[samlee860407]

PS: I am not an audiophile hence might have some noob question. Pardon me.
 
Guys, when I am driving, I use my iPad to listen to musics since my car had AUX input.
 
Currently I am using the 3.5mm cable to connect my iPad to my car AUX input using the headphone jack at my iPad.
 
I noticed that the base is not strong when I play music and it's sound light. I need to turn on it very high on my audio system when listening.
 
My car does have a 9 speaker BOSE premium audio system, but then it seems to me the music is not really good.
 
Hence, after some search, I noticed by using the headphone jack, music out from it will be pre-amp from my iPad itself instead of the car amp. Is this true?
 
Then I found that many people saying that if to connect from iPhone/Ipod to a portable amp and then to headphone, must definitely use line out adapter then only use a 3.5mm cable to connect to the amp/headphone. 
 
So my questions is, will the sound quality improve if I use the Line Out adapted instead of the headphone jack?
 
Meaning from my iPad (connected with a line out adapter at the 32pin beow) > 3.5mm cable connect to my car AUX input. 
 
Will it helps?
 
Then another questions to this, if I were to get a cheap portable Amp, those below USD100 ones, like the Fiio E6 or Fiio E11, will the sound quality improve? 
 
Meaning :
 
iPad (connected with a line out adapter at the 32pin beow) > 3.5mm cable to the portable Amp > 3.5mm cable connect to my car AUX input
 
Thanks. 

 

[barbes]

Using a LOD into your stereo rather than the headphone jack will make a big difference.  Adding an external amp won't add anything; you have an amp in your car system already so double-amping won't help and may make things worse.  To do better than the LOD you would need to add a DAC (digital to analog converter) that will work with your iPad.  Many will, if you put the iPad Camera Connector Kit into the mix - there's a big thread on that here if you're interested.  Try the LOD cable first - iPads have very good line outs (my iPad 3 does, anyway) and sound really good.  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[samlee860407]

Thanks a lot for the reply. 
 
I will go and get a LOD 1st. hehe  

 

[barbes]

Great.  Report back how it goes.

 

[hydralisk01]

In case the line out to head unit is still no good then it could just be your car stereo. There are aftermarket head units with pre outs so you can hook up a full sized amp and subwoofer in you car boot. You will probably also need to upgrade your speakers.  Car audio can be pretty expensive, but these days i think its cheaper, problem is i no longer own a car =( The general path of upgrade in a car is head unit first which will be your amp. Then new speakers. Then bypassing the head unit and having an amp and subwoofer in the boot.  Oh yah, if the car is german and solid build it would sound better =D  In my Mazda the subwoofer caused the doors to rattle. 
 
Hope that helps