Clarion deck - want to add bluetooth will it work?

I have the stock Clarion CMD6 in the glove box. It has a usb port that is wired to the HU that an iphone cord will plug into and it is compatible to switch songs etc through the stereo remotes. Also has a 3.5mm next to that for input

My question is if I got a bluetooth to usb adaptor could I have my phone over by the driver, or any phone paired up on board, and will it play through the usb via the bluetooth adaptor??

At this point I don't really want to retro the system with a BT Wetsounds 420, although eventually will go that route.

Here's a typical amazon bluetooth adaptor I was thinking of getting, although I would rather have one that just transmitted through the usb instead of going thru the 3.5mm (loss of signal quality)http://www.amazon.com/CyberTech-Brit...KR5NVENCCSGX92

Anyone been down this road or have any advice??

Thanks

I am getting the Exile bluetooth for mine.

http://exileaudio.com/store/index.ph...-receiver.html

JL Audio BT receiver. $39.
http://www.jlaudio.com/mbt-rx-marine...receiver-91126

Ive been using a Bluetooth receiver that plugs in to the 3.5mm aux port on my stock Clarion HU for the past three years. Specifically this one: http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=7364

I think it's hard to go wrong with any Bluetooth adapter. Only drawback to the one I'm using is it has an annoying sound whenever it pairs. God forbid you have the volume turned up when it pairs with your phone. Nearly made me jump out of the boat one time. Other than that it's been great. Phone can be anywhere in the boat and the adapter stays in the glove compartment and never drops connection.

I'll second the JL Bluetooth. About as simple if an install as it can get with great range and sound quality.

Awesome...thanks for the help

The JL or Exile are certainly more professional type options. But I don't like the idea of the BT power being tied to the HU power. If I went with one of those then I'd have to re-pair my phone with the BT adapter every time I power off my HU, which for me is every time I stop my boat and float. As it is, with my BT adapter powered separately, when I turn off the boat and then turn the key to ACC, my HU drops power for a second. But my BT stays on no matter what so I don't have to pair again. We typically do this just to float and hang out between sets and listen to music while the kids swim. Not knocking the other ones, just something to consider. Given, those adapters probably power back on automatically when the HU does, and *should* pair with whatever phone they paired with most recently again right away without any user action required, but BT can be finicky. Not to mention you'd have to restart the music. I like being paired for good until I unplug the adapter when we're putting the boat away.

Probably some stupid questions but -
How do you install the JL or Exile units?
Can you still manage volume on the head unit?
Can you manage other aspects on the head unit, like skip to next song?

Josh,

Installed correctly, the BT needs to be tied to head-unit constant B+, which I think you are referring to as "power". However, the "power" is not what the key is interrupting when you rotate from RUN to ACC. The key is interrupting the head-unit red switched ignition turn-on, which is NOT what I would suggest wiring the BT to.

The problem you are experiencing is not an issue with how the BT is wired, but rather how the OEM installed head-unit is wired. Easy fix.

@ WS

The JL, exile, Carwin Vega and Metra (all the same units) are a 2 wire power harness connection and a pair of RCA outputs. They use the head-unit's rear AUX input and mimic using a 3.5MM x RCA from the headphone jack. Yes, head-unit volume still works, no, no song skip.

Thanks for the help. Figured what the hell. Found the exile on Amazon with same day delivery. Wasn't thinking about this at all before today and now it will be installed tonight.

Originally Posted by on_wi

Thanks for the help. Figured what the hell. Found the exile on Amazon with same day delivery. Wasn't thinking about this at all before today and now it will be installed tonight.

Haha exact same thing happened to me too, got mine in last night! Which mounting option are most people doing?

Originally Posted by chillinoj

Haha exact same thing happened to me too, got mine in last night! Which mounting option are most people doing?

I used the sticky adhesive to mount it inside the dash out of site.

If you go with the Exile BT Media center controller, you can track forward and back. it also has an aux input and it can both send and receive a remote turn on lead.

http://exileaudio.com/store/index.ph...oth/exmc1.html

I really like that I can give my wife a signal when I'm back behind the boat and she can track forward to the next song without having to mess with my phone.

Here is mine installed:


I have the simpler exile unit in my Audi. I have a module that connects to the factory deck to add an aux input via the CD Changer input on the factory deck. it's awesome to have BT in my car now.

But for the boat, I dig the media center controller. Most the time, I don't even bother with turning on the head unit. I have the media center provide the remote turn on signal to my amps and to my WS420.

So if you use the exile media center, does your head unit or eq have to have bluetooth capability? In other words, I'm going to have to simply use rca plugs to plug it into the back of my wetsounds 420, so I'm assuming the controls won't work, except perhaps volume, which I don't need anyway

get the jl audio one...it is very very good.

http://www.jlaudio.com/mbt-rx-marine...receiver-91126

I have and like the JL. The sound quality is better than through my USB in my headunit

But the JL is straight into my EQ.