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If you are like me, one of the big reasons for doing this is to have that ultimate music collection available to you as you drive, so audio quality is quite important. Unfortunately, the factory cd player in the 2003 Liberty doesn't have any kind of accessory input available. This leaves you with two options. You can either get one of those fm broadcasters, or you can get a new stereo. We tried the fm broadcaster first and found the first one we bought to be less than ideal. It struggled with the high power output coming from the computer as compared to an ipod or mp3 player. The audio would cut out with any kind of bass, and had lots of static. It left us with the option of buying and trying another broadcaster or looking at getting a stereo. We did a bit of shopping around and found some broadcasters that looked like they would be better quality, but they also turned out to be $15 cheaper than getting a stereo that had the input we needed. So we are not ruling out the radio broadcast solution, but we opted to get a new stereo. |
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Of course, that initial sticker price on a stereo can be deceptive. After getting the dash kit and wiring harnesses, it turned out to be much more than another fm broadcaster, but we do think that it was worth the price for the higher audio quality. Make sure that the stereo you get has accessory inputs in the back of the stereo rather than the front. That is kind of unusual, but you should be able to find one for a reasonable price. Of course all of that doesn't matter if the stereo you already have is equipped with the inputs you need. |
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You may find that the space behind the stereo is a bit tight for you to use standard audio inputs. You can find some 90 degree connectors at Radio Shack. They have a low enough profile that you shouldn't have any problems making everything fit from there. The last thing you may need is a ground loop isolator. The electrical system on a car isn't grounded like most systems. This means that electrical devices like the alternator can introduce noise into your audio. It is a funny buzzing noise that gets higher and louder as you rev the engine, not exactly something that accentuates your music, unless of course it happens to be Neil Diamond or Michael Bolton. A ground loop isolator will take care of that problem for you. Again, Radio Shack has one that is already put inline on your audio cable. With all of that hooked up you are ready to close up your dash for the last time. That can be a really good feeling.
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