Sydney Ipod Install Review

[V35 Matt]

Hey all,

thought id write up this review to contribute to what i have learnt from here.

I got a Ipod adaptor installed to my V35 so i could have all my music all the time.

I went to a few places in sydney to suss out what they thought they could do with the ipod install as well as a whole system improvement. On a recommendation from the guru chris rogers, i went to see Hakki at Crankin Audio condell park.

Lets just say i get a vibe about places, i rely on a vibe about things on a day to day basis at work, so when i spoke to Hakki at Crankin Audio, it didnt feel like i was speaking to a guy at "insert audio place here or JB Hi Fi" who would tell me about sick bass, massive watts and being fully awesome. I got someone who sat down with me one on one, told me what he can do, from ipod install (easy end) to the top of the line fully customised and frabricated systems.

And Hakki's main concern is sound quality, and what gets the most out of what you decide to put in, not just trying to sell you the highest price product and saying "this is the most $, its therefore the best for your system".

The other thing that impressed me at Crankin was the range of products, and the high quality audio brands like rainbow etc etc

This is car specific audio, not JB hi fi kinda stuff.

Anyway, the Ipod install.

So i got the part ordered and dropped the car off at about 9am. Hakki said "it'll be a few, not too long", i said no rush and left.

Now to be honest, i thought i might get a call around 2pm, because we all know people have other work to do than my car. To my surprise, 11.20am and Hakki is on the phone saying the car is ready. And he had time to get a breakfast break before he called!

So i was happy with the install time thats for sure!

Now the actual Ipod intergration. Runs through the normal head unit, via the CD player mode.

The cable can be run a few places, ie glovebox, centre console etc etc.

I got mine installed in the centre console.

To get the plug here, a small hole needed to be drilled into the console. No big deal, and Hakki cut a small square of carpet to match it up the best he could without charging me for it, i know if you wanted it, he could fasion something awesome to line it with, but im not fussy there.

So i plug the ipod in, and i havent confirmed it yet, but im sure the plug charges the ipod as the charge symbol comes on. I'll have to check how it goes and see if it does charge, but for now i think it does.

The cable has plenty of slack which can be pushed into the hole, or brought out for you or your passengers to flick through and choose songs etc. Here is a pic of of 90% of the cord out and where it can reach. All the way out it touches the head unit.

Tested it all out, nil problems, works a treat.

A quick tip, set the Ipod EQ to flat, and use the bose eq to tune, found that works best.

The install cost $450 including labour. Now on the outside that might seem a bit of $, but, unlike a head unit, it cant really be stolen, you dont have to flip the face down and take it, it hides well, and you always have your whole music library with you. For me, the ipod intergration for the V35's is a very good option as the double DIN can be done, but will cost alot lot more.

So to wrap up, anyone in sydney wanting a Ipod install, or anything audio, and i mean anything audio (his custom jobs are amazing), go see Hakki at Crankin Audio Condell Park, PH: 97084449. Crankin Car Audio Website www.crankincaraudio.com.au (site getting updated). They also do recovering of seats and interiors, and from the pictures i have seen, they do some of the best work around.

Hakki is great to talk with, can do jobs for any price, and has the best range of quality car audio products.

P.S i dont work for or have an affliliation with Crankin Audio, im just a customer, and as one who had to search around to get work done, i thought id write this review for the V35'ers out there in sydney who need work done.

Thanks and let me know what you think!

Edited March 13, 2009 by V35 Matt

[iamhe77]

I think that it is good... Same as mine.

Only difference being that I bought my PA11-NIS from eBay (US $114 shipped) and did it myself.

Took about 2.5 hours as the G35ipod site was down so I had to figure out pulling the interior apart myself.

So paying a pro $250 to do it sounds like a pretty good rate if you ask me.

Yes it does charge your iPod... Even when the car is turned off, so make sure you unplug it when you go to work!

Wouldn't change it at all as it can be controlled via the head unit or the iPod.

*just make sure that your music is in Lossless format - mp3 is terrible*

(as a bonus of DIYing, I changed the tiptronic shift while I was in there).

Edited March 13, 2009 by iamhe77

[Projectile]

very good write up, good to see positive write ups around, unlike the usual whinge.

