V70 Stereo/DVD: Parrot Mki9200

[wilkhaven]

I've been watching the various discussions about iPod integration on the Volvo HU head units. Rather than hi-jack those I have a question about the Parrot Mki9200 unit and the Volvo HU-850 dolby pro-logic system.

Will it work - and give me 'proper' sound quality as though I was paying a CD?

I don't have an Ipod - prefer a proper phone (HTC Touch Pro 2) and want the bluetooth integration for calls but this also gives streaming music either by bluetooth, cable or inserting a SD card.

However all the searching I've done about connecting suggests that the sound quality may be a comprimise - if this is just the phone calls then it's not a problem, but I do want the quality pro-logic sound for the music!

[dave_s13]

Hi, first post here. Pick my new (to me) V70 up in a week

If the kit you refer to is anything like the MK6000 (I've fitted 2) essentially the answer to your question is very likely no.

The Parrot kits come with a blue box that taps into your headunit speaker wiring. When you feed the parrot a music source the blue box essentially disconnects the headunit from the speakers and feeds them an amplified source.



So, when listening to music via the Parrot you are using the blue box as an amp, your headunit is completely bypassed. Volume control is via the control knob on the parrot. It doesn't sound bad by any means but will be no match for the fantastic Volvo head unit.

[R59]

I have a MKi9200 in my ex-filth V70 T5, but since mine is not an amped car, it makes no difference!

I have a Blaupunkt Toronto with a D-Fire DAB box for the radio/CD, however since fitting the MKi9200, I've hardly had the "wireless" turned on.

Fitting wise, I used a "SOT" lead to fit the Blaupunkt - which has ISO connectors, and thus the "SOT043" to adapt Volvo plugs to ISO. That meant fitting the MKi9200 was an easy task as it's an ISO kit.

I have a couple of 8Gb USB sticks full of music, and if you make sure you're up to date with the firmware in the MKi9200 (easy to do with a USB stick or SD-Card), it's a capable music player.

The adapater lead you'd need for an amplified car is the SOT-045.

If you use the wrong lead, the amp makes some popping and banging noises on the front speakers and it can damage it.

If you only want to do A2DP streaming of music, you could go for a couple of other options - the new THB Bury CC9060 Music - about the same cost as a Parrot MKi9200. I haven't tried one yet, but I have installed a few CC9060's and they are a clever cookie!! Difficult to call which is better out of the Parrot or the THB.

Dension Ice - Gateway 300. This is a pukka "CD Multichanger emulator interface" that makes an iPod look like a CD multichanger as far as the car's stereo is concerned. It can be expanded to include a bluetooth adapter for phone operation. Its expensive, but good!

DICE - this will be a FM modulator job for the iPod in a Volvo.

IO-Play is another option, connects like the Parrot or THB. Don't know much about them, I've seen good and bad reports.

There are others, but I don't know much about them

[wilkhaven]

Thanks for the reply. I decided to go for the Parrot solution and take a risk with the sound quality. I really didn't want to spend too much initially and the priority is bluetooth hands free, the streaming music is a 'nice to have'.

I don't have an ipod yet, but an HTC with the music and I have tried the FM modulators before and found them to be pretty awful.

The kit arrived this week and I'm [attempting] to install it today. I bought a specialist connection lead seperately specific to the car which should simplify things a bit. I'll let you know how I get on!

[R59]

thanks for the thanks!!

I'm more than impressed with the quality of the sound from the MKi9200.

The MKi - as you may know - comes with an iPod interface (which works with iPhones too), a USB port, a line-in plug, and a SD-Card slot.

The latest firmware supports Multipoint bluetooth connection. I haven't worked out how it goes yet, but I have had two phones connected at the same time.

I'll report on the THB Music soon - I'm going to put one in Mrs R59's new toy, and Hispano Suiza Fabia VRS TDI. She doesn't know it yet, but that's what she's getting!

[dave_s13]

I'm sure the sound quality will be good but you have to bear in mind the Volvo standard head unit is a bit weird in the world of standard car stereos. It sounds bloody fantastic!

Report back with your thoughts as my car needs a hands free kit and I've always thought Parrot kits are pretty much all you ever need in that respect.

On a related note......how do you get the head unit out?

[rickpol1]

is the parrot mki9200 compatible with a four year old V50 with standard radio?

[chris1d]

I have mine in my S60, and it works really well with my iPhone 4. Connects straight away and when plugged in for iPod use the phone rings via the bluetooth when required. The sound quality as I said previously isn't as good as a CD when you crank it up but its ok for normal tunes.

The parrot should be compatible with the V50, but get it installed by a parrot certified engineer. Halfords are usually ok with fitting but the weird dash on the V50 might cause issues for them

Chris

[LJD]

I have just stripped my 9200 from the golf i am selling.

It is a great unit .One that works very very well is simple cars ..........
But these days the ICE is no longer simple !
I can 100% say there is no way in hell the small Digital amp will run the Volvo speakers well.There is no headroom and its far far too underpowered.

You are losing 70% of the ability .

What my plan is this

To get the right leads!
To rewire the parrot speaker leads to RCA convertors .This will mean the Music no longer needs the tiny amp.

If the system does not mute well. I will have the phone running on its own Nokia car phone speaker (Old skool, but they sound great !)

I love the Parrot , but no way in hell am i letting it play music in the car whilst i have a better option !

[mikealder]

Look up the SOT-1000 addapter as thats intended for use with the iO-Play or Parrot kit, it drops the bluetooth amp output to the line level required for the Volvo amp. I fitted such a kit to a mates C70 with amplified set-up last year and it works well (even though the instructions supplied are not far short of crap) - Mike