If you’re attached to your vintage car from the ’80s or ’90s but have tossed all the tapes you used to play in its cassette deck, you don’t have to be at the mercy of the radio when you want to sing and drive. You can stream tunes directly from your phone by connecting it to a special adapter that you insert into the car’s unused cassette deck. And here’s the best news: It allows you to listen to your favorite songs on demand without having to fast forward or take your eyes off the road long enough to insert a new tape. Now rev up and let the music play.
The audio produced by cassette adapters won’t be premium, but there are ways to improve it. Turn the volume on the phone up to loud but short of maximum and then leave it there, and then use the cassette deck knob to increase and decrease the volume while listening to music. Finding the right balance between your phone’s volume and the cassette deck’s volume is crucial, but try not to raise the cassette deck’s volume over the phone’s volume, as it will produce a hissing sound.
It’s never a good idea to browse the internet when you’re behind the wheel, but you can still answer your phone while the adapter is connected to the cassette deck. If you prefer for your car to have the wireless look, you can get a device with a Bluetooth connection. Cutting out the cord will also minimize hisses, pops and static.
If you haven’t mastered the art of making a Bluetooth connection (trust us, you aren’t alone) and would rather establish a link via cable, a longer cord will provide more flexibility while allowing backseat passengers to play DJ. Some adapters feature a silent mechanism to reduce mechanical noise created by wires.