[ogz007]

wow Great stuff Matt. Great posts...

just regarding that, when you pull the chord out to change a song or etc. and put it back. Wher does the loose cable slide back into? or wher does the loose cord originally sit? under that little carpet or the actual middle console?

and when you said they also do recovering of seats and interior..did you mean that they can modify the seats or interiors to suit our audo preferences? or they actually fix them like rip or scratches on the seats and etc?

anyway cool stuff mate, enjoy your sound! ill hang on to my cds still hehehe.

[V35 Matt]

Forgot to add that you can control the ipod from the steering wheel controls (song up and down, volume) and the same from the deck like fastforward etc. Steering wheel controls saves time and taking your eyes off the road!

Makes a very good system as you can go to an artist, and just listen and go up and down tracks. Or make a playlist. So you dont have to touch the ipod the whole trip if you dont want to, i just put mine on random and off i go!

Crankin does both, custom stuff, and also refinishes of factory seats.

Hakki said he could do alot with the seats in the V35.

[V35 Matt]

just regarding that, when you pull the chord out to change a song or etc. and put it back. Wher does the loose cable slide back into? or wher does the loose cord originally sit? under that little carpet or the actual middle console?

It goes under into the console, not under the carpet, so its easy to slide in and out. Very easy.

[superspit]

This is a great review!....

(I'll wave the Buck Rogers flag again).....for putting you onto these guys!

Well done Crankin Audio!!

[Chris Rogers]

told you he was good. i have another one down th road from him as well and thats where I work from when I'm there.

I have balistics car (mark) currently doing the same thing.

I rang hakki and told him about this as well so he may pop up here..

[Chris Rogers]

This is a great review!....

(I'll wave the Buck Rogers flag again).....for putting you onto these guys!

Well done Crankin Audio!!

no need - I know a few people around th country that can work on these cars and wont scare you doing it. I had JBHIFI send me a few cars as their installer didnt have a clue on them and they knew that I did.

hakki does a LOT good work. most of th cars he's done are magazine worthy. there was a red S2000 there when I was down last that was in hot 4s I think. his name is all over it!

[strydes]

Thanks for doing the review, I intend to grab one fo these soon so it is of value to see different people's installs, and also any possible info on how it functions.

One quick query i have is what is the difference between the one V35_Matt got, the one Chris sells, and the PA11-NIS? Or are they all exactly the same unit?

[Chris Rogers]

same unit. Lunar over your way will have the same unit as well. we all use the same distro. the PAC piece isn't theres not an equivilent piece sold here.

Edited March 13, 2009 by Chris Rogers

[n15m0]

V35 Matt - Great review. Just one question for you and anyone else that has an Ipod install done. Were you able to play videos and if so, how did you get it to work??? mine is the Griffin Unit by the way.

[Chris Rogers]

jon,

these are the hard wired versions - not docks.

[rs73]

I read you control it from CD... does that mean you gotta sacrifice one CD slot out of the available 6? e.g. I saw on your pic you had it on CD5

[V35 Matt]

No video as far as i know. But realistically, i doubt i'll ever watch video within the car.

As for sacrificing a cd, i'm not sure, i press the cd button twice and it goes to "CD chg 1" mode and the ipod plays.

If it were to sacrifice 1 cd, id do that for my 10,000 song library.

Plus my cd player sometimes doesnt like certain cd's i burn, so the ipod gets another tick where the cd player doesnt.

Sorry i cant be much help, all i know its good, and works a treat

[superspit]

mmmm....I'll take CD format WAVE files anyday...quality over quantity, always.

I get fatigued listening to anything more than 4 MP3's, in a row.

But hey, just me.!!!

Well done on the install!!!..It really does look neat!

[Chris Rogers]

I read you control it from CD... does that mean you gotta sacrifice one CD slot out of the available 6? e.g. I saw on your pic you had it on CD5

all of the units have external 6cd changer support. this works from that hence CHG1 displayed. it does not affect the internal 6cd (90% of them don't work properly anyway!) unit.

the 'CD's are playlists as far as the Ipod goes. I leave all of mine on CD6 and that plays everything.

[V35 Matt]

Yea, to be honest, the sound to me is fine, no diff than a cd.

But im sure there are programmes out there to make the mp3 files better quality, so might look at that.

My ipod is 120GB, so shouldnt run out of room.

And with an ipod being about $330, and a $450 install, K-Rud's $900 is well spent.

[rs73]

I haven't got my K-Rud's yet... have you?

[V35 Matt]

No, but im pre spending it