Solved! Connecting Bluetooth transmitter to car head unit

[jgoldin]

Hi,

I want to connect a Bluetooth transmitter to the head unit (car radio/receiver) in our caravan, so that we can stream music from the head unit to an outside Bluetooth speaker.

If i connect the BT transmitter to the RCA output on the back of the head unit, I get an almost inaudible sound at the Bluetooth speaker.

Just wondering if I can use a line converter (like the one in the link below) to boost the signal from the head unit RCA output or from the speaker level outputs to improve the signal being transmitted by the BT transmitter?

https/www.jaycar.com.au/2-channel-high-quality-line-level-converter/p/AA0416

Any help appreciated!

Jonty

 

[Kasper Jorgensen]

I don't think as that converter will just create a line level output similar to your headunits RCA output.
I was wondering if you have turned up the volume of your headunit? The RCA output in car stereo is a pre amp output meant to be connected to an amplifier and as you still want to be able to control the volume from the headunit, the RCA output level will be turned up/down by the volume knob.

 

[americanaudiophile]

If when you turn up the volume of the headunit to get enough input to the BT transmitter the car stereo is too loud then get a speaker to line level converter with it's own level control.
https/www.crutchfield.com/p_142LOC80/Scosche-LOC80.html
Set the headunit where you are happy with the car stereo volume and then adjust the converter level. Be careful not to overload the input of the converter. That will cause distortion on the speaker.
Another option is to install a switch to disconnect the speakers in the car.

 

[Kasper Jorgensen]

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to just stream from your phone to the BT speaker?

 

[jsmithepa]

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to just stream from your phone to the BT speaker?

That's what I would do.

At some point I was going to trick out my car stereo with its own megastorage of music library, then I thought wait... all that stuff is already in my smartphone and I always carry it! DUH.

 

[jgoldin]

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to just stream from your phone to the BT speaker?

Hi Kasper,

I was hoping to hook up something to the radio, as we often just listen to FM stations, and don't always have mobile signal where we travel with our caravan. Was also trying to avoid excess data use on the mobile.

 

[jgoldin]

I was wondering if connecting the BT transmitter to the RCA pre-amp output of the head unit via a headphone amplifier like this would work?

http/pro2.com.au/8588/allproducts/avaccessories/pre-amps/pro1343-headphone-amplifier/