Home > Consumer Reviews > Belkin Cassette Adapter for iPods, MP3 Players, CD Players, and Laptops

I bought this on a whim after having the FM Modulator I had installed last week removed from my '03 Jetta because the sound was pathetic. (Really upsettingly bad.) I really didn't expect much, but thought it was worth a try at the price. I could not be happier! I don't have any of the whirry, clicky noises others mention, unless I've turned my iPod off while the adapter is still in the cassette deck, and even then it's not terribly noisy. The sound is surprisingly crisp and the highs and lows are clean and distinct--unike the awful experience I had with the modulator. I don't know whether the quality will deteriorate over time, but at $12, if I have to replace it now and then it's worth it. (Much cheaper than replacing my car stereo, like the car audio salesguy told me I'd have to do.) If you have a cassette deck, try it. You'll be amazed.

On the plus side:
1. This cassette adapter works in my Passat's stereo, unlike the Sony adapter, which did not.
2. Sound quality and usability are both better than the iTrip.

One the minus side:
1. The sound quality is miserable. Bass is almost totally missing. The midrange dominates, and most of the high end is muted. This problem is so bad that adjusting bass/midrange/treble on my stereo cannot compensate. For reference, actual cassettes sound great in this same stereo.

2. This cassette adapter has gears in it that make both spindles turn when one is turning. This is probably what makes it work in my stereo, however it does make some sound. The end result is some mechanical noise that gets in the way of quiet parts of the music.

I have gone through three of these; I purchased two and one I got as a warrantee replacement. Each failed the same way. They start out fine, then gradually start making more and more mechanical noise. Eventually the noise becomes so annoying that the unit needs to be replaced. I give it two stars only because it dies over time rather than all at once.

Lasted me for two months, and then fell apart. The wire came lose very easily after only moderate use. There was so much clatter and noise when i hooked it up. Use to own a Sony one, which was cheaper and lasted me two years. This is a piece of crap, don't but it!

This is horrible. The first one I bought has a very loud whirring and clicking when connecting an iPod in a Honda CRV. It was impossible to listen to the music. I returned it and swapped it for another, and the performance was identical. For an iPod in my car it is completely unusable.