In most foreign and Russian factory-made cars, car owners are still offered standard CD- or DVD-car radios. But progress goes forward by leaps and bounds, and the greatest demand is increasingly used by a compact digital medium - a transmitter, or FM modulator.
This digital converter reproduces audio signal from USB Flash drive, phone, ipad, laptop. The modulator transforms the sound from wma or mp3 formats into radio waves and transfers it to the car radio without loss of quality.
Which FM modulator is better for a car and what to be guided by when choosing a certain model - let's try to figure it out in the article.
FM transmitter for auto: which is better, reviews and where to buy
Now FM modulators are sold in digital supermarkets, on the Internet, and the choice is pleasing to the eye. Which FM transmitter for cars is the best in terms of sound and price? Feedback from those who at one time purchased this or that auto-modulator allows us to make a rating of the most popular devices from several manufacturers.
Xiaomi Roidmi 3s
Xiaomi more and more often pleases us with new products. Compared to the 2S, the new Roidmi model raises the sound quality to a new level. Works with a flash drive from a cigarette lighter and fits any car. Has many positive reviews at a relatively low price: a modulator from Xiaomi will cost you only 1,500 rubles.
Xiaomi Roidmi 3s specifications:
pros
- High quality sound
- The presence of an alarm
- Two USB ports
- Bluetooth
Minuses
- Possible interference
The modulator suits everyone, but sometimes it fails. In addition, noise may occur while listening.
Xiaomi Roidmi 3s
Ritmix FMT
Ritmix FMT- a simple, effective, convenient transmitter and an excellent device in the car of any music lover.
Supports optional SD cards and mp3 format... In addition, it is equipped with a connector for flash drives, then there is a USB with aux output (3.5 mm). Bluetooth interface available for audio transmission and the ability to connect external sound sources through the line-in. The built-in microphone allows you to use the modulator as a headset, the transmission range of the digital signal reaches 5 meters.
The gadget will cost you 1,300 rubles and has the following characteristics:
pros
- Functional and convenient arrangement of control keys
- Highest reliability and build quality
- Intuitive interface
- Robust, reliable housing
- Wide range of built-in transmitter
Minuses
Good sound quality! I have been looking for a model that will fully satisfy my requests for a long time. The interface is simple, nothing fancy. Successful purchase.
Neoline Wave FM
In the digital market Neoline Wave FM became one of the first modulators equipped with a bluetooth wireless network. The transmitter can actually be purchased from the digital store for 1 600 rubles.
Hands-Free function allows the driver to receive calls and communicate hands-free without releasing the steering wheel... Car radio plays music in wav, mp3, microSD and flash media, plays files from tablets and laptops. Equipped with two ports, allowing the driver to listen to music and charge the tablet at the same time. The LCD display clearly shows the FM broadcast frequency.
Specifications:
pros
- High-quality assembly
- Hands-free function
- Two USB ports
- Simple and user-friendly interface
- Ergonomic
Minuses
- Poor call quality
At first I could not get enough of my purchase. Then shortcomings began to surface: once a chanson from a nearby minibus got on the air, and during a conversation, the interlocutor hears you with an echo. Except for these caveats, everything is fine.
Defender rt-pro
Transmitter Defender RT-Pro is equipped with a remote control and two outputs (USB and aux)... The device does not support a Bluetooth interface for the phone, but it accepts SD and micro-SD memory cards and plays audio in MP3 and WMA formats.
The maximum size of a memory card and flash drive - 32 GB. The modulator operates at frequencies from 82.6 to 107.8 MHz, covers a radius of up to 10 meters.
There are additional nice features: seven equalizer modes, port for charging other gadgets(iPhones, Android smartphones or tablets). All this will cost you 600 rubles- this is the price declared by the manufacturer.
Defender RT-Pro specifications:
pros
- Multiple EQ modes
- Two outputs: USB and aux
- Remote control
Minuses
- Potential interference and malfunction
- Lack of bluetooth interface
The device is normal, especially considering its price. Not very convenient buttons, sometimes buggy, but works. Analogues are many times more expensive. I advise!
Comparative table of characteristics of the presented modulators
To visually evaluate how the FM modulator works and which of the models is better in sound, we advise you to arrange a test drive directly in the store.
For your convenience, we present a comparative table of all FM transmitters described above:
| Modulator and its characteristics | Xiaomi Roidmi 3s | Ritmix FMT | Neoline Wave FM | Defender rt-pro |
| Frequency range (MHz) | 87.5-108 MHz | 87.5-108 MHz | 87-108 MHz | 82.6-107.8 MHz |
| Supply voltage (V) | 12,24 | 12,24 | 12,24 | 12,24 |
| Equalizer | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Supported formats | mp3 | mp3 | wav, mp3 | wav, mp3 |
| Types of connectors for connecting external drives | microSDXC, | USB, | microSD, | MP3, WMA |
| Bluetooth module | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Modulator tilt adjustment | No | No | No | Yes |
Best Car FM Transmitter with Bluetooth
Car FM transmitter with Bluetooth Mystery MFM-80BCU is rightfully called one of the best of its kind. The modulator display contains a large amount of information, plays back files from smartphones and is distinguished by high sound quality thanks to the Clear Voice Capture technology. It is convenient to use it for communication, since Mystery MFM-80BCU is equipped with a steering wheel remote control, a user-friendly display and a simple interface.
Average cost of a transmitter from Mystery - 1,800 rubles.
Best MP3 Player with FM Modulator
According to many buyers, best mp3 player with FM transmitter in terms of price and quality ratio is Rolsen RFA-100.
The average cost of a player from Rolsen with a remote control included - 500 rubles. The device features an extravagant design with a button divider in the form of the Honda emblem. The product is conscientiously assembled and takes care of the needs of the user: thanks to the illumination and thoughtful design of the buttons, it is convenient to use it in the dark. According to the manufacturer's assurances, the player reads flash drives up to 16 GB.
The ergonomic device is equipped with a remote control and is capable of working with catalogs.
Best FM Modulator for Phone
There are telephones where a built-in transmitter is provided by the manufacturer. These smartphones transmit the signal to the car radio directly through the mobile application.
If you want to install FM transmitter on android, pay attention to ROIDMI app... Convenient functional update for your phone will help you change tracks with a shake of your hand, talk hands-free without leaving the steering wheel, and enjoy excellent sound quality.
The app is available for download on PlayGoogle by link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.raymi.mifm
Setup Instructions
Having stopped your choice on one or another transmitter, you are faced with the next problem - its installation. In order to avoid problems, we share with you the instructions for setting up the FM modulator:
- Find an unoccupied frequency in your radio by switching to radio mode.
- Insert the modulator into the cigarette lighter. After that, he will either turn on himself, or ask to use the remote control.
- Tune in the selected frequency.
- Insert your USB stick. After a while, the modulator will transmit the signal to the car radio.
Video: how to set up a FM modulator in a car?
You will learn more about how to set up a FM modulator for a car in the following video:
What if the transmitter does not see the USB stick?
In a situation where the car radio you have chosen does not play the files recorded on the USB-drive or does not see it at all, we advise you:
- Check the correctness of the files on the USB flash drive;
- Format it to FAT32;
- Rewrite tracks again.
We hope our article helped you avoid most of the difficulties when choosing an FM transmitter in your car and answered all your questions.
