever your iPhone/iPod is playing. Also, because it allows for any other 3.5mm headphone jack type of connection, you could technical use this for ANY device that uses a standard headphone jack with the use of a male to male cable of this sort.

Yes, it does charge as it plug into one of the 12v accessory connectors in the center console, however with newer model devices that use USB charger, this unfortunately needs an adapter to enable charging correctly, unless Porsche comes out with a new cable at some point, which I highly doubt they will.

Ultimately, I have heard great things about the Denison device, but it requires, IMO a longer amount of time and resources to install, costs more and the added sound benefit and PCM on-screen control was the I'll go this route instead decision. I am not disappointed with my decision. It absolutely would be nice to have on-screen display of songs and control, but with a simple install of my Pro Clip Mount, my iPhone sits right next to the PCM, so I can have navigation running (if desired) and my music playing, easy access to both and it sounds good enough for me