Customer Reviews

Belkin Cassette Adapter for iPods, MP3 Players, CD Players, and Laptops

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(31)

 

 

I bought this on a whim after having the FM Modulator I had installed last week removed from my '03 Jetta because the sound was pathetic. (Really upsettingly bad.) I really didn't expect much, but thought it was worth a try at the price. I could not be happier! I don't have any of the whirry, clicky noises others mention, unless I've turned my iPod off while the adapter is still in the cassette deck, and even then it's not terribly noisy. The sound is surprisingly crisp and the highs and lows are clean and distinct--unike the awful experience I had with the modulator. I don't know whether the quality will deteriorate over time, but at $12, if I have to replace it now and then it's worth it. (Much cheaper than replacing my car stereo, like the car audio salesguy told me I'd have to do.) If you have a cassette deck, try it. You'll be amazed.

On the plus side:
1. This cassette adapter works in my Passat's stereo, unlike the Sony adapter, which did not.
2. Sound quality and usability are both better than the iTrip.

One the minus side:
1. The sound quality is miserable. Bass is almost totally missing. The midrange dominates, and most of the high end is muted. This problem is so bad that adjusting bass/midrange/treble on my stereo cannot compensate. For reference, actual cassettes sound great in this same stereo.

2. This cassette adapter has gears in it that make both spindles turn when one is turning. This is probably what makes it work in my stereo, however it does make some sound. The end result is some mechanical noise that gets in the way of quiet parts of the music.

I have gone through three of these; I purchased two and one I got as a warrantee replacement. Each failed the same way. They start out fine, then gradually start making more and more mechanical noise. Eventually the noise becomes so annoying that the unit needs to be replaced. I give it two stars only because it dies over time rather than all at once.

The Belkin cassette adapter was my 2nd attempt at a product that would allow me to play my iPod through car cassette deck. The first, non-Belkin, product (can you say Monster here?) was crap...stopped working properly after two weeks. The Belkin adapter has performed flawlessly for 2+ months now.

I use this adapter to listen to AudioBooks in my 2001 Toyota Corolla (which has a factory-installed tape deck). It worked fine, although apparently some other Toyota owners have had some difficulties. I am glad I have this because otherwise I can't really use the radio transmitter adapter since the San Francisco area has too many radio stations.

The sound quality is fine for audio books, though there is some clicking and whirring from the cassette player attempting to turn the wheels of this pseudo-cassette. I imagine that would get very annoying if you were listening to music.

I do find that sometimes ejecting the adapter and then re-inserting changes the volume and/or sound quality. It seems to be sensitive to the way it is seated in the casette player.

Lasted me for two months, and then fell apart. The wire came lose very easily after only moderate use. There was so much clatter and noise when i hooked it up. Use to own a Sony one, which was cheaper and lasted me two years. This is a piece of crap, don't but it!

This is horrible. The first one I bought has a very loud whirring and clicking when connecting an iPod in a Honda CRV. It was impossible to listen to the music. I returned it and swapped it for another, and the performance was identical. For an iPod in my car it is completely unusable.

I bought this to use in my 2003 Infiniti G35 (factory Bose system) after trying three different types of FM transmitters (all of which worked fine unless you were within 50 miles of any city with a poplulation over 10,000).

It just did not work, period.

I took into work and tried it in my staff vehicle (2003 Dodge Caravan, factory system) where it works OK. I brought the Sony adapter I had at work home and it works fine in the G35.

However, the last time I was on a multi-hour road trip at work, I noticed the Belkin adapter is starting to make an annoying amount of mechanical noise. I may try to pop it open and see if there's any way to reduce the racket it's making, but I'll probably end up buying another Sony. The Sony adapter I have is at least ten years old and still works OK.

I tried one of the FM receiver adapters to listen to my iPod in the car, but it was junk, especially compared to the cassette adapter...fortunately I have both cassette & cd capabilities in my vehicle...I recommend this to anyone who has a cassette player in their vehicle & wants the option of listening to their iPod through their vehicle's speakers!

This product is aweful. It just absolutly refused to work in any of my cars. I tried it in a 2003 dodge van and it wouldn't even load correctly. i tried it in a 92 carolla... silence. i tried it my friends cars and it didn't work in any of theirs either. don't buy this. i wish i could give it zero stars.