Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Until Harman Kardon released its Drive+Play , iPod owners that want to apply their histrion in thecarhad a couple of introductory option that were less than elegant : an FM vector or a cassette adaptor . ( A few favorable souls had a unmediated input jack , but until latterly , those were rarified . ) The selection between these options left most people want much more .
With theDrive+Play , Harman Kardon give users of most automobiles the pick to hardwire their iPods straight off into their machine ’s audio system , supply both better sound tone and easier in - car control .
Hooking it up
The Drive+Play allows exploiter to plug in it to your elevator car in three way : It can connect directly to any car stereo with an auxiliary input jack ( via a standard audio frequency cable ) ; to most stereos with a CD modifier connection ( using an optional third - party adapter ) ; or , for those who do n’t want to go to the trouble of a more complex facility , via the Drive+Play ’s built - in FM vector .
Drive+Play ’s component part
Even though my railway car is only two yr old , I was not capable to connect the social unit directly to my car ’s blood stereo — it has no auxiliary input doodly-squat , and the CD changer connection is already taken up by an in - hyphen 6 - disk changer . as luck would have it , I have a built - in entertainment unit with DVD and all the duplicate , so I was able to examine the Drive+Play using that .
How does it sound?
I was most concerned in how the Drive+Play ’s sound compare to what my CD and DVD player produces . Most iPod motorcar solution I ’ve tried have leave short audio timber , lead me to not utilize them . While ease of use is very important to me , I would be uncoerced to go through a footling trouble for superscript audio . With the Drive+Play , I had to make no such sacrifice .
The first connection glide slope I tried was the Drive+Play ’s built - in FM Transmitter . As expected , the audio quality was less than stellar . I ’m not a rooter of any FM Transmitter solution — perhaps it ’s where I live , but none of them seem to work well for me . I have talked to a duet of people that found the Drive+Play ’s FM Transmitter do work fine for them . I just would n’t trust on a unit that only had the FM choice .
Next , I connect the Drive+Play to my entertainment unit . This turned out to be a real plus for testing the system ’s sound tone because I was able to practice headphones to heed , shift between CD , DVD and Drive+Play input signal .
Using the standard iTunes mise en scene for the song on my iPod and music CDs and DVDs that I incinerate , I was hard pressed to tell the difference . The Drive+Play performed noteworthy well , even surpassing my initial expectations . I tested it against computer memory - bought discs as well and while there was a svelte difference in healthy quality , it was just that — slight . In other password , the sound timber your iPod is likely to be limited by the quality of the euphony files on it and by your car ’s stereo , not the Drive+Play .
Drive+Play ’s get through wheel knob
When it come to comfort of use , the Drive+Play easily beat the other in - car solutions I ’ve try out . A small screen mounted on your splashboard give you the conversant iPod interface to voyage through your medicine . The included click roulette wheel thickening ( which you also have to get on — sooner somewhere comfortable for you to reach ) mimics the functions of the iPod click roulette wheel for navigating the gadget .
Scrolling through a big amount of songs is very smooth and quick . I have about 4,500 song on the iPod I tested , and I was able-bodied to scroll through songs , creative person , and genres , chop-chop leap between the inclination . The Drive+Play was able to keep up with me the whole clock time . Of naturally , if you are scrolling through that many Song dynasty , finding one at the end of the alphabet will still take some metre .
The only thing I was disappointed in with the Drive+Play is the screen . Although the screen is functional , its monochrome interface is n’t nearly as crisp and exonerated as the iPod ’s own projection screen . A nippy vividness screen would have elevated the Drive+Play to unobtainable stature . Still , that is a small issue when you believe all of the things the Drive+Play get to the mesa .
The Lowdown
With a Drive+Play , you wo n’t have to fumble around , reaching awkwardly for your iPod as you drive down the main road at 70 miles an hour . The Drive+Play solves many effect iPod users have had from the first clock time they wanted to incorporate their medicine instrumentalist into their cable car . From sound to safety , if you want an iPod in your car , there is nothing like the Drive+Play .
[ Jim Dalrymple is News Director for Macworld.com . ]
